Daemons of the Shadow Realm

Episodes 13-15

For nearly the whole series, Yuru has been running from the implications of all that has happened after the attack on Higashi Village. Simply put, his whole life was revealed to be a lie—and the only people who could give him all the answers are missing. Without concrete facts, Yuru has elected to kick the can down the road, so to speak—focus on immediate survival and the greater goal of finding his parents. While this has left him able to function, it's been obvious for a while that he's walking on a knife's edge mentally, and it's within this trio of episodes that he finally breaks down.

With the reveal that his best friend, along with his little sister, were Daemons, Yuru goes into a panic. He begins grasping at every possible loose end—seeing every one of them in the most negative light possible. Danji wanted to go with him into the forest each time he went. Was that to kill him and awaken Seal? Right and Left didn't tell him that Danji was Daemon—so were they in on the whole deception? Are Left and Right even now manipulating him? And Danji's mother, Kyoka, someone Yuru had thought was a normal villager unrelated to his plight, was actually the one behind tricking him with a fake version of his sister for years on end?

Of course, there are far less sinister explanations for everyone's actions. Danji claims that he wanted to protect Yuru from assassins. Left and Right assumed that Yuru knew that Danji was a Daemon from the start. And as for Kyoka, she could have easily been playing both sides—caring for the child left behind while also keeping him safe from the forces outside the village wanting to use him.

After a bit of soul searching, Yuru recognizes all this. He knows it is his habit to use survival and the clarity it brings as a way to avoid processing his emotions. Yes, he needs more information to make a final decision, but that doesn't change the fact that he has allies who have his back—both of the human and Daemon variety.

It's also important to note that, despite all his emotional confusion, there is one person who seems wholeheartedly on his side with no ulterior motives at all: Asa. While it's just a small gesture, her sending the picture of their parents as promised—along with one of them together and one of herself—shows that she is trustworthy. It's not just the big things that matter but the small, everyday things as well. He may have lost nearly everything—his home, his worldview, his family, his friends—but his sister is still there. And she loves him more than anything.

The rest of these episodes are basically a setup to the next big confrontation. Ivan, working under the orders of Hayato, kidnaps the fake Asa (and a random villager girl) to draw out Yuru. It is clear that, like everyone else, they want to control Yuru and the Seal power—though for what greater end is yet unknown.

What's interesting is that, despite Asuma's assistance in this plot, he appears to be a reluctant co-conspirator at worst and a double agent at best. It feels like he's helping Yuru buy time by explaining things to him, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he tipped off his father or brother to Hayato's scheme.

And while Yuru is most certainly in danger (captured as he is by the end of episode 15), it's interesting to learn that he's actually safer than we had previously been led to believe. While Seal is a special case, it is still a Daemon with its own likes and dislikes. It might not be willing to be bonded to a human already bonded to its antithesis—in this case, Left. And while it looks like Ivan has a plan to deal with her, as long as she lives, so does Yuru. Tensions are high as we head into next week—and I expect things to be action-packed for a few episodes to come.

Episode 13 Rating:

Episode 14 Rating:

Episode 15 Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• Ooof. Putting that episode of Fullmetal Alchemist on the TV in the background is pure emotional manipulation.

• Since clothes and masks can reveal the shape of a Daemon to anyone, I wonder if things like water or paint can do so as well.

• I hope Asa isn't being written out of this arc like it appears she is being. I find her far more interesting than Yuru.

• Can the sword Deamons move on their own? If not, they'd be the first we've seen that were unable to do so.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.