Character Profile: Naraku

Naraku is an evil half-demon with the power to change shape, a deceptive villain who will use ANYONE according to his own needs. But the origins of the villain who made the heroes of the story suffer are complex...

Before she encountered InuYasha, Kikyo was caring for Onigumo, a crippled bandit covered with bandages that covered his terrible burns. Onigumo was an evil man with much malice in his heart, with a lust for Kikyo, though he hates the fact she's virtuous. He also knew she possessed the Shikon Jewel. Nothing would make him happier than to see the jewel defiled by evil and hate once more.

However, Kikyo was falling in love with InuYasha, which weakened her powers as priestess, until she could no longer keep evil-spirits away from Onigumo. Learning that Kikyo's heart belonged to another, Onigumo made a pact with the demons: offering the horde of demons his body and in return, create a new body for him so take the jewel and make Kikyo his. The demons accepted, eating Onigumo alive while melding their bodies together into a body to house the man's soul. From that point Naraku was born, though he bared the spider-shaped scar Onigumo had on his back.

He then proceeded in his plan by disguising himself first as InuYasha to attack Kikyo, mortally wounding her and taking the Shikon Jewel. He then posed as Kikyo, putting the jewel at the shrine before attacking InuYasha. With both believing they were betrayed, Kikyo sealed InuYasha to a tree with her arrow before she died. Naraku originally expected that Kikyo would use the Shikon Jewel to revive herself, but she choose to die and take the Shikon Jewel with her.

Between that time and the start of the series, Naraku caused trouble everywhere he went, the most noted being putting the Wind Tunnel Curse on Miroku's family. When Kagome unintentionally brought the Shikon Jewel back, Naraku began his personal plan to capture the jewel shards, dealing with InuYasha and company on the way. He managed to get 75% of the Shikon Jewel, thanks to Kikyo. But Kikyo saw that Naraku's true reason for wanting the jewel shards was to become all demon because he still has Onigumo's heart, which both the spider-scar and Naraku's feelings for Kikyo represent. Using the new power from the Shards, Naraku created his Incarnations (demons made from his organs) and revive the Band of Seven.

During that time, Naraku had a few failed attempts of removing all human-traces of Onigumo from his body. But at Mt. Haku, Naraku managed to finally become a true demon, transferring his human influence in his latest incarnation, Hakudoshi. After disposing of Kikyo, Naraku makes a pact with Abihime, the princess of the fire bird demons, betraying/killing her and her mother to get into the afterlife to obtain the final Shikon Jewel shard.

After Kagura's death, while InuYasha pursue Moryomaru, Naraku resurrects the Yomeiju, a demon tree which devoured anything and can dissolve barriers, before absorbing the demon into himself, using the Yomeijuu's power to negate Akago's barrier to reabsorb him while assimilating Moryomaru from within before returning to Mt. Hakurei to reabsorb the rest of his heart there, not only to protect himself but as only Onigumo's human heart can ensure the Shikon Jewel can be corrupted.

Once completing the Jewel, Naraku fully corrupts the Shikon Jewel and fuses it into his body before going after his enemies to kill them all. However, as InuYasha and Kagome battle him one final time, Naraku is horrified while they revealed his true desire for the gathering Shikon was never being a full demon as he thought was his reason. Eventually, on the verge of death, Naraku realizes his true wish was Kikyo's love and seeing that it's no longer possible, wishes for the Shikon Jewel's own desire: to bring both him and Kagome into it so that the jewel can continue its existence through them. However, InuYasha manages to have Kagome fight the jewel's influence and wish for it out of existence, taking Naraku out in the process.

Editor's Note: I'm told Naraku's name means "Hell" in Japanese.

First of all, Onigumo's feelings for Kikyou were not simply lusts, because Kikyou was truly special to him, and he truly wanted to be with her. Also, Musou wanted to kill Naraku for "killing" her, which is more consistent with love than lust. It seems that people often overlook that either because they hate Onigumo/Naraku, or do not care to learn about him. Onigumo also wanted the jewel for power, and he said that he "heard" that the jewel becomes more powerful once it is tainted....

Second, after Kikyou had the jewel burned with her, Naraku seemed to cause no trouble at all, except for that with Miroku's grandfather, the Monk who most likely picked the fight in the first place. Honestly, monks often sense demonic auras, then try to destroy every Youkai in sight because they "do not belong in this world."

Lastly, after removing his heart after Hakurei-Zan's collapse, Naraku never developed feelings for Kikyou ever again.