REVIEW: ‘Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon’ Episode 11 – “Curse of the Man-Eating Pond”

Everything Yashahime tried to force thematically last episode was seamlessly present this time around in Yashahime Episode 11. It is another episodic “monster-of-the-week” installment, but this week does what last week failed to, as Towa and Setsuna come across another pair of siblings in trouble. Yashahime from studio Sunrise serves as an anime-only sequel to Inuyasha, following descendants Towa, Setsuna and Moroha as they travel the feudal era. Towa was separated from her twin sister, Setsuna, when they were young and flung into modern times. Now reunited, Towa is determined to find The Dream Butterfly that stole Setsuna’s memories and ability to sleep.

Kohaku assigns Towa and Setsuna the job of slaying a demon that lurks in a pond. As they survey the area, they come across a brother and sister fighting nearby. The brother has sworn revenge on the pond, which ate their parents and orphaned them. Surprisingly, it is Setsuna who is the first to step in. Towa helps out, and is better with conveying through words why he shouldn’t leave his sister, but this is a significant shift. Setsuna, while stoic, develops a noticeable soft spot for the two siblings.

This may be a result of the events of last episode. However, it felt as though last episode wasn’t needed, and Setsuna’s response to the kids would have happened naturally anyway. She has been slowly taking notice of Towa’s comments and guilt. The girls even have a thoughtful conversation under the stars. Eventually that is interrupted by Setsuna putting up walls once more. This doesn’t feel like a step backward, however, because she has clearly been affected by events.

Yashahime Episode 11 is overall just smooth. Nothing particularly groundbreaking happens. In fact, the plot itself is rather forgettable. It mostly rectifies the forced themes of the previous week. The one issue that has been consistent the last few weeks of Yashahime is the sidelining of Moroha. Granted, the main plot is the sisterhood of Towa and Setsuna, however, Moroha is also a main character. She played a prominent role in the beginning, bridging relationships, and being decently insightful in battle. The show has recently begun to sideline her, often relegating her exclusively to comic relief. Perhaps this is just personal bias, as Moroha is this reviewer’s favorite character. It just feels as though the show repeatedly fails to play into its strengths.

The fight itself in Yashahime Episode 11 was average. Towa and Setsuna have solid showcases of their abilities. There is a catch to the fight that is clearly meant to require sisterly teamwork. This comes off as more of a gimmick, however. There isn’t much explanation given aside from “demon genetics”

Yashahime Episode 11 was just fine. It had a solid “monster-of-the-week” format, with a plot that did a much better job instilling themes and growth than the previous installment. Content-wise, it is relatively forgettable, but will still be enjoyable in the moment nonetheless. Now, if only the show utilized Moroha’s character more.

Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon is available for streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu.