REVIEW: ‘Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon,’ Episode 25 – “Wielding the Tenseiga”

Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Yashahime) is a fantasy/adventure anime from Sunrise.  With last season’s finale seeing Moroha, Setsuna, and Towa being bested by Kirinmaru, and Setsuna paying for their defeat with her life, Yashahime Episode 25 sees Towa accept the broken Tenseiga from her father to make a desperate attempt to bring her sister back from death.

There is a fine art to building up drama. One must give the moment time to breathe, let the characters’ emotions adequately express the importance of the event, and then let it happen. If a moment is fired off too quickly, it will often fail to feel important. If it is allowed to linger too long, the hard-built tension and dramatics will fizzle away as the audience will simply want it to end. Thus, unfortunately, was my experience with Yashahime Episode 25. 

After a lengthy opening in which many of the high points of the previous season are recapped, we return to the story just as we left it. Sesshomaru has just handed Towa the broken blade Tenseiga, challenging her to restore the life of the fallen Setsuna. The following 15 minutes of tv are largely spent watching Towa struggle to harness the power of the Tenseiga, in the most extended power-up sequence I’ve seen since I had to sit through an entire episode of Dragon Ball Z waiting for Frieza to transform. By the time the moment finally culminates in its big finish, I was already done with it, especially since I spent the entire episode with little doubt of how the scene would ultimately play out.

Beyond Towa’s struggle to harness the power of Tenseiga, Yashahime Episode 25 sees some new arrivals join the group, as well as Moroha having to fend off some violent lesser demons who become attracted to the growing power that fills the area. Unfortunately, this brief combat moment does little to add much pop to the festivities. It comes so late that, rather than being exciting, it just feels like a way to pad out a few more minutes of the episode.

The way the episode draws out its conclusion is a shame. Every other aspect of this story tries to deliver on what is happening, but they are just too stifled by the story’s complete stall out. The voice acting gives everything its got to lend all the urgency it can to the proceedings. But after hearing Towa inwardly struggle with her lack of demon power for the fifth time, there is just no delivery sincere enough to make that struggle land.

The animation in Yashahime Episode 25 also does what it can to prolong the story’s ability to hold up the tension. Whether focusing on Towa’s struggle or imparting a bit of action through Moroha’s defense of the group, the animation can’t be held to blame for this episode’s failings.

So, while Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon Episode 25 fell flat with how much it milks its primary plot, I can’t call it a total loss. With the voice acting and animation delivering solid performances, I’m left feeling hopeful. If the upcoming episodes of this story can keep a better pace to their additions to the over-arching plot, Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon could yet put together some quality tales for its returning fans.

Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon Episode 25 is streaming on Funimation and Crunchyroll.