Episode 16 (Hanyō no Yashahime)

"Double-Edged Moroha" is the sixteenth episode of Hanyō no Yashahime.

Synopsis
The story about Moroha's childhood with the Wolf-Demon Tribe, and how she had ended up in debt to Jyūbei is revealed when her mentor Yawaragi makes a surprise visit. But what is she going with Konton of the Four Perils?

Plot
Three years before, Yawaragi, Moroha's mentor from the wolf clan, gives her the task of surviving the demon fight inside the Kodoku, promising to award her with the sword Kurikaramaru, but forbidding her from using her tincture. Moroha successfully passes the test, but to pay for her debts to Jyūbei, Yawaragi has Moroha work for him, while she leaves to look for the fire-rat demons to remove her cursed armor, which is slowly compressing her body until the day it will kill her. Back to the present, Yawaragi finds the village of the fire-rat demons and learn that they were slain by Konton, who orders her to kill Moroha in exchange for the key to remove her armor. During their fight, Moroha considers using the tincture to fight her, but reminisces that Yawaragi was cursed with the armor to protect her when she lost herself while fighting with it and decides not to.

Yawaragi uses her most powerful attack on Moroha, which she manages to deflect using Kurikaramaru's special technique Crimson Backlash Wave. When she is about to be stricken by the resulting blast, Yawaragi attempts to take Konton with her, but fails. Konton flees and Yawaragi passes away after congratulating her student for mastering the Kurikaramaru. With help from Towa and Setsuna, Moroha buries Yawaragi and decides to move on with her life, knowing that she is not alone anymore as she now has her twin cousins by her side.

Trivia

 * The special technique of Kurikaramaru, Crimson Backlash Wave, is quite similar to Tessaiga's Backlash Wave ability.
 * Moroha expressed how she could find no place in the world being one quarter-demon, just like Inuyasha had explained to Kagome in Episode 31.
 * The Kodoku was first used in Episode 32.
 * Konton utilizes the blue Rainbow Pearl to defend himself via a shield of water, meaning that Riku must have lent it to him, even he says he loathes the Four Perils for having poor taste.
 * Konton is aware of Tōkotsu, his son and Kyūki's deaths.
 * Moroha's name means "doubled-edged sword" which means something that has both good and bad consequences.
 * It is revealed that Moroha can indeed tap into her dog-demon side which is sealed by her grandmother's rogue.

Episodio 16 (Hanyo no Yashahime)