Flirty Friend

Miroku is a monk with a curse in his hand called the kazana (called the wind tunnel in the English version). Although the kazana is a powerful weapon which can suck in everything into a giant void, it is also a curse that will eventually grow until it sucks him in ask well unless someone kills Naraku, the primary villian of the story. Besides his kazana, he is also known as a lecher who often asks women to bear his child, because he wishes to have an heir, should the kazana destroy him.

Miroku is the second person to join Kagome and Inuyasha on their quest for the Shikon no Tama. At first he rejects the offer to join the group, believing solitude to be his best option, but when he observes Kagome's ability to purify the sacred jewel, he decides to travel with them. He also observes that Inuyasha is not a bad guy once a person gets to know him. At first he flirts with Kagome, telling her that it is always easier to travel in the company of a beautiful woman, but he soon backs off when he sees the chemistry between her and Inuyasha.

Although Kagome clearly likes Miroku, she keeps a respectful distance from him. This is mostly due to Miroku's tendency to take advantage of closeness by being sexually inappropriate. Still, she cares about him as an ally and friend. He does not appear to resent the distance, nor does he care about her as a love interest. In the Inuyasha family, he is like a kind older brother who she does not always understand. She trusts him, despite the fact that his is a lecher and, sometimes, a con artist.

As a monk, Kagome thinks highly of Miroku. His wisdom often proves to be as valuable as the pure strength of his kazana. Occasionally, though not always, a sensible observation from Miroku prevents Inuyasha from taking rash action. Although he is hardly infallible, Kagome usually takes his council to heart. Besides being wise, he also possesses a great deal of knowledge about demons, legends, and spells, among other topics that are quite valuable. Kagome, who knows little about Feudal Japan, often relies on him as a resource of knowledge. In addition, Kagome often relies on him in battle because, besides his kazana, he also has many spiritual powers which make him a strong ally.

Although she thinks highly of Miroku as a monk, as a man he often annoys her. His lechery irritates Kagome, even when it is not directed at her. His hormonal behavior is embarrassing at best, potentially deadly at worst, since it brings down his guard and makes him susceptible to enemy traps. Though she berates him for his behavior, he usually shrugs off her criticism, claiming anything from innocence to heredity. Even when he does acknowledge his fault, he rarely seems inclined to change it.

More than being concerned about how his lechery affects her, Kagome worries about the feelings of their other friend, a demon slayer named Sango, who is "secretly" in love with him (although the only two who appear unaware of this are Sango and Miroku). Although she expresses only disgust when he flirts with her, she becomes instantly enraged when he flirts with anyone else. Kagome wants them to be a couple, once even fancying herself a matchmaker who could bring them together. Much like Emma, she learns the hard way that people do not like to have such interference in their lives, especially when she failed to take the entire situation into consideration. Perhaps it is best that she stays out of the situation, considering the state of her love life. Still, she would like to see them together since it is obvious that they both love each other deeply.

Miroku also respects Kagome as a person and as a priestess. He often protects her when Inuyasha cannot and pulls her away from battle when she would insist on staying despite the harm she could cause. He manages a great deal of sensitivity with regards to Kagome's feelings, except when it comes to him flirting with women. He backed off quickly when he noticed her feelings for Inuyasha, though he rarely presses the issue of these feelings with her. This may be the closest platonic friendship he will ever have with a girl, considering how quickly he flirts with woman.

Although it is hardly the most important relationship in the series, Kagome and Miroku are good friends who care about each other. By asking him to join their group, Kagome helped Miroku to be closer to people than he had been in the past. In return, he has proven to be a valuable asset to the team, both in battle and in regular day to day life.