REVIEW: ‘Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon,’ Episode 22 – “The Stolen Seal”

For the show, Yashahime Episode 22 was a very good installment that succeeded because it focused on the relationships between the main cast. Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon is an anime-original sequel to Inuyasha from Sunrise. The show follows sisters Towa and Setsuna, the half-demon daughters of Sesshomaru and Rin, who were separated across time at a young age. Now reunited, they join up with their cousin Moroha in the feudal era to track down Setsuna’s lost memories and how they link to demon Kirinmaru.

The mysterious creator of the Rainbow Pearls, Zero, is revealed to be Kirinmaru’s older sister. Her motivations are still unclear, but she had a strong emotional connection to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru’s father. The brief flashback scene shows a very different Zero and Kirinmaru, and their interactions with Toga are more playful in nature. It will be intriguing for viewers, because aside from what Inuyasha and Sesshomaru mentioned in the original series, we have never really seen Toga.

Zero is the one managing everything behind the scenes. Kirinmaru is content to wait and doesn’t feel threatened by Towa and Setsuna. Zero, however, knows that Miroku has sealed Setsuna’s demon blood and ambushes him to try to make him remove it. Yashahime Episode 22 works well because the scale of conflict is much smaller. Everything is centered on the next generation of characters. The growth between Towa and Setsuna is key to the plot, which is what the show has desperately needed. When Setsuna’s demon powers are released, her walls also come down. We see Setsuna legitimately angry about being separated from Towa. It echoes Towa’s anger from Episode 14.

Yashahime Episode 22 features great animation when Setsuna and Moroha clash as well. Moroha doesn’t get sidelined this time around, instead she also taps into her demon blood to try and help her cousin. It is exciting after everything they’ve been through to see them clash across the countryside in a decently emotional conflict. Moroha genuinely cares for her cousin and that can be seen here.

It isn’t all great. Yashahime Episode 22 wouldn’t have happened without Towa’s behavior with Riku last week. Literally. Zero would not have been able to take advantage of Towa if she had not given her Rainbow Pearl to Riku (WHY TOWA). Towa was an early favorite in the show, but in recent weeks her naivety in the show’s writing has reached the point of ridiculous. She has had the least growth of the three girls and it is disappointing. Additionally, Sesshomaru is aware that Setsuna cannot control her demon blood. It is almost comical in its absurdity because…you know…you could have helped with that at any point Sesshomaru? You could have taught your daughter? Just throwing that out there.

Yashahime Episode 22 is great in comparison the the standard the show has set for itself. It actually focuses on the relationships and growth of the next generation of characters. The main cast’s relationships are relevant and important to the conflict. On top of that, there is a well animated fight between Setsuna and Moroha that is exciting to watch.

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