*Kikyo was a powerful, high-ranking priestess who lived 500 years prior to the events of the series. Kikyo was given the task by demon slayers to guard and purify the Shikon Jewel. She fell in love with Inuyasha, who considered using the Shikon Jewel to turn him completely human so it would fade and she could live with him as a normal human. She was used by Naraku to trick both Kikyo and Inuyasha by disguising as them, and kills Kikyo. She later gets resurrected by the ogress, Urasue, whom robs her grave and forced her to return to life.

In the events of the spinoff, set eighteen years after her third and final demise at the hands of Naraku, her appearance and voice is utilized by the Sacred Tree of Ages itself as a means of communication. The adult Kohaku had told Towa how his travels with Kikyo had left him admiring the undead priestess very much as she was unassailable and had never backed down from anyone. It was she who had defeated and sealed away a strong plant-demon called Root Head shortly before meeting Inuyasha.*