Team Sesshōmaru is one of the most underrated and misunderstood teams in Inuyasha. Let me explain:
When first introduced to Sesshōmaru we also meet his devoted follower and ally - Jaken. For those who don’t know, Jaken was the ruler of an imp tribe that came under attack by a powerful yōkai, resulting in a long and disastrous battle in which many of his people were slaughtered. Sesshōmaru appeared and slayed the demon, indirectly saving Jaken and his people. After this, Jaken considered himself forever indebted to Sesshōmaru and became his loyal follower from there. He was granted the Nintōjō by Sesshōmaru. At this point in their journey, Sesshōmaru is hell bent on obtaining Tetsaiga from Inuyasha and becoming the great demon lord he was destined to be. He had no regard for human life and openly despised them. This mostly stemming from his hatred of his brother Inuyasha (you know the story). So here we have two demons with the only goal of destroying anyone who threatens their plans of ruling a grande empire.
Enter Rin, a young human girl orphaned after witnessing the murder of her entire family. She lives in the same worn down hut her family was killed in and is expected to provide for herself by her fellow villagers. She is often beaten for minuscule things and is continually abused mentally and physically. She has lost the ability to speak from her trauma. We know the story of how she meets Sesshōmaru so I don’t want to focus too much on that, but something that is so so important is that after her demise at the hands (or teeth) of wolves, Sesshōmaru revived her with his Tensaiga. Other than “testing” it on Jaken, Sesshōmaru had not used his revival sword on anyone or anything. And yet, the first time he uses it for it’s intended purpose and its on a human. I won’t go into an analysis on that in this post but it is important because this act is so significant that it causes a shift in the dynamic of the group. Suddenly the two demons that wanted nothing to do with humans - or anyone - for that matter, now have a human child with them. Still, the story is realistic in how their relationships develop. Rin is expected to care for herself. She has to find her own food and take care of her humanly needs. She is protected by Sesshōmaru, as is Jaken, but this is more from a “don’t touch what is mine” stand point. Not because he has an understanding of what it means to care for someone simply because they are important to you.
Jaken is impatient with Rin, while Sesshōmaru basically ignores her and yet she understands that she is accepted as one of their own and safe. Something she hasn’t known for years. She begans to talk and emerge from her shell. She is curious and adventurous and sure of herself. She uses the strengths she’s had to learn in order to care for herself physically but it is Jaken who provides her with the guidance of a guardian. Something he is at first not too happy about, but what is so special about Rin is that she ends up being the missing piece to their duo. She’s human, with human flaws, and a traumatic past and yet she still forces them to appreciate the value of life. Something a yokai is known to take for granted. What’s time to an immortal? Jaken explains this to Rin and it essentially becomes the lesson both he and Sesshōmaru are forced to learn.
Rin reminds them of the bitterness of mortality while also forcing them to see the beauty in it. She frolics through flowers bare foot and stops to admire the stars. She’s aware of the horrors of life and still is able to smile and befriend a two-headed dragon. She’s the embodiment of the humanity Sesshōmaru lacks and forces him to face it head on as well as Jaken. She praises them in minuscule moments for ordinary things and encourages them to see the importance and beauty of their own existence not just in terms of power and possessions. Without Rin, Sesshōmaru and Jaken would have continued on their path to no where. Stuck trying to forcefully obtain things that have to be earned.
Sesshōmaru protects them because he cares for them. Jaken is loyal because he believes they are worthy of his loyalty and Rin stays because she sees the good in both of her companions. They feed off of each other’s strengths and defend their weaknesses. And that allows each of them to grow into the people they deserve to be.
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