Kirara

Kirara (雲母, alternatively romanized as Kilala in the English dubbed anime) is a character in the anime and manga series InuYasha.

Kirara is the cat-like yōkai companion of Sango, the yōkai exterminator (退治屋, taijiya) that hails from a mountain village of other exterminators. Despite her yōkai blood and appearance, she is fiercely loyal to Sango and her friends and has been in Sango's family for generations. She has taken a particular shine to Shippo, keeping the young kitsune company when her presence is not required in battle, and she has aided InuYasha on occasion by teaching him how to wield his sword, the Tessaiga. Kirara is a formidable opponent, and she displays her strength and agility on several occasions. She also seems to have an unusual resistance to poison and is able to pass through certain kinds of barriers.

Kirara has two forms, usually appearing as a tiny feline no larger than a kitten with white fur, various black markings, large red eyes, and two tails. She is able to grow drastically in size in a burst of fire, transforming into a much larger and more vicious-looking version of herself. The most noticeable differences of this form aside from the change in size are her long, saber-like fangs and the fire that wreaths her legs and tails. She is also able to fly in this form and can easily carry three people on her back.

It is strongly hinted at in the anime (but not in the manga) that Kirara, or one of her ancestors, was at one time the companion of Midoriko, creator of the Jewel of Four Souls (Shikon no Tama) or the Shikon Jewel. As the taijiya village was built near the site of the legendary battle between Midoriko and the yōkai that nearly consumed her, this is a logical assumption.

Name

The name Kirara is a rarely-used feminine personal name that translates roughly to "cloud-mother". The kanji used for Kirara (雲母) is normally pronounced "unmo" which means "mica" or "isinglass", and the "kirara" comes from the Japanese sound effect for a jewel or stone glittering.