With the new Inuyasha spinoff series, Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, underway, old fans have been reintroduced to two of the beloved characters from the Inuyasha franchise, Miroku and Sango. However, to new fans, there may be some confusion as to who Miroku and Sango are. For those perplexed newcomers, here’s a brief history of their romance to get you up to speed.
Miroku & Sango’s First Meeting
In the original series, Miroku and Sango join Inuyasha on his mission to collect all the shards of the Shikon Jewel and to defeat Naraku, who has caused great pain and suffering to each of them. In Episode 16, “Mystical Hand of the Amorous Monk, Miroku,” viewers are introduced to Miroku, who tries to steal Kagome and Inuyasha’s Shikon Jewel shards, but fails. Later on, he tells Inuyasha and Kagome about the origin of his ancestors’ Wind Tunnel curse, which was cast by Naraku, as well as how Naraku was responsible for the death of the priestess, Kikyo, Inuyasha’s former lover. As a result, Miroku and Inuyasha join forces to stop Naraku.
Miroku may have a tragic backstory, but he presents himself as a lecherous monk. He proposes to every beautiful woman, asking them to bear his children just in case he can’t end his family’s curse of the Wind Tunnel.
Unlike Miroku and Inuyasha, Sango doesn't encounter Naraku until her brother, Kohaku, is brainwashed into slaughtering their father and the entire demon-slaying village. Initially, Sango believed Inuyasha was responsible, but the misunderstanding is resolved when Sango and the others learn that Naraku was the mastermind behind the deaths of her fellow demon slayers. And so, Sango joins Inuyasha to stop Naraku (Episodes 25 and 26). Sango and Miroku begin their relationship as comrades who share a common goal. Yet, over time, their relationship blossoms into something more romantic as they continue traveling with one another.
Miroku & Sango's Blossoming Romance
Many of the Inuyasha filler episodes develop Miroku and Sango’s romantic storyline. Usually, these episodes consist of Miroku acting as a heroic prince when he sees a “damsel-in-distress” possessed by a demon, and Sango joins the mission to keep an eye on him. For example, in Episode 56, “Temptress in the Mist,” Miroku and Sango investigate the disappearance of a group of men who were captured by a demon disguised as a beautiful woman.
Before encountering the demon, Miroku gives Sango protective prayer beads, which prove beneficial because the Wild Dog Princess demon is unable to see Sango when she attacks. They defeat the demon and Miroku consoles the soul of the princess, leading Sango to get jealous of Miroku’s tenderness towards the princess. Miroku thanks Sango for worrying about him and accompanying him on this mission, thus strengthening their bond.
This episode is one of the first moments in which Sango showcases her desire to be close to Miroku, but she quickly brushes these feelings aside.
Their feelings for each other are further tested when Sango receives a proposal from a man named Kuranosuke Takeda, a wealthy young lord who has been in love with Sango for over six years (Episode 78 “Only You, Sango.”) Miroku is secretly dismayed by the proposal, but rather than expressing his objections, Miroku merely states that it is Sango’s choice. At night, Miroku and Sango run into each other, and as they walk past one another, Miroku tells Sango that he wishes her “true happiness.”
Sango refuses the proposal and continues her journey with Miroku and the others. While Miroku continues to flirt with other women, none of these advances are quite as sincere as Takeda’s proposal to Sango. Takeda’s proposal made Miroku and Sango aware of their feelings but not enough to confess... yet. In this episode, Miroku doesn’t admit his feelings to Sango because he doesn’t want her to feel pressured into making a decision between him and Takeda, much to Kagome and Sango’s dismay.
In Episode 131, “Trap of the Cursed Wall Hanging,” and Episode 132, “Miroku’s Most Dangerous Confession,” Sango is kidnapped by demon women and pressured to join them -- controlled by the Salamander demon. Miroku defeats the demon and frees all the women. After the battle, Miroku apologizes to Sango for flirting with the village women and unintentionally hurting her feelings, also explaining to Kagome and Shippo that nothing happened between them while they explored Mt. Hakurei.
Miroku confesses to Sango that she is a special woman to him. He proposes that they live together and asks her to “bear his children” after they defeat Naraku. Sango accepts the proposal and assumes that Miroku will stop flirting with other women, but Miroku looks to the side and remains silent, implying that he won’t. Throughout the series, Miroku and Sango subtly display their affection to each other; however, Sango’s kidnapping provokes Miroku to confess his true feelings more strongly, as well as his intentions -- reassuring her that they have a special bond that’s more than just that of mere comrades.
After defeating Naraku, Miroku keeps his promise to Sango. The pair get married and reside at Kaeda’s village. They have a set of twin girls, Kin’u and Gyokuto, and a newborn son named Hisui, who becomes a demon slayer like his mother in Yashahime.
In the first episode of Yashahime, Miroku is exterminating demons while Sango continues to raise their children. But when the Root Head demon attacks their village, the dynamic duo once again work together to fight the threat, reassuring Inuyasha fans that their relationship is stronger than ever.
