REVIEW: ‘Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon,’ Episode 37 – “Zero’s Wish”

Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Yashahime) is a fantasy/adventure anime from Sunrise. With Lady Zero ensnaring Towa in her trap, she forces the young half-demon to look back through her life at all the loneliness and pain she has carried with her. This reminder of what she has had to endure, coupled with the reminder that Setsuna forgot about her when they were young, sends Towa into a rage. Now driven to kill Lady Zero, her friends struggle to stop her before she succeeds in slaying her foe, and by extension killing her mother as well in Yashahime Episode 37.

If you have been reading my reviews for Yashahime this season, you are well aware that I’ve had my struggles with the show. Poor pacing and dragged-out moments that distract from what is supposedly a time-critical threat have caused me to lose a lot of enjoyment from the series. And while one episode can’t undo all that frustration and struggle, it can make me a little happier than I was willing to stick through those rough moments to reach episodes like the ones we get in Yashahime Episode 37.

The confrontation that last episode setup plays out fantastically here. Seeing such a generally kind-hearted person like Towa pushed to the point of full-on rage demon is always a heart-breaking thing. That Lady Zero gleefully drives her to this point, and revels in her suffering only add to the emotion of the scene. With Rion and Riku struggling to keep Towa from doing something they both know she will regret in time, Yashahime Episode 37‘s narrative focus delivers the season’s building confrontation with Lady Zero with near-perfect execution.

The scene even does a great job of offering a surprising twist to its resolution. Just as you think you know exactly how the moment will end it adds another layer to it that, while I didn’t see it coming, immediately recognized how obvious it should’ve been to me. This little twist took the resolution of this moment from a strong, but cookie-cutter ending, to one of even greater emotional impact.

Striking an unfortunate contrast with how well handled the emotional focus of this episode comes the final sequence of this entry which sets up what’s to come next. I won’t give spoilers, but this setup feels like some of the laziest, slapped-together writing I’ve seen in a while. Coming off of the excellence of the core of this episode made it all the more glaring for its shortcomings.

The visuals during Yashahime Episode 37‘s core confrontation are also delivered exceptionally well. There is a sort of watercolor design overlayed over the sequence, so any darker colored objects can see the overlay running over them. This look elevates the style of the scene, giving it a more refined look that complements the emotions of the moment beautifully.

Looking back on Yashahime Episode 37  I can say it is easily the best episode of this season. It makes many of the less-than-stellar episodes more worth getting through, while unfortunately reminding me of how much more these characters could be capable of if only this level of storytelling was more consistently present throughout the series.

Yashahime Episode 37 is streaming on Funimation and Crunchyroll.