Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon 44
半妖の夜叉姫 弐の章 20
Hanyou no Yashahime: Sengoku Otogizoushi episode 44

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

At the Tokyo Tower, Kirin-sensei investigates the approaching Grim Comet and discovers something about it. The yashahime deal with the youkai that continue to emerge. In the past, Inuyasha and Kagome defend Kaede’s village from youkai swarms. Elsewhere, Miroko, Sango, and family do the same. Within the Tree of Ages, Rin tends to Sesshoumaru. And at Mount Musubi, Riku takes Rion to the cave for a power that can stop Kirinmaru.

Kirin-sensei comes up with a plan to shrink the comet and has the girls execute it. However, it doesn’t go well, so Towa uses the cursed Zanseiken to absorb the comet’s youki and shrink the comet. Kirin-sensei then uses his power to stop the comet’s forward progress. Kirinmaru telepathically contacts Kirin-sensei to have his former right arm kill the yashahime.

Back at Mount Musubi, Riku and Rion plant an apple seed from Towa and use magic to make it grow and produce an energy-filled apple. In the present, Kirin-sensei takes Zanseiken from Towa, vowing to use it to defeat Kirinmaru and fulfill Rion’s wish. Kirinmaru opens a crack in the space-time continuum, so Kirin-sensei takes the Grim Comet and enters, closing the rift and preventing Kirinmaru from exiting.

The yashahime realize that Kirin-sensei’s promise to kill all youkai mean their parents are in danger. However, they cannot return to the past. Meanwhile in the past, Kirinmaru is angry with Kirin-sensei. However, he sees that Kirin-sensei is granting one of Rion’s wishes by having imagery from all over modern Earth. Further, the Grim Comet is there for Kirinmaru to destroy.

Thoughts/Review:

Well, there were a lot of cliched shounen battles in Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon 44. And there was Mary Sue. But there were other things as well.

Mary Sue Saves the Day — Mostly

I know I’ve stated this repeatedly, but I hate how the writers of this series continue to make Towa the Mary Sue character. And there was plenty of that in Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon 44. Naturally, the writers set things up so that the yashahime using combined strength could not truly affect the Grim Comet. Thus we need Super Towa to save the day. And using a cursed sword, she accomplishes the mission solo. Yay!

But there’s more! You see, using the cursed Zanseiken at the level Towa did is supposed to turn the user into an empty shell. And for a short time, Towa is an empty shell. But then, as all good Mary Sue characters are wont to do, Towa comes back. Yay! She’s okay in moments. Yay! Mary Sue for the win — mostly.

The “mostly” part derives from the plot’s need to have Kirin-sensei meet up with Kirinmaru in the past. So some heroism is directed his way. Meanwhile, poor Setsuna and Moroha are left to wallow in the misery of knowing that they will never be as good as Mary Sue.

Kirin-sensei

The writers are being somewhat cagey with Kirin-sensei. The way Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon 44 is written, one could almost think that Kirin-sensei may betray the yashahime. But I don’t think that is what is happening at all. It is clear that he did enjoy his time on modern Earth. And I suspect that before the series ends, he will share the imagery of his journey with Rion.

I do wonder if the writers are setting things up so that Kirin-sensei does destroy all youkai of the past. Then that would explain why there are no youkai in recorded Japanese history or in the present. It would make for an interesting explanation of things.

I know that the Towa and Setsuna are worried about their youkai father. I kinda suspect he may end up being okay (assuming Kirin-sensei kills all youkai) thanks to the Tree of Ages. Moroha seemed less worried about her father, but then he’s hanyou — half youkai. So that may be enough. After all, the youkai blood will continue to thin if the yashahime marry human males and bear children.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

I’ve got to get back to work, so let me wrap up things with some final thoughts.

• Sesshoumaru’s mother was MIA when Kirin-sensei returned with the comet. I wonder why.
• We got to see extended cameos of Inuyasha, Kagome, and Kaede fighting youkai. Sango, Miroku, and their family got a similar, youkai fighting cameo. However, Sango’s Black Hiraikotsu is so OP, I couldn’t help but think of the mazoku Xellos from The Slayers franchise. Just as Xellos could effortlessly slay hundreds of dragons in the sky, Sango effortlessly slew hundreds of youkai.
• I wonder what Kirin-sensei discovered inside the Grim Comet. I’m guessing something to do with Akaru.
• Also, I wonder what that apple Rion made will do.
• Interesting that the yashahime are trapped in the present…for now.

In the end, Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon 44 was an okay episode. It had cliched shounen battles and Towa was Mary Sue. But it was entertaining enough.