In the first episode Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, Inuyasha and Kagome are a married couple, but their romance faced many obstacles over the course of the original Inuyasha anime. Let’s take a look at how their relationship developed throughout the series, which eventually resulted in the birth of their daughter, Moroha.
Inuyasha & Kagome’s Meeting and Progression
Kagome Higurashi, a modern-day high school student, gets dragged down into the Bone Eater’s Well by a centipede demon and travels back in time to the Sengoku period. The centipede demon attacks Kagome because she possesses the Shikon Jewel, which can grant its holder any wish. To stop the centipede demon, Kagome releases Inuyasha from the sacred tree he was pinned against by Kikyo’s sacred arrow. Inuyasha kills the demon and attempts to steal the Shikon Jewel from Kagome, but is subdued by the Beads of Subjugation.
Kagome and Inuyasha’s companionship doesn’t start smoothly. When they first meet, Inuyasha takes his frustration out on Kagome because she's the reincarnation of the priestess Kikyo, who betrayed him. Inuyasha and Kagome are forced to work together to collect all the shards of the Shikon Jewel before it falls into the wrong hands. They initially lack teamwork skills, but the two eventually learn to work and fight alongside one another. However, there are still moments where Inuyasha’s stubbornness and insensitivity lead to petty arguments with Kagome, at which point Kagome will often return to modern day Tokyo.
Inuyasha and Kagome frequently argue, but they have great chemistry. As they continue traveling together, their companionship develops into a romance. In Episode 107, “Inuyasha Shows His Tears For The First Time,” Inuyasha cries and curses himself because he thought he was late in saving Kagome and the others from Mukotsu’s poison. His tears imply how important Kagome is to him, something he rarely shows. In Episode 126, “Transform Heartache into Courage,” Naraku’s incarnation Akago grabs hold of the darkness inside Kagome’s heart. That darkness? Her jealousy over Kikyo and Inuyasha’s relationship. Realizing her jealousy is because of love, Kagome finally acknowledges she sees Inuyasha as a man.
Inuyasha’s First Love, Kikyo
Before meeting Kagome, Inuyasha was in a relationship with the priestess Kikyo. In the flashback Episodes 147 and 148, “The Tragic Love Song of Destiny (Part 1 & 2),” Inuyasha wanted to use the Shikon Jewel to become a full-fledged demon. He plotted to steal the Shikon Jewel from Kikyo, which it backfired when Inuyasha fell in love with her. They decided to selfishly use the Shikon Jewel to transform Inuyasha into a full human. However, Inuyasha and Kikyo’s love suffered an unfortunate fate. The bandit Onigumo, who was also in love with Kikyo, fed his soul to demons and became Naraku. Naraku spoiled Inuyasha and Kikyo’s plans by impersonating Inuyasha to steal the jewel, pitting Inuyasha and Kikyo against one another. Inuyasha was sealed to the sacred tree, and Kikyo died by having her body burned alongside the Shikon Jewel.
Even in death, Kikyo holds a grudge against Inuyasha for betraying her 50 years ago. Kikyo gets resurrected by Urasue and vows revenge against Inuyasha, but later on realizes that it was Naraku's fault. In Episode 47, “Onigumo’s Heart Still Beats Within Naraku,” Inuyasha promises Kikyo that he will kill Naraku, and they both vow that their lives belong to each other while embracing. Kagome witnesses this intimate moment and feels hurt because she realizes that she cannot be the woman that satisfies Inuyasha’s heart. Even so, Kagome stays beside Inuyasha because she is in love with him.
The love triangle grows more complicated as Inuyasha’s feelings waver between Kikyo and Kagome. Inuyasha’s feelings for Kikyo make Kagome jealous, but despite these insecurities, Kagome is still willing to save Kikyo's life for Inuyasha's sake. Even though Inuyasha has no future with Kikyo, they share an unforgettable romantic relationship that Kagome must accept. In Episode 175, “Among the Twinkling Stars,” Kikyo dies for a second and final time. Inuyasha says his final goodbye stating that she is the first person he has ever loved and cared for, and they share one last kiss. The final goodbye provides closure for Inuyasha and Kikyo so that they can look at their past love as something special rather than tragic.
Introducing the Wolf-Demon, Koga
Although Kikyo causes the most relationship strife between Inuyasha and Kagome, the wolf-demon Koga also creates a love triangle. In Episode 36, “Kagome Kidnapped by Koga, the Wolf Demon!,” Koga kidnaps Kagome and eventually falls in love with her, planning to make her “his woman.” Koga’s declaration of love towards Kagome infuriates Inuyasha. Throughout the series, Inuyasha showcases his jealousy of Koga by starting irrational arguments with Kagome. However, Koga’s love for Kagome is unrequited. Koga ultimately becomes a valuable ally in Inuyasha’s fight against Naraku.
Life After Kikyo
In Episode 193, “Toward Tomorrow,” Kagome wishes for the Shikon Jewel to vanish forever. Kagome returns to the modern era, and the Bone Eater’s Well that connected the two worlds stopped working. Inuyasha persistently waits at the Bone Eater’s Well in hopes that Kagome will once again return. One day, Kagome wishes to see Inuyasha and the well miraculously opens up. Inuyasha recognizes Kagome’s scent and rushes to her. He looks into the well and holds out his hand for Kagome to grab. The two are reunited and now live as a married couple where Kagome works as a priestess, and Inuyasha fights demons with Miroku.
However, there are still times where Inuyasha and Kagome get into disagreements. In Episode 1 of Yashahime, “Inuyasha: Since Then,” Inuyasha reluctantly doesn't tell Kagome that the Root Head Demon was once sealed by Kikyo. Kagome is a bit disappointed that Inuyasha still holds secrets from her, but she reminds Inuyasha that he doesn’t need to hide anything anymore.
Inuyasha and Kagome have grown as a couple: they may still have trivial fights, but the two are now able to communicate freely and continue to be a great duo in battle, indicating to viewers that the relationship is as strong as ever.
