Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (半妖の夜叉姫) is a Japanese anime television series produced and animated by Sunrise. It is a sequel spin-off to the Inuyasha anime television series, which itself is based on Rumiko Takahashi's manga series Inuyasha. The series follows the adventures of Towa Higurashi and Setsuna, Sesshomaru and Rin's fraternal twin daughters, and Moroha, Inuyasha and Kagome Higurashi's daughter.
The series' first season aired from October 2020 to March 2021. The second one aired from October 2021 to March 2022. Viz Media has licensed the series in North America, while Medialink has licensed it for Southeast Asian and South Asian territories.
A manga adaptation, illustrated by Takashi Shiina, was serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine Shōnen Sunday S from September 2021 to June 2025.
Plot
A decade after the final battle against Naraku, Sesshomaru and Rin's daughter Towa is separated from her twin sister Setsuna and becomes stranded in the modern era. She is adopted by the Higurashi family, raised by Sōta Higurashi, his wife Moe, and their daughter Mei. Years later, Towa reunites with Setsuna after passing through the Sacred Tree of Ages, discovering that her sister has become a demon slayer under Kohaku's guidance but has lost her memories due to the influence of the Dream Butterfly. Determined to restore Setsuna's past, the twins embark on a journey alongside their cousin Moroha, the daughter of Kagome and Inuyasha, who knows little of her parents beyond their identities as a powerful priestess and a half-demon warrior.
The Sacred Tree of Ages occasionally awakens to warn them of a looming threat—an ancient rival of their grandfather, the Great Dog-Demon, who seeks to manipulate time itself. Sesshomaru, unwilling to confront this enemy directly, remains distant while Rin is kept in suspended animation by a powerful time-manipulating entity. Her life is tied to Zero, the elder sister of Kirinmaru and creator of the Rainbow Pearls, whose powers rival the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls.
During a confrontation at the ruins of Izayoi's mansion, Setsuna is seemingly slain by Kirinmaru, but Towa revives her using the reforged Tenseiga, now named Yukari no Tachikiri, a blade capable of severing the threads of fate. Towa also inherits the Zanseiken from Rion, Kirinmaru's deceased daughter, whose soul resides within an artificial body. The twins eventually reunite with Rin after Zero lifts her curse, though Zero perishes soon after. Meanwhile, Kirinmaru forces Moroha to choose between rescuing her parents or seizing Akuru's time-altering pinwheel.
Sesshomaru and Kirinmaru resume their battle, with the former shielding the twins at great personal cost. Weakened, Sesshomaru sends them into the Black Pearl, where they encounter Inuyasha and Kagome. After escaping, they learn Kirinmaru's true goal: to travel to the Reiwa era and destroy the Grim Comet, a celestial threat to humanity, intending to rule over both humans and demons. Towa later realizes Kirinmaru allowed her to wield Zanseiken so he could eventually claim her body as a vessel for Rion, while Moroha receives a spiritually enhanced longbow crafted by her parents.
Using Akuru's pinwheel, the twins return to the modern era to confront the comet, pursued by Kirinmaru. They meet Osamu Kirin, Kirinmaru's former subordinate and Towa's teacher, who initially claims to share their goals but betrays them by transporting the comet to the feudal era. Akuru sacrifices himself to reopen the gateway, allowing the twins to rejoin their family and prevent the coming of the Degenerate Age.
Media
Anime
The series was first announced in May 2020.[2] It aired from October 3, 2020, to March 20, 2021, on Yomiuri TV and Nippon TV.[3][4] The series was produced and animated by Sunrise, directed by Teruo Sato with main character designs by Inuyasha original creator Rumiko Takahashi.[2] Staff from Inuyasha returned, with Katsuyuki Sumisawa in charge of the scripts while Rumiko Takahashi acted as storyboard supervisor,[5] Yoshihito Hishinuma in charge of the anime character designs and Kaoru Wada composing the music.[2] The first opening theme is "New Era (SixTones 2020 song)", performed by the male idol group SixTones, while the first ending theme is "Break (Uru song)", performed by Uru.[6][7] The second opening theme is "Burn (NEWS song)", performed by NEWS, while the second ending theme is "Kesshō (song)" (結証), performed by Ryokuōshoku Shakai.[8][9]
On March 20, 2021, a second season of the series was announced following the release of the 24th episode.[10][11] The second season, titled Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon – The Second Act, aired from October 2, 2021, to March 26, 2022.[12][13][14] For the second season, the first opening theme is "ReBorn", performed by NEWS, while the ending theme is "Tōmei na Sekai" (透明な世界), performed by Little Glee Monster.[15] The second opening theme is "Kyōmei (song)" (共鳴), performed by SixTones, while the second ending theme is "Anaaki no Sora" (穴空きの空), performed by Adieu.[16]
Viz Media announced the rights to digital streaming, EST, and home video release of the series in North America, and it was streamed on Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu.[2][17][18] On October 26, 2020, Funimation announced a partnership with Viz Media to release an English dub of the series, with the English cast of Inuyasha reprising their roles.[19][20] Funimation began streaming the English dub on November 6, 2020, along with Hulu and Crunchyroll.[21] The English dub of the series aired on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block on June 27, 2021.[22] Medialink licensed the series in Southeast Asian territories.[23] The series premiered on Animax Asia on June 21, 2021.[24]
Manga
A manga adaptation by Takashi Shiina, with script cooperation by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, was serialized in Shogakukan's Shōnen Sunday S from September 25, 2021,[25][26] to June 25, 2025.[27][28] Shogakukan collected its chapters in ten volumes, released from January 18, 2022, to August 18, 2025.[29]
Viz Media has licensed the manga for English release in North America.[30] The first volume was released on June 21, 2022.[31] On May 9, 2023, Viz Media launched their Viz Manga digital manga service, with the series' chapters receiving simultaneous English publication in North America as they are released in Japan.[32]
Volumes
Volumes
Reception
The series ranked ninth at the 43rd Animage's Anime Grand Prix in 2020.[52] Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshihito Hishinuma were nominated for the Best Character Design category at the 5th Crunchyroll Anime Awards in 2021.[53]
In her review of the first two episodes, Kara Dennison of Otaku USA made positive comments about the series, praising its cast and its way to "echo the story of Inuyasha without simply retreading it."[54] James Beckett and Monique Thomas of Anime News Network listed Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon as one of the worst anime of the winter 2021 season.[55] Rebecca Silverman of the same website also listed it as one of the worst anime of 2021.[56] The series received criticism from some reviewers for its portrayal of Sesshomaru and Rin as a couple, because in the original Inuyasha series, Sesshomaru traveled along with Rin when she was a young girl, calling their relationship "grooming."[57][58][59][60]
Further reading
External links
References
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