My Will

Finding yourself in a situation of danger and uncertainty is never easy. Generally it tests the character of a person, and determines who they truly are behind the masks of the certain and mundane. In "Inu-Yasha" Higurashi Kagome finds strength, not only in the form of spiritual powers, but also in her courage and compassion. She quickly transforms from a common girl into someone much more interesting.

In appearance, Kagome is much like any other schoolgirl of her age. Although cute, there is nothing particularly exotic in her features to distinguish her much from her classmates. Her hair is long and dark, flowing about half way down her back. Her brown eyes, perhaps her strongest feature, are large and expressive. She wears a typical school uniform with a short, green skirt and a matching blouse. While in her time all of this establishes her as an average young lady, in the Feudal Era, they label her a foreigner.

Although not an official priestess, many regard her as one in the Feudal Era because of her powers to sense auras and to purify evil. Although she often relies on others for protection, she helps in battle whenever she can and she has even saved her friends on occasion with her power. With proper training, it is likely that she could be a very strong priestess. Her physical strength would increase and she would be better suited for battle, though she would probably never reach Sango's level of strength. Still, she quickly learns to use a bow and arrow, although it does take some experience before she can shoot with much precision, and eagerly helps heal her friends with her modern medicines and herbal remedies.

More important than her physical powers is her mental strength. Kagome displays a great deal of courage throughout her travels in the Feudal Era. She believes in her friends and their abilities, as well as their goodness and loyalty, even in extreme situations. She encourages everyone, even when hope seems lost, and her strength helps everyone poll through the hard situations. Several people try to break Kagome mentally with different spells, but they usually find the task hard, if not impossible.

Still, she is not impervious to doubt. She is in love with Inuyasha, but is uncertain of his feelings for her because he still loves someone else-her previous incarnation to be exact. Resolutely she stands by his side, but she worries that he will one day leave her for his other love. Still, she wants to be with him even if her love will never be fully requited. She does not stand in his way when he leaves her to aid his former love, but she does admit she feels jealous and hurt when he goes after her. However, admitting this ultimately makes her stronger than if she tried to lie to herself about how she feels.

Kagome is the catalyst for the events which create the story. By going back in time, she not only brought the Shikon no Tama back to the past, but she also re-awoke Inuyasha. When she shattered the jewel, she created the need for a journey to find them, which subsequently resulted in the gathering of others with a similar goal. She is also Inuyasha's female counterpart-a strong-willed, stubborn, but ultimately kind woman to match Inuyasha and bring out the kindness within his human heart. Her determination and kindness help others to grow as well, especially the companions she and Inuyasha collect on their travels.

While she could easily leave the action of the story by returning to her time and refusing to go back to the Feudal Era, she chooses to stay. She is primarily driven by her love for Inuyasha and her other friends, as well as her sense of morality. Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku, as well as countless others, have been hurt by the demon Naraku. Others, such as Shippou, would not be able to survive if he were to gain ultimate power. These people mean a great deal to her, and she is willing to face the danger of the Feudal Era in order to help them. Furthermore, she finds Naraku morally offensive and knows that the world is better off without him.

While first presented as a common schoolgirl, Kagome quickly establishes that she is something more. While she clearly has some spiritual power most do no possess, it is in her mental and emotional strengths that she is truly special. She displays great courage and compassion, making her a person to whom others can gravitate. With her great strength of spirit, she will be able to overcome everything, even her own weaknesses.