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Jaken is the a Kappa demon who is the senior member of Sesshomaru's retinue. Wielding the Staff of Heads (人頭杖, nintojo) and dressed like a member of the Japanese Imperial Court, Jaken puts all his effort into being the indespensible right hand of Sesshomaru. Roughly the equivalent of Myoga in Sesshomaru's retinue, Jaken wears many, many hats in the show. Aside from aspiring to be a good servant, Jaken fills the roles of caretaker to Rin, comic relief, and most importantly a source of information for viewers. Coming up waist high to a little girl and having a head the looks like an odd cross between a frog and a turtle, Jaken is quite a character.
Jaken's first appearance in Inuyasha paints him to be a formidable character when he burns an army to nothingness with the Staff of Heads, but that was really pretty much it for him. Once the story arc of finding Inutaiso!!!!!! Tomb, Jaken became what he is now - comic relief and an exposition device.

Despite being an excellent servant, though a somewhat whiney one, Jaken never receives a kind word, and in fact usually seems to end up trampled, threatened, or simply being used a guinea pig. Regardless of what he is asked to do, no matter how dangerous or seemingly pointless, Jaken does it. Not only will he do things he's told, he will often try to anticipate tasks and perform them so that Sesshomaru doesn't have to waste time concerning himself. Unfortunately, things don't always work out in Jaken's favor.

One of the duties that Jaken seems to truly resent is taking care of Rin. In fact, he seems to resent the fact that she accompanies them at all. Regardless, when she's hungry, it's his job to help her find food, and when they're left behind while Sesshomaru goes to take care of business, it's his job to make sure she stays safe. For Rin's part, aside from occasionally picking on Jaken, she's fond of him and has even saved his life at peril to herself. As time and the manga wear on, Jaken seems to be coming around and is becoming fond of her as well.