Age: Kagura is only a few months old, being a magically created offspring of Naraku. She was likely full-grown when she was "born".

Hair: black, mid-back length. She always wears her hair gathered into a high bun decorated with feathers.

Eyes: ruby red, without visible pupils as is common for youkai.

Appearance: Kagura is pretty in a sharp, wild sort of way. She is always barefoot. Her garb consists of several kimono layers, with two underkimono, a green one and a white one with an embroidery of cranes in grey. She has been seen wearing two different kimono: first, one with wide, red and white horizontal stripes and a feather pattern, and later a robe of similar colours; a pattern of red rectangles and circles on a white background. (These are the colours for the manga -- in the anime her later kimono is dark violet and white.) She wears green jewelry on her ears which are pointed, youkai-style. On her back she bears Naraku's mark, a spider-shaped scar.

Appellations: Kagura

Meaning of Name: "Kagura" is the term for sacrificial dance and song of the Shinto faith.

Family: older sister - Kanna, umm father? - Naraku

Quote: "I am the wind. Someday I will become free."

Impressions: Kagura is the second born of Naraku's offspring (bunshin, which can also mean "detachment"), youkai that he spawned from his own body utilising the power of the Shikon no Tama. She is the Wind, and can shape and use air to serve her purposes. Kagura is decidedly wicked, dangerous in battle and occasionally bitchy, but also the most wilful of Naraku's brood. As she herself says, she is the Wind, and she will be free one day. She hates Naraku for the control that he has over her: he holds her heart (literally), and can take her back into his body is he so wishes. Kagura can be quite witty, has a clear rebellious streak, and will keep her (and others') secrets if she believes she can use them to gain her freedom.

History: Once Naraku had gathered enough shards of the Shikon Jewel, he began to use their power to create youkai from his own body. Kanna was the first, and Kagura second. Her first clash with Inuyasha-tachi involved a trap she had set for the Yourouzoku, Kouga's tribe of demon wolves. Naraku seems to use her for both actual battle and reconnaissance, since she can cover great distances by flying.

Weapons & Attacks: Kagura fights using wind and air. She can shape air into razor-sharp blades or call forth powerful whirlwinds, as well as control the winds of a given area at her whim. As befits a wind-user, she is very limber and dexterous. If the tide turns against her, she usually escapes, speeding away on a huge feather that she uses to fly.

Fuujin no Mai ("Dance of the Wind Blades"): Kagura makes a sweep with her fan and sends a volley of razor-edged crescents of air at her opponent.

Ryuuja no Mai ("Dance of the Dragon Snakes"): Again using the fan, Kagura can create tornadoes of varying sizes -- either numerous smaller ones or a single massive one -- to envelope a foe. When lifting something suitably sharp and nasty with the whirlwind the results can be fatal for the target.

Shikabane Mai ("Dance of the Dead" or "Corpse Dance"): Kagura can take control of dead bodies (and also people who have had their souls stolen, since they are just empty husks then) and command them; they become mindless zombies that do her bidding, such as delivering ominous messages, attacking her opponents, shielding her, etc. When the control is lifted the bodies collapse and spew white foam -- soulless people can be rescued alive if their souls are returned.

Things of Note: Much about the precise nature of Naraku's offspring is open to debate, but Kagura and the others were birthed directly from his body. He has full control of them, but their lives do not necessarily depend upon his life or death. The matter is curious, and certainly open for exploration, I think. I suppose it is safe to say that Kagura shares the preternatural speed, keen senses and endurance of the youkai race since she can, in most ways, be considered one of them.

Love Interests: Kagura is too busy worrying about her own life to care about anyone else. However, Rumiko Takahashi has hinted to a deep-rooted respect that Kagura carries for Sesshou-maru, Inu-Yasha's elder, full-demon, brother. On more than one occasion, Kagura has confronted the dog demon and asked for his aid in killing Naraku. She has helped Sesshou-maru find the gateway to the Land of the Dead, and frequently appears out of nowhere just to bug him. The Dog Demon dosen't respond to her sort of aloof flirtations, however.

First Appearance: manga act 151, anime episode 39

Seiyuu (Japanese): Ougami Izumi

Voice Actor (English): ?