SpaceKnight of Chaos wrote:Some new questions...
-Does Jinenji's appearance reflect the true form of his father, or is it 'luck of the draw' (ie unpredictable demonic genes) that caused him to be the vaguely horse-like ogre he is, despite the fact his father appeared to his mother as a beautiful glowing human man?
So far as I'm aware it's just a random fluxing of genes, it could be argued either way; so little is said about his father it's completely unknown (so far as I can find) his father could have just been able to weave a beautiful human form and been incredibly ugly, or really handsome and his son sadly ugly.
On a quick character look up (Wiki) his father was a horse demon, but any more on that I don't know.
-Also, is it known what happened to Jinenji's father? He mentions in the dub that the herb farm he and his mother tend was given to them/passed down to him by his father, but that's it.
Don't recally anything of significance mentioned about his father, if Jinenji's mother says anything, it's a quick line, or one panel that I've completely forgotten. I'll look it up and get back on this in a few days.
-In the episode where Mushin is possessed/controlled by a "Demon Worm Charmer", what relation are the various creepy-crawly lesser demons that keep appearing? Are these the 'demon worms' that the imp charms?
No idea, guess they are.
-Is Miroku's lechery unique to him, inherited, or learned from Mushin?
My memory is a little rusty, but a quick look up of the character and Mushin is noted as a drunken, dirty old man. So Miroku probably learned a lot of his behaviors from Mushin, it's hinted in both manga and anime at least (accoring to Wiki)
Of course, Miroku's father and grandfather were both incredible letchers themselves, as I recall. Naraku placed the curse on Miroku's grandfather by disgusing himself as a beautiful woman, so Miroku is probably slightly predisposed to it, but he probably did pick up a lot from his old teacher.
-What mythical beastie, exactly, are the Birds of Paradise (the freakish harpy-things at war with Kouga's tribe) based on? Or are they unique to the Inuyasha anime?
No idea, sadly my knowledge of Japanese mythology is pretty slim; it's possible they're based on some kind of mythical demon, but I dunno what it could be.
-Is Totosai a demon, or some kind of sword-smithing sorcerer? Also, is Totosai feigning ignorance when he does something that ticks off the others (like Myoga does), or is he genuinely senile?
Given that every other "friend" or servant of Inutaisho that turns up is a demon, Totosai is more than likely a demon himself. Any human associates of Inutaisho's would more than likely all be dead. (I don't know if you can call this cannon or not) In the third movie, after Inutaisho's death, Myoga and Totosai, along with the spirit of the scabbard of the demon sword Sounga (a movie only character), have a meeting about following Inutashio's will. Hiding tessaiga for Inuyasha when he comes of age, giving tenseiga to Sesshoumaru, and some other details, Totosai is already old (looks just the same as in the 'current' time on the anime and manga) so he's more than likely a demon.
As for his mental condition, I think he's honestly senile. I don't recall any instances where he demonstrates to Myoga that he is being sly; he's so old that things just honestly slip his mind.
-Is Kohaku alive yet perpetually dying and kept thusly, similar to Shinnosuke in Ranma 1/2, or is he undead and animated by the Shikon shard in his back?
Kohaku was animated by the jewel shard, it was the only thing keeping him alive. After Kikyo put part of her power into that shard, and it was finally taken from him, that power left the jewel and instead remained in Kohaku, effectively restoring his life.
Prior to that, yeah he was kept alive completely by the shard's power, and even tenseiga would be useless in bringing him back to life. Kikyo's last gift to him was restoring his life with the last of her power.
-Finally, what manner of demon is Kirara? And how did she come to be Sango's... partner?
The only thing I can find for Kirara is having her listed as a nekomata/bakeneko; or just a monster cat, which would be like a kitsune, just a cat. In fanfiction she's been called a firecat, and a sabercat, but I don't know if she has any official distinction apart from just "demon cat"
Her past with Sango is never let on, outside the fact she has been something of a member of the family for generations. So she probably just bonds with one of the demonhunters, and serves as a partner, until one of their siblings or children needs her more, and then partners with that person.
In the end of the manga, she goes from being Sango's partner (who can't do it anymore after becoming the mother of Miroku's children) and goes on to partner with Kohaku, who takes up the role of demon hunter in her place. So that just seems to be how it works. She probably just took to Sango at a younger age, and when Sango became a full fledged demon hunter, remained her partner for the rest of her career.
Given how loyal Kirara is to Sango, and I would assume later Kohaku, and having been in their family for several generations, she is probably an excellent judge of character, and doesn't chose her partners lightly. Just a guess, but it seems somewhat plausible.
