Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon Vol. 1
Publisher: VIZ
Release Date: June 2022
Price: $9.99
Creator: Takashi Shiina
Format: paperback, b&w, 200 pages, 5” x 7.5”
ISBN: 978- 1974732654
Age Rating: Teen
ICv2 Rating: 4 Stars out of 5
This odd sequel to the classic Inuyasha series is very good, but may have taken a little too long to come out. The original series finished fourteen years ago, which means that the readers who were so enthusiastic about it may have had time to cool off a bit, and the field has expanded so much that the concentrated fervor may not carry over to the sequel.
That said, anyone who, then or now, enjoyed Inuyasha will find a good new story in the same style. While the writer and artist are not the same, the style very much is, and the type of story is in the same vein, involving fantasy, time travel and a host of other issues connecting modern times to medieval Japanese culture, or at least a fantasy version of it. As with the earlier series, there are explorations of the boundaries of humanity, and this may actually help it to connect to modern audiences, as some of these could be seen as metaphors for the ways in which modern teens see themselves as not fitting in to cultural or sexual roles of earlier generations.
Because it’s so faithful to the earlier series, the artwork is not cutting edge, but instead is of the softer and more familiar style that Takahashi used in Inuyasha. That’s okay, but may fail to attract readers who want a starker, more realistic style. That will be their loss, in this case, because the story is a good one. Among other things, one of the main characters is intimidating, but not by intention, sort of like the heroine in Komi Can’t Communicate but more quirky.
Overall, this will appeal to teens who want adventure fantasy with some point to it, and at least some adults will enjoy it as well, especially if they were Inuyasha fans. Old favorites never quite go out of fashion.
—Nick Smith: Library Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California.
Source: ICv2
