English Dub Review: The Demon Prince of Momochi House “The Looking Glass at Twilight/A Cat and Wandering Child”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

The Looking Glass at Twilight

Himari discovers that Nachi has a mirror said to reveal what its beholder wishes to see most. What will Himari see when she looks into it?

A Cat and Wandering Child

Aoi seems to be in a slump. His seals aren’t working well, meaning lesser yokai are now running amok at Momochi House. Good thing Granny Cat arrives to clean up… except it looks like she means to take Himari out with the trash!

Our Take:

The first of the two episodes has Himari encountering a “Through the Looking Glass” scenario as she discovers a magic mirror courtesy of her teacher, Mr. Nachi. Haven’t read the book? Don’t worry; the episode resembles that story. In addition to leading to another world, the mirror allows people to see their deepest desires. It’s more like a genie but as an inanimate object. Obviously, what these two have in common is that they display cautions involving wish-making.  

Unfortunately for Himari, she finds that out the hard way when she becomes trapped in her desires: living with her parents and staying by Aoi’s side. But, of course, Himari was intelligent enough to see past the delusions and escape the nightmare, thanks to Kasha’s guidance. This is another episode that takes advantage of its episodic plot to develop the series’s characters. In this case, Himari has been hesitant around Aoi since the previous episode, indicating that her feelings for him have grown. Following her creepy misadventure inside the looking glass, Himari learned the importance of living the real world instead of a false illusion, resulting in her working up the courage to confess her love to Aoi. Sadly, Aoi doesn’t feel the same way toward her.

This brings us to the second episode, with Himari and the trio getting extra help from a frisky Ayakashi feline. When Aoi caught himself in a slump following the rejection, a massive Ayakashi cat named Granny Cat arrived to assist him in cleaning up the yokai running around the house. However, she’s also here to help Aoi find himself a wife, which comes across as poor timing considering how things turned out between him and Himari. Granny also has beef with Himari, who she believes doesn’t know much about Aoi. She initially planned to make Himari’s life miserable before she revealed her intention to help Aoi regain his strength. The solution: Himari’s surprise hotpot, with the “surprise” being its variety of ingredients. 

Both episodes provide enough charm in their episodic plots to progress the bond between Aoi and Himari. “The Looking Glass at Twilight” is a mildly creepy diversion that sees Himari facing her desires head-on. “A Cat and Wandering Child” offers a humorous visit from one of Aoi’s Ayakashi family members, with Himari’s hotpot being its highlight. While the chances of them having a relationship seem unlikely for now, Himari still strives to help Aoi escape his curse and return to the life he once knew.