Kanta

was a young kawauso who was trying to save his father after his head was cut off by Hakudōshi. He was successful with help of Shippō and his friends.

History
Kanta was out fishing with his father in a river one night. Hakudōshi and Entei suddenly appeared before them. His father told Kanta to hide while he would deal with Hakudōshi. As he got injured, he told Kanta to run away before he was beheaded. His head was carried by the water's current and went over a waterfall. Kanta went to retrieve his father's head, but his body disappeared by the time he returned.

During the story
Kanta went searching for his father while carrying his head inside a large bundle. Three days later, Kanta came across Shippō and his friends after being pursued by another headless yōkai. He was disguised as a young girl and that made Shippō decide to rescue him. Shippō pushed him out of the way before the yōkai could step on him. Inuyasha jumped in front and was about to slay the yōkai, but Kanta got in his way and begged him not. He believed that the yōkai that was pursuing him was the body of his father. The yõkai punched the ground they were on. Kanta to change back to his real form after falling from the impact. Inuyasha grabbed him and mistakingly called called him a tanuki. He said that he didn't look like he was related to the headless yōkai. Kanta realized he was wrong once he got a good look at it. Inuyasha was able to destroy the yōkai with his Sankon Tessō.

Everyone gathered around Kanta to hear his about his situation. Shippō asked him why he was disguised as a girl. Kanta explained that his father told him to disguise himself as a human girl whenever he left their home so that "some idiot would always come to his rescue." He then told everyone about how he was looking for his father and how he lost his head. Retelling the story caused Kanta to start crying. The story gave Inuyasha and the others a better understanding about Hakudōshi's plans for reaching the Border of the Afterlife. Kanta went on by saying that he planed to reattach his father's head to his body before it was too late to save him since a yōkai could survive a lot longer than a human if their head was cut off. Shippō told Kanta that Inuaysha could help him since he was able to avenge his own father. Kanta asked if Inuyasha was really strong and Shippō responds that Inuyasha's great strength made up for his stupidity (which prompted Inuyasha to hit Shippō on the head). When Kanta learned that Shippō lost his father as well, he grabbed Shippō's hand and decided to be friends with him and mistakenly called him a tanuki. Shippō corrected him by saying that he was actually a kitsune.

Kanta, Shippō, and the others were able to track down the body after Inuyasha picked up its scent (which was also mixed with blood). They first came across a village where Kanta's father was spotted. Kanta was concerned since the villagers were planning to hunt his father down. Inuyasha picked up the scent again and they headed off. They found the body of Kanta's father on the ground with Sesshōmaru standing right beside it. Kanta and Shippō quickly put the head back onto his body - only to realize it was too late. Kanta began to despair and cried for his father, invoking Shippō's grief over his own in sympathy. Kagome asked Sesshōmaru to use Tenseiga to revive Kanta's father, but he remarked that this had nothing to do with him and began to leave. Shippō suddenly got in front of Sesshōmaru and begged him on Kanta's behalf to save his father. Still unmoved, Sesshōmaru was about to walk away when he felt a sensation from Tenseiga. At the behest of Tenseiga, he reluctantly revived Kanta's father. He recanted his experience to Inuyasha's group and revealed that as the spirit of his severed head was traveling through the Netherworld, he came across a bunch of giant bones that were clad in armor.

Kanta and his father thanked everyone for their help the next morning. Kanta and Shippō declared to each other that they would always be friends before he and his father swam away in the river and disappeared.

Powers & Abilities

 * Seen only once, Kanta has the ability to shapeshift, in his case, into a human girl about Rin's age. Kanta was told by his father to take that form whenever he left the mountain because if he was in danger "some idiot would come to his rescue"; as was the case with Shippō.
 * Enhanced Strength: Although he may not look it, Kanta is stronger than his appearance gives away, as he is able to carry his father's head, which is even bigger than him, without any visible effort.

Manga vs. Anime

 * In the manga, Kanta never shapeshifts as he does in the anime. He appears as a young otter the entire time.
 * In the anime, Inuyasha interrupts Kanta when he introduces himself to everyone by calling him a tanuki again. Kanta angrily corrects Inuyasha by saying that he is a kawauso.
 * The flashback showing Kanta and his father fishing is not in the manga.
 * In the anime, Shippō gives Kanta a handkerchief to blow his nose in after he starts crying when telling everyone about what happened to his father.
 * In the anime, Kanta is seen hugging his father after he is revived by Tenseiga.

Media appearances
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Manga

 * Chapter 296
 * Chapter 297

Anime
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 * Episode 143