Here are Japanese names of characters from Inuyasha.
Embark on a nostalgic journey through the feudal fairy tale of "Inuyasha" by uncovering the meanings behind the Japanese names of its beloved characters. This guide offers a deeper understanding of the cultural significance and hidden stories within the names that have become iconic in the anime world.
Japanese Names of Characters From Inuyasha
Inuyasha (犬夜叉, Inuyasha)
Inuyasha is the main protagonist of the series and the series is named after him. His name translates to dog demon. He is a half demon as the result if being the son of Toga, a demon, and Izayoi, a human.
He is in pursuit of the Shikon Jewel that he believes will turn him into a full demon. However, his quest is cut short when he encounters the priestess Kikyo. She uses one of her magical arrows to trap Inuyasha by binding him to a sacred tree.
Kagome Higurashi’s modern reincarnation releases him from bondage and sets him free. Not long after this, she accidentally shatters the Shikon Jewel and the fragments are scattered all across Feudal Japan.
Since Inuyasha has yokai (demon) blood in him, he posseses immense strength and speed. He also is able to heal quickly from his injuries. His heightened senses give him a great advantage over the others.
Kagome Higurashi (日暮ひぐらし かごめ, Higurashi Kagome)
Kagome Higurahi is a young school girl who is one of the main characters of the series. Her name translates to birdcage (first name) and sunset (family name).
She is the reincarnation of a miko or shrine priestess from the feudal era named Kikyo. She was born with the Shikon no Tama inside her but had no knowledge of this.
On her 15th birthday, she is pulled into her family’s sacred well by a yokai. She is taken back some five hundred years where she meets Inuyasha. Together they set out to find the fragments of the jewel that she accidentally shatters.
Kagome has an infinite amount of spiritual power within her that is equivalent to that of Kikyo. As the series progresses she becomes a master archer.
She is also able to purify evil forces like demonic energies with her pure spiritual power.
Miroku (弥み勒ろく, Miroku)
Miroku is one of the main characters of the series. He is a young Buddhist monk who travels alongside Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippō, and Sango.
He is intelligent and can perform many spiritual acts like exorcisms. He has the Kazaana embedded within the pam of his hand which he uses as a weapon. However, this is actually a curse that was put on his grandfather that he has inherited.
He is well trained and has achieved divine power and enlightenment. He is also able to use spiritual barriers such as shields and sutra magic such as sutra spells and enchantments.
He also has sealing abilities that prevent demonic spirits from being resurrected. His spiritual healing powers allow him to heal any injured or ill being from sickness and even curses.
Sango (珊瑚さんご, Sango)
Sango is a a young demon slayer or yokai taijiya. Her name translates to coral. Before its destruction, she lived in a village of demon slayers along with her younger bother and father.
Sango is the strongest demon slayer from her village. She is highly trained and has a number of skills that she has masters in slaying demons.
She has conquered impressive physical feats and possess extraordinary strength, stamina, and endurance. She is a skilled warrior and has superior knowledge of how to use poison when in battle.
She has a Hiraikotsu which is an enormous boomerang that she always caries with her. It is her weapon of choice and she has mastered how to use it.
Shippō (七しっ宝ぽう)
Shippo is a young orphaned kitsune, which is a fox demon according to Japanese folklore. His name means the seven treasures.
In his attempt to avenge his father’s death by the Thunder Brothers, he tries to steal a shard of the Shikon Jewel from the miko Kagome Higurashi and Inuyasha to gain more strength.
However his attempt fails, but Inuyasha and Kagome allow him to accompany them on their quest for the remainder of the series.
In the series, Shippo is aseen having certain fox like features like the ears, tail and feet. He can also shapeshit into other temporary forms like a large pink balloon and mushroom.
He also is able to create illusions of duplicates of himself and use fox fire magic. He also performs a lot of tricks with toys, his attack with his giant spinning top is his most famous trick.
Kirara (雲母きらら, Kirara)
Kirara is a nekomata or mythical creature who is Sango’s loyal companion. Sango also uses her to travelon.
Kirara possess the ability to transform into a large cat similar to a saber toothed cat. She is engulfed in flames during her transformation. She is able to fly an carry people when transformed.
She has immense strength and has experience battling with demons as well. She is very strong and fast and also has enhanced durability and endurance.
Naraku (奈な落らく, Naraku)
Naraku is one of the main villains in the series. His name literally means hell. He is a half spider demon who is responsible for Kikyo’s death.
Like many others in the series, he wanted the Shikon no Tama (the mystical jewel) to transform into a complete demon and become invincible. Towards the end of the series, he manages to get his hands on all the scattered fragments of the jewel and is able to turn into a full spider yokai (or demon).
However, he is defeated and killed by Inuyasha. It is later found out that he was nothing more than a pawn of the Demon of the Shikon no Tama. He was tricked to ensure that the Jewel would continue to exist.
Demon of the Shikon no Tama (四魂の玉を生み出した合体妖怪, Shikon'notama o umidashita gattai yōkai)
The Demon of the Shikon no Tama is the main antagonist of the series. His name loosely translates to “combined yokai spawned by the Shikon no Tama”.
The Demon is a dragon yokai who is one of the most powerful demons. He resides in the Shikon no Tama and and Magatsuhi was born from his spirit.
Through the series, he manipulates Naraku and uses him to ensure that the jewel continues to exist, because if the jewel was destroyed, he would cease to exist as well.
The Demon is made up of a number of other smaller demons including dragons, spiders, oni, and many more.
Since he lives within the jewel, he is virtually immortal. He is also protected by the jewel which ensures a high speed of regeneration in the case of injuries.
Magatsuhi (曲まが霊つひ)
Magatsuhi was born from the spirit of the Demon of the Shikon no Tama. He is the evil that is within the jewel.
He is cunning and very strategic. He is able to take note of and use every advantage when in battle.
His immense demonic powers make him extremely powerful. He appears to be even more powerful than Naraku.
He is able to transform his body or part of it into large tentacles taht he uses to kill his opponents by constricting or impaling them. He is also able to possess teh body of others, like he did with Rin, Kohaku, and Inuyasha.
Here are some of the other characters from Inuyasha and their Japanese names
- Kikyo (桔梗, Kikyō)
- Sesshomaru (殺生丸, Sesshōmaru)
- Jaken (邪見, Jaken)
- Rin (りん, Rin)
- A-Un (阿吽, Aun)
- Kohaku (琥珀, Kohaku)
- Koga (鋼牙, Kōga)
- Kaede (楓, Kaede)
- Myoga (冥加, Myōga)
- Totosai (刀々斎, Tōtōsai)
- Demon of the Shikon Jewel (四魂の玉を生み出した合体妖怪)
- Magatsuhi (曲霊, Magatsuhi)
- Kanna (神無, Kan'na)
- Kagura (神楽, Kagura)
- Goshinki (悟心鬼, Goshinki)
- Juromaru (獣郎丸, Jūrōmaru)
- Kageromaru (影郎丸, Kagerōmaru)
- Muso (無双, Musō)
- The Infant (赤子, Akago)
- Hakudoshi (白童子, Hakudōshi)
- Byakuya of the Illusions (夢幻の白夜, Mugen no Byakuya)
- Kyokotsu (凶骨, Kyōkotsu)
- Jakotsu (蛇骨, Jakotsu)
- Mukotsu (霧骨, Mukotsu)
- Renkotsu (煉骨, Renkotsu)
- Ginkotsu (銀骨, Ginkotsu)
- Suikotsu (睡骨, Suikotsu)
- Bankotsu (蛮骨, Bankotsu)
- Hachiemon (八衛門, Hachiemon)
- Jinenji (地念児, Jinenji)
- Shiori (紫織, Shiori)
- Goryomaru (御霊丸, Goryōmaru)
- The Dog General (犬の大將, Inu no Taisho)
- Izayoi (十六夜, Izayoi)
- Hosenki (宝仙鬼, Hōsenki)
- Midoriko (翠子, Midoriko)
- Ginta (銀太, Ginta)
- Hakkaku (白角, Hakkaku)
- Ayame (菖蒲, Ayame)
- Mushin (夢心, Mushin)
- Sota Higurashi (日暮草太, Higurashi Sōta)
- Grandpa (じいちゃん, Jiichan)
- Buyo (ブヨ, Gnat)
- Hojo (北条, Hōjō)
- Ayumi (あゆみ, Ayumi)
- Eri (絵理, Eri)
- Yuka (由加, Yuka)
What is Inuyasha called in Japan?
The title of the series doesn’t change in any language as it is also the name of the protagonist. Inuyasha means dog demon in Japanese.
