Shippo

Shippo (七宝 Shippō) is a character in the anime and manga series InuYasha.

Related Topics:
Anime - Manga - InuYasha

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'Shippō' means 'the seven treasures' (as in gold, silver, pearls, agate, crystal, coral, and lapis lazuli) in Japanese. (The English adaptations of InuYasha spell his name in a manner that ignores the double "o" - "Shippo" has a different meaning than "Shippō"). The similar-sounding 'shippo' (しっぽ) means 'tail', which is likely a deliberate pun.

Related Topics:
Gold - Silver - Pearl - Agate - Crystal - Coral - Lapis lazuli - Japanese - English - Pun

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He is a kitsune (fox demon) who tags along with Kagome Higurashi and InuYasha after they defeat the Thunder Brothers. At first, Shippo attacks Inuyasha and Kagome in an effort to steal their shards of the Jewel of Four Souls (Shikon no Tama), or the Shikon Jewel. He wants to use them to become stronger so he can avenge his father's death at the hands of the Thunder Brothers. After InuYasha and Kagome hear Shippo's story, they help him fulfill his revenge and he becomes the first new member of the group. Shippo, unlike some full-blooded yōkai, has no problem with humans, but InuYasha and Shippo always tease each other while Kagome acts like a combination of mother and sister to Shippo. Though young and rather naïve, he has a very good grasp of the emotions and motives of his companions, and has oddly accurate moments of insight. He wishes very much that Kagome and InuYasha would not fight, and when they do, he is right there trying to convince InuYasha to apologize for whatever he did, resulting in a quick bop to the noggin for the kitsune.

Related Topics:
Kitsune - Kagome Higurashi - InuYasha - Jewel of Four Souls - Yōkai

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As a kitsune, his specialty is trickery. He has fooled with InuYasha in particular on a few occasions, once abandoning him on the side of a road with his hands trapped beneath a stone with a sutra on it, one act among several that have garnered InuYasha's mild resentment. Shippo's illusions aren't always complete and don't always last for very long, leaving Shippo to face trouble from the people or yōkai he may be trying to deceive. He also had a brief crush on Satsuki, who he saved from a lizard yōkai who tricked her into believing that it was her brother. He also has a special relationship with Kirara, Sango's pet, and he is often found talking to her, particularly during battles in which their skills are not needed.

Related Topics:
Kitsune - Sutra - Kirara - Sango

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