REVIEW: ‘Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon,’ Episode 46 – “The Grim Butterfly of Despair”

Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Yashahime) is a fantasy/adventure anime from Sunrise. Having returned from the present, Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha learn that Rion has been taken into the Grim Butterfly by Osamu Kirinmaru. Determined to save their friend, the trio enters the butterfly with Riku in order to stop its rampage. Meanwhile, the Demon Slayers, with the help of InuYasha Kagome,  work to contain the Grim Butterfly’s wrath, and Kirinmaru battles Sesshomaru at last in Yashahima Episode 46.

The momentum continues to build as this week’s episode bounces between the various conflicts that fill the story. From personal grudges to large world-threatening dangers, Yashahima Episode 46 balances each of its focus points well, allowing them all to have a fair amount of time. And with these various battles, we get to see numerous cast members take their turn to shine. Not only are the cast present, but past elements that were introduced into the series before the current plotline are seen bearing fruit here. Individuals’ training and preparations that were brought off-hand early in the series come back around in this season’s critical moments.

But while this episode contains a lot of action, it also bears a fair amount of plot and emotion. As the battles heat up several key characters expound upon their motivations and goals. These moments are handled well. They deliver a classic feel that will be familiar to long-time fans of the genre, with all the over-the-top energy one would expect. Osamu Kirin’s time pontificating is handled particularly well. He delivers his villainous speech with lots of energy while making just enough sense that you can see where he’s coming from despite the fact that his methods are ridiculous.

Despite so much going on, however, Yashahima Episode 46 never manages to lose sight of its key components: Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha. The narrative always finds its way back to the trio, as the episode’s biggest moments and key reveals always form around them. I particularly like how this episode handles Setsuna. When faced with a new and deadly challenge, the young half-demon brings back an aspect of her arsenal I had assumed would be forgotten since it seemed like its purpose had already been fulfilled.

The animation throughout this story handles its delivery of both the particular moments, as well as the larger episode structure, extremely well. The individual fights never fail to pull the viewer in as it brings the urgency and importance of each moment to the viewer. The episode’s frequent location changes are also handled well. Each change is delivered with visual elements that make certain the viewer is always aware of precisely where they are and what is happening.

When all is said and done, Yashahima Episode 46 manages to pack a lot of content into its runtime. It does this while still managing to make sure each scene is allowed to exist in an unrushed way and that the viewer never gets lost in all the chaos.

Yashahima Episode 46 is streaming on Crunchyroll.