Episode 20 (Hanyō no Yashahime)

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

Summary

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

Plot
Setsuna heads down 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. When A-Un and Jaken place Setsuna in a forest, they leave with Jaken her telling her to live and survive. As she reach a forest Setsuna walked through the forest and noticed a barrier and shortly meets Fūta & Raita. Shiori appears to Setsuna and notices a wooden note with her name and that said that she was in charge of her. 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, she received notes for her training that were left mysteriously. Setsuna soon got used and adapted living in the village quickly and eventually learned to read and write as well as gathering food and hunting while hiding in the village from both humans and demons. Setsuna headed off to the village where she was born. When bandits attacked one day, 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 return 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 human 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. Shiori was able to hold and calm Setsuna down as she was incapable of managing her full demon powers before 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 Gozen 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 more half-demon children who feels troubled in any way; which was why Setsuna had brought Towa with her outside the cloaked entrance. While purposely annoying Towa with a sarcastic joke, Setsuna smiles 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 from the cliffs, content to see one of her former villagers return.

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.
 * 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)