Kagome Higurashi

Kagome Higurashi (日暮 かごめ, Higurashi Kagome) is one of the main protagonists of the series. Born in modern Japan as the spiritual reincarnation of the priestess Kikyo, Kagome has the Shikon Jewel unknowingly hidden inside her body until 1997, when a demon named Mistress Centipede pulls her into the Bone Eater's Well and 500 years back through time. They emerge in the Feudal Era about 50 years after Kikyo's death, where the demon extracts the jewel from Kagome. Kagome takes over the task of protecting the Shikon Jewel from evil influences, but accidentally shatters it into numerous shards that disperse throughout the country. She shares many traits with Kikyo, such as their spiritual powers and abilities, physical appearance and (according to InuYasha) even a similar scent. However, she does not retain Kikyo's memories and in comparison to Kikyo's personality, is a very different individual.

Summary
Kagome is the heroine of the Inuyasha series. Her family lives at an ancient shrine. She is a miko (Shinto shine maiden) and is the reincarnation of Kikyo. In present day Japan (1997), 15-year-old Kagome Higurashi was pulled into the shrines well by the centipede woman and taken to feudal Japan, where she finds a boy with long white hair and strange dog-ears named InuYasha pinned to a tree. When she frees him, he mistakes her for Kikyo, the one who bound him to the tree in the first place. He seeks the Shikon No Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls, or The Sacred Jewel as some would call it, that Kagome has. When Kagome shatters the jewel with a purifying arrow, it's shards are spread across Japan and implanted in demons. InuYasha and Kagome set out to find the Jewel Shards to make the Jewel again. Naraku is an evil demon who searches for the Jewel Shards for his own purposes. Now, InuYasha and Kagome travel with a monk, Miroku, a Kitsune, Shippo, and a Demon Slayer and her cat, Sango and Kirara, to defeat Naraku and find all the Jewel Shards.

Kagome's grandpa makes up fake illnesses to excuse Kagome from school to continue her quest with InuYasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo in the feudal area. She is often stressed over tests and wants to go back home to study, though InuYasha does want her to stay. This usually causes arguments between InuYasha and Kagome.

The leader of the Wolf Tribe, Kouga, is infatuated with Kagome, and often calls her "his woman".

Through their traveling, Kagome begins to develop romantic feelings toward InuYasha (in the anime series she admitted she was in love with him), but usually remains heartbroken because Inuyasha still has feelings for Kikyo, and often goes out to find her. The relationship between InuYasha and Kagome grows more and more through-out the manga/anime series. By the end of the manga however, Kagome leaves her original time to live with Inuyasha and her friends. Although it is never stated that they got married, it is implied by her calling Sesshomaru onii-san which means big brother. In addition Sota tells one of his friends that Kagome had left right after graduation to get married.

Relationships

 * InuYasha - InuYasha initially was angry about how he thought Kikyo had betrayed him and projected it at Kagome, but eventually he realized that she was not Kikyo and slowly opened his heart as she showed him kindness and compassion. However, their friendship and blossoming love does not stop Kagome from shouting "Sit!", either to keep him from misbehaving or to get her way. The relationship is seen and discussed at length by Sango and Miroku, who talk to InuYasha and Kagome on there rightful gender sides (Sango talks to Kagome and Miroku talks to InuYasha). Throughout the series it is shown from the beginning of the manga/anime to the end that they have come a long way from being close friends to falling in love. They later get married after 3 years apart.
 * Shippo - She treats Shippo almost like a little brother or even a surrogate son, bringing him candy from the modern era and forcing InuYasha to 'sit' whenever he bullies Shippo. Kagome is very protective of Shippo and will protect him if he is in danger of getting killed by a bad guy. Their relationship is like big sister and a little brother, with Shippo running to Kagome for help when InuYasha is hurting him badly or when Shippo needs some Feminine advice for girl issues.


 * Sango is the demon slayer, along the manga/anime you can clearly see that their fondness for one another becomes stronger. The two act like sisters toward each other, and discuss secrets and feelings amongst themselves as well. Eventually Kagome in the manga says "Sango is my best friend, I will do anything to save her". Coincidentally, both are the eldest child in their family, both are older sisters with younger brothers, and both own a cat.
 * Miroku - While he is at times a lecherous nuisance, she respects his knowledge and actions and knows that he would gladly give his life for his friends if the need arose for.
 * Koga - Kagome likes Koga as a friend and trusts him. However his claims that they are in love have caused a strain between her and InuYasha, even though she really isn't interested in Koga.
 * Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi - Kagome's three friends in the modern era, although they tend to be more than a little nosy about Kagome's "jealous boyfriend" and wonder why she is interested in him. They always seem to be into her personal life whether it is about her romance or her classes and upcoming events. They also, have been friends for a long time, maybe since the beginning of school or have met in middle school. The three of them act like sisters to Kagome always trying to help her in her life and with all the tasks that she has to go through every day. It is shown at the end of the manga series that they all graduate, says their goodbyes and stay friends.
 * Hojo is one of Kagome's male classmates that often brings herbal medicines and similar items to treat her "illnesses." His ancestor, Houjou Akitoki, had such an infatuation with her that he even convinced his future wife to change her name to Kagome.
 * Sesshomaru - In the beginning of the series they had been enemies, but later on becomes allies of sorts. During the final battle it is seen that the great demon Lord protected her while she was unconscious from an earlier fight with Inuyasha (who was possessed), also, Sesshoumaru let her cling to his Mokomoko-sama while they were inside Nakuru's body. At the end of the anime and manga, Kagome even calls him 'onii-san' (big brother) which signifies that he now tolerates her.

Power and abilities
Purification Powers: This power allows Kagome to purify anything she touches. Kagome is not aware of when she uses these powers, and they are not as strong as Kikyo's who can blast light purple spiritual energy at an enemy from a distance.

Spiritual Powers: Kagome can pass through barriers, spells, and illusions. Kagome can also sense evil auras and be unaffected by them. It is also revealed that her powers, to a great extent, are sealed by Magatsuhi the evil part of the Shikon no Tama (the Jewel of Four Souls).

Note: Kagome's spiritual powers is pale purple in color though sometimes it is purplish pink and pale blue on some occasions.

Jewel Detecting: This allows Kagome to sense the exact location of the Shikon Jewel shards. Kikyo had this ability as well.

Kyudo: Kagome uses a basic bow as a weapon. If she infuses her power into the bow, she can deflect an enemy's attack. Her bow has the power to strike evil spirits or the user's intended target bypassing others, if the opponent should happen to be using a hostage as a shield, the arrow will bypass the hostage and hit the enemy instead.

Archery: In an era bows and swords, Kagome is not melee fighter, and so the bow was a natural choice. After learning from InuYasha that she had been an archer in her previous lifetime, she decided to take the same path. Though at first she wasn't very good, the dangers of the Feudal Era provided her with plenty of opportunities to 'practice', and her skill increased rather quickly. She became proficient enough to lead moving targets and hit them with a high degree of accuracy, often times saving lives in the process.

Sacred Arrow: Kagome can infuse her spiritual powers into her arrows. This allows the arrows to penetrate demonic forces and purify objects such as the Shikon Jewel itself.

Arrow of Purification: When Kagome infuse her powers into one of her arrows, she can purify even the most powerful yoki-based attacks such as the Wind Scar itself.

Sacred Backlash Wave: This attack is a combination of InuYasha's Backlash Wave and Kagome's Sacred Arrow. It consists of Kagome firing one of her Sacred Arrows into the center of InuYasha's Backlash Wave, creating a very powerful attack.

Time Barrier: According to Kaguya, Kagome has an aura that doesn't go along the flow of time making her invulnerable into any time freezing spell.

Appearance
Kagome usually is always seen wearing her green school uniform also known as sailor fuku, it is a common style of uniform worn by female middle school and high school students, and occasionally, elementary school students. A red ribbon is tied in the front and laced through a loop attached to the blouse.

On other occasions Kagome is seen wearing other outfits that are a combination of different sweaters and skirts. She's also been seeing wearing the same outfit as Kikyo and Kaede wear. This is the traditional miko outfit. When she first wore this outfit InuYasha told Kagome to undress.

Trivia

 * Her first name Kagome is not a traditional Japanese name and it means "lost". It come from a children's chant and game. Kagome is also the name of a star-like figure. In the anime, Kagome's mother states she named her after the light she saw in Kagome's chest and thus is named after the jewel. Her last name Higurashi means "cicada, this might be a reference to Kagome being Kikyo's reincarnation which is like cicada when they are molting since they get new bodies.