Kagome (as seen in the anime)
Kagome Higurashi (日暮 かごめ, Higurashi Kagome) is one of the main protagonists of the series. Born in modern Japan as the spiritual reincarnation of the priestess Kikyo, Kagome has the Shikon Jewel unknowingly hidden inside her body until 1997, when a demon pulls her into the Bone Eater's Well and 500 years back through time. They emerge in the Feudal Era about 50 years after Kikyo's death, where the demon extracts the jewel from Kagome. Kagome takes over the task of protecting the Shikon Jewel from evil influences, but accidentally shatters it into numerous shards that disperse throughout the country. She shares many traits with Kikyo spiritual power, physical appearance, and (according to InuYasha) even a similar scent, but does not retain Kikyo's memories or personality, and is a very different individual.
Summary
Kagome is the heroine of the Inuyasha series. Her family lives at an ancient shrine. She is a miko (priestess) and is the reincarnation of Kikyo. In present day Japan, 15-year-old Kagome Higurashi was pulled into the shrines well by the centipede woman and taken to feudal Japan, where she finds a boy with long white hair and strange dog-ears named InuYasha pinned to a tree. When she frees him, he mistakes her for Kikyo, the one who bound him to the tree in the first place. He seeks the Shinkon No Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls, or The Sacred Jewel as some would call it, that Kagome has. When Kagome shatters the jewel with a purifying arrow, it's shards are spread across Japan and implanted in demons. InuYasha and Kagome set out to find the Jewel Shards to make the Jewel again. Naraku is an evil demon who searches for the Jewel Shards for his own purposes. Now, InuYasa and Kagome travel with a monk, Miroku, a Kitsune, Shippo, and a Demon Slayer and her cat, Sango and Kirara, to defeat Naraku and find all the Jewel Shards.
Kagome's grandpa makes up fake illnesses to excuse Kagome from school to continue her quest with InuYasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo in the feudal area. She is often stressed over tests and wants to go back home to study, though InuYasha does want her to stay. This usually causes arguments between InuYasha and Kagome.
The leader of the Wolf Tribe, Kouga, is infatuated with Kagome, and often calls her "his woman"
Through their traveling, Kagome begins to develop romantic feelings toward InuYasha (in the anime series she admitted she was in love with him), but usually remains heartbroken because Inuyasha still has feelings for Kikyo, and often goes out to find her. The relationship between InuYasha and Kagome grows more and more through-out the manga/anime series. By the end of the manga however, their love is out in full force as the two are now married.
Relationships
- InuYasha - Inuyasha initially was angry about how Kikyo had betrayed him and projected it at Kagome, but eventually he realized that she was not Kikyo and slowly opened his heart as she showed him kindness and compassion. However, their friendship and blossoming love does not stop Kagome from shouting "Sit!" when warranted. She is also very jealous and upset when he goes after Kikyo on occasion, totally forgetting about her.
- Shippo - She treats Shippo almost like a little brother or even a surrogate son, bringing him candy from the modern era and forcing InuYasha to 'sit' whenever he bullies Shippo.
- Miroku - While he is at times a lecherous nuisance, she respects his knowledge and actions and knows that he would gladly give his life for his friends if the need arose for.
- Koga - Kagome likes Koga as a friend and trusts him. However his claims that they are in love have caused a strain between her and InuYasha, even though she really isn't interested in Koga.
- Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi - Kagome's three friends in the modern era, although they tend to be more than a little nosy about Kagome's "jealous boyfriend" and wonder why she is interested in him.
- Hojo is one of Kagome's male classmates who incessantly persues her, and often brings herbal medicines and similar items to treat her "illnesses." His ancestor, Houjou Akitoki, had such an infatuation with her that he even convinced his future wife to change her name to Kagome.
- Sango is the demon slayer, along the manga/anime you can clearly see that her fondness for each other becomes stronger, and even act like sisters toward each other and also tell each other secrets and what they think, eventually Kagome on the manga says "Sango is my best friend, I will do anything to save her". Coincidentally, both are the eldest child in their family, both are older sisters with younger brothers, and both own a cat.
Power and abilities
Purification Powers: This power allows Kagome to purify anything she touches. By gathering large amounts of concentrated energy in her right palm, she can direct it at an opponent.
Spiritual Powers: Kagome can pass through barriers, spells, and illusions. Kagome can also sense evil auras and be unaffected by them. It is also revealed that her powers, to a great extent, are sealed by the Shikon no Tama(the Jewel of Four Souls), so she may have many other powers than these.
Jewel Detecting: This allows Kagome to sense the exact location of the Shikon Jewel shards. Kikyo had this ability as well.
Kyudo: Kagome uses a basic bow as a weapon. If she infuses her power into the bow, she can reflect an enemy's attack. Her bow has the power to strike evil spirits or the user's intended target bypassing others, if the opponent should happen to be using a hostage as a shield, the arrow will bypass the hostage and hit the enemy instead.
Sacred Arrow: Kagome can fuse her power into her arrows. This allows the arrows to penetrate demonic forces and purify objects.
Sacred Backlash Wave: This attack is a combination of InuYasha's Backlash Wave and Kagome's Sacred Arrow. It consists of Kagome firing one of her Sacred Arrows into the center of InuYasha's Backlash Wave, creating a very powerful attack.