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Shippo (七宝, Shippou) is an orphaned young fox demon who attempts to steal the Shikon Jewel shards from Kagome and Inuyasha, wanting to become stronger and avenge his father's death. Though his plan fails, Kagome and Inuyasha aid him after hearing his story, and he becomes their companion for the rest of the series. Shippo normally appears to be a young boy with certain fox-like features: his legs, feet, ears, and tail. He can shape-shift, but his other forms (such as a large pink flying balloon) are temporary and often ineffective, usually given away by his lingering fox tail. He can also create illusory duplicates of himself, as well as weak fox-fire magic and toy-based tricks such as his giant spinning top attack. Naively observant, he often directs cheeky comments to Inuyasha, earning a smack on the head. Inuyasha and Kagome serve as older sibling figures to Shippo. Because of his small size, Shippo often rides on Kirara or the shoulders of others. When he does travel on the ground, he drops to all fours if he wants to run quickly. His actual age is never stated in the series; according to the official InuYasha guide by Rumiko Takahashi, his appearance is equivalent to that of a seven year old boy.