where am i?

this shrine is dedicated to Kikyo, the tragic shrine maiden from the series InuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi. cursed by a rival priestess once her ally in slaying demons, Tsubaki, Kikyo was cursed to die tragically should she ever fall in love. as a powerful priestess, Kikyo is able to purify the shikon jewel, so powerful and sought by demons that it introduces her to the half demon, InuYasha. her love for him would end up being her end.

"I must show my weaknesses to no one. I must never have doubts or demons would overtake me. I am human yet I cannot be human."

I first watched InuYasha when I was eight years old, and fell in love with Kikyo almost instantly. her tragic story, the loss she endured, and the way she was forced back into the world of the living only to be continually pained and manipulated. it's always frustrated me how she is even misunderstood by much of the fandom.

Kikyo's name means "Chinese Bellflower" and is based in flower symbolism. the meaning of chinese bellflowers is "unchanging love", referencing her place remaining love for InuYasha through the series.
in her life Kikyo was known for kindness and empathy, though in her resurrection she is much colder, developing a bitterness towards the living, mourning the life she had stolen from her. many of her motivations are so complex it makes an audience question her goals. it's easy to empathize with her position given all the trauma she's endured.