Rin (InuYasha)
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into List of InuYasha characters. (Discuss) Proposed since September 2008. |
| Rin | |
|---|---|
| InuYasha character | |
| File:Rinprofile.PNG | |
| First appearance | "The True Owner of the Great Sword" |
| Created by | Rumiko Takahashi |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Human |
| Relatives | Entire family slaughtered by bandits Sesshomaru (guardian) Jaken (guardian) Kaede (guardian in manga chapter 558) |
Rin (りん) is a character in the anime and manga series InuYasha. Her name is never written in kanji, only hiragana, so Rin's name does not have a definite meaning. Rin, however, can mean 'Phosphorus', 'forest', or 'companion'. She is currently living with Kaede. At an unspecified time in Rin's past, her entire family was killed by bandits. She became a resident of the village, and no longer spoke to anyone for any reason.
Overview
Rin is a young child that first appears after InuYasha used the Wind Scar on Sesshomaru. The Tenseiga saves Sesshomaru by transporting him to a forest glade near Rin's village, though Sesshomaru is still injured by the attack. While in the forest, Rin finds Sesshomaru in a feral state. Rather than be frightened, Rin persistently tries to help Sesshomaru by bringing him fish from her village's preserve, despite his insistence that she mind her own business. The village men beat her for stealing the fish, and when Sesshomaru asks about the injuries when she returns, she simply smiles instead of responding - though he retracts the question at this.
Rin is later killed following a conflict between the wolf demon Koga and a thief. After the thief is killed, Koga lets his wolves attack the village for food. Rin attempts to make her way to Sesshomaru, but trips along the forest path as the wolves catch up and attack her. After recovering, Sesshomaru catches her scent and finds her mauled and lifeless body. Remembering Rin's smile and stating aloud that he wishes to test his sword again, Sesshomaru uses Tenseiga to resurrect Rin. After setting Rin on her feet again, Sesshomaru walks away, leaving the dumbfounded Jaken and a wide-eyed Rin standing on the path. Still mute, Rin follows Sesshomaru. By their next appearance, Rin has a new, more colorful kimono and is devoted to Sesshomaru and Jaken. She now talks and acts more like a typical child.
In the final chapter of the manga, set three years after most events of the series take place, it is revealed that Rin has stopped traveling with Sesshomaru and Jaken. She now stays in the village with Kaede and Sesshomaru is shown visiting and again bringing a gift for Rin.
Relationships
Although appearing to be cold and perhaps even heartless, Sesshomaru has, on several occasions during the series and movies, shown a protective instinct towards Rin. This is further enhanced by many of the movies produced about the InuYasha series. Though Sesshomaru never admits that he has any sort of concern for Rin (or Jaken for that matter), they were both in his thoughts as he used Tetseiga in concert with InuYasha's Tetsusaiga to defeat the rampaging So'unga in InuYasha the Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler. When the So'unga has InuYasha under his control and he begins a rampage of killing, Sesshomaru tries to run and save both Rin and Jaken before InuYasha slashes at them, though Kagome is the one to save them when she tells InuYasha to "sit".
Episode 162 of the anime focuses on Rin's devotion to Sesshomaru. She is captured by a demon who entrances children with a flute, then holds them in a cave to sell to other demons later. Rin sits among the other frightened children and calmly waits for Sesshomaru to rescue her, considering him much more powerful than this demon and remembering that he has come to her rescue many times before. She confesses to the children that she fears bandits more than demons because bandits kill for no reason, something the other children do not understand.
When an itinerant group of monks are bent on destroying all demons who cross their paths hear of the children being taken, they seek out the cave and destroy the demon. Although Rin expresses her intention to wait for Sesshomaru, the leader of the monks, Ungai, begins to carry her off with them by force, while she struggles and calls out for Sesshomaru. In fact, Sesshomaru is already present, concealed in the surrounding forest. Upon hearing Rin calling for him again, he decides to reveal his presence to them. The monks try to destroy Sesshomaru using the same technique as they had just used on the demon which was stealing the children, only to have it have no visible effect on him at all. Undeterred by their initial failure, Ungai tries a more powerful technique, which, to their credit, takes a decent amount of effort on Sesshomaru's part to withstand. Regardless, Sesshomaru remains unharmed and the monks are left powerless.
Freed from Ungai's grip, Rin begins to run after Sesshomaru, but Ungai calls out to her, telling her that that a demon like Sesshomaru doesn't care about her. Suddenly uncertain, Rin remembers Jaken telling her that she will eventually die, and likely long before Sesshomaru establishes the Empire he is bent on creating. With his back turned to the scene, Sesshomaru tells Rin to do as she wishes. Ungai sees her hesitation and thinks he has saved her, but Rin simply waves farewell and runs off after Sesshomaru. Once they rejoin Jaken, Rin spots several graves along the path, and she sweetly asks Sesshomaru, "After I die, will you remember me?" Sesshomaru's answer is an expression of surprise and a dismissive response: "Don't say such silly things."
Starting at chapter 467 of the manga, Rin and Kohaku are taken by the "Dog from Hell". Sesshomaru follows the dog to kill it, but also intends to save Rin and Kohaku. Sesshomaru's mother comments that "Sacrifices are needed for the sword to mature", after which Rin is unconscious and in bad shape. Sesshomaru's mother later mentions that Rin will ultimately die if her son goes on the "Path of Darkness", and indeed she does. Sesshomaru is visibly disturbed by this, with a look of disbelief and shock on his face. Tenseiga fails to revive her, as a person cannot be revived by Tenseiga more than once. Rin's lifeless body is then taken by the Master of Hell, which Sesshomaru and Kohaku choose to follow in order to rescue her. In doing so, they are stranded in hell. Though successful in rescuing her, Sesshomaru cannot revive her. After they return from the Land of the Dead, Sesshomaru's mother does so using her Meidou stone. She wonders whether reviving Rin makes Sesshomaru happy, which Jaken confirms is correct, when Sesshomaru puts his hand on Rin's cheek. Sesshomaru's mother also makes a comment about how he has become like his father in a strange way.
After Naraku's defeat, rather than stay with Sesshomaru, Rin instead stays in Kaede's custody. However, Sesshomaru still regularly visits her, often bringing gifts for her.
Jaken was amazed that Sesshomaru revived Rin. He is sometimes annoyed about Rin following Sesshomaru and the tiny bit of kindness he shows toward Rin. Jaken calls Rin a stupid, foolish girl from time to time. Her unflinching obedience to Sesshomaru helps Jaken tolerate her. Despite how irritating Jaken thinks she is, he would never want to see Rin hurt or killed, partially out of fear for what Sesshomaru would do to him should it happen under his watch. In the anime, Rin seems to deeply care for Jaken, and even goes as far as to try and find an antidote from him when he is poisoned, almost killing herself in the process. She hugs Jaken when she thinks that he has recovered.
Ah-Un has become somewhat of a watchdog for Rin. She is left in his care when Sesshomaru and Jaken go somewhere too dangerous for her to follow along. Rin also rides on Ah-Un to keep up with Sesshomaru or when she falls asleep. In the anime, Ah-Uh is often seen with her when she's picking flowers.
Rin befriends Kohaku, the demonslayer Sango's younger brother, while Kohaku acts as her guard when Naraku is using her for bait to lure Sesshomaru into battle. Later while under Naraku's influence, Kohaku attempts to kill Rin, having knocked her out and is about to bring down his sickle on her. Sesshomaru appears and is ready to kill him, but he is saved as Kagome and InuYasha arrive and shove Kohaku away from Rin. When she finally wakes up, Rin doesn't hesitate to run after Sesshomaru. Kohaku finds out what he did to her, and that it was Naraku that made him do it, and feels bad about it. But Rin soon forgives him, she is happy to see him the next time they meet in the series. In the recent manga chapters, Kohaku has been traveling with Sesshomaru, Rin and Jaken. Kohaku has grown more protective of Rin in a way similar to Sesshomaru. When the Hell Hound takes Kohaku and Rin to Hell, Kohaku is seen having his arm protectively over her. He later carries the unconscious Rin on his back when he follows Sesshomaru through the dark Hell. He also tries to keep her out of danger when Naraku threatens to taint the Shikon jewel shard in his back on which his life depends.
Though Rin's appearance in Sesshomaru's entourage shocked Kagome, InuYasha and their companions, they have never been told the whole story. In Episode 96 of the anime, Jaken Falls Ill, Jinenji and his mother comment on the similarities, both in personality and appearance, to Kagome.[2]