Inuyasha (character)

Inuyasha (Japanese: 犬夜叉) is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists and titular hero of the 1996 fantasy manga series Inuyasha, created by Rumiko Takahashi, as well as several adaptations of the manga series, most notably the 2000 anime TV series of the same name and its 2009 direct sequel, Inuyasha: The Final Act.

He is a half-demon, half-human from the Sengoku period of Japan, who once started off as a selfish and ill-tempered individual, bearing extreme hatred towards humanity after being seemingly betrayed by his former lover, the priestess Kikyō, and sought to find the pieces of the Shikon Jewel in order to become a full demon. This ultimately leads to him being forced to team up with Kagome Higurashi, a modern era middle school girl who possesses spiritual powers that allows her to find the jewel pieces, so he could achieve his goal of becoming a full demon.

Over the course of the series, he and Kagome would begin to grow closer to each other and build new bonds with other characters, while Inuyasha slowly but surely grows to accept his half-heritage as he goes through certain events that shows him the truth of being a full demon, thus completely rejecting his original goals of becoming a complete demon. While on their journey to recover the jewel pieces, he and his friends would often encounter those who sought the jewel pieces for their own selfish gain, with the most recurring threat among them being a half-demon known as Naraku, who serves as Inuyasha's arch-enemy and foil, as it is revealed that he was the one who caused the conflict between Inuyasha and Kikyō.

He later returns in the 2020 anime spin-off sequel seriesYashahime: Princess Half-Demon, where he and Kagome, who is now Inuyasha's wife as well as a priestess in the Sengoku period, becomes the parents of Moroha, who is one of the main characters in the sequel series.

Ever since the series' debut, Inuyasha has been widely known across the world as one of the most recognizable and iconic characters in manga and anime history. He received critical acclaim by many for his design, his character development, his relationship with Kagome and Kikyō, and the vocal performances by Yamaguchi and Cox respectively, as well as for his tsundere behavior and being a flawed yet relateable character.