Kikyō

Kikyo (桔梗, Kikyō Kanji Meaning "Bellflower") was a Miko (巫女, lit. "Shrine Maiden") from a small Japanese village during the Sengoku Jidai period. During her life, she was a calm and reserved priestess who rigorously defended the village from yōkai who would otherwise wreak havoc on the tiny community. Kikyo serve as a rival with Kagome for InuYasha's affection.

History
During her youth, Kikyo and Kaede (Her younger Sister) attends Yōkai Taijiya (lit. demon exterminators), sort of a school for priestess. It is there she met Tsubaki (who later became a Dark Priestess). Kikyo's spiritual power and great purity became well known and thus the Jewel of Four Souls (四魂の玉, Shikon no Tama) was entrusted to her much to Tsubaki's dismay. It became Kikyo's destiny to spend her life guarding this Shikon no Tama lest it fall into the wrong hands, for the resulting evil and chaos would wreck the entire country, however, this mean she can't show any sign of weakness for demons and enemy to get the better of her.

Kikyo spends most of her time killing off demons who tries to steal the Jewel, the only one she let live is InuYasha. She also tends to Onigumo's wound in a cave, Later on, Kikyo confronts InuYasha and tells him about how she have to hide her real self inorder to protect the jewel and thus InuYasha and Kikyo fell in love. Sometime during this time, Tsubaki attempt to attack Kikyo when her power is low (due to falling in love), however, Kikyo reflect the curse amd sends it right back and order her to leave.

(Anime Only)

Kikyo and InuYasha sailed to an island that only appears 50 years, she was then attacks by an unknown demon and her DNA was stolen in the process.

When InuYasha told Kikyo how he wanted to become human, Kikyo thought to use the Shikon Jewel to turn InuYasha into a full human, however, Onigumo offers his body to the demon and Naraku was born in the process. Naraku struck down Kikyo while disguising as InuYasha and then attack InuYasha as Kikyo. Kikyo who mistaken that InuYasha betrayed her, use her last power and shoot a sacrad arrow to InuYasha and thus killing him (rendering him asleep for eternity). She then order Kaede to burn her body with the Shikon Jewel.

Current Story
Fifty years later an Oni Witch named Urasue stole Kikyo's bone ash and her body was reborn from clay. However, the body needed Kagome's soul for it to be animated and brought back completely to life. When finally the lifeless body was infused with Kagome's soul, Kikyo was revived and her imidiate prirority was to kill InuYasha. She nearly succeeded until Kagome's body began recalling her soul back and effectively stopped her. Yet Kikyo had managed to retain a part of her soul, and thus escaped into the mist, where she was pursued by InuYasha. Quickly thereafter Kikyo fell off a neareby cliff, presumed dead by the group.

Kikyo is seen alive residing in a small village tending the wounds and curing the sick. She was loved by the children and the villagers respected her, however, a monk tries to send her back to hell as it is revealed that she is not really alive, nor dead, and as a means to remain a part of the world has to absorb the souls of deceased women. In order to achieve this, Kikyo makes use of her soul collecters, or the Shikigami. She was then confronted by the monk, who she quickly kills, and leaves the village. Kikyo laters confronts Kagome and InuYasha and tries to get InuYasha to join her forever as the dead, however, she was stopped by Kagome. Kikyo then leaves with a new goal, which is to die with InuYasha.

Kikyo resides in a temple healing the wounds of soldiers, when men from the palace ask Kikyo to heal their master's disease. Kikyo went and by time she went to the palace she notice the dark aura and it was then Naraku met her again. Kikyo tried to lose the palace, but couldn't and thus, Naraku erected a barriers that prevents her Shikigami from accessing which render her useless. Naraku set her up to battle Kagome, however, when Naraku gave her a soul attached with a Shikon Jewel, she strike Naraku puppet and going on her own command. When Kagome arrive, she attacked her and stole all her jewel shards and leaves while laughing at InuYasha as he couldn't fight a woman he once and still loves. Kikyo went back to the palace and break the barrier around it, she gave Naraku the shards and revealed to him that she knows that she's a half demon and departs. Kikyo now finally feel free from what she wasn't able to be before and also states that once Naraku gain all the shards, she'll kill him.

Kikyo appeared to warn Tsubaki about kagome's powers and leaves shortly afterwards. She reappeared again feeling sorry for Tsubaki and starts to realise her being the same.

When Naraku confronts Kikyo again and threaten to kill her, she annonced that he couldn't kill her as Naraku still has the heart of Onigumo and Onigumo loves her. Due to this, Naraku sent a giant Shikigami to steal the souls that Kikyo uses inorder to kill her, however, Kikyo manage to escape and InuYasha manage to save her.

Throughout the story, Kikyo would always use Onigumo as an excuse for Naraku not willing to kill her face to face, however, when Naraku got rid of his heart he confronts Kikyo and tries to kill her, but stopped after he finds that he is weaker without his heart.

Later, after a failed attempt by Naraku to kill her at Mt. Hakurei after creating a new body, she is seen with two Shikigami that have human form: Kochou and Asuka.

Kikyo is finally killed by Naraku when she blocks an attack meant for Kohaku. She dies in InuYasha's arm and her souls returns back to Kagome.

Re-incarnation in Kagome
Kagome Higurashi, the main protagonist of Inuyasha and a miko just like Kikyo, is the modern reincarnation of Kikyo's spirit. The Tree of Ages is in her backyard, as is the Bone-eater's Well, which becomes the portal between her time and the Sengoku period (Feudal Era of Japan) approximately 500 years ago. She is able to free Inuyasha from the tree to which he had been bound by Kikyo, has the power to purify the Shikon no Tama and fires sacred arrows from her bow.

She unwillingly helps revive Kikyo into human form when an ogress pulls out a small part of her soul, filled with the memories and quirks of Kikyo that still lingered inside Kagome.

Personality
At first after her resurrection, she is spiteful and angry towards both Inuyasha and Kagome. She tries to kill InuYasha several times, and once, Kagome; however, after learning the truth behind the circumstances of her death, her assaults substantially decreases and focuses her attention to Naraku. She possessed a condescending personality in the beginning, as shown when she laughed at InuYasha who was unable attack her due to his lingering feelings toward her, and Naraku, containing the heart of Onigumo who loves Kikyo. She continues to act independently, unwilling to accept assistance from others. She willingly remains in solitude, containing a more solemn and cold outer shell. Despite her cold exterior, she evidently is willing to save others even if it withers her life away, as long as it is possible. This is shown in chapter 448 when she purifies the Naraku's shouki from Miroku's body despite her body being deteriorated by Naraku's shouki as well. As well as in chapter 449 she expresses her reassurance to Kagome that she would save Kohaku, if there is an alternative method. Eventually, she returns back to her post-death state of compassion and kindness, protecting others and eventually dying in Inuyasha's arms after protecting Kohaku from an attack by Naraku. Kikyo is confident in her abilities and is intellegent.

Kikyo's Outfit
Kikyo is clearly wearing the tradional dress of a Miko, which has remained essentially unchanged to this day, except for the lack of the archaic slit-shoulder seam.

Kikyo wears a white jacket with sode-kukuri (cords) through the sleeves and the open shoulders similar to Inuyasha's and Jaken's. Strings called muna-himo are attached to each lapel, and are tied in front to keep the garment closed.
 * Jacket

Kosode (literally: "little sleeve") were originally worn as underwear but by the Kamakura era, became accepted outer layer garments; more dressy with less sculpted sleeves. Kosode of the Heian and Kamakura Periods were always white. Kikyo's kosode would be very much like a modern Kendo or Naginata Keikogi, with the sleeve fitting somewhat closely like a modern  loose shirt, and extending to slightly past the wrist.
 * Kosode

The slits in the side of the hakama show the white kosode, and the openings at the sleeves and shoulders of the hitoe (jacket) show  it as well. This is a deliberate fashion effect.

Kikyo wears bright red hakama, which include the small board at the lower back.
 * Hakama

On her feet, Kikyo wears common tabi (socks) and rice straw sandals.
 * Tabi

Kikyo wears a red Obi, or belt, over the other garments.
 * Obi

Kikyo's Attacks and Ability
Kikyo carries a traditional red Saigu-Yumi (literally Priestess Bow) and a quiver of Hamaya ("evil-destroying arrow" or "demon-breaking arrow") fletched with white feathers. She has the ability to imbue each arrow with great spiritual power that has destroyed, disabled or sealed any Yokai or other evil to date.


 * Sacred Arrow: Kikyo shoots a sacrad arrow that can easily destroy demon and break barriers.


 * Arrow: Kikyo shoots a normal arrow.


 * Spiritual Powers: Kikyo has the power to break seals, barriers, spells, etc.


 * Cut: Kikyo is shown to have a high level of strength as she was able to just use her hand to slice the Naraku's puppet in half with ease.


 * Reflect Curse: Kikyo reflects any incoming curse with a bow.


 * Shikigami Control: Kikyo controls Shikigami, a demon which collects soul for her to use, she's able to fly away with them.

Trivia

 * Ironically, despite considered as a antagonist, she's really an Anti Hero.