Episode 20 (Hanyō no Yashahime)

The Hidden Village for Half-Demons is the twentieth episode of Hanyō no Yashahime.

Summary
Setsuna tells Towa what happened to her in the decade she and Towa were separated by time, and how she was helped by the teenage bat hanyō Shiori, leader of the village of hanyō which she has kept safe with her incredibly strong demonic barrier. When poisonous yōkai breach her barrier and come after the hanyō children, Shiori enlists the aid of Miroku to put an end to them.

Plot
Setsuna heads to a certain valley on patrol with Towa following her. Setsuna tells Towa what had happened to her in the decade they were separated by time. In a flashback, after a forest fire consumed their childhood home, the young Setsuna sat in place, paralyzed. Setsuna was guided by A-Un and Jaken to the hidden Half-Demon village. Setsuna walked through the forest and noticed a barrier and shortly meets Fūta & Raita. Shiori welcomed and let her stay until she'd become strong enough to return back to Kaede's village. She was helped by the adult half bat-demon Shiori, leader of the village of half-demons which she has kept safe with her incredibly strong demonic barrier. Setsuna was cared for by Shiori for 6 years before heading off to the village she was born. Setsuna's stay in the village didn't last long as she soon returned to the hidden village.

When a poisonous moth-demon, by the name of Gaga Gozen, comes to devour the half-demon children, they are aided by Miroku as Shiori's demon-bat abilities have all been neutralized by the appearance of a solar eclipse and turning her fully mortal with black hair. This stirs the very powerful demon blood within Setsuna to emerge, further increasing Setsuna's dog-demon abilities to kill Gonzen in mere seconds. Miroku then knocks her out with poison from the demon-slayers, and applies a strong seal on her demon blood using the naginata she had taken from Gonzen as the focal point. With the battle over and her demonic powers back in full, Shiori re-erects the shield around the village.

Shiori tells Setsuna that she is strong enough that she no longer hides and that she lives in the outside world and with the promise that she should bring another half-demon children who feels troubled in any way; which was why Setsuna had brought Towa with her outside the cloaked entrance. Annoying Towa. Setsuna smile and laughs at her. Setsuna scares some demons that were stalking the place, when she has time Setsuna comes to take a look at the place and Towa answers that it is a a very precious place for her and they end up leaving the place with Shiori watching nearby.

Trivia

 * It was Jaken who guided young Setsuna to the hidden village and gave her gifts to hone her combat skills per his master's request, though never revealed himself to her.
 * This marks the return of Shiori who made a single appearance in Episodes 73 and 74. Her human mother had died some years ago, having succumbed to illness.
 * Setsuna's battle against Gaga Gozen is very similar to Inuyasha's fight against Gatenmaru in episodes 51 and 52. Both Gaga Gozen and Gatenmaru are Moth yōkais who paralyze both Hanyōs, but are nevertheless destroyed by their mindless transformations.
 * This is the first episode where Moroha doesn't appear nor is she referenced at all.
 * This is the first time in Yashahime a half-demon transforms into a human during a solar eclipse as opposed to a new moon. In Inuyasha Jinenji becomes a human on a day in month.
 * The notion of Setsuna reaching for Shiori's hand was similar to what Towa did with Sōta when they met.

Episodi 20 (Hanyo no Yashahime)