Episode 20 (Hanyō no Yashahime)

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

Synopsis

 * 1) Setsuna tells Towa about the hanyō village she grew up in, led by the bat hanyō Shiori.

Summary
Setsuna heads down to a far away valley in the mountains on patrol with Towa following her, even though Setsuna did not plan for her to come along. Setsuna tells Towa she is just making her rounds after Towa questions why they are walking so deep in the mountains. When Towa asks where are they, Setsuna responds by saying “There’s nothing here. That’s how it’s supposed to be.” and takes a seat on a conveniently-placed rock. Setsuna begins to tell Towa a story and starts the story off by saying “The earliest memory I have is the view of a burnt-up forest.” Towa realizes it’s a memory from after the forest fire happened when they got separated at four years old and Setsuna says she was raised in the area they’re in right now for a while ever since. Towa felt sorry for not knowing anything and wanted to give her a hug, but Setsuna stops her and tells Towa she was raised by Miss Shiori and was with other hanyō children as well.

Setsuna explains to Towa that they’re in the hidden village made for half-demons created by Miss Shiori. After the forest fire, Setsuna explains she couldn’t do anything but a familiar voice who she can’t make out right now took her to the mountain of the hidden half-demon village. A flashback of Setsuna when she was 4 years old is seen and it was Jaken and A-Un who took her to the Half-Demon village. When A-Un and Jaken place Setsuna in a forest, they leave with Jaken telling her to live and survive. As she reach a forest Setsuna walked through the forest and noticed a barrier and shortly meets 2 hanyō children who resides in the hidden village. The two half-demon children realizes Setsuna is also a half-demon, but Setsuna for the most part would say little-to-no words back to the half-demon children. Shiori greets Setsuna and asks if she was okay and Setsuna gives her a wooden note she was ordered to give saying “please look after her.” Shiori tells Setsuna that she seems to be tied to a strange destiny and welcomes her into the hidden village of half-demons. Setsuna tells Towa that Miss Shiori was a hanyō from the Demon Bat Tribe and had the power to create barriers. Shiori uses her powers to create a barrier for the half-demon village to keep it hidden and to protect the peace of the village. The two half demon children she was greeted by earlier introduces themselves to Setsuna, The green-haired child is named Fūta and the light-pink haired child is named Raita. Fūta and Raita asks Setsuna what happened to her parents and Setsuna tells them she doesn’t know, they also tell her that their parents have been killed. Fūta’s parents were killed by humans and Raita’s parents were killed by demons. They tell Setsuna that it’s kind of a big deal that she doesn’t know her parents.

Setsuna continues her story saying she got used to living in the village pretty fast. During the day they would gather food and at night they would hide. At this village growing up, Setsuna learned how to read, write, and count numbers. Also by the looks of the flashback, Shiori taught Setsuna how grind herbs too. Setsuna would have items addressed to her, but it is not known whom addressed it for her. The items ordered her to ‘cut the wind’ and ‘cut water’ and Setsuna trained herself to successfully do both with a small blade. One day some persistent demons made their way into the mountain and waited for half-demons to emerge from Shiori’s barrier. Setsuna, Fūta, and Raita used their powers to slay the demons since they wouldn’t leave. Fūta uses a ‘wind scythe’ attack, Raita uses a ‘thunder’ attack, and Setsuna used her ‘scourge of swallows’ attack. After rejoicing, Setsuna took notice that Shiori always seemed sad and even though Shiori understood that they had to kill those enemies, Setsuna thought deep down Shiori wished for the world to be different. One night Shiori was given the word by one of her bats that a half-demon child is suffering all alone in a forest in the east. She then used some kind of language between her and the bat and sent it off. Shiori told Setsuna that she’d love it if they decided to come to the village.

Six years later after living in the village, a letter arrived for Setsuna telling her to return to the place where she was born, Kaede's village. Shiori informs Setsuna that she’ll have to live there from now on, but Setsuna didn’t want to leave because she likes it at the half-demon village. Shiori tells Setsuna that it’s not a bad idea to get to know human society as well. Setsuna headed off to Kaede's village, the village where she was born. Setsuna headed off to the village where she was born. When bandits attacked one day to pillaging the area, Setsuna wanted to kill them, but Kaede avoided this. Kaede didn't want Setsuna to lead such a life, whereas Setsuna didn't see why she, as a half-demon, should obey human laws. This led Setsuna to leave the village and realizes she would rather return to the half-demon village with Shiori. Setsuna must’ve felt that she did not belong living amongst humans at the time and Shiori welcomed her back to the village without asking any questions. Setsuna found Shiori’s village to be peaceful and intended to stay there for the rest of her life. Being that Shiori was a hanyō too, she tends to lose her demon powers during certain times. Shiori’s time of weakness is during a solar eclipse, where she would turn into a human. When Shiori loses her demon powers, the barrier around the half-demon village weakens as well. Setsuna continues the story and tells Towa that a poisonous moth-demon, named Gaga Gozen planned for the day of a solar eclipse and appeared before them all.

Shiori tells Setsuna that she’ll be losing her powers soon and hopes that nothing happens. Fūta and Raita informs Shiori that some samurai have come around. The demon, Gaga Gozen, and his few comrades are approaching the half-demon village and planning to eat the half-demons. Gaga Gozen was whom originally carries a blade. Miroku and Hachiemon are keeping a low profile and spying on the demons. Hachiemon tells Miroku that they can’t possibly defeat those demons by themselves and should go back and get help. Miroku tells Hachiemon that because the demon Gaga Gozen has eaten a hundred samurai, they should look for an opening and slay him as quickly as possible. Setsuna, Fūta, and Raita are also keeping a low profile and spying on the samurai, but Setsuna can smell that they are not samurai’s but rather demons. Fūta and Raita are impressed with Setsuna’s keen of smell. Setsuna tells Fūta and Raita that with demons coming they’re planning to eat or kill the half-demons. Fūta and Raita are worried because Shiori won’t have her demon powers and Setsuna finds it annoying that the demons may have known that a solar-eclipse is happening and decided to come to the village.

The solar-eclipse takes effect and Shiori transforms from a half-demon into a human. Gaga Gozen is aware that the one who puts up the barrier around the half-demon village loses their powers during a solar eclipse. The barrier disappears but before Gaga Gozen and his comrades could enter, Fūta and Raita stops them by attacking. Setsuna comes dashing towards Gaga Gozen and attempts to fight him with her small blade, but Gaga Gozen’s naginata, the Kanemitsu no Tomoe, breaks Setsuna’s blade. Gaga Gozen swings his naginata towards Setsuna but Setsuna dodges all of his attacks. Miroku comes in to attack Gaga Gozen and both Miroku’s staff and Gaga Gozen’s naginata cross each other. Shiori watches from a distance and she recognizes who Miroku is. Fūta and Raita attacks the rest of Gaga Gozen’s comrades and the only demon left is Gaga Gozen himself whom is in battle with Miroku. Gaga Gozen forcefully pushes Miroku back and then blows a smoke of poison towards Fūta, Raita, and Setsuna. Fūta and Raita are being burned by Gaga Gozen’s poison and runs to Shiori. Setsuna holds her breath and easily runs through the fog of poison and directly kicks Gaga Gozen. Gaga Gozen entangles Setsuna with webs spewed from his mouth and Setsuna is left on the ground and unable to move or speak. Gaga Gozen leaves Setsuna on the ground and walks towards Shiori, Fūta and Raita to eat them. Fūta and Raita uses their attacks against Gaga Gozen to protect Shiori but Gaga Gozen blocks their attacks. Shiori then covers Fūta and Raita to protect them.

Setsuna breaks free from the webs with her face completely changed indicating that her full-demon blood has taken over her body. Gaga Gozen is amused and doubts that Setsuna could ever defeat him but Setsuna quickly silence and kills him with her claws. Miss Shiori, Fūta, and Raita think that they are now safe since Setsuna defeated Gaga Gozen, but with Setsuna in her full-demon form she intensely gazes towards the three, unable to think clearly. Miroku quickly sees that Setsuna’s demon blood isn’t settling down nor can she quell it. Setsuna yells at Miroku to ‘go away’ and ‘die’ and fiercely attacks him over and over again with her claws while Miroku does his best to block her attacks with his staff. Setsuna eventually separates Miroku from his staff, and once Miroku is unable to protect himself, Setsuna threatens to kill Miroku with her claws, but before she was able to do so Miss Shiori grabs and stops her from hurting Miroku. Shiori desperately begs Setsuna to stop fighting telling her to calm down but Setsuna rebels and knocks Shiori back. Miroku comes in, catches Setsuna and presses a sedative against her mouth and nose to knock her out. The sedative is effective against Setsuna due to her keen sense of smell. Finally, the solar-eclipse comes to an end and Shiori transforms back into her usual hanyō self. Setsuna is laying down unconscious while Fūta, Raita, Hachi and Shiori surrounds her. When Fūta have a first met with Miss Shiori's old Miroku, she'll learn that not all humans ain't so that bad. Miroku brings the naginata that was used by Gaga Gozen and lays it on top of Setsuna. Miroku applies a seal that will suppress her demon blood and says the naginata will act as a medium. Shiori takes Setsuna’s hand and makes her hold the naginata laying on top of her. Miroku chants the seal saying “On meeting an arhat, slay the arhat; on meeting your parents, slay your parents. Know that the light to your path lies there.” After Miroku applies the seal, Setsuna’s face returns to normal and Miroku tells Shiori and the others that Setsuna’s inherited demon blood is too powerful for her half-demon body. Shiori reassuringly asks Miroku if it’s him after recognizing him earlier and Miroku confirms for her. Miroku tells Shiori that she’s grown up beautifully and is glad she is in good health. Miroku also asks her if her mother is around but Shiori tells him that she sadly passed away due to an illness. Miroku responds by saying “Such is the fate of humans, I’m afraid.”

Some time after Miroku left, Shiori told Setsuna to leave the village. Shiori told Setsuna that she is no longer weak where she has to live in hiding and to live in the outside world for her own sake. Fūta and Raita tell Setsuna to take care and Shiori reminds the two that they’ll eventually have to leave the village too but Setsuna is leaving a bit earlier than everyone else. Fūta and Raita begin to shed tears saying they don’t want to leave. Shiori asks Setsuna before she leaves to tell any half-demon child that she meets who’s in trouble about her village and Setsuna says she will. Setsuna goes to Kaede’s Village where she was invited to join the demon slayers but never knew that Miroku was Hisui’s father. Towa now sees that the naginata that Setsuna carries with her was a spoil from a battle. Setsuna tells Towa that it’s a human-made piece and she uses it with appreciation while it is also her seal for her demon powers. Towa takes a seat next to Setsuna and teases her for a bit asking how come she did so much talking today and Setsuna teases her back saying that Shiori told her to inform of any troubled half-demon child about the half-demon village. Towa tells Setsuna that she’s not trouble nor is she is a child and Setsuna giggles at her. Setsuna senses two demons approaching the half-demon village and the demons plan on finding and eating the half-demons hiding in the village. Setsuna uses her naginata to cut one demon and cut the horns off the other one. Setsuna threatens the demons by telling them she’ll kill them if they ever approach this village again. Setsuna hopes that things can quiet down a little despite some demons finding their way to the half-demon village. Towa asks Setsuna if she’s been protecting the village for a while and Setsuna tells her sometimes whenever she has time on her hands. Towa speculates that this place holds sentimental value for Setsuna. Setsuna calls upon Kirara to transform and the girls leave the village while Shiori watches them leave from a cliff and gives her thanks to Setsuna.

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 demons 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.
 * The notion of Setsuna reaching for Shiori's hand was similar to what Towa did with Sōta when they met.
 * Hanyō longevity is seen again, with Shiori; despite nearly being 30, she still looks like a young woman just entering her 20s.
 * The system used for Setsuna's messages is based on the ancient Chinese writing media of Bamboo and Wooden Slips.
 * The two lizard yōkai that attempted to break into Shiori's barrier look very similar to the two lizard yōkai that previously appeared in the InuYasha anime and manga.

Episodi 20 (Hanyo no Yashahime)