Shiori (
History[]
An infant Shiori with her parents.
Shiori’s father, Tsukuyomaru, came from a clan of bat yōkai that preyed on the blood of humans and animals; Shiori’s mother’s village was one of their hunting grounds. However, Tsukuyomaru was different than the others – he did not kill humans, eventually meeting Shiori's mother, Shizu, and falling in love with her. After Shiori was born, the attacks ceased and the village was at peace until the untimely death of Tsukuyomaru.[1]
Like Inuyasha, Shiori was bullied constantly throughout her childhood for being a hanyō despite the obvious peace that Tsukuyomaru had brought to Shiori's village. Her mother was also discriminated against and they both lived secluded from the rest of the village which showed how ungrateful the villagers were for the kindness that Tsukuyomaru had shown them.[1]
In attempts to stop the attacks on the village, Shizu agreed to offer Shiori to her grandfather, Taigokumaru. Shiori at first refused to leave as she was afraid of him, but after the persuasion of the villagers, she left hesitantly to Taigokumaru’s side.[1]
During the story[]
When Taigokumaru broke his promise, the villagers attacked Shiori’s mother only to be stopped by Inuyasha and his friends. They came upon the village as they faced the problem of Naraku’s barrier. They learned from Myōga that the Tessaiga would be able to shatter barriers if he killed the current guardian of the barrier from the yōkai bat clan.[1] Inuyasha offered to rescue Shiori from Taigokumaru. He had Shizu lead him to the yōkai bat cave where Shiori was being held. The two of them were confronted by Taigokumaru as soon as they saw Shiori by the cave's entrance. Shizu immediately accused Taigokumaru of lying to her. He responded by saying that he would never honor a promise to humans. Shizu then demanded that he return Shiori to her. He refused since she was fulfilling her duty as guardian of the barrier. Inuyasha attempted to destroy Taigokumaru with the Kaze no Kizu, but the barrier around the cave blocked his attack. Taigokumaru retaliated by firing a sonic blast at both of them, though they were able to dodge his attack. Shiori tearfully pleaded with Taigokumaru to spare her mother's life, and promised that she would carry out her role as guardian of the bat yōkai barrier if he did. Taigokumaru claimed that Shiori had more common sense than Shizu or Inuyasha, and stated that Shiori would not be happy back in the village since she was constantly being bullied there for being a hanyō.
Shiori continued to miss her mother and wished to be with her. Taigokumaru decided to destroy her village in order to remove all distractions from Shiori being able to perform her duty.[1]
The village was under attack by the bat yōkai. Taigokumaru brought Shiori with him in order to be protected by her barrier. As Shiori watched in horror as the village was under attack, Taigokumaru told her that the villagers did not deserve her sympathy after the way she was treated so badly by them. He promised to spare her mother if she maintained the barrier around him. The bat yōkai were suddenly confronted by Inuyasha and his friends. They were able to slay many of them, but they were unable to defeat Taigokumaru because of Shiori's barrier. The surviving villagers begged Inuyasha to save them by killing Shiori since she was helping the bat yōkai. After hearing what they had to say, Inuyasha asked Shiori what she wanted to do. She instantly recognized Inuyasha since he was with her mother when she tried to rescue her from the yōkai bat cave. Inuyasha warned her that going back to the village might be a bad idea for her, but agreed to help if that was what she wanted. Taigokumaru intervened in the conversation and attacked with a sonic blast. He remarked that Inuyasha was also a hanyō, and the reason he was sympathetic for Shiori was due to his own past experience. Shiori was surprised to learn that Inuyasha was a hanyō as well. Inuyasha once again asked Shiori if she wanted to return to the village. Shiori was thinking about going back to be with her mother, but Taigokumaru warned her that her mother would die if she left. Shiori was unsure about what to do.
Taigokumaru unleashed another sonic blast after accusing Inuyasha of confusing Shiori. Inuyasha tried to counterattack but was blocked by Shiori's barrier. Taigokumaru commended Shiori for protecting him with her barrier. He proceeded to unleash a barrage of sonic blasts at the village, which left it nearly devastated. Shizu pleaded with Taigokumaru to spare the village since it was his son, Tsukuyomaru, who first wanted peace. Taigokumaru claimed that his son was a fool for wanting to live peacefully with humans. He later revealed that he murdered his own son. Inuyasha was prepared to kill Taigokumaru after learning the truth about the death of Shiori's father. Taigokumaru warned that killing him would also mean killing Shiori since she could not adjust the size of the barrier. Taigokumaru unleashed another sonic blast. Inuyasha used the Bakuryūha with the hope that it could pass through the opening in Shiori's barrier where Taigokumaru launched his initial attack, but the barrier was fully restored just before the attack could connect. Taigokumaru once again commended his granddaughter for protecting him. Shiori suddenly told Taigokumaru to get out. She thrust him out of the protective barrier after learning that he killed her father, saying that she'll avenge her father's death. Taigokumaru was furious at Shiori for throwing him out of the barrier but also surprised by how much power she had, as even he had been unable to control the barrier in such a way. Shiori began to fall after the barrier around her was lifted. As her mother tried to catch her, Taigokumaru attempted to intervene with his sonic blast, but was destroyed by Inuyasha after he once again used the Bakuryūha.
Shiori was caught before hitting the ground and was happily reunited with her mother afterward. Inuyasha decided it was time for him and his friends to leave. Myōga tried to stop him by saying that the point of their trip was to slay the current guardian of the bat yōkai cave to strengthen Tessaiga. Shizu was shocked and was afraid that he would kill Shiori. Inuyasha refused to kill a young hanyō, let alone a little girl, and had to find another way. In gratitude to Inuyasha for reuniting her with her mother, Shiori offered to let Inuyasha destroy the Blood Coral Crystal with Tessaiga so it could absorb its power. She explained that it was an heirloom of the bat yōkai clan that gave each guardian the power to create a barrier, and it also stored the power of the previous generations of guardians (including her father and grandfather). Just as Inuyasha was prepared to destroy it, the crystal suddenly emanated a demonic aura that affected Shiori. Shizu took the crystal away from her, but its evil aura burned her hands, forcing her to drop it. This spirit of Taigokumaru emerged from the crystal with the intention of killing both Shiori and her mother. They were protected by the spirit of Tsukuyomaru who placed a barrier around them during Taigokumaru's attack. It caught him off guard long enough for Inuyasha to destroy him once and for all. The crystal broke in half and all of its powers were absorbed into Tessaiga, which allowed Inuyasha to gain the Red Tessaiga.
Shiori thanked Inuyasha for saving her. Inuyasha claimed that he should be the one thanking her since the barrier around her weakened Taigokumaru. Shiori stated that she was not the one who was responsible for the barrier, and that it was like someone put their arms around her and her mother in order to protect them. Shizu claimed that it was her father that protected them at that moment. With the bat yōkai no longer plaguing the village, Shizu and her daughter could live in peace, knowing that Tsukuyomaru was watching over them.[2]
Hanyō no Yashahime[]
After her human mother had died of an illness some years ago in the eighteen years since meeting Inuyasha and his friends, the adult Shiori established a hidden village deep in the mountains for different hanyōs to live together in peace, away from both discriminatory humans and yokai, where she acts as the head of the village.
Ten years later she took in Setsuna, who had just been separated from her twin sister in a forest fire. She made her live in the village and taught her to read, write and do arithmetic there. There were already several half-demons living in the village, all of them children, such as Fūta and Raita.
When Setsuna had been living in the village for six years, she received a letter asking her to return to the village of Kaede. Shiori encouraged her to go, saying that a half-demon can also live among humans. But Setsuna returned shortly afterwards and Shiori took her in again.
Shortly afterwards, a yōkai named Gaga Gozen tried to attack the village and eat the half-demon children when Shiori's barrier failed during a rare total solar eclipse. Futa, Raita, Setsuna and Miroku fought him and his underlings, and Setsuna destroyed him after turning into a pure demon, but was soon subdued before she could harm her friends. After the eclipse was over, Shiori sent her away again, but asked Setsuna to bring half-demon children who were in need to this village. And Setsuna agreed to this promise, also keeping an eye on the village when she can in gratitude to her.
Some years later, the village is attacked again by demons. Setsuna mutilates and chases them away, and Shiori stands on a cliff from behind her demonic barrier, sees her fly away on Kirara with Towa, and thanks her.
Personality[]
Shiori was a very timid girl due to her being discriminated in her village at an early age. She loves her mother very much and does not want to see her get hurt, either physically or emotionally.
Growing up, Shiori took it upon herself to create a safe haven for hanyō children to protect them from the animosity and prejudices they suffer from both humans and yōkai. She cares for all the children that come under her protection with a maternal love and guidance and appreciates her oldest charges taking it upon themselves to kill demons that come looking for their village to do them harm though it saddens her to see them kill, even though she understands the necessity of it.
Though she wants to protect her children, Shiori doesn't want for them to remain in her village forever, as she wants for them to grow up strong and confident and venture out to find their places in the world and hopefully send other hanyō her way.
Physical description[]
Shiori has tanned skin, purple eyes, and long lavender hair that she inherited from her father, Tsukuyomaru. When she turns full human, her skin tone lightens, her eyes and hair become brown like her mother, Shizu. Shiori also has red lips.
Outfit[]
Shiori wears a white ceremonial kimono when she is given to Taigokumaru. She is barefoot and wears two small blue ribbons on either side of her bangs. As an adult, her outfit and accessories are exactly the same for the most part, except with blue pretzel shaped hair ribbons, and she now wears brown woven sandals.
The flashback of Shiori's time in the village shows her wearing a red kosode with a diamond pattern, and red ribbons in her hair.[Note 1]
Powers & Abilities[]
- High Demonic Power: Despite being a hanyō, Shiori is shown to have high amount of demonic powers and potential as a child of a daiyōkai. This is shown in the fact that her barriers created as the guardian of the Demon Bat Barrier are very strong and was capable of blocking nearly all attacks coming at it including the likes of the Backlash Wave. In fact, when that occurred, her grandfather was very shocked at the strength of her barrier and before then was desperate to have her as the new guardian.
- Immense Durability: When she throws out Taigokumaru from her barrier, she falls from a great height to the ground, but remained unharmed.
- Longevity & Deccelerated Aging: Although Shiori should be almost thirty years old in chronological terms, she looks like twenty years at most. In the ten years that Setsuna lived in the village, she has not grown any older.
- Demonic Barrier Erection: As an adult, Shiori has the ability to create a strong barrier of demonic energy to protect the half-demon hidden village she established which not even the most powerful demons can break through.
- Wilderness Survival: Shiori is able to survive in the forest by living off the land which she taught the young half-demons she takes care of until they're able to fend for themselves.
- Bat Manipulation: As a bat hanyō, Shiori can communicate with regular bats, as well as use them as scouts.
- Echolocation: Shiori can use echolocation since the bats can screech in which Shiori is finished talking with her little friends the little bats.
Weapons[]
- Blood Coral Crystal (
血玉珊瑚 , "Chidama-sango") (Formerly): This crystal orb is a precious heirloom of the demon bat clan and is the source of their accumulated power of protecting the barrier.- Impenetrable Barrier: Shiori, like her father and grandfather, has the ability to create barriers from a red orb called the Blood Coral Crystal. This skill and duty is passed down from generation to generation as the ability to create barriers wanes with age and the ability is lost once the duty has been passed to someone else. The barriers created by the bat demons are impenetrable and even deflected Tessaiga's Kaze no Kizu and withstood the Bakuryūha as well.[1]
- Demonic Aura: Originally, the demonic aura dissipated when Shiori touched it, as the crystal chose her as its master. The crystal can emit a powerful demonic aura that can entrances hanyō like Shiori and possibly weaker demons along with burning humans if they touch it.
Weakness[]
Shiori's human form
- Solar Eclipse: As a hanyō, Shiori is susceptible to losing her powers for periods of time. In her case, during a total solar eclipse. During this time, her hair and eyes turn brown, her skin tone becomes lighter and her barrier disappears. Since a total solar eclipse occurs on average every 18 months , Shiori doesn't lose her demonic powers as often as hanyō like Inuyasha and Jinenji, who lose theirs monthly. It is unknown if the eclipse in question has to be in the same location Shiori herself is in.
Relationships[]
Tsukuyomaru, Shiori's father.
Shiori admired her father greatly and was angered to the point of ejecting her grandfather from the barrier once she heard that Taigokumaru killed her father. When Taigokumaru came back one last time from the red orb, Tsukuyomaru’s soul protected Shiori and her mother from his attack.
Shiori spent most of her childhood living with her mother and would do anything for her, even if it meant separating from her to protect the village, or to protect her grandfather with the barrier in order to spare her life.
Shiori was afraid of Taigokumaru and was very passive around him. When he was leading the attack on the village, he manipulated and threatened Shiori into protecting him with her barrier or else her mother would die. However, upon hearing that Taigokumaru killed her father, she ejected him from the barrier, thus leaving him defenseless, and Inuyasha was able to defeat him.
As the two of them were both hanyōs, Inuyasha was able to relate to Shiori easily by the discrimination she faced. In fact, Inuyasha also had a human mother who was his only human family. Upon learning that Shiori was the guardian of the orb, Inuyasha decided against killing her, deciding to instead solve the issue with Shiori before going in search of another method. In gratitude for saving her and reuniting her with her mother, she helps Inuyasha make Tessaiga stronger.
It was likely through Inuyasha's influence that Shiori chose to become a guardian for hanyō orphans in later life.
Shiori let Setsuna stay in her village as a child and raised her for several years. To repay that kindness Setsuna keeps patrolling the village to drive yōkai away from it.
Shori takes in orphaned half-demons in her village, who are alone in danger. She acts in the role of an older sister or even mother for these children. This also applies to Futa and Raita. When Gaga Gozen attacked, Shiori was ready to risk her life to protect them from him. However, she also wants them to leave the village as soon as they are strong enough to be able to take care of themselves.
Shiori recognized him even though she hadn't seen him for many years. She was happy to see him and that he helped Setsuna and the village. Miroku recognized her immediately and noted that she has become a pretty young lady.
Manga vs. Anime[]
- The flashback Shiori as a baby with her parents is not in the manga.
- The flashback of Shizu comforting Shiori after her daughter is bullied by the village children is not in the manga.
- In the manga, Shizu tries to catch Shiori while she is falling from the sky after expelling Taigokumaru from her barrier. In the anime, the scene of Hachiemon retrieving Shiori after she falls from the sky is not in the manga.
- The scene when Shizu and Shiori look off into the horizon as the sun begins to rise is not present in the manga.
Trivia[]
Shiori as she appears in the manga.
- Shiori is the only hanyō child in the series to be shown having red lips. It is unknown if Shiori's lips are naturally red, or if she applies some substance to make them appear this way.
- Because she is a hanyō, Shiori reverts to human form during a total solar eclipse. Her skin tone lightens, and her eyes and hair become brown (like her mother).
Media appearances[]
Manga
- Chapter 214 (First appearance)
- Chapter 215
- Chapter 216
- Chapter 217
- Chapter 218
Anime
- Episode 73 (First appearance)
- Episode 74
Hanyō no Yashahime
- Episode 20
- Episode 22 (Appears in a flashback)
- Episode 27 (Appears in a flashback)
- Episode 36 (Appears in a flashback)
Notes[]
- ↑ In the anime only
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 InuYasha anime; Episode 73
- ↑ InuYasha anime; Episode 74