Renkotsu

was a killer who was also a member of the Shichinintai. An expert military engineer and pyrotechnic, he created explosives and incendiary devices, including a type of flaming oil that he could spew from his mouth. He also reconstructed Ginkotsu into a living artillery weapon resembling a modern tank. He was also a gifted strategist and had some skill at hand-to-hand combat, although the only members of the group he surpassed in hand-to-hand fighting skills were Mukotsu and Kyōkotsu. One of the most dangerous members of the Shichinintai, Renkotsu was second in command after Bankotsu.

Renkotsu's distrust both for Naraku and for Bankotsu's tactics (which were, in Renkotsu's eyes, simply killing off the Shichinintai a second time) eventually led him to betray Bankotsu by collecting some of the Band of Seven's Shikon Jewel shards and challenging him, only for Bankotsu to kill him for killing their mutual comrade Jakotsu.

History
The Shichinintai took a job for a lord; only to be betrayed and forced into the snowy mountains in the north. They were soon captured and executed. Fifteen years later, Renkotsu and the other Shichinintai members would be revived when Naraku gave Bankotsu seven Sacred Jewel shards.

During the story
Renkotsu had taken over a Buddhist temple after burning all of the monks inside to death. He wore the robes of the head monk in order to conceal his scent of corpses and graveyard soil. He took in Inuyasha's poisoned friends that were brought over by Shippō and Kirara after their battle with Ginkotsu and gained their trust. When Inuyasha arrived at the temple, he was unable to pick up Renkotsu's scent. Renkotsu took this opportunity to learn more about Naraku from Inuyasha while posing as a monk. He was interrupted when Ginkotsu suddenly attacked the temple. Later, after Ginkotsu attacked Inuyasha at the temple, Renkotsu set the temple with Inuyasha's friends in it on fire, but not before stealing Kagome's Shikon Jewel shards. Renkotsu was spared by Inuyasha due to his greater desire to protect his friends, but Ginkotsu's body was severely damaged and they were both forced to regroup.

Renkotsu reworked Ginkotsu into a tank, and the two of them, along with Jakotsu attacked a village where their comrade, Suikotsu, was residing in order to retrieve him. Renkotsu ordered Jakotsu to deal with the Suikotsu while he dealt with Inuyasha's group. He managed to hold them back with is fire attacks. Suikotsu managed to turn into an evil killer, but had trouble maintaining it. He ordered Jakotsu to kill the orphans Yūta and Chiyo in order to fully free Suikotsu's evil side. He then had a change of heart and feared that their deaths would inadvertently keep Suikotsu in his good side forever. He then suspected that the purifying barrier of Mount Hakurei was what was holding Suikotsu's evil personality back. He order the Shichinintai to retreat with Suikotsu.

Renkotsu and the others soon reunited with their leader, Bankotsu. They were prepared to attack the castle of the lord that had them executed fifteen years ago. Bankotsu had Renkotsu write a warning letter for Kohaku to deliver to the castle in order to scare its inhabitants. The Shichinintai managed to slaughter everyone at the castle, while also retrieving Bankotsu's weapon, Banryū. Renkotsu tried to get Bankotsu to reveal more about Naraku, but was unsuccessful in his efforts to get more information from his leader. They were suddenly approached by Kōga and briefly confronted him before Inuyasha and the others arrived. Renkotsu was anxious to kill Kagome since he did not tell Bankotsu that he had stolen her jewel shards. As he used Ginkotsu's cannons to fire at her, Kōga managed to rescue her and attacked Renkotsu. The Shichinintai were soon ordered to withdraw when the saimyōshō arrived on the behalf of Naraku.

They mercenaries retreated to Mount Hakurei, and were greeted by Kohaku and Kanna. Kanna told Bankotsu that he could make Banryū stringer after it was damaged by Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu. He then revealed to Renkotsu that he already knew of him being in possession of Kagome's jewel shards. He promptly pointed his weapon at Renkotsu and threatened him with death if he kept more shards for himself. Renkotsu compiled with Bankotsu and handed hm the shards, claiming that he had intended to give them to him all along (though appeared frustrated into being forced to surrender them after turning his head away from Bankotsu).

Renkotsu appeared later with Ginkotsu, fighting Kōga. They gained the upper hand at first due to Mount Hakurei's barrier, but Kōga caused Renkotsu to fall from Ginkotsu's back after critically injuring him. Ginkotsu, angered, unleashed all of his artillery upon Kōga. Kōga defeated him, but Ginkotsu self-destructed and used his Shikon Jewel shard to protect Renkotsu. Renkotsu used Ginkotsu's shard to heal his wound, despite knowing Bankotsu would kill him for doing so; his justification for this was that he would do anything to survive. Because Bankotsu's orders continued to send various members of the Shichinintai to their eventual deaths while returning their jewel shards to Bankotsu, Renkotsu used this to justify his plan to betray Bankotsu.

He then attacked again by trapping Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippō, Kirara, Kōga, Ginta and Hakkaku into a cave. He defeated Inuyasha, and prepared to cut out Kōga's jewel shards, but then was handily defeated by Inuyasha's timely appearance. Out of desperation, Renkotsu thought that he could blow up Kōga and the others in the cave, while surviving the blast himself since he was revived by a jewel shard. Renkotsu lit two bombs, but Inuyasha tackled him away from Kōga and Kagome. Renkotsu threw the firebombs away at the last second out of fear for his own life. After he escaped, Renkotsu walked along the shallow water and saw Bankotsu waiting. Afraid that Bankotsu would punish him for using Ginkotsu's jewel shard, Renkotsu was surprised to see that his leader was actually expressing his relief that he was still alive. It was then that Renkotsu learned that Suikotsu was killed. Renkotsu suspected that Bankotsu chose to spare him since he was still of some use.

Later, after Inuyasha entered the barrier surrounding the Shichinintai's fortress and became human, Renkotsu chased him and toyed with the helpless Inuyasha. Inuyasha slipped through a crevice just as Jakotsu arrived; knowing Jakotsu had an obsession for killing Inuyasha, Renkotsu sent him after the hanyō, hoping the two would destroy each other. His reason for this was that Jakotsu was too loyal to Bankotsu to join his betrayal, and he needed Jakotsu's shard. Renkotsu observed the battle and removed Jakotsu's jewel shard after he was defeated by Inuyasha, apologizing to Jakotsu just before killing him. As Renkotsu was about leave Mount Hakurei, he saw Bankotsu sitting idly by. With three jewel shards, Renkotsu decided to make his move, but Bankotsu revealed his knowledge of Renkotsu's betrayal by sticking his fingers into Renkotsu's throat to take two of the jewel shards. Despite being deemed a traitor, Renkotsu professed that Bankotsu was hypocritical in his judgement since he also had Shikon Jewel shards that belonged to several members of the Shichinintai. Unfazed by this accusation, Bankotsu killed Renkotsu and stated that what made him different from Renkotsu was that he would never betray his friends. Bankotsu then claimed all of Renkotsu's jewel shards.

Personality
Renkotsu is arguably the most cunning and intelligent member of the Shichinintai. Ultimately though, Renkotsu's cunning leads to his downfall, as it causes him to betray Bankotsu for his own survival. Bankotsu admits that Renkotsu might have been able to usurp him if he didn't hesitate so often to figure out the details of his plan, remarking, "For a smart guy, you sure can be stupid."

Unlike the other members, he rightly mistrusted Naraku (although the two never met face-to-face).

Renkotsu is easily as ruthless as Bankotsu, being willing to slaughter children in order to remove the "distraction" to Suikotsu's doctor personality, and also to sacrifice Jakotsu's life in order to gain another jewel shard. However, like Bankotsu, he has some regard for his teammate's lives, as shown by his strong sense of comradery and concern for Ginkotsu and, to a lesser extent, Suikotsu. Before killing Jakotsu, he sincerely asked for his forgiveness, showing he did have some residual care for him.

Ultimately, his decision to turn against Bankotsu is a combination of his strong survival instincts and a feeling that Bankotsu is sacrificing them needlessly in Naraku's service, to no purpose other than Bankotsu gaining further power.

Physical description
Renkotsu is a bald adult male. He has purple marks that runs up each side if his face and a pointed mark in the middle of his forehead. He is apparently able to conceal the marks, and enlarge the irises/pupils of his eyes, at will, as shown in the scene where he first meets Inuyasha.

Outfit
Renkotsu usually wears armor and a bandanna. His original armor consists of a blue kosode with a reddish-orange breastplate with a single strap over his left shoulder and four kusazuri over his legs. He also wears a purple sash around his waist, off-white hakama, netted arm bands, two kyahans around his shins, and a pair of black tabi (white in the manga) over his feet.

After his armor is severely torn during his battle with Kōga at Mount Hakurei, Renkotsu adopts a new outfit with a dark blue kosode with yellow circles, an orange and yellow breastplate with a flame-like design and four matching kusazuri, and matching purple arm guards and suneate. He still retains the same sash, hakama, and tabi, as well as his light blue bandana.

Powers & Abilities

 * High Intellect: As a relatively weak melee fighter compared to his allies, Renkotsu makes up for this flaw with his sharp wit and advanced weaponry. Respected as the most intelligent of the Shichinintai, Renkotsu is known for his mechanical genius. His expertise had molded him to be a brilliant engineer and inventor, with skills far beyond his time, making him an invaluable asset of the Shichinintai. Renkotsu’s cunning and penchant for strategic preparation had led Bankotsu to promote him as second-in-command. Renkotsu was also the most educated out of the Seven, being the only literate member alongside Bankotsu.
 * Master Engineer: Being one of the weakest of the Shichinintai in martial prowess, Renkotsu compensated his unsatisfactory combat skills with highly advanced weaponry and incendiary mechanisms crafted from his own bare hands. An ingenious inventor, especially by the standards of his time, Renkotsu’s creations was aided by his mastery of the applied sciences: possessing expertise in the fields of chemistry, explosives, metallurgy and mechanics. Responsible for the creation of his entire paraphernalia, Renkotsu had invented numerous utilities used to combat his enemies, such as his personal Cannon, the Gatling Gun, Fire Whip, and a plethora of other explosives. Perhaps the greatest achievement of his engineering skills, was the complete cybernization of Ginkotsu, transforming him from a human to a sentient machine hybrid, a feat not even modern scientists are able to perform. He is seen also capable of providing upgrades and alterations to his cybernetics, turning Ginkotsu into a walking arsenal after suffering damage to his original body.
 * Master Strategist: A major factor to his position as second-in-command, Renkotsu was the best tactician of the Shichinintai; known for his ability to assess and account for the numerous deterrents and how to properly deal with them while sustaining as little casualty as possible. Renkotsu’s strategic prowess notably lied on his sense of preparation; able to cleverly and effectively use his deadly paraphernalia to outmaneuver most of his adversaries, even demons such as Kōga. Noting that Inuyasha had a keen sense of smell, Renkotsu garbed himself in the attire of the dead monk which contained his residual scent, fooling his olfactory senses while also maintaining a convincing disguise. He was able to organize an elaborate trap on Inuyasha and Kagome, using Saimyōshō to lure them in a cave, and setting the river on fire via a oil spill to stunt them and methodically plan his escape.
 * Expert Manipulator: In tandem with his affinity for cunning tactics, Renkotsu was also exceptionally deceitful, showing a noteworthy penchant for deception and concealment. Knowing that Inuyasha’s group would most likely seek asylum in a Buddhist temple near their province for refuge to care for his poisoned friends, Renkotsu killed the monks inhabiting it and garbed himself in their robes, both as a act of concealment and to disguise his undead scent to Inuyasha’s olfactory senses. Adopting the persona of the deceased monk, Renkotsu was able to easily fool the group with his hospitality, and managed to gather intelligence on Naraku, only dropping the guise after Ginkotsu attacked the temple. He was also successful in masking his intentions on betraying Bankotsu, and plotted his schemes covertly; only being found out when Naraku’s Saimyōshō reported him.


 * Master Weapons Specialist: As mentioned before, compared to most of his allies, Renkotsu lacked substantial skill in combat, a flaw he more than made up for with a large assortment of destructive equipment at his own disposal. Not only were his ingenious utilities imminently destructive, he also knew how to utilize them with great skill, able to employ them to their best effect. Ranging from weaponry like the Fire Gourd or the Fire Whip, regardless, Renkotsu had shown to be capable of using all of these weapons with masterful expertise; able to contend with exceptionally strong demons like Kōga in mid or long ranged combat, and keep his enemies at bay for extended periods of time.
 * Master Cannoneer & Marksman: In compensation for his lack of talent in close quarters combat, Renkotsu had favorably shown to possess prominent expertise with long ranged weaponry: most notably his Cannon and Gatling Gun, which he uses to fire off deadly projectiles with unerring accuracy. This is shown to be Renkotsu’s primary tactic when none of his other equipment are in current use, bombarding most of his enemies with a barrage of explosive impact from an impressive distance without the worry of sustaining major damage during the process.
 * Skilled Hand-to-Hand Combatant: While Renkotsu is mainly shown to lack significant talent in hand-to-hand combat, there has been instances to suggest that he at least possessed rudimentary skills in the craft. He was able to kill the head monk of the Buddhist temple he occupied with his barehands, and proved to have substantial agility and reflexes; enough to dodge a strike from Kōga. He also carried a knife on him as a side equipment, presumably able to use the weapon adeptly.

Weapons

 * Fire Gourd: Renkotsu has a gourd attached to his wrist which has an extremely flammable liquid inside of it. He would drink it, then turn it into flames as he spits it out. This is his most commonly used and simplest weapon.
 * Fire Wire: Renkotsu haw wires which he wields with his fingers. He can set them on fire instantaneously and use them to bind his opponents.
 * Fire Net: With his fingers interlaced, Renkotsu can make the wires form a net to keep the target from escaping by leaping/flying.
 * Fire Whip: Renkotsu can use a single Fire Wire as a whip.
 * River of Flames: Not really so much of a technique as a strategy, the idea of this strategy was to catch Kagome and Kōga at the foot of the mountain of the spirits. Renkotsu threw oil on the river (After making a dam from rocks dislodges by explosives) and then set fire to it, forming a layer of fire on the river. Renkotsu's backpack contained canisters of oil and lighting devices for this purpose.
 * Flamethrower: A pump-like device that launches a whirlwind of fire from it by pushing a pump in the back.
 * Bazooka/Cannon: A weapon of Renkotsu's that fires by pressing switch/button.
 * Gatling Gun: Another of Renkotsu's weapons that can fire light explosive rounds in quick succession.
 * Explosives: Renkotsu uses various types of explosive devices that he carries in his backpack.
 * Lighter: Renkotsu also carries a small lighter to act as a flint for his incendiaries.
 * Knife: Renkotsu is, besides Mukotsu, the only member of the Shichinintai who never displays hand-to-hand combat skills. However, he is shown to carry a long knife in his belt, which he intends to use to remove Kōga's shards. This, along with his agility, suggests that he has at least basic knowledge of hand-to-hand combat.
 * Incense: While posing as a monk, Renkotsu uses a small incense to put Kagome and Shippō to sleep. It works at a rather fast speed, knocking out both of them in seconds.

Manga vs. Anime

 * The anime first shows Renkotsu approaching a temple, and preparing to kill the monks inside after letting them know that he is one of the resurrected Shichinintai. This is not shown in the manga. Instead, Renkotsu is first introduced after he has already taken control of the temple to disguise himself.
 * The scene of Renkotsu preparing to rebuild Ginkotsu in his forge in Episode 107 is not in the manga.
 * The scene in Episode 110 when Renkotsu attempts to learn more about Naraku from Bankotsu is not in the manga.
 * Renkotsu and Ginkotsu's battle with Kōga ended slightly different in the manga: Kōga stuffs Renkotsu's armor into Ginkotsu's cannon, causing it to explode and kill Ginkotsu.
 * The anime takes the confrontation between Renkotsu and Bankotsu further after the former takes Jakotsu's Shikon Jewel shard. Bankotsu returns the two shards he took from Renkotsu and challenges him, laying Banryū aside. Suddenly, unnerved despite having the shards, Renkotsu hesitates, and Bankotsu attacks. It is immediately clear that Renkotsu's combat skills are completely inferior to Bankotsu's; panicking, he unleashes his artillery and his flame gourd, but it barely holds Bankotsu back. Bankotsu throws Jakotsu's hairpin and hits Renkotsu in the chest, paralyzing him and knocking out one of the jewel shards. Angrily, Renkotsu screams at him, "How is what I've done any different from what you've done?!" Bankotsu rips out his other shards from his throat in response; as Renkotsu crumbles into a skeleton, he answers, "The difference is... I would never betray my friends." The fight between the two does not happen in the manga. Instead Bankotsu removes all the jewel shards from Renkotsu's body as soon as he reveals that he knows of his betrayal.

Trivia

 * The marks on Renkotsu's face mean "Deception".
 * Renkotsu's Theme-Music from the InuYasha Official Soundtrack, Vol. 3 is entitled.
 * It has been theorized that Renkotsu was a monk before becoming a mercenary. This is due to the fact that he is able to read and write, since the only people who could in the Sengoku period were the nobility and clergy.
 * Renkotsu is one of a few characters to change clothes.  The others include Kagome, Kagura, Sango, Kohaku, Jakotsu, and Naraku.
 * Renkotsu is the only member of the Shichinintai that does not have a chapter named exclusively after him in the manga.
 * Aside from his own Shikon Jewel shard, Renkotsu has been in possession of two other jewel shards on two separate occasions: first, when he steals Kagome's two shards while she is poisoned, and second, when he collects the shards that belong to Ginkotsu and Jakotsu.

Media appearances
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Manga

 * Chapter 240
 * Chapter 241
 * Chapter 242
 * Chapter 243
 * Chapter 244
 * Chapter 246
 * Chapter 247
 * Chapter 248
 * Chapter 249
 * Chapter 250
 * Chapter 251
 * Chapter 252
 * Chapter 253
 * Chapter 254
 * Chapter 259
 * Chapter 260
 * Chapter 263
 * Chapter 264
 * Chapter 265
 * Chapter 267
 * Chapter 268
 * Chapter 269
 * Chapter 270
 * Chapter 271
 * Chapter 272
 * Chapter 276

Anime
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 * Episode 103
 * Episode 104
 * Episode 105
 * Episode 106
 * Episode 107
 * Episode 108
 * Episode 109
 * Episode 110
 * Episode 111
 * Episode 112
 * Episode 114
 * Episode 116
 * Episode 117
 * Episode 118
 * Episode 119
 * Episode 120
 * Episode 121
 * Episode 122
 * Episode 123
 * Episode 163