At the height of OG isekai anime InuYasha's popularity, the Inuyasha-Kagome-Kikyo love triangle was one of the hottest topics in the anime world. To this day, despite Inuyasha and Kagome already having a kid together, many fans still question whether Inuyasha's feelings for Kagome are true, or if he is still hung up on Kikyo somehow.
Are you wondering the same thing? Well, I might just have the answer you're looking for. Let's get into it!
Kagome vs. Kikyo
Kagome and Kikyo are two of InuYasha's strongest female characters, and they love the same half-breed.
The series ends with Inuyasha getting with Kagome, but to some Kikyo fans, that's not enough proof that the series' male main character loves her more.
Some of the reasons cited are that Kikyo was Inuyasha's first love, the bond they had was incomparable, and that the fickle half-demon wouldn't be running to his living dead ex-girlfriend every chance he gets if he didn't love her above everything else, Kagome included.
But while these points are worth thinking about, they don't necessarily mean that Kagome is simply a rebound, because she certainly is not. In fact, those in Team Kagome also have a handful of things to say to prove it.
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Sure, Inuyasha literally goes to Kikyo even at the slightest hint of her scent, but he also makes sure to always go back to Kagome and assure her in his own way that she has nothing to worry about. Some point out that Inuyasha's doting on Kikyo is merely out of guilt, given their tragic fallout. On top of that, Inuyasha and Kagome develop a strong relationship as they spend more time together.
Both sides have pretty valid arguments, but even a debate that runs the whole day wouldn't guarantee an unquestionable result. This is because the two women play two different roles in Inuyasha's life.
Kikyo longed to give Inuyasha the normal life that he craved, which is why they had planned on using the Shikon Jewel to turn him into a full human before Naraku stepped in and ruined everything.
On the other hand, Kagome gave Inuyasha a sense of acceptance that doesn't require him to change anything about himself.
Who Does Inuyasha Love More?
In the end, Inuyasha couldn't let Kikyo go for good without a heartbreaking kiss right in front of Kagome. But he also waits three years for Kagome's return after she disappears following his long-time-coming profession of love for her when they were inside the Shikon Jewel.
In my opinion, Inuyasha's love for the two could not and should not be compared as he needed both forms of love, regardless of intensity (only Inuyasha would know this). After all, he has cried genuine tears for both of them, proof that he equally loves them both but in different ways.
A fan of romance stories like Inuyasha, Kagome, and Kikyo's? Pick your next to-watch from this list of the best shoujo anime.