Overview (Spoilers Below):
Aoi, Yukari, and Ise disappear in the raven-black storm that has fallen over Momochi House. Determined to find them, Himari scours the house and beyond for any clue of their whereabouts…and she may learn more than she’s prepared for.
Our Take:
The Momochi House clan is in a real pickle as we’re nearing the end of the yokai-filled season. A mysterious stranger has invaded their territory, but it’s not just any other stranger nor an Ayakashi. It’s none other than Himari’s teacher, Takamura Nachi, who’s revealed to be responsible for Aoi’s imprisonment. It followed the usual trend of nice guys secretly being evil jerks, but I admittedly found it surprising nonetheless since I thought Kasha was supposed to be the series’s big bad. But, of course, there’s more to Nachi’s scheme that’ll make you want to take his staff and bash his skull in.
The episode further expands on Nachi’s secret plan to gain power over the Momochi House. Since he’s not qualified to become the Omamori-sama, Nachi decided to trick the young Aoi into hiding out in the Momochi House so he can gain control over him. But that’s not the worst part for our protagonists. Nachi’s plan also involved Himari, in which he sent a forged will to her, making her believe that her parents wanted her to inherit the mansion. It’s one thing to trick a young kid, but a forged will? Yeah, this teacher deserves to be fired. From a narrative perspective, this twist adds more interest in what’s supposed to be another straightforward yokai fantasy series, which is typical for a show’s seasonal climax.
However, that’s not the only thing that made “Shelf of Hearts” another decent episode in Demon Prince of Momochi House. It’s also the ending that concludes Himari’s arc, in which she’s forced to choose between exploring Aoi’s memories and her own in the Shelf of Hearts. This particular sequence further displays Himari’s selfless act of putting others first over her desire to learn about her parents. She may not get that chance again, but she’s willing to put the past behind her and focus on rescuing her new family. Himari’s acceptance made “Shelf of Hearts” a suitably rewarding continuation of the season’s final arc.