Sesshōmaru

"Do you think you can escape from me?"

- Sesshōmaru

is a powerful dog daiyōkai and feared throughout the feudal world as the ruler of the western lands, Lord Sesshōmaru. He is the half-brother of the half-demon Inuyasha and the successor to the Inu no Taishō, their father. Unlike many other demons, he has no interest in possessing even one shard of the Shikon no Tama to enhance his powers because he is confident of his own strength. Accompanying him in his travels is a two-headed dragon named A–Un, a demon imp named Jaken, and an orphaned human girl named Rin.

After many failed attempts at trying to manipulate Sesshōmaru into killing his brother, the half-demon Naraku tried to lure Lord Sesshōmaru into a trap in an attempt to absorb his demonic powers into his body. Naraku's plot failed, having underestimated Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru's strength, and he is nearly destroyed in the process. Naraku retreats from the battle and manages to escape when he threatens Rin's life, which makes Sesshōmaru go to her rescue instead of going after Naraku. Having nearly been manipulated by Naraku again, almost having Rin killed and having his pride tainted he sets out to destroy Naraku once and for all.

History
He is the son of The Great Dog Demon who is obsessively proud of his father of whom the whole demon world was in awe. Because he respects his bloodline, he despises Inuyasha, whose mother was a human, and insults Naraku, who tries to take advantage of his power. Sesshōmaru began his quest for the Tessaiga by searching for the place that a short poem indicated it would be. "Seen yet never seen, protected, but never known to its protector" (Which indicated that the gate to his father's resting place was hidden in the right pupil of Inuyasha). Sesshōmaru had inherited Tessaiga's counterpart, Tenseiga, from his father; however, he deemed it worthless because it could not harm his enemies. Sesshōmaru desired the far more powerful Tessaiga, which could kill a hundred demons in a single sweep. Sesshōmaru's father kept Tessaiga a secret for a long time to prevent it from being misused by demons or people without compassion, and cast a barrier around the sword so that a full-blooded yōkai or one without compassion for humans cannot hold or wield Tessaiga, which Sesshōmaru's younger half brother Inuyasha could wield. However, even knowing that he cannot touch the sword, Sesshōmaru initially desired to take it from Inuyasha, as he felt it rightfully belonged to him. For this reason he fought with Inuyasha in their father's burial grounds and by chance, Inuyasha transformed the blade for the first time and severed Sesshōmaru's left arm. Sesshōmaru fixed the problem of not being able to wield Tessaiga by using a non-demon arm in place of his severed one. However, after he obtained a powerful sword called Tōkijin, he lost interest in the Tessaiga.

Sesshōmaru is followed by his minion, a kappa yōkai named Jaken, and later by a human orphan named Rin who had found him injured in the forest after he'd fought Inuyasha, and attempted to nurse him back to health. After healing, Sesshōmaru found Rin in the forest, where she had been killed by wolves, and realized Tenseiga's true power, which was resurrection. Sesshōmaru used Tenseiga to revive Rin, for her big smile that flash in his head. Along with Rin and Jaken, Sesshōmaru is also accompanied by a two-headed dragon named A–Un, who mostly provides Rin with protection and long-distance transportation. Although Sesshōmaru maintains a stern, and at times even heartless exterior, his companionship with Rin is proof of his growing compassion. He not only tolerates a human, but also acts in an extremely protective also fatherly manner towards her and rushes to her aid when she gets in trouble. Naraku later had Kagura kidnap Rin as a get-away plan in his attempt to absorb the body and the full demonic powers and abilities of Sesshōmaru. Naraku's plan failed as Inuyasha showed up to join the fight, the two brothers attacked Naraku, injuring him severely. Naraku prepared to escape, and Sesshōmaru was intent on transforming and pursuing him, but upon hearing from Naraku that he was going to have Rin killed, Sesshōmaru opted to rush to Rin's aid, and Naraku escaped. After rescuing Rin, he subsequently decided to do everything he could to kill Naraku. At this point, Sesshōmaru's status becomes that of an anti-hero instead of an enemy to Inuyasha and friends, both parties placing aside their differences to oppose the greater threat.

On his way to Mount Hakurei, Sesshōmaru saves Kagome Higurashi, Miroku and Sango from the poison user Mukotsu, one of the Shichinintai, however when confronted with the fact, he merely says, "I only killed him because he wouldn't answer my questions."

It is stated that around this time that Sesshōmaru's reasons for going after Naraku so fiercely and helping his brother's group were because Naraku insulted his honor when he kidnapped Rin and then insulted him by openly stating that Sesshōmaru had come to his castle merely to protect a human (however, when it came down to deciding if he would transform and chase after Naraku or if he would go to Rin's side when she was in danger, he chose to go and save Rin).

Later on in the same arc, Suikotsu and Jakotsu had Sesshōmaru cornered and they threatened to kill Rin if Sesshōmaru made a move. But Kikyō arrived and managed to stop him with her arrow, thus insulting Sesshōmaru's honor further by forcing him to accept help from a "mere woman."

Kagura, one of Naraku's incarnations, later betrays Naraku to obtain her freedom. She believes that only Sesshōmaru can defeat him. She attempts to escape from Naraku after Hakudoshi dies, but is caught by Naraku and given her heart back, at a price. At the moment she hears her heart beat, Naraku stabs her and injects her with miasma, purposely missing her "precious heart." She flees to a nearby meadow, a petal reaches Sesshōmaru in the midst of a battle with Moryomaru. Smelling her blood and miasma, he is infuriated when Moryomaru insults her, and quickly concludes the quarrel, but breaks Tōkijin in the process. Then, he turns up in front of her. Sesshōmaru tells Kagura that he picked up the scent of blood and miasma. Kagura replies, "I see, you thought I was Naraku. Are you disappointed that I'm not Naraku?" Sesshōmaru replies to her, "I knew it was you." He reaches for Tenseiga but then realizes at that moment that she can't be saved. Kagura is happy she got to see Sesshōmaru one last time. She looks up at him and smiles as she dies before him dissolving into the wind. When Inuyasha comes right after Kagura dies, he asks Sesshōmaru if she suffered. Sesshōmaru simply looks toward the sky and says, "She was smiling," and then walks away.

Tenseiga calls out to Tōtōsai at that time and he states that the sword told him that Sesshōmaru's heart had never before felt compassion, and that meant Sesshōmaru was ready to learn how to wield Tenseiga as a weapon. In this way it was Kagura who taught Sesshōmaru how to have compassion in a way he never had before.

When Sesshōmaru learns how to perform Meidō Zangetsuha, he reflects on Kagura's death, and how Moryomaru told him that she had died for nothing. He then thinks to himself, "I, Sesshōmaru, will be the one to decide if she died for nothing." The wind then blows, which Rin points out, and the group of three leave Tōtōsai. The wind is proved Kagura's spirit.

In effort to strengthen and enhance Tenseiga's powers even further, Sesshōmaru visits his mother in search of answers to make a complete Meidō. He ventures into Hell after a demon from the underworld grabs Rin and Kohaku. Sesshōmaru's mother offers him a way out which he declines; this offends her. Sesshōmaru finds Rin in the grasp of the master of Hell. After he slays the demon he realizes Rin isn't reviving, and states that enhancing and strengthening his sword is not worth the price of Rin's life. Dead bodies in Hell surround them, and with his grief for Rin he uses Tenseiga to purify them. When he returns to the living world with Rin's body, his mother scolds him for thinking he was a god who could control life and death, and tells him Tenseiga can only revive the same person once, and tells him that when his heart wishes to save his "loved one" (in reference to Rin), he must also at that moment feel both sadness and fear; this is what it means for him to have "a compassionate heart."

Sesshōmaru could only learn to understand the worth of a life and gain a truly compassionate heart when lost the life that was worth the most to him (which is Rin), and "a compassionate heart" is what is necessary for the one who wields a destructive Tenseiga, which can dispatch enemies to the Meidō.

Then his mother used the jewel around her neck to revive Rin, much to Sesshōmaru's relief and happiness (his mother asks Jaken if Sesshōmaru is happy when she revives Rin, and Jaken responds that it most likely he is "extremely so".)

Sesshōmaru realizes his true potential as a greater demon after Tenseiga's fighting technique, Meidō Zangetsuha is given to Inuyasha. Sesshōmaru lets go of his obsession with Tessaiga in a battle with Magatsuhi, and regains not only his left arm, but also his own sword, Bakusaiga.

He later uses this sword fighting Naraku along with Inuyasha's group in the final battle, aiding in the final destruction of the evil hanyō by destroying large amounts of Naraku's body. Three years after defeat of Naraku, Sesshōmaru visited Rin who was under care of Kaede with gifts and was annoyed when Kagome called him "big brother."

Personality
Sesshōmaru, born of a great demon bloodline, possesses the perfect power that many demons desire. Because of this he is always composed and confident in his power. He isn't obsessed with anything, so his Shikon level is low, except for Aramitama, which is caused by his pride as a great demon.

His air of aloofness and indifference is a product of dignity that only one of such rare demon power may possess. Sesshōmaru is more or less emotionless, only anger, annoyance, and dissatisfaction showing on his face. Because both his heart and body are so strong, he had no desire whatsoever for the Shikon Jewel. He had absolute confidence in his power, so did not need the Shikon Jewel and does not have to conspire with allies. Sesshōmaru even responded sarcastically towards Naraku, who had assumed an air of impudence due to his increased demon power. In battle he judged his enemy's power level and attacked with the minimum power necessary. He dealt with his enemies after determining their power. Once he had realized their weak point, their attacks were futile.

Sesshōmaru is obsessively proud of his father Inu no Taishō, of whom the whole demon world was in awe. Because he respects his bloodline so much, he despises Inuyasha as well as Inuyasha's human mother Izayoi. He insults Naraku, who tried to take advantage of Sesshōmaru's power. All that his father left him was a dull sword that wouldn't cut anything. Anger welled up in his heart for not being able to use Tenseiga, which was left by his father, whom he highly respects. Sesshōmaru held resentment towards his father for having left Tessaiga to Inuyasha, whose power was weaker than his own. However, over time, Sesshōmaru comes to grasp why his father gave him Tenseiga and lets go of his disgust towards his half-brother, even showing concern for him in rare moments. He was also secretly angry that Naraku, who was assembled by demons far lower in level than Sesshōmaru, used abusive language and disrespect towards him. Sesshōmaru had stated that he seeks to only fight the strongest beings alive and how he had wanted to fight his father and defeat him.

Sesshōmaru felt nothing for others, sneering and dismissing humane feelings. Anyone in his way is an enemy whom he will exterminate without hesitation. He does not hold back his power, even against women. He rationalizes that all his prey is the same and defeats them accordingly. For one with such pride in his power, cooperation is proof of weakness and being alone is a condition for the strong. Once he judges someone as a obstacle, he is quick to kill without hesitation.

He used to feel nothing for anyone, but meeting various people, such as the ever-changing Inuyasha, Naraku with his numerous proposals, and all-alone Rin had brought change to his heart. After he saved Rin and became a true owner of Tenseiga, he started to show feelings behind his heartless and cruel words. He stopped the demonic Inuyasha's wildness by controlling his power and he looked at him like an older brother reprimanding a younger brother, though claimed he would kill Inuyasha despite his actions showing the opposite. He even refrained from killing Kohaku when he could easily do so, when he looked in his eyes and saw emptiness and that he had given up everything.

Sesshōmaru has a very inquiring mind when there is something he cares about, but at the same time, he had almost no tenacity of purpose. If he becomes interested into something else, he will arbitrarily turn his back on what he's doing, even during battle. He is not greedy and is quick to quit doing something. Just like his fighting style, he is quick to make decisions and act on then immediately.

The encounter with Rin awakened him as the true user of Tenseiga. The smile and fleeting life of this young girl who tried to save him caused Sesshōmaru to change for the first time. The will of his father, who cared for humans, has finally been passed to his oldest son. Sesshōmaru used to leave anything behind that might bind him but he has slowly but surely changed. Sesshōmaru genuinely cares about Rin and Jaken and while he rarely shows it, he does appreciate their loyalty. Sesshōmaru originally held much contempt towards protecting the weak, seeing it as a waste of time and ridiculous. Unlike Inu no Taishō and Inuyasha, Sesshōmaru has trouble admitting he had people to protect(Rin and Jaken) and out of pride, would never admit that he does as Sword of An Honerable Ruler showed. Another trait of Sesshōmaru is one he shares with his younger brother. Both have tempers and are very easy to annoy(Inuyasha being loud in his anger, Sesshōmaru being subtle) as he has been known to hit Jaken when he says something that displeases him, similar to how Inuyasha is with Shippō.

Growing Compassion
Sesshōmaru, who previously was a cold-hearted, arrogant, and extremely powerful daiyōkai was humbled by his "worthless half-breed" brother, Inuyasha, who used the sword to cut off his left arm. In another incident, Sesshōmaru had used his poison claws against Inuyasha, temporarily blinding him. Having sensed the clashing of the two yoki, Inuyasha unknowingly used the Wind Scar against Sesshōmaru. The Tenseiga prevented a possible fatality and transported the daiyokai's battered body. Sesshōmaru quickly rested for the time-being in a forest near a village, where he first met the orphan girl, Rin. He was cared for by Rin during his rehabilitation from injury. He was initially hostile to the mute girl, who offered him food, by refusing to eat and telling her to "mind her own business." However, the little child continued to serve him. Once he recovered, he set off with Jaken, but he sensed Rin's blood scent when she was attacked and mauled by Kōga's wolves; he used Tenseiga to resurrect her, whereupon she began to follow him. This incident proved to be the turning point in his life as it dramatically transformed his attitude towards everyone else. This was apparent when Rin was seen wearing new and colorful kimono later. When Rin falls off the cliff in the process of getting life-saving herbs for Jaken, Sesshōmaru comes in a bolt of light to save her after she called out his name. In the episode 162, he asks Rin to come with him if that is what she wishes. This is not at all typical of Sesshōmaru, as he was usually shown to leave Jaken at times before he met Rin. Jaken is even shown to be mumbling that "Lord Sesshōmaru will kill him if something happens to Rin," obviously showing his concern for the girl's safety as some what of a father to her. In episode 115, Sesshōmaru, while fighting Jakotsu, rushes off to rescue Rin, who fell when the bridge broke. Jakotsu notes that Rin is Sesshōmaru's weak point. Exploiting this fact, Suikotsu and Jakotsu threatens to kill Rin when they are cornered. Sesshōmaru even saves Kohaku, Rin's best friend and protector, who was under Naraku's control, under the behest of Inuyasha and his friends. These are some of the many traces of compassion that Sesshōmaru displays.

Sesshōmaru's compassion for Rin is evident, but he prefers to disguise it, because it would taint his pride. However, he shows his love and concern for Rin when she appears to be dead due to her time in Hell. Sesshōmaru enters Hell for the purpose of rescuing her, but upon learning that he cannot save her life, he is crushed. When he realizes that it was his urge to strengthen Tenseiga which brought them to Hell and ultimately killed her, he casts the sword aside and says that for the sword to gain power at the expense of Rin's life means nothing. However, when Sesshōmaru's mother revives Rin, he is seems to be relieved. Finally the will of his father, who cared for humans, has been passed to his son.

When Kagura was injured, Sesshōmaru originally intended to leave her in the river she was drowning in, but when Rin falls in trying to save her and Jaken follows Rin, Sesshōmaru pulls all three from the river. Later however, before Kagura's death, Sesshōmaru seeks her out and considers using the Tenseiga, only to conclude that Tenseiga cannot save her.

He has also been shown saving Inuyasha's friends on several occasions. On his way to Hakurei-zan, Sesshōmaru saves Kagome, Miroku, and Sango from the poison master Mukotsu, one of the Shichinintai but only claims that he killed Mukotsu because he would not answer his questions. He also revives a young otter yōkai's father, claiming that it was the will of Tenseiga. Another example is when Inuyasha and his companions are involved in a fight with the "water god" Numawatari: when Sesshōmaru arrives, he insults Inuyasha's inability to kill a "low life yōkai," and then easily dispatches Numawatari using his Meido Zangetsuha ability, leaving straight after.

Also, when Byakuya, Naraku's newest incarnation, is about to take Kohaku, who had one of the last three shards of the Shikon Jewel, back to Naraku, Sesshōmaru appears and launches a ranged Meidou-Zangetsuha (still in the crescent moon shape), barely missing him. Byakuya flees, claiming that he does not want to die, and comments on how it is so unlike Sesshōmaru to save someone. Thereafter, Sesshōmaru seems to have taken Kohaku under his protection, albeit in his typical grudging demon-slayer fashion. Later, when Kohaku's shard gets tainted by Magatsuhi, Sesshōmaru attempts to save Kohaku at the expense of great injury to his arm.

It is his compassion that caused the Tenseiga to be reforged as a weapon. Its offensive powers were locked until Sesshōmaru was able to show true compassion. In battle with Moryomaru, the villain insulted the deceased Kagura, which angers Sesshōmaru and he shatters Mōryōmaru's indestructible shell (and his only weapon in the process). Acknowledging the yōkai's growth because he is defending a dead person, Tenseiga called to its creator to reforge it as a weapon. Later, to show his compassion and respect for his father, he gave the offensive powers of his sword to Inuyasha (albeit in his typical fashion) in accordance with his father's wishes and recognizing his brother's worth as the heir to the sword.

He refused to use Bakusaiga on Inuyasha when even Magatsuhi noted it was the obvious choice to make and in the third movie "Swords of an Honorable Ruler" it is hinted that he actually does care about Inuyasha but refuses to admit it when he is protecting him from the Sounga's "Dragon Twister" attack.

Despite his growing compassion, he, like his brother, uses impolite Japanese. He addresses strangers or people he does not like with "kisama," which, like "temee," is an offensive form of "you," though still more formal. He addresses himself with the polite "watashi", signifying his high rank and power. Other than "kisama," he uses "omae," either to Jaken or to Inuyasha, the latter being occasionally and not rarely. Thus, he can be insulting while retaining the dignified speech pattern of a lord, as opposed to the rougher speech used by Inuyasha.

Appearance
Sesshōmaru appears as a handsome and frail-looking at the same time and fairly tall and lean-built. He was light-skinned with pointy ears, golden amber eyes and knee-length silver hair with short bangs. He had a Prussian blue crescent on his forehead that could be seen beneath his bangs. There were two magenta stripes on each cheek and on the sides of his wrists, as well as one magenta stripe on each of his eye lids. However, when he regained his left arm, the magenta stripes are not there. Most of the time, Sesshōmaru appeared in this form. Sesshōmaru's true form is a giant white dog with markings similar to the ones he has in his human form. He transforms surrounded in a bright red/pink aura or has a tornado circling around him. His sclera becomes red, and the pupils blue; the yōkai marks on his body widen and become more apparent the stripes on his cheeks which are usually smooth become jagged and change into a somewhat fiercer color. He has acidic saliva, so when he breathes out, he spreads poison in the form of mist, melting anything nearby. He only fully transforms to his original form three times: during a battle with Inuyasha which results in the loss of his left arm, when he meets his mother , and during the battle against Magatsuhi which eventually leads to his arm regenerating and the formation of his sword Bakusaiga.
 * Humanoid form
 * True form

Outfit
Sesshōmaru's armor includes a spiked pauldron that covers his left shoulder attached to the upper section of his cuirass. When damaged, his armor automatically regenerates itself using yōki. Both his armor and his long flowing sash have a decided Chinese influence, as opposed to the customary Japanese armor and sash. His Kimono is mostly white with a red chrysanthemum flower crest at the collar and sleeves,showing that he is of royal birth. He wears Sashinuki Hakama, (a type of traditional flowing Japanese pants), which are gathered at the ankles producing the "ballooning" effect. His footwear consists of flat pointed ankle-high boots (instead of sandals), also reminiscent of Mainland influence. The left side of his collar features the crest of the Azai clan.

Powers and Abilities
As a full blooded demon, Sesshōmaru is overwhelmingly powerful, being a match for any opponent he encounters. He has exhibited senses much more powerful than that of humans and even many demons and a plethora of powerful techniques at his disposal. Many of Sesshōmaru's innate abilities are a result of his lineage, being the son of two extremely powerful demons. Naraku has referred to Sesshōmaru as "the perfect demon"; the natural 'completion' of Sesshōmaru's demonic aura may be the reason why the Shikon Jewel appears to have no effect on his demonic abilities, and thus would explain why he has no interest in obtaining its shards. In contrast, nearly every other sentient demon, save those affiliated with Sesshōmaru's father in some way, seek its power relentlessly. Eventually, Sesshōmaru grows to become the most powerful demon.

Attacks

 * Dokkasō (毒華爪, Toxic Luster Claw): Sesshōmaru's claws release deadly acidic poison which can melt flesh and virtually anything else very quickly and he can also spray the poison from his claws. They can fire large blades of energy similar to Inuyasha's "Sankon Tesso". He is also shown to transfer poison into his punches. As he did so with Inuyasha, thus blinding him.


 * Whip of Light: It is only in the anime, Sesshōmaru can generate a thin, whip-like strand of yellow-green energy from his fingertips that can slice through almost anything. The whip also displays characteristics of poison akin to the burning effect it has on contact. It is used often in combat not only as a weapon, but at a utility tool as well. The whip can extend great distances and retrieve people or objects in motion. It can also puncture armor and human flesh with intense energy similar to a projectile. And it has often aided Sesshōmaru in the place of his missing arm. The first time Sesshōmaru used this attack (by spinning like a top to make the whip shred his foes apart) is often considered mimetic due to it looking rather feminine and out-of-character for him.


 * Sōryūha (蒼龍破, Pale Dragon Blast) Dragon Strike in the English Dub: It is his signature move but it is mainly seen in the movies (three times in the third and twice in the fourth). Its strength is comparable, if not greater, to his brother's Bakuryūha. The Dragon Strike takes on the form of a dragon-like lighting by Sesshōmaru waving his sword in the air and from there it takes form. He can also put in the ground which allows him break an enemy's barrier. Unlike the Wind Scar or Backlash Wave, however, this attack is born of Sesshōmaru's own power rather than that of a sword, as he is seen using it with both the Tōkijin and Tenseiga in the third movie. In the second episode of Inuyasha: The Final Act, Sesshōmaru used the Dragon Strike on Mōryōmaru with the Tōkijin at point blank range.


 * Mokomoko: The fur on Sesshōmaru's shoulder can be extended to great lengths and used to whip, give him defense or constrict people. Sesshōmaru uses the Mokomoko to fling Inuyasha. During an interview with Rumiko Takahashi (the creator of Inuyasha) she revealed that she drew it to look like a boa, but she drew it too big. After a while, she thought it looked fine, so she left it like that. It is a pelt of fur, thought to be a symbol of his rank as a demon lord. It has also been shown bleeding in Rumiko Takahashi profiles charter book it is in fact part of his body . Jaken has been seen clinging to it whenever Sesshōmaru takes flight.

Powers

 * Flight: Sesshōmaru has the ability to float in the sky; however, in the anime, he can sometimes ride upon a sparkling dust cloud. The latter method of flight enables him to bring others along with him while flying by riding the cloud along with him.
 * Immunity: Sesshōmaru is immune to diseases, poisons, and gases that can paralyze or kill both humans and other normal creatures as well as weaker yōkai. His greatest resistance seems to be toward holy and divine powers; his resistance to purification powers was so strong that he was able to enter Mt. Hakurei's purification barrier, by far the strongest of its type in the series, without being purified. He was somewhat weakened, however, though not significantly so, and it negated his sword's powers. In another instance, Sesshōmaru catches one of Kagome's purification arrows barehanded and to no ill-effect; (in the manga) any other demon would have been severely injured, if not outright purified. Monks who try to purify him to 'save' Rin are totally ineffective, (special anime episode) and Sesshōmaru's yōki destroys their relics merely by being released. It seems that the only mystical powers that Sesshōmaru is not resistant to is yōki such as Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu. Another example of his strong body is seen in Naraku's inability to absorb him. Because of Sesshōmaru's demonic purity, his aura emanates around his body in perfect "completion", making it almost impossible to compromise. Inuyasha states that human attacks will not harm Sesshōmaru, and true to this, none ever have; barring one incident in Mt. Hakurei, which is excusable because of the barrier. Thus far, the only damage he has sustained throughout the series has been from yōki-powered attacks. Even Inuyasha was lucky cutting Sesshōmaru's arm . And giving him a punch in the stomach. when Sesshōmaru was distracted by Kagome. But soon recovered, and swung Inuyasha towards Kagome.
 * Super Endurance: Sesshōmaru is able to resist pain better than most demons. Sesshōmaru has shown general fatigue as his power had diminished near the end of the third movie, but it is still only speculation whether Sesshōmaru can even experience the sensation of pain at all.
 * He might react slightly startled or in shock. Especially at the times Inuyasha manages to punch him or even touch him.
 * Super Speed: Sesshōmaru can move faster than the eye can see, both on land and through the air. He leaves behind a fast-moving blur and in some cases, after-images. He can also instantaneously close long distances without being detected by others. He is capable of moving so fast that he can decapitate an entire army of samurai without they even having time to react.
 * Super Strength: Sesshōmaru possesses physical strength far beyond that of a normal demon; he was able to easily lift InuYasha by the throat into the air with one hand in one of their earlier encounters. In addition, Sesshōmaru was seen carrying the boulder-sized demon head of Goshinki in one hand with little to no effort. He has Herculean strength, even with only one arm; his strength with only one arm is equal to Inuyasha's full strength; Inuyasha's strength allows him to lift a 9 to 10 ton boulder using one arm with little effort, so Sesshōmaru would naturally be capable of lifting double that or far more with the same amount of effort.
 * Senses: Due to his lineage, Sesshōmaru exhibits extremely heightened senses, particularly his sense of smell. He can discern characteristics of most objects through scent, such as the undead Band of Seven through the scent of graveyard soil and pure-demon blood from half-demon blood (such as when InuYasha's demon blood takes over). Through smell alone, Sesshōmaru can follow events transpiring far away or which have already transpired; for example, he learned of everything that had happened during Inuyasha's confrontation with Goshinki by simply sniffing the area in which they fought at least several hours, if not days, after the battle. Besides the five basic senses, Sesshōmaru's ability in sensing other's auras are exceptional.
 * Exceptional Reflexes: Sesshōmaru, with his heightened senses, also possesses astonishing reflexes, as shown when he was battling Jakotsu; he managed to deflect the latter snake-like sword at the very last second with Tōkijin and even hurl it back in front of Jakotsu himself. Sesshōmaru has also shown to have extremely fast reactions when he was surrounded by an army of men with rifle guns which he was able to deflected every bullet shot at him simultaneously at the men firing them.
 * Intelligence: Despite his vast overall intelligence, Rumiko Takahashi reveals that his intellect is actually one of his weakest points (despite it being considerably high, it pales in comparison to his other capabilities). With this attribute, he was able to correctly deduce that Magatsuhi can be slain with Tenseiga. Only being wrong once, in the 3rd InuYasha movie, Sesshōmaru cut Takemaru in half with Tenseiga, but because of So'unga's ability to bring back the living dead, it did not work.
 * Teleportation: Sesshōmaru can morph into a ball of energy and move himself, as well as others,over great distances in a short amount of time.
 * Psionics: Though Sesshōmaru's psionic capabilities have never been specifically quantified, he has demonstrated exceptionally strong and powerful feats of both telepathy and telekinesis. Examples of such being his power and ability to mentally levitate and telekinetically fly skulls at Inuyasha and Kagome, and the ability to telepathically overcome Tōkijin's telepathic aura.


 * Daiyōkai: As the son of a daiyōkai, Sesshōmaru has inherited similar levels of power and thus is a daiyōkai in his own right — endowed with heightened senses, intelligence, strength, and a myriad of yōkai powers. While he appears to be an elf-eared human bearing splendid clothing and armour most of the time; he can transform into his true form at will, which is that of a gigantic, acid-breathing, crimson eyed, canine with white fur. With the acquisition of Bakusaiga, Totosai has stated that Sesshōmaru has exceeded his father as a daiyōkai.


 * Immortality: Being a yōkai, Sesshōmaru does not suffer from old age the way humans do. He appears to be around 19 to 20 years old. However, he has been around for at least over two hundred years. In the third movie, Swords of an Honorable Ruler, a flashback from the day Inuyasha was born - 200 years prior to the Sengoku Jidai - shows Sesshōmaru as, physically, only a few years younger than his current appearance (with considerably shorter hair and different Kimono and sash). This suggests that Sesshōmaru could easily be over 400 years old or likely even 500 years old. But since the movies and specials are non canon. He could be along the lines of 200 years. In an interview Rumiko said that Sesshōmaru is more than years old.


 * Regeneration: During his battle with Magatsuhi, Sesshōmaru's right arm was badly injured. By beginning to transform into his daiyōkai form, the pure fighting spirit and eminence output of his demonic aura allowed Sesshōmaru to completely regenerate the injuries to his right arm. In the same battle, he is also able to restore his left arm, which is cut off by InuYasha at the beginning of the series. Sesshōmaru's body is in a continuous state of regeneration while posessing the Tenseiga. Sesshōmaru was impaled also but was still able to recover instantly.


 * Yoki Release: During Sesshōmaru's second battle with Kyura (one of the four war gods), the war god shot fire at Sesshōmaru which then spiraled around him like a vortex and then being compromised by white energy emerging from Sesshōmaru, destroying the fire. This is also shown when Sesshōmaru first picked up the Tōkijin. His Yoki was able to completely overtake and suppress the swords demonic aura with little effort, even when the demon sword smith Totosai said that it was impossible. This has led many to speculate that the demon sword Sounga would have also fallen under Sesshōmaru's power.


 * Hand to Hand Combatant: Although rarely engaging in barehanded combat, Sesshōmaru demonstrated highly capable skill in it. During various scuffles with Inuysha, Sesshōmaru was able to easily counter his brother's wild strikes and find an opening to quickly pummel him. He was also able to easily knock Inuyasha to the ground at the Demon Lord's Grave.


 * Swordsmanship: Even with swords new to his possession, Sesshōmaru was able to quickly adept to their unique shape and powers to effectively use them in battle. In meelee combat, he showed superb skill in his ability to fend off and strike down opponents with deadly speed and accuracy in his attacks. He is also able to effectively block projectiles with his blade.

Tenseiga
The Tenseiga is a sword that can revive the dead. It does this by letting Sesshōmaru see the pall-bearer imps that take away the souls of the dead so that he may destroy them with Tenseiga. In extreme cases, the Tenseiga also protects Sesshōmaru from potentially lethal attacks. When in use, the Tenseiga has a blue aura. Later in the manga, the Tenseiga is reforged by Tōtōsai to become a weapon, allowing Sesshōmaru to use the Meidō Zangetsuha. It is later revealed that the ability and the sword itself is merely a cast off of the Tessaiga; his father wanted Sesshōmaru to master the Meidō Zangetsuha. Sesshōmaru discards the sword as his father wished, giving the ability back to the Tessaiga and making the Tenseiga only a healing sword once again.

Tōkijin
Tōkijin  was a sword crafted by the evil sword smith Kaijinbo from the fangs of Goshinki as part of Sesshōmaru's continued efforts to obtain Tessaiga or a sword matching it in power. It can fire off extremely powerful blasts of pure evil energy, but because it is filled with Goshinki's malice, only Sesshōmaru can wield it without being controlled by it. Tōkijin can be used to blow back and injure an enemy with a powerful pinkish-purple aura, generated as the manifestation of pure hatred. It can also be used to slash at an opponent either directly or with kenatsu, and, like Tenseiga, can perform Sōryūha; however, being "only an oni's fang", Tōkijin initially could not withstand repeated uses of Sōryūha the way that Tenseiga could. But later, in the 4th InuYasha movie, Tōkijin seemed capable of being a conduit for the attack with no ensuing refractory period. Later in the manga, Sesshōmaru broke Tōkijin while battling Mōryōmaru, and afterwards abandoned the broken pieces with no further interest in keeping the sword. He instead searched for a replacement, which he found in the Meidō Zangetsuha ability of the Tenseiga.

Bakusaiga
Bakusaiga was Sesshōmaru's signature weapon once he acquired it. The Bakusaiga manifested itself in the hand of Sesshōmaru's fully regenerated, and longtime-severed, left arm during his battle with Magatsuhi. The sword is the polar opposite of the Tenseiga, as it has an immensely strong power with the ability to eradicate and decompose any organic material that its blade comes in contact with, nullifying any regenerative capabilities while doing so. Miroku comments that Naraku would suffer the same affliction should he absorb any demons wounded by Bakusaiga. . The blade itself is the manifestation of Sesshōmaru's own true demonic powers and abilities, born from his detachment of Inuyasha's Tessaiga. Its birth signifies Sesshōmaru's graduation into a full-fledged dog demon, which was long compromised by his obsession with Tessaiga. Totosai comments that his ability to manifest his own blade suggests his strength and power has far surpassed that of his father's and connotes his growth through the many trials he endured to emerge as a daiyōkai, with the Bakusaiga serving as the product of this 'rite of passage'.
 * Much like the Tessaiga's Wind Scar attack, the Bakusaiga can also unleash massively strong and powerful amounts of yōki, enough to slay thousands of demons with one swing. Though similar, Rumiko stated that Bakusaiga's demonic wave attack, which is similar to the Wind Scar, possesses much greater strength and power than a full power blast from the Backlash Wave attack from Tessaiga.

Nintōjo
The Nintōjo was a staff that could locate his father's grave or perhaps Tessaiga itself. It can produce long streams of flame, and generate large floods of water. The staff is usually held by his assistant Jaken. Also, it has been shown that the Staff of Two Heads can be used to summon yōkai. It features an old man's and a woman's head. They can speak when the staff is used. When attempting to find his father's grave, if the woman cried, that meant he had to keep searching. If the old man laughed, that meant he had found the grave.

Family
Aside from the fact that Sesshōmaru loathed humans and half-demons, Sesshōmaru despised Inuyasha not only because he wields the Tessaiga, is a half-demon and his half-brother, but also because he couldn't stand the fact that his father's demon blood courses through his veins. Although he'll never admit it, he begins to grow and start to care for Inuyasha over time. While Sesshōmaru continues to make rude comments to Inuyasha, their relationship eventually improves, and they appear to look out for each other in battle, as shown when they join forces to battle against Naraku.
 * Inuyasha

His relationship with his father is distant and estranged due to the fact that his father had left his wife (Sesshōmaru's mother) and fallen in love with a mortal woman named Izayoi; who became the mother of his younger half-brother, Inuyasha. In Inuyasha: Movie 3, Sesshōmaru only seems to want to gain power, something his father finds disappointing. Inu no Taishō asks him if he has someone to protect. Sesshōmaru knew this was his father's final test for him. He answer's "no", finding the idea of protecting someone ridiculous. It seemed at that moment, he was ready to slay his father for not entrusting Tessaiga and Sō'unga to him. At the beginning of the series, Sesshōmaru despised humans and considered them as weak and useless. 200 years later, he would realize that his father's words would echo, because he did have someone to protect: his companions Rin and Jaken (and at times, his younger brother Inuyasha). During his battle against the Sō'unga with Inuyasha, Sesshōmaru is able to release an immense amount of power that along with his brother's attack aids in the destruction of the sword after recalling the numerous times he had protected Rin and Jaken, though he verbally exclaims that he protects no one.
 * Inu no Taishō

Only shown for a small amount of time, Sesshōmaru's mother's name is never stated. She is a full-youkai who is devilishly similar to her son - the moon upon their forehead, their attitudes, and how they despise humans. When Sesshōmaru went to visit her, it was to make his power of Meidō Zangetsuha stronger and more mature. She knew he would come to do this seeing he was finally able to unlock the new power, thus stating that in order to do so, the power was to be exchanged with Rin's life. Her attitude changes from generous to irritated when Sesshōmaru ignores her offer to bring him before before he was able to save Rin, making it seem she didn't care about him anymore. Even though she ignores the fact that Rin's a human, she still has motherly feelings toward Sesshōmaru. Concerned with her son's sadness, Sesshōmaru's mother resurrected Rin with the Meidou Stone. When Rin is revived, Jaken says she's an honorable mother for doing so. She asks Jaken if he's happy this way, and he says it's most likely extemely so. She later states, "All this fuss over one human girl... He's becoming like his father in the strangest ways," referring to his dad's kindness to humans.
 * Sesshōmaru's mother


 * Izayoi

Sesshomaru hates this woman, and downright blames her and Inuyasha for "giving Father a pitiful death".

Traveling companions
Sesshōmaru encountered Jaken when he was passing through a distant land. A large demon was wreaking havoc amongst Jaken and other demons resembling him when Sesshōmaru killed the demon with his mere claws. Despite Jaken's display of immense gratitude, Sesshōmaru claimed he was only passing through. Sesshōmaru walked to a nearby waterfall and pulled out the Staff of Two Heads. He told Jaken that if he was able to wield the weapon, he may follow him. Jaken deeply respects and always praises Sesshōmaru, much to Sesshōmaru's annoyance. At times, he gets too carried away and winds up insulting Sesshōmaru, which usually leads to a couple bumps on the head. Jaken is condescending to all but Sesshōmaru. When Jaken belittles Rin, Sesshōmaru will usually yell at him and tell him to knock it off. Because Jaken is (reluctantly) aware of Sesshōmaru's compassion toward Rin, he knows that he, too, must responsibly protect her or else face the wrath of his master.
 * Jaken

Rin is a young orphan who becomes the traveling companion of Sesshōmaru and Jaken. When Sesshōmaru was injured by the Wind Scar after trying to steal the Tessaiga again from Inuysaha, Rin bravely attempted to care for him as he lay near a tree, bringing him water and food. Sesshōmaru initially rejected her kindness, telling her generosity was a waste, as he does not eat human food. She continues to bring him things and he is caught off guard by her smile. After letting his wolf pack hunt, Kōga's wolves killed Rin. Sesshōmaru, recognizing the scent of Rin's blood, stumbled upon her dead body in the forest and decided to resurrect her with the Tenseiga as a "test." To his surprise, her heart began to beat again and she is revived. From that day forward, she would be by Sesshōmaru's side along with Jaken and a two-headed dragon demon known as Ah-Un.
 * Rin

Throughout the series, Rin's warmness and kindness play a significant role on Sesshōmaru. His growing compassion for her allows him to advance in battle. He constantly rescues her and looks out for her despite claiming he did not care for her. In The Final Act, Sesshōmaru wished to improve his Meidou Zangetsuha technique but it unfortunately came at the cost of Rin's life. He finally felt sorrow and fear from the loss of his beloved companion. Concerned with her son's sadness, Sesshōmaru's mother ressurected Rin with the Meidou Stone.

Following Naraku's defeat and after some input by Kaede, Sesshōmaru agrees that Rin needs to reside in a village to get used to living with humans once again and where she is safe from potiential harm. He continues to pay her regular visits often bringing presents with him. She is last seen receiving a kimono from him.

Naraku abducted Rin by using Kagura and had Kohaku serve as her guard. After seriously injured by Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha at his castle, Naraku had fled and ordered Kohaku to kill Rin. Mind-controlled, Kohaku was ready to kill Rin but Sesshōmaru arrived at the scene, deciding not to kill Kohaku, knowing that was what Naraku wanted him to do and he does not play by Naraku's rules.
 * Kohaku

After Kikyo died, Kohaku decided to follow Sesshōmaru, who didn't seem to be against the idea. Kohaku forms a great friendship with Rin and protects her in times of trouble. In his battle with Magatsuhi, Kohaku attempts to protect Sesshōmaru. Eventually, Kohaku would part with Sesshōmaru and remain with his sister, Sango, and the rest of Inuyasha's gang prior to the battle with Naraku, where he would then leave with Jaken and Shippo to fight.

Enemies

 * Naraku

At first, Sesshōmaru appeared to be annoyed with Kagura's constant appearances because he felt as though he had no obligation to be "used" to fight Naraku so that she could be free. Eventually, her visits would be useful as she provided him with information on Naraku's whereabouts.
 * Kagura

After getting injured by Goryomaru's light cannons, she falls into a river near Sesshōmaru. Initially, he rejects Jaken and Rin's proposal of helping her but after both of his companions fall into the water in an attempt to save her, he saves all three of them. It is hinted that Kagura had romantic feelings for Sesshōmaru, as she landed in the spot that she did to see him "one last time before she died."

When fighting against Moryomaru, both he and Sesshōmaru pick up on the scent of Kagura's blood. Moryomaru laughs and jokes about how Kagura will have died in vain. This notion angers Sesshōmaru and gives him the energy to break free from Moryomaru's grasp. After Moryomaru flees, Sesshōmaru finds Kagura, who is slowly dying in a field of flowers as a result of Naraku's miasma. Feeling as though it is too good to be true, Kagura asks Sesshōmaru if he thought he would find Naraku there but Sesshōmaru responds that he knew it was Kagura. After hearing this, Kagura was able to die in peace, knowing that in that instant, Sesshōmaru had cared about her well-being. While it is unknown as to whether or not Kagura's feelings for him were unrequited, Sesshōmaru's concern for her after smelling her blood in battle with Moryomaru triggered his Tenseiga to become ready to be forged into a weapon. Tōtōsai explains that something in Sesshōmaru's heart had changed as he felt the sorrow and anger of losing someone. After learning the Meidō Zangetsuha for the first time, a breeze blows and Sesshōmaru closes his eyes and decides that he, Sesshōmaru, will decide whether or not Kagura died in vain.

Other
Because of her affiliation with Inuyasha, and his hatred for all humans in general, Kagome is generally disliked by Sesshōmaru. While he doesn't grow to like her, eventually throughout the series, he looks out for her; protecting her from enemies, such as Mukotsu and Naraku. Three years after Naraku's defeat, Kagome became his sister-in-law, though he finds the idea somewhat annoying, as seen by his glare when she shouts out "brother-in-law" to him on his way back from visiting Rin.
 * Kagome Higurashi

After having his left arm severed by Inuyasha as a result of his attempt to claim the Tessaiga for his own, Sesshōmaru sought a place to recover and passed through the Asano Castle (a two episode anime special). The Asano Clan happened to be on the brink of losing to an enemy, however, Sesshōmaru easily cut though the enemy lines with this claws on his way to find refuge. Princess Sara fell in love with Sesshōmaru at first sight when their eyes met as she saw him defeat her clan's enemies. As he rested, Sara hid behind trees and gazed at Sesshōmaru, often listening to his unconscious mutterings about wanting the Tessaiga. Later on, Sara became terminally ill and spent her final days in a convent with nuns after the Asano Castle was burnt down by her own father, who was driven insane after witnessing Sesshomaru's strength. Like Onigumo, in Sara's final moments, she was visited by demons who explained to her that if she gave them her body, they would help her destroy Inuyasha, whom she had heard outside and recalled Sesshōmaru's previous words about wanting the Tessaiga. She gave into the demons and asked Sesshōmaru that if she were to fulfill his wish, that he would acknowledge her feelings for him. Sesshōmaru told her to do as she pleased. After presenting a stolen Tessaiga to Sesshōmaru, he rejected the stolen sword and revealed that he had no interest in such a thing. The demons then took over Sara's body and aimed to kill Sesshōmaru. Showing compassion, Sesshōmaru destroyed the demons within Sara, allowing her soul to be saved. He placed her flute in her ashes and told her to continue playing her flute in the netherworld.
 * Sara Asano

There is barely any interaction between Kikyō and Sesshōmaru, however in Affections Touching Across Time, they briefly encounter and Sesshōmaru asks her if she loathes Kagome or if she is "testing her". Kikyō responds that she despises all things and living creatures bound to time. Sesshōmaru tells her to do as she sees fit but states that he will be the one to kill Inuyasha. On Mount Hakurei, Kikyō shoots an arrow into the evil form of Suikotsu, saving both his good side and Rin.
 * Kikyō

There was barely any interaction between the Dog Demon Lord and the demon slayer, however in episode 20 (FA), Sango was the one to inform Sesshomaru that Rin was unconscious because of Magatsuhi's poison making him hurry back to Rin's side. Then in episode 23 (FA) during the final battle with Naraku he becomes very angry with her after overhearing how she was willing to kill Rin in order to defeat Naraku and save Miroku in the process. She begs him to wait to kill her until after Naraku has been defeated. It seems that Sesshomaru was indeed going to tear her apart after the fight but decided to spare her life after seeing her give Rin her gas mask to protect her from the poison and apologizing to her.
 * Sango

It was Kōga's wolves that kill Rin Sesshōmaru's traveling companion that he bring back to life after that there was barely any interaction between Sesshōmaru and Koga until episode 99 when they almost fight because Koga say he smell like his brother Inuyasha this get Sesshōmaru mad if hadn't for the two demon that was gone to attack their friends they were gone to fight each other but after they kill the two demon they have a mutual understanding( it has been stated that the one thing they have in common is they can't stand Inuyasha).
 * Koga

Manga vs. Anime
The stripes on Sesshōmaru's wrists are only in the Anime.

The energy whip of light was only exclusive in the Anime

Quotes

 * "All that for a memory and a dead mortal girl? If I'd have known that's what it would take for you to fight, I would have killed her sooner."
 * "You fool! Don't think you could ever escape my grasp!"
 * "What are you smiling about? I simply asked a question. I don't care, I'm just curious."
 * "I couldn't save her? Tenseiga. I let you die for this thing. Nothing is worth the cost of Rin's life!"
 * "I have never considered that half-demon my brother!"
 * "Your primitive concoctions are no match for my superior powers."
 * "Certainly these feelings of mercy of yours is not something I inherited from our great and terrible father."
 * "You're nothing but a pitiful half-breed, Inuyasha."
 * "You haven't even released the full power of the Tessaiga. Watch as I, Sesshomaru, destroy 100 demons with one blow."
 * " I seek nothing more than defeating the most powerful beings alive. Which excludes the lowly likes of you."
 * "She was smiling." (On Kagura's death, to Inuyasha)

Trivia

 * The kanji of "Sesshō" means "killing or destruction.". The suffix "Maru" is usually a suffix that is often added at the end of a Japanese name for young males in samurai families. They would use this name until they were recognized as adults, whereupon they would adopt a new name. However, it is said that "maru" can also translate as the word for "circle or perfection", which is a common Japanese motif for what in the West is called "the circle of life." It is revealed in one of Rumiko Takahashi's InuYasha Guides that his name means "killing perfection," which best describes his usual personality.
 * He makes an appearance as a concept art in the front pages of Chapter 9, before he was introduced as a character.
 * Sesshōmaru started out as an antagonist, but as the series progressed he became a protagonist and became one of the most important key players in beating Naraku (his Tenseiga being the only thing to be able to kill Magatsuhi and his Bakusaiga for preventing Naraku from regenerating his body).
 * Throughout his life, he has only saved four humans, including Kagome and Rin.
 * Sesshōmaru was seen to have an unnamed ability. As shown in the second ending, he was seen flying on a red streak and the fur on his shoulder was also red. This ability was never seen in the series or manga.
 * Sesshōmaru's appearance changes as the story progresses. Comparing his first appearance in Chapter 13 with the last in Chapter 558, he appears very young in the beginning, but by the end, looks more mature; the armor and clothes he wears changes slightly overall (best compared in Chapter 13, page 5 with chapter 468, page 1)
 * Early in the manga he was appearing smiling a lot. But as the manga goes on, he hides his emotions and rarely smiles, becoming more like his character is portrayed in the anime.
 * The pattern on Sesshōmaru's kimono is based upon an actual crest of a samurai clan known as the Azai. Their most famous member, Azai Nagamasa, was married to Oda Nobunaga's sister Oichi a while before he was killed by his brother-in-law.
 * In The Holy Pearl, a Chinese live action loosely based off of 'InuYasha, Sesshōmaru is paralleled by a character named Wu Dao.
 * In the Inuyasha profiles book the title states Beautifully chilling. The strongest demon in the Warring States era about Sesshōmaru.