InuYasha
Welcome to my section on InaYasu! This another great anime series by Rumiko Takahashi(the creator of Ranma 1/2). So far, I've watched 37 episodes of the anime, but I want to take a look at the manga as well. The animation of the TV series is very well done, with impressive action sequences. The manga supposedly contains more romance than the anime, though. However, both are supposed to be pretty close to each other, as far as the stories and episodes go.
Brief Synopsis:(note: I'll only be covering the anime, since that's what I've seen so far)
Kagome is a normal 15-year-old girl who goes to junior high(don't all these characters start as 'normal' school students?). Her life takes a dramatic turn when she gets pulled down a well by a centipede youkai(youkai are a kind of demon/monster) and ends up in Japan's past. There, she frees the half-youkai, InuYasha. It's also revealed that she has the "Shikon no Tama"("Jewel of Four Souls) in her body, which gets pulled out by the centipede youkai. It gets shattered into pieces, and Inuyasha and Kagome are charged with collecting all the pieces to put it back together again.
Name: InuYasha
Sex:Male
Age:about 17-18, though was sleeping for 50 years.
Character Synopsis: His name literally means "demon dog." He's a Hanyo, that is, a half-youkai, half-human. His mother was human and his father was a powerful youkai. He's brash, arrogant, chauvenistic, and he's caught in a love triangle between Kikyo(who he was beginning to love before she was killed), and his growing affection for Kagome, who's Kikyo's reincarntaion. Unfortunately, Kaede puts a magic necklace on him that body slams him whenever Kagome says "Sit!".
Special abilites: Fast, agile, and a great fighter. He wields the sword Tetsuaiga, and also uses his claws which are very tough.
Name:Kagome
Sex:Female
Age:15
Brief Synopsis: Kikyo's modern day reincarnation. She carried the Shikon no Tama in her body, until it was removed when she fell into the past. She's kind, caring, and tries to help people and do the right thing. She hates InuYasha at first, but slowly grows to care about him(VERY similiar to Ranma and Akane's relationship!).
Special abilites: Mystical Priestess powers. Her powers are largely unknown and mysterious, though she learns to use a bow and arrow that she 'charges' with magic anti-youkai power.
Name: Kikyo
Sex:Female
Age:about Around 20
Character Synopsis:Kagome's ancestor, she dies during the prolouge of the first episode. She's included here, because the of the love triangle of Kagome, InaYashu, and Kikyo, and also because she gets revived early in the series. She's also the one that sealed InaYashu to a tree in the first place. Her attitudes and emotions are criss-crossed, as she tries to kill InuYasha sometimes(she believes that he killed her), and other times tries to forget everything that happened while she was alive.
Special Abilities: Also has mystic priestess powers, but are stronger than Kagome's due to having them longer and knowing how to use them. Expert with bow and arrow, and can 'charge' arrows with anti-youkai power.
Name: Kaede
Sex:Female
Age: Between 50 and 60
Character Synopsis:Kikyo's younger sister, who becomes a priestess when Kikyo dies. Her knowledge and wisdom help the characters from time to time.
Special abilities: Priestess powers and bow and arrow(sensing a pattern?). Not as powerful as Kagome or Kikyo, though.
Name:Myoga
Sex:Male
Age:Pretty old, but no idea how old
Character Synopsis:He's a flea, literally. And a cowardly flea at that. However, considering he doesn't have any real combat capabilities, so I guess it's understandable. He is quite a storehouse of knowledge, and provides wisdom and info on the characters. Can also suck blood, and does it quite frequently. He usually can't help himself, which leads to the characters slapping him when he attempts to feed off them.
Special abilities: Can suck blood. What did you expect? He's a flea! Note that this ability was useful when used to suck the poison out of Inuyasha. The posion didn't affect Myoga at all.
Name: Shippo
Sex:Male
Age: around 6-10?
Character Synopsis: He's a young kitsune(youkai) who's parents were killed by youkai. He sees Kagome as an older sister, and likes to torment Inuyasha.
Special abilities: As a youkai, he has powers of illusion. Even made himself look like Kagome to fool InuYasha! His powers should grow as he gets older.
Name: Miroku
Sex:Male
Age: 17 to 18 I think
Character Synopsis: The required lech for the series. He's a monk who specializes in exterminating youkai. However, he'll also hit on any good-looking girl, trying to feel them up, or asking if they'll bear his child! He'll also con people out of food or or their valuables. Still, he does have a somewhat noble heart in his chest... you just have to look for it. Seems to have a slight attraction to Sango. Well, okay, he has an attraction for any pretty girl, but there seems to be a little more substance bewteen the two.
Special abilities: Has a wound on his right hand that he inherited from his grandfather. It's normally sealed with a rosary, but when it's removed, it turns into a black hole that sucks in anything and everything. Also can fight with his staff, make anti-youkai wards, and exorcise youkai from people and objects.
Name:Sango
Sex:Female
Age:17 to 18 I think.
Character Synopsis:From a village of youkai hunters/exterminators. Her village was destroyed when Naraku led a huge band of youkai to attack it. Her family was also killed by Naraku, though he brought back Sango's little brother with the power of a shikon shard. He uses that to manipulate her. Seems to have a slight attraction to Miroku, though his lechorous ways prevent her from acting upon it.
Special abilities:She's sorta like a ninja in her fighting ability, in that she uses several different weapons, including the HUGE boomerang she carries on her back. Also has pop out blades on her arms, uses a sword, and has poison bombs that she throws.