Shinidamachu (死魂虫 Shinidamachū, dead soul insects) are long snake and insect-creatures in the anime and manga series InuYasha.

Their sole purpose is to gather the souls of dead women (死魂, shinidama) for Kikyo (Kikyō), the woman who InuYasha was in love with 50 years prior and was brought back to (un)life by Urasue.

The creatures wait until the woman is dead. When the soul arises to go on its way, it's snatched up by the creature's six legs, holding tight to its precious cargo.

InuYasha's Tessaiga can destroy them in a mere swipe with no powers whatsoever. So when they collect the souls, they must take utmost care as to not be destroyed.

Even in the case of their destruction, Kikyo sends dozens to collect souls from all over Japan. Many are sure to find souls and return them to her.

But these creatures' home and where they came from remain a mystery, much like how Kikyo managed to subdue and control them in the first place.

Many theories were made. One states that they could be assigned (by default) to guard and protect the bodies of those that Urasue has baked in her demon kiln by making sure that the bodies are well sustained by the souls of the dead, in the event that they might need more energy, like Kikyo, whose large quantity of soul still lies in her reincarnation, that of Kagome Higurashi.

Kikyo employs one to recover the remnants of Midoriko's soul to help her recover from Naraku's Shōki, which Kagome was only able to purify for a while.