Broken Arrow

In addition to her powers as a priestess, Kagome uses archery in battle. Usually she shoots special arrows called "hamaya" or purity arrows to break through demonic auras, hit an enemy in a sensitive spot (usually where a jewel shard or other center of power is located), or just generally kill weaker opponents. While some aspects of her archery are fantastic in nature, the bow and arrow have been used in hunting, combat killing, and competition for thousands of years.

According to Wikipedia, "A bow is a weapon that shoots arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow and/or its string." The bow is usually wooden, though it can also be made of bone or (in modern times) plastic. Generally the bow is held vertically, and the string runs from the top to the bottom. The arrow is a thin shaft that was traditionally made of wood, but are now generally made of metal. On one end of the arrow is the arrow head (which is the sharp, penetrating end), and on the other is the notch. On the notch end are vanes which keep the arrow pointed in the proper direction.

Archaeologists have evidence of archery being 8,000 to 9,000 years old, but believe it may be up to 15,000 years old. Originally it was intended for hunting game, but eventually it became a tool of war. Armies during the Classical Period relied heavily on their archers who often turned the tide of battle. Even more deadly than the foot soldiers with bows and arrows, were the archers on horseback who were both quick and deadly. During medieval times, the bow and arrow became even more important and decisive in battle. Great competitions were held in order to "encourage proficiency." (Wikipedia) Eventually firearms replaced the bow and arrow in combat and general hunting, but they have endured for the purpose of sport hunting and competition.

According to the International Archery Federation (FITA), the Chinese introduced archery to Japan in the Sixth century. "One of Japan's martial arts was originally known as kyujutsu (the art of the bow), now known as kyudo (way of the bow)." The bow (which, according to Wikipedia are generally called yumi, but the longbow is called daikyu and the shortbow is called hankyu) were traditionally made of wood, bamboo, and leather. "The yumi is asymmetric; the upper and lower curves differ and the grip is positioned at about one-third the distance from the lower tip." (Wikipedia) The strings were generally made of hemp.

Several figures in mythology and literature use the bow and arrow. In Greek mythology, Artemis and her twin brother Apollo were both believed to be archers of great skill. In the Odyssey, when Odysseus finely returned home from the Trojan War and the long journey that followed and found his wife's suitors abusing her hospitality as she faithfully waited for him, he secretly had his wife set an archery competition. The winner would have to string Odysseus's bow and shoot the most arrows through an ax handle-something only Odysseus could do. Perhaps the most famous archer in all Western literature is Robin Hood-a man who became and outlaw when land was wrongfully taken from his family. He took money from those who had gained wealth through taxes (generally royalty and the church) and returned it to the over-taxed poor. One of the most famous parts of his story is an archery contest he enters to win Maid Marriane. In J.R.R. Tolkien's works, bow and arrows are the weapon of choice of the Elfish people.

In fantasy literature, the bow and arrow are often the weapon assigned to female characters. Bows are weapon which require skill rather than brute strength. In addition, ideally they allow the archer to participate in battle while avoiding the main battle field. In C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Father Christmas gives Susan a bow and a quiver of arrows but tells her to avoid battle if all possible because wars in which women must battle are the most terrible. Some women (especially in fantasy stories) are capable of handling swords and other such weapons, but Kagome is best suited to the bow and arrow. It allows her to use her priestess abilities (such as "the sight") and means she is not useless in battle.

It is hardly surprising that Kagome was unable to make her first few shots because it requires a great deal of practice to be proficient with a bow and arrow. An archer must be able to aim and release properly in order to hit the target at the appropriate distance with sufficient force. While a properly trained bow hunter can kill with one shot, and amateur might only wound his/her prey. Kagome is quite good considering her limited experience.