Inuyasha (character)

Inuyasha
Inuyasha character
Inuyasha as illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi
First appearance	Inuyasha Chapter 1
Created by	Rumiko Takahashi
Voiced by	Japanese Kappei Yamaguchi English Richard Cox
Profile
Species	Hybrid
Relatives	Inu no Taisho (father, deceased) Izayoi (mother, deceased) Sesshomaru (paternal half-brother) Kagome Higurashi (wife) Sota Higurashi (brother-in-law) Mrs. Higurashi (mother-in-law) Grandpa Higurashi (grandfather-in-law) Mr. Higurashi (father-in-law, deceased)

Inuyasha (犬夜叉) is a fictional character appearing in Rumiko Takahashi's manga series Inuyasha and its anime adaptation as the main protagonist as well as its title character. Inuyasha is a hybrid of human and yōkai who first appears sealed to a tree in the feudal world. When a girl named Kagome Higurashi is being chased by a yōkai, Inuyasha convinces her to free him so that he might eliminate the enemy. Despite initially distrusting Kagome, Inuyasha joins forces with her to search for the shards of the Jewel of Four Souls, the Shikon Jewel, which increase a yōkai's powers. Although Inuyasha first aims to become a full demon using the Jewel, as the story progresses he develops strong bonds with the comrades who aid him.

Inuyasha is stylized by Takahashi as an anti-hero. According to interviews with the author, the style for Inuyasha's clothing was based on "priest's garb" of Japan's Warring States period.

Inuyasha's appearance is a mixture of his dog demon father and human mother: he has his fathers long silver hair, yellow eyes, and claws, but does not exhibit facial markings in his half-breed form, or pointed humanoid ears, instead he has a unique pair of furry silver dog ears on top his head. As a dog demon, Inuyasha has claws he uses to fight with, utilized mainly in his Sankon Tessō (散魂鉄爪, "Iron Reaper Soul Stealer" in dub) attack. Although a half-breed - a hanyō - Inuyasha's strong demon heritage inherited from his father affords him supernatural physical attributes and resilience; he possesses raw strength as well as speed and reflexes considerably superior to that of all lower-level and the majority of middle or even higher-level yōkai. His physical prowess combined with willpower and swordsmanship allows him to challenge even the stronger higher-level yōkai. His durability and regenerative abilities are similar to those of yōkai and allow him to endure severe pain and recover quickly from wounds as well as extending his lifespan by hundreds of years.

Due to his half-breed blood, Inuyasha temporarily loses all his demon traits and powers on the night of a new moon, effectively becoming completely human. Early in the series, Inuyasha acquires Tessaiga (鉄砕牙, "Steel-Cleaving Fang"), a powerful sword made from a fang of his father that can absorb demonic powers and energy. This proves to be useful to keep Inuyasha from falling victim to demonic nature turning him into a berserker. Over the course of the series, Inuyasha develops Tessaiga's signature Wind Scar (風の傷, Kaze no Kizu), Backlash Wave (爆流破, Bakuryūha) and Adamant Barrage (金剛槍破, Kongōsōha, Adamant Destroying Spears) techniques. Eventually, Inuyasha gains a new ability in Meidou Zangetsuha (冥道残月破, Meidō Zangetsuha, "Dark Path of the Dawn Moon's Wave) that Sesshomaru prepared for him as part of their father's design.