Sakamoto,
Jiro
High-school
student in modern-day Tokyo, close friend of Houjou-kun. More than just Jughead
to Houjou's Archie, Sakamoto is the fortunate younger brother of an over-20
college student, and thereby purveyor of adult viewing materials, print and
video, to the high school community.
Coupla
Nameless Girls
It's always
a couple of nameless girls. This time they're friends and high school classmates
of Houjou-kun, although they seem to know Kagome, as well. Same two people
as the girls in the Prologue? I dunno. Maybe.
Houjou,
Inuyasha
(a.k.a. Houjou-kun,
Inuyasha Who Seeks The Shikon No Tama, and—though he now tries
to discourage it as too babyish—Koinu, which means "puppy").
High school boy living in modern-day Tokyo; classmate of Kagome Higurashi,
her schoolmate since middle school. Kagome's would-be suitor and self-appointed
(or maybe not self-appointed) protector, Houjou has been trying to get Kagome
to date him for almost two years (since middle school); during that time she
has broken numerous dates, having actually gone out with him only once, a
date she spent virtually ignoring him while she worried silently about Inuyasha
Who Seeks The Shikon No Tama—ironically, given that worrying silently
about Inuyasha Who Seeks The Shikon No Tama is a favorite occupation
of Houjou, who has been too embarrassed to mention to Kagome his (correct,
as it happens) belief that he himself is Inuyasha Who Seeks The Shikon
No Tama, on the off-chance that his parents are right and his previous
life is a figment of his own overactive imagination. Sensitive, caring, thoughtful,
intelligent, kind, good-natured, polite, determined, optimistic, and faithful
to Kagome—not to mention good-looking, particularly as he matures. Maybe
a little weird, with a tendency to brood—not extraordinary traits in
a reincarnated half-daemon quest hero.
Higurashi,
Grandfather
Shinto priest,
keeper of the Higurashi shrine, grandfather of Kagome (her late father's father);
has always had a soft spot for Houjou-kun, even while making up lame excuses
for Kagome's breaking dates and missing school. Called "Jii-chan"
by his grandchildren, and (very respectfully) "Ojii-sama" by Houjou-kun.
Higurashi,
Kagome
(a.k.a. Lady
Kagome) High school girl who lives in an old Shinto shrine in Tokyo. Pulled
down an old well by a centipede monster on her 15th birthday, she emerged
from the well 500 years in the past and found Inuyasha pinned to the tree.
What with one thing and another, she revived Inuyasha, shattered the Shikon
no Tama, learned to shoot a bow and arrow, and joined with him in the
quest to regain the fragments of the jewel. Loved and was loved by Inuyasha,
bound to him as protector and protected, remained faithful even when he inadvertently
helped revive his former love, Kikyou. Brave, kind, resourceful, honorable,
she had unsuspected strong magical/spiritual powers, and became increasingly
powerful throughout the quest as her love for Inuyasha grew. Was with Inuyasha
(on her 16th birthday) when he finally found and used the Shikon no Tama.
Declared her eternal love to him as he died in her arms. Prepared his body
for burial ("washed it with her tears"). Carried his ashes to Kaede's
village and entrusted them to Kaede and Miroku, then returned through the
well to modern Tokyo, "to grieve for her beloved for the rest of her
days." For the past couple of years she has been resisting the attentions
of the indefatiguable Houjou-kun, her schoolmate in middle school (she was
in Class A, he was in Class B) and classmate in high school, virtually ignoring
him through the only one of their dates she did not break or stand him up
for.
