The Demon Lord's Secret

The Demon Lord's Secret (まおうのひみつ) is the fifth episode of the Yohane the Parhelion anime series. It had an advance airing on July 23, 2023, and officially aired on July 30, 2023.

Summary
Yohane is summoned by Mari at her manor. She discusses the calamity happening in Numazu could possibly be related to Resonance --- an emotional-based energy that controls the world's flow, and theorizes that it resides in all beings. Wondering, Yohane shows Mari her staff with symbols that appeared when she made friends. Thinking it might work with Mari, Yohane asks to become her friend, but she declined to comment.

After much discussion with her friends, Yohane returns to Mari to try to strike up a conversation. But due to Mari's personality, Yohane was rebuffed. Unable to open up to Mari, she gives up and decides to try again later. However, Mari comes back at the last second, deciding to make it work for the two and heads to the mainland with her.

Mari confesses that she finds herself 'strange,' and worries that she would be scorned by everyone. This is further exacerbated by her unique ability to hear voices from her horns and could hear people talking behind her. Yohane gives Mari a tour around the town to help her out. She finds her being wary of others, but does her best to cover for her. With Yohane's support, Mari overcomes her fear of people and found herself accepted by the citizens of Numazu.

At sundown, Mari thanks Yohane for being accepted. Yohane decides to share one of her personal memories with her: The tree stump from her childhood where she used to sing. Interested, Mari wishes to hear her sing. But before Yohane could sing, the calamity strikes into the tree stump and fills it with darkness.

Cast

 * Aika Kobayashi as Yohane
 * Kanako Takatsuki as Hanamaru
 * Arisa Komiya as Dia
 * Ai Furihata as Ruby
 * Anju Inami as Chika
 * Shuka Saito as You
 * Nanaka Suwa as Kanan
 * Rikako Aida as Riko
 * Tomoyo Kurosawa as Tsuki
 * Aina Suzuki as Mari
 * Yoko Hikasa as Lailaps
 * Akio Ōtsuka as Mari's Father

Notes & Trivia

 * The episode was released on Aina Suzuki's 28th birthday in 2023.
 * Mari's mother made her first (and unvoiced) TV anime appearance in this episode since her original counterpart's debut in The School Idol Movie Over The Rainbow''.
 * In an ironic reversal, Mari's father was voiced in this series while his original counterpart appears in a silent cameo.
 * Likewise, Tsuki also made her first television debut.
 * The "Tsuki Photo Studio" is named and modeled after the Tsuji Photo Studio in Numazu.
 * The episode also features the animated cameo of the office's pet pig, Sakura (さくら), who passed away in April 2022 in real life prior to the episode's airing.

Continuity Notes

 * Yohane and Mari sat on the new swing they previously made.

Callbacks to Love Live! Sunshine!!

 * As with her original counterpart in Finding a Way to Shine and The School Idol Movie: Over the Rainbow, Mari left the Washimer island and her family until they took her back to isolation.
 * Like Yohane Descends; Yohane helps Mari overcome her introverted personality, much like how Chika and her friends did for Yoshiko.

Errors & Goofs
Strikethrough lines are errors being amended from the BD/DVD releases of the Anime.

TBA

Changes in the BD/DVD Release
TBA