TV-Series
Description
Jaken is a diminutive, green-skinned kappa demon who serves as the loyal and self-appointed chief retainer to the powerful dog demon Sesshomaru. His physical appearance is notably small, even shorter than the human girl Rin, with large yellow eyes that dominate his face, a wide mouth, and a small black hat secured by a white strap under his chin. He typically wears simple brown and cream-colored clothes and goes barefoot.
His background reveals that he was once the lord of a tribe of imp-like demons. During a battle with a more powerful demon tribe, the enemy leader had Jaken cornered when Sesshomaru happened upon them. After the enemy refused to move out of his path, Sesshomaru destroyed him. Captivated by Sesshomaru’s immense power, beauty, and feeling a sense of obligation for his life being saved, Jaken abandoned his own tribe to follow his new master. After a period of perseverance, Sesshomaru accepted him as a servant and gifted him the Staff of Two Heads, also known as the Nintōjō, telling Jaken he could serve if he could wield it.
Jaken’s personality is a complex mixture of sycophantic devotion, arrogance, and comic cowardice. He is eternally loyal to Sesshomaru and constantly praises his master's greatness, often to the point of annoyance, and dreams of one day becoming a chief minister in the vast empire he believes Sesshomaru will one day rule. Despite his weak demonic power and physical frailty, he is prone to becoming proud, arrogant, and close-minded, which frequently leads to him letting his guard down. This results in humiliating defeats, often at the hands of Kagome, who can easily defeat him by throwing small objects. He is surprisingly knowledgeable about many subjects, including demons and various artifacts, but his inability to share this information without being insulting or condescending means few take him seriously.
Jaken’s primary motivation is to serve Sesshomaru and earn his approval. He takes his role as a vassal seriously, putting his life on the line to obey orders, though he often reflects that his service has not led to much personal improvement and frequently puts him in terrifying situations. His loyalty is total and unwavering, and unlike the flea demon Myoga, he always stays by his master's side in times of danger.
His role in the story is primarily as Sesshomaru’s attendant, commentator, and caretaker. He uses the Staff of Two Heads to locate things, such as the tomb of Sesshomaru’s father, and to attack enemies with its flame abilities. He also serves as comic relief, with his boasts and mishaps providing lighter moments.
Jaken’s key relationships define his character. His bond with Sesshomaru is the most important. While Sesshomaru regularly threatens to kill Jaken for his failures or for talking too much, he never follows through, and on one significant occasion, he used the Tenseiga to resurrect Jaken after he was killed by the swordsmith Kaijinbo. This act deeply moved Jaken and reveals a bare minimum of concern from the otherwise cold Sesshomaru.
His relationship with Rin evolves considerably. Initially, he disliked her because she was a human, but he begrudgingly accepted the role of her guardian as an extension of his duty to Sesshomaru. Over time, he began to treat her better, not necessarily out of affection but out of a growing sense of responsibility and a fear of Sesshomaru’s wrath should she come to harm. When Rin is in danger, he often promises to protect her or begs Sesshomaru to save her. He is frequently annoyed by her songs and jokes about his size and color, but when she dies in the Netherworld, Jaken is shown shedding genuine tears of grief, only to be relieved when she is revived. Rin, for her part, calls him Master Jaken and has gone to great lengths to save his life, such as retrieving an antidote when he was poisoned.
Jaken has a very bitter relationship with Sesshomaru’s half-brother, Inuyasha, and his group. He hates Inuyasha and is often bullied by him. He also despises the monk Miroku, mostly because of their first encounter where Miroku beat him severely, and he does his best to steer clear of him.
Throughout the story, Jaken shows some development. While he never loses his sycophantic nature or his disdain for humans in general, his relationship with Rin softens him slightly. He demonstrates a genuine, if still reluctant, care for her well-being, moving from a servant who merely follows orders to one who expresses concern, even if disguised as worry over his own punishment.
In terms of notable abilities, Jaken himself has very little demonic power. His demonic aura is extremely weak, and he is more susceptible to purifying barriers than stronger demons. His primary asset is the Staff of Two Heads. This staff bears the faces of a woman and an old man and has two main functions. It can act as a detector, with the faces calling out when near a sought-after object or location. It also serves as a weapon, as the old man’s face can spew powerful flames capable of incinerating many enemies at once. Jaken has also demonstrated other creative uses for the staff, such as conjuring a hot spring whose fumes temporarily paralyzed Inuyasha. Despite his own physical weakness, his age is very slow, and he is at least one hundred and fifty years old, with a lifespan that could extend for centuries more.
His background reveals that he was once the lord of a tribe of imp-like demons. During a battle with a more powerful demon tribe, the enemy leader had Jaken cornered when Sesshomaru happened upon them. After the enemy refused to move out of his path, Sesshomaru destroyed him. Captivated by Sesshomaru’s immense power, beauty, and feeling a sense of obligation for his life being saved, Jaken abandoned his own tribe to follow his new master. After a period of perseverance, Sesshomaru accepted him as a servant and gifted him the Staff of Two Heads, also known as the Nintōjō, telling Jaken he could serve if he could wield it.
Jaken’s personality is a complex mixture of sycophantic devotion, arrogance, and comic cowardice. He is eternally loyal to Sesshomaru and constantly praises his master's greatness, often to the point of annoyance, and dreams of one day becoming a chief minister in the vast empire he believes Sesshomaru will one day rule. Despite his weak demonic power and physical frailty, he is prone to becoming proud, arrogant, and close-minded, which frequently leads to him letting his guard down. This results in humiliating defeats, often at the hands of Kagome, who can easily defeat him by throwing small objects. He is surprisingly knowledgeable about many subjects, including demons and various artifacts, but his inability to share this information without being insulting or condescending means few take him seriously.
Jaken’s primary motivation is to serve Sesshomaru and earn his approval. He takes his role as a vassal seriously, putting his life on the line to obey orders, though he often reflects that his service has not led to much personal improvement and frequently puts him in terrifying situations. His loyalty is total and unwavering, and unlike the flea demon Myoga, he always stays by his master's side in times of danger.
His role in the story is primarily as Sesshomaru’s attendant, commentator, and caretaker. He uses the Staff of Two Heads to locate things, such as the tomb of Sesshomaru’s father, and to attack enemies with its flame abilities. He also serves as comic relief, with his boasts and mishaps providing lighter moments.
Jaken’s key relationships define his character. His bond with Sesshomaru is the most important. While Sesshomaru regularly threatens to kill Jaken for his failures or for talking too much, he never follows through, and on one significant occasion, he used the Tenseiga to resurrect Jaken after he was killed by the swordsmith Kaijinbo. This act deeply moved Jaken and reveals a bare minimum of concern from the otherwise cold Sesshomaru.
His relationship with Rin evolves considerably. Initially, he disliked her because she was a human, but he begrudgingly accepted the role of her guardian as an extension of his duty to Sesshomaru. Over time, he began to treat her better, not necessarily out of affection but out of a growing sense of responsibility and a fear of Sesshomaru’s wrath should she come to harm. When Rin is in danger, he often promises to protect her or begs Sesshomaru to save her. He is frequently annoyed by her songs and jokes about his size and color, but when she dies in the Netherworld, Jaken is shown shedding genuine tears of grief, only to be relieved when she is revived. Rin, for her part, calls him Master Jaken and has gone to great lengths to save his life, such as retrieving an antidote when he was poisoned.
Jaken has a very bitter relationship with Sesshomaru’s half-brother, Inuyasha, and his group. He hates Inuyasha and is often bullied by him. He also despises the monk Miroku, mostly because of their first encounter where Miroku beat him severely, and he does his best to steer clear of him.
Throughout the story, Jaken shows some development. While he never loses his sycophantic nature or his disdain for humans in general, his relationship with Rin softens him slightly. He demonstrates a genuine, if still reluctant, care for her well-being, moving from a servant who merely follows orders to one who expresses concern, even if disguised as worry over his own punishment.
In terms of notable abilities, Jaken himself has very little demonic power. His demonic aura is extremely weak, and he is more susceptible to purifying barriers than stronger demons. His primary asset is the Staff of Two Heads. This staff bears the faces of a woman and an old man and has two main functions. It can act as a detector, with the faces calling out when near a sought-after object or location. It also serves as a weapon, as the old man’s face can spew powerful flames capable of incinerating many enemies at once. Jaken has also demonstrated other creative uses for the staff, such as conjuring a hot spring whose fumes temporarily paralyzed Inuyasha. Despite his own physical weakness, his age is very slow, and he is at least one hundred and fifty years old, with a lifespan that could extend for centuries more.