Rin



Rin (りん, Rin) is a character in the anime/manga InuYasha. She is a human girl that follows Sesshomaru.

Biography
Rin first appears in the manga in chapter 129. Rin is an orphan girl who finds Sesshomaru in the woods after he was badly injured by Inuyasha's Wind Scar. Although Sesshomaru snubs her, she visits him regularly and attempts to take care of him, even stealing fish from the village for him until she learns that he doesn't eat human food. Rin is rather brave during this, not only stealing from the village, but in the manga, she pours water on his head. The villagers beat her for the theft, but when Sesshomaru idly inquires about her injuries, she seems strangely happy about his interest in her welfare. During this time, she never speaks, only communicating with hand gestures and smiles. This is because after seeing the deaths of her family, she lost her voice, a condition known as terror silence.

Later, the wolf-demon Koga chases a thief to her village, then lets his wolves kill and eat the villagers. Rin flees through the forest towards Sesshomaru, but the wolves catch up to her. Recovered from his wounds, Sesshomaru is leaving when he catches Rin's scent and follows it to her mauled corpse. Remembering her smile, he retests Tenseiga by using it to resurrect her. After setting Rin on her feet again, Sesshomaru walks away, leaving the dumbfounded Jaken and a wide-eyed Rin standing on the path. After a moment, they both follow him. The next time Rin appears, she is clean, wearing a new, colorful kimono, and talking and acting more like a typical child, having somehow overcome her terror silence since being revived. Throughout the series, she continues to follow Sesshomaru. When he is away on dangerous tasks, she waits for him with Ah-Un and sometimes Jaken.

Though Sesshomaru never states any feelings for her, he displays a strong protective and fatherly instinct and Rin is obviously devoted to him. When fighting with Jakotsu of the Band of Seven, Suikotsu attacked Rin and Jaken who were crossing the bridge at that time, leading them to fall off and Sesshomaru immediately went after them without hesitation. Jakotsu commented that the little girl (Rin) is Sesshomaru's weak point for he even turns his back to him just to save Rin. He even went through the barrier of Mt Hakurei, which fends off demons and affects them greatly, in order to save Rin. Later, when Suikotsu was about to kill Rin, Sesshomaru once again turned his back to Jakotsu even though Jakotsu said it was too late, but Kikyo arrived, shooting an arrow in time to stop Suikotsu, thus saving Rin.

Rin is killed for a second time when she and Kohaku, now also journeying with Sesshomaru, are taken by the "Dog from Hell." When he finds her body, Sesshomaru is visibly disturbed when he realised Rin wasn't breathing, becoming even more so when he learns that Tenseiga can only revive a person once. Rin's lifeless body is taken by the Master of Hell, with Sesshomaru and Kohaku following to retrieve her. When they return from the Land of the Dead, Jaken cried and when Sesshomaru's mother asked him why he is crying, he replied that Sesshomaru by nature doesn't cry, so he is crying in his stead. Sesshomaru's mother uses her Meidou stone to revive Rin. Jaken confirms that it made Sesshomaru extremely happy that Rin came back to life while Sesshomaru puts his hand on Rin's cheek and asks if she is okay. Sesshomaru's mother replies that he has become like his father in the strangest ways.

In the final chapter of the manga, set three years after the defeat of Naraku, Rin no longer travels with Sesshomaru and Jaken. Instead, she lives with Kaede, which Inuyasha comments is "practice" for her to live in a human village as an adult, or whatever life she chooses (meaning when the time comes, she can either choose to stay in the human village or go with Sesshomaru and Jaken). Sesshomaru is shown visiting her and bringing her gifts.

Rin harbors a great fear of wolves. As shown in the episode, "Koga and Sesshomaru: A Dangerous Encounter", she was paralyzed with fear when seeing the wolves gathered near a river, and proceeds to hide behind Jaken, remembering the wolves who killed everyone in her village, and then Rin herself.

Appearance
Rin's appearance is that of a typical young peasant girl commonly found during the Warring States period. Despite changing her appearance on few occassions, her overall style never changes; her trademark is her long dark hair with a single, short pigtail on her right.

Rin wears a common kosode that extends just below her knees. Her initial design was that of an ordinary, tarred red color. When she begins to accompany Sesshomaru, she wears a white/orange checkered pattern kosode. As an adult, she wears a similar design, albeit it extends down to above her ankles.
 * Kosode

In every instance, Rin wears an ordinary green sash which ties at her back.
 * Obi

InuYasha and Kagura aside, Rin is one of the very few non-minor characters, and one of only two female characters to spend her time perpetually barefoot throughout the series. Despite being only a human child, she remains in her bare feet on any terrain or situation, and even retains her habit through her "adult years" with Kaede.
 * Bare Feet

The only time Rin is seen with her feet covered is during the second ending of InuYasha: The Final Act. She has on boots.

Aliases

 * Girl (by Jaken)
 * Rin-chan (by Kagome)
 * Human Girl (by yokais and Naraku)
 * Girl-pup (by Sesshomaru's mother)
 * Human-pup (by Sesshomaru's mother)

Trivia

 * Her name means "dignified, severe, cold" or "companion" in Japanese. It also means "park".
 * In the manga, it is stated that "she brings out the best in him".