Inuyasha was one of the most prominent animes of the early 2000s, due in part to its spot on Adult Swim's lineup at the time. It ran for 167 episodes before branching off into a second series called Inuyasha: The Final Act, which covered the rest of the manga and gave the show a proper ending within 26 episodes.
Inuyasha features a collection of engaging characters and plenty of noteworthy storylines, but there's one dilemma that fans still argue about to this day: the case of Kagome vs. Kikyou. Inuyasha stands at the center of this polarizing love triangle, so let's break this controversy down and settle it once and for all.
10 AGE DIFFERENCE: KIKYOU
One of Kagome's biggest disadvantages lies within her age. She entered Feudal Japan as a 15-year-old, still essentially a child with much maturing to do. Of course, she was forced to grow up and tackle countless hardships as the story progresses, but she sat at a very complicated age nonetheless.
On the other hand, Kikyou was 18 when she died, which might not appear to be a drastic difference at first. The truth is, a lot can happen in the span of those three years. Most teenagers have realized the impending doom of adulthood by then and have started to evolve in certain ways. Kikyou was also a priestess and had to mature far quicker than other girls, so she effortlessly wins this category.
9 PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIP: KAGOME
As silly as it may sound, the fact that Kagome was a living human being was her greatest advantage in this dilemma. Kagome was a reincarnation of Kikyou's soul, which left the latter in a state similar to that of a zombie. Inuyasha was simply never meant to have a future with the Kikyou he knew and loved — a fact that the two were incredibly reluctant to accept.
With Kagome being the rebirth of Kikyou, Inuyasha was better off moving on with the human version as opposed to pining after a phantom for the rest of his life. After all, it was practically a 2-in-1 deal where the protagonist won anyway. Physically speaking, there were only two real people involved in this love "triangle".
8 HISTORY: KIKYOU
The history that Inuyasha and Kikyou shared was unrivaled. She was his first genuine love interest and the two experienced a connection unlike any other. As a matter of fact, Kikyou adored Inuyasha so much that she offered to help him shed his demon side and become fully human.
However, these plans were shattered by the series' main antagonist, Naraku, who was directly responsible for Kikyou's death. He disguised himself as Inuyasha and critically wounded Kikyou. Then, he disguised himself as Kikyou and attacked Inuyasha. Later on, the real Kikyou used her last bit of energy to seal her lover to The Sacred Tree. Talk about a wild history!
7 COMPASSION AND LOYALTY: KAGOME
Kagome was always known to be understanding, compassionate, and incredibly forgiving. She might have been young and inexperienced, but she had a big heart that solidified her as a fan favorite. She loved Inuyasha so much that she actively did her best to understand the perilous situations he found himself in.
Kagome had to deal with being second fiddle in Inuyasha's mind for a long time, yet she always stood by him and their team. Her kind personality was a rare burst of light within their dangerous Feudal universe. Despite various instances of suffering, Kagome remained loyal and generous.
6 FIERY PASSION: KIKYOU
The last thing that Kikyou perceived before dying was that the love of her life had "betrayed" her. She had no way of knowing that it was Naraku's doing at the time. This chain of events had been out of her control, therefore she still grappled with her feelings for Inuyasha after learning the truth.
She passionately pursued a future even though her soul was not fully intact, reaffirming that her love for him was always genuine. They never even had a proper "break-up", so her burning devotion continued to reside within her. If it weren't for Naraku's actions, the two would have sought a normal life together.
5 SACRIFICES: KAGOME
Being in Feudal Japan meant that Kagome had to leave her modern world behind. This included her friends, her family, and her school life. She sacrificed part of her normal childhood to enter a dark and menacing world where she was out of her depth most of the time.
In a sense, entering Feudal Japan was Kagome's "fate" so it might not have been her choice entirely, but she handled it better than most people would. At 15, she also had to sacrifice her pride and learn to accept the role that Kikyou played in her life. All in all, Kagome always had way more to lose.
4 MATURITY: KIKYOU
While age differences were mentioned earlier, that wasn't the sole determining factor for Kikyou's maturity. She was a priestess in her past life, tasked with keeping a sacred jewel safe. Her natural demeanor was more levelheaded and diplomatic. Kikyou knew how to behave under pressure and only lost her cool when her emotions were pushed to their limits.
Kagome was the direct antithesis of this. She was impatient, impulsive, and a little annoying. Again, while age did play a small part in this, Kagome never had to be anything but an average schoolgirl until she entered Feudal Japan. That's why Kikyou outdoes her in the maturity category.
3 PROVIDES A FUTURE: KAGOME
With Kikyou walking a fine line between ghost and zombie, it was borderline impossible for Inuyasha to expect a future with her. Naraku crushed that possibility for his own selfish reasons, but that should have been the end of their story. Kikyou's pseudo-revival was never going to change that.
Kagome had experienced life as an ordinary teenager and knew what it was like to lead a normal human life. She could provide Inuyasha with the opportunity that he had originally chased with Kikyou. Not only was this more reasonable, but it was also a fact that simply could not be denied.
2 PROTECTION: KIKYOU
As a priestess in charge of defending a powerful jewel, Kikyou was automatically far stronger than Kagome. She was an excellent fighter, a better protector, and miles more cunning than her reincarnation. What little archery skills Kagome had were due to the soul that resided within her.
On top of that, Kagome was notoriously hesitant when it came to battle or dire situations. She was reluctant in the heat of the moment, which was frustrating for Inuyasha and the rest of their team. She always waited longer than necessary to fire an arrow or two, which makes Kikyou the ultimate protective lover.
1 WINNER: KAGOME
While a passionate romance and an extensive history might be irreplaceable, common sense and reality are incredibly important. As intense as Kikyou's presence was in Inuyasha's life, Kagome was always the only viable option. She was a future that he could rely on, and one that wasn't teetering on a line between death and being somewhat alive.
Kagome's age might have been considered a negative factor, but that also meant she had plenty of time to grow and learn. Her natural kindness and loyalty were quality aspects that would only expand as time passed. After all, Inuyasha was supposed to be her feudal fairy tale.