Profile
Name: KikyouOccupation: Priestess
Age: 18 (At time of death.)
First Appearance: Chapter 1 & Episode 1
In life, 50 years prior to the beginning of Inuyasha, Kikyou was a powerful priestess whose duty was to protect and purify the Shikon Jewel. The Shikon Jewel was sought after by youkai and humans alike to augment their powers so Kikyou had to constantly be on guard. She had no time to live the life of a normal young woman, not when she could be ambushed at any given moment.
Kikyou's immense spiritual powers began to decrease when she started to fall in love with a half-youkai, half-human named Inuyasha. The two agreed that Inuyasha would use the Shikon Jewel to become fully human. This would not only eradicate the Jewel permanently but also turn Kikyou into an ordinary woman. She and Inuyasha would be able to live their lives together as plain human.
Unfortunately, their plan never came to fruition. When Kikyou showed up to their predetermined meeting place, Inuyasha ambushed and attacked her, leaving her to bleed out while he went ahead to steal the Shikon Jewel for himself. Using what little strength she had left, Kikyou followed Inuyasha and drew her bow, pinning Inuyasha to the Goshinboku tree with a killing blow. Having no desire to live in a world without her love, even after being betrayed, Kikyou asked that her sister burn the Shikon Jewel along with her remains so that the world would be free from its curse.
Shortly after Higurashi Kagome's arrival into the Sengoku Jidai, Kikyou is rebirthed by a youkai named Urasue. Reclaiming a portion of her soul from Kagome, Kikyou at first is filled with hatred toward Inuyasha for his betrayal. It isn't until Inuyasha informs her that Naraku was the one responsible for her death that her malice toward the hanyou lessens. From that moment forward, Kikyou decides she will kill Naraku for what he's done.