Rin // Overview

Age: Estimated 6-8
Gender: Female
Race: Ningen
Personality: Kind-hearted, Talkative, Child-like wisdom
Aliases: Rin
Role: Child Factor/Neutral

Overall:
Rin is the sole survivor of her village and a traveling companion of Sesshoumaru. Odd and misplaced, Rin is a tender child caught in the chaotic world of ruthless youkai. With a tragic past and an uncertain future, Rin's only constant is the endless danger she encounters, and the better life she has gained.

Rin is first introduced in Volume 14, Chapter 129 wearing a dirty kimono, and covered in bruises. Orphaned at a tender age—which is never chronologically specified—and an outcast within her own village, Rin finds the bloodied body of Sesshoumaru lying motionless in the lush forest. Courageously, Rin dumps a bamboo pipe filled with water over Sesshoumaru's head in an attempt to rescue him (i.e. he was almost fatally injured during a fight with Inuyasha in Volumes 13-14).

The child returns, repeatedly, with offerings of food and water (i.e. she is trying to save Sesshoumaru). In fact, she is beaten by the village men for attempting to steal fish [for Sesshoumaru] from the local river (i.e. Sesshoumaru comments that he does not like human food). Though Sesshoumaru refuses her offerings (i.e. he whacks food from her hand), he shows an interest in the bruises covering her face. When he asks her what happened [to her face], she smiles, touched by his unexpected (as well as unintentional) kindness.

Having taken her leave of Sesshoumaru, Rin returns to a small hut—presumably her house—where an old youkai has taken refuge. He is being hunted by Kouga, a wolf youkai, whose wolves attack and slaughter the townspeople of the village. Rin is killed as well, lying dead in a pool of her own blood. Sesshoumaru later discovers the child in the forest (though it's never shown, I assume Rin was running to Sesshoumaru). Sesshoumaru revives Rin using the Tenseiga; Rin continues to follow Sesshoumaru from that point on.

Rin is a very small girl (i.e. possibly six or seven years of age) with dark eyes and black/dark brown hair tied in a ponytail to the side of her head. In Volume 14, she wears a very dirty, peasant-like kimono/yukata with a dirt-caked body to match (she is also mute, having witnessed the murder of her parents and brothers at the hands of bandits). In Volume 16, Rin is wearing a clean, checkered-pattern yukata/kimono, has regained her ability to speak (i.e. she never stops talking), and is very hyper-active (much to Jaken's dismay).

Like all Takahashi children, Rin is adorable, and used to emphasize humor amongst otherwise humorless (i.e. somber/serious) characters. Rin adores Sesshoumaru, who more or less "looks after" the child. Rin enjoys running races, talking incessantly (i.e. she "fears" the silence), and following Sesshoumaru around. When he leaves, Rin sometimes questions whether or not he'll return—though he always does. He even manages to save her after being abducted by both Kagura (Volume 23, Chapter 219) and the Shichinnitai (Volume 27, Chapter 260). When Sesshoumaru leaves, Rin is left under Jaken or the mount's care.

Aside from the lighter atmosphere in Sesshoumaru's group, Rin provides childish insight into difficult situations and/or people. For example, in Volume 23, Chapter 220, Rin is held captive by Kohaku under Naraku's orders. While in captivity, Rin asks Kohaku about his family, but his mind has been brainwashed by Naraku (i.e. he can't remember). Rin claims he can't remember because it's something he doesn't want to remember, paralled with her own memories of "Pa, Ma, and brothers." This is just one of many instances when Rin proves to have worldly wisdom/experience outside normal children.

Rin uses a diminutive form of speech (i.e. addresses herself in third person), and is—more so in earlier chapters—very energetic (she sleeps more as of late). She is often viewed as Sesshoumaru's "weak spot" (Volume 27, Chapter 260), evident in Volume 27 when Rin is "kidnapped" by the Shichinnitai. Though Jakotsu and Suikotsu are interested in fighting, Sesshoumaru is very distracted, concerned only with Rin, and somewhat oblivious (i.e. unconcerned) to Jakotsu's attacks.