Two new characters join the cast of this engaging series and create complications. Shippo; an orphan fox spirit; meets Kagome and Inu-Yasha in the Warring States period. In Japanese folklore; foxes are shape-shifters and illusionists; Shippo uses these talents to help defeat the Thunder Brothers. A more conventional but potentially more dangerous addition is Hojo; a handsome upper classman at Kagome's school; who's concerned about her recent absences. His understated good manners contrast sharply with the prickly Inu-Yasha--just as Kagome is beginning to recognize his good points. In "Mischievous Little Soul;" Kagome takes great risks to rescue the unhappy spirit of a little girl killed in a recent fire. Inu-Yasha appears just in time to provide some much-needed help and explanations in a moving story that recalls the more emotional installments of Takahashi's Maison Ikoku. (Unrated: suitable for ages 13 and older: violence; grotesque imagery) --Charles Solomon