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Onigumo is the immoral man who eventually becomes Naraku. Onigumo's past is a mystery, but it appeared he was a bandit who had been inflicted by severe burn wounds, making him too weak to move. He was cared for by Kaede and Kikyo. As time went on, he began to develop feelings for Kikyo (Editor's Note: I'm told that he called them "disgusting" feelings). But then he learned that she was in love with InuYasha.

So Onigumo let demons eat his body to give his soul a new vessel in return, so he could have Kikyo as his wife. When a fire started in Onigumo's cave, it was thought that he had died, consumed by flames. But there was a spot in the cave where no moss or grass would grow....the spot that Onigumo once lay.

However, much to Onigumo's horror, as the newly born Naraku's desire was to kill Kikyo, overwhelming him as he struck Kikyo down. Once Kikyo's funeral pyre was done, Naraku 'banished' Onigumo deep within his subconscious in deep-sleep. But despite it all, Onigumo's human soul made Naraku a half-demon with Onigumo's feelings for Kikyo, which is symbolized by spider mark on his back. It is due to this that Naraku wants the Shikon Jewel to make himself a true demon, and purge himself of Onigumo's influence.

Naraku succeed in purging "Onigumo" from his body, in the form of a faceless man. The faceless creature killed many men for their faces, until a young priest crossed his path. Onigumo killed the priest and took not only his "beautiful face", but his name as well. However, Onigumo has no recollection of his past and though a mass-murder spree could help him remember. But when he encountered Kagome, and ended up at the cave where he once was near death, he regained his entire memory.

The now demon Onigumo was a powerful foe, able to regenate and reshape his body. However, Naraku realized that he was not strong enough to survive without Onigumo's heart, and thus reabsorbed him. But by the time Naraku succeeded in being a full-demon, he splintered Onigumo's being into new enties: Hakudoushi (Onigumo's immoral nature) and the various small, white, deformed child-like creatures that dwell inside Naraku's demon body (Onigumo's feelings for Kikyo).

I'm told Onigumo's name means "Spider" in Japanese.

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