Naruto’sstudio, Pierrot, has been behind some of thebest shōnen anime to date, producing and animating hit works likeBleach,Black Clover,Yu Yu Hakusho, and the sequelBoruto: Naruto Next Generations. But those aren’t the only tools in this studio’s wheelhouse. Crunchyroll has recently released a historical fantasy drama reminiscent ofThe Apothecary DiariescalledYatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master, and it’s an anime that you’re not going to want to miss.
Yatagarasu, orKarasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai, is an enthralling web of interwoven threads that follow multiple characters as an imperial court wrestles with the finicky nature of politics as a crown prince is constantly thwarted on his path to acquiring the throne under the Mountain God. Not only does the anime paint an enticing world of characters with the ability to shapeshift into three-legged crows,The Raven Does Not Choose Its Masterstrategically explores the parts people play around the court in a delicate but dramatic fashion that showcases people’s motives, leaving you guessing till the very end.
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Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Mastercame out in spring 2024, releasing 20 episodes that each ran at about 25 minutes per episode. Produced by NHK and animated by Pierrot, the anime would adapt the first three volumes of the first part of Chisato Abe’s light novels, also under the nameYatagarasu. Chisato’s novels are separated into two parts, with 10 in total and two additional novels that are side story spin-offs. A manga was also published by Kodansha following the same story, but under the nameKarasu wa Aruji o ErabanaiorA Raven for All Seasons.
After only airing on television initially, Crunchyroll has brought it to a more global audience by addingYatagarasuto its catalogue.The Raven Does Not Choose Its Masterfollows the curious antics of the crown prince, Wakamiya, who was chosen to become the kin’u, ruler of the Kingdom of Yamauchi, and the Cherry Blossom Court, where a wife for the kin’u must be selected from one of the four kingdoms surrounding the mountain.
The political landscape of both these worldsexplores the same themes ofThe Apothecary Diaries, with just how much intrigue and pitfalls threaten the protagonists. Alongside the crown prince and the carefully selected daughters of the main heads from the different provinces is an outlier known as Yukiya, who is the second son of a village chief chosen to be Wakamiya’s servant. Through Yukiya, the audience gets aspecial insight into the crown prince’s cautious steps around the imperial court as well as the unfolding of the court’s manipulation and toxicity.
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Yatagarasuestablishes an interesting premise by focusing on the lore of its world-building, namely that of the history surrounding the Kingdom of Yamauchi. With four nations all fighting to get better social standings within the court, the battle is represented not only by the consorts that are offered to the kin’u, but behind the scenes as schemes and uprisings are planned to usurp, deter, or promote Wakamiya to the throne. While initially a game of wit and intellect, the series goes on tofurther twist the narrative on its head by never letting its audience guess what could happen next.
Yukiya navigates a tricky and often taken advantage of trust from Wakamiya, who does see this son of a village chief as the one ally he can trust in a court of hundreds of crows out for his head.
The Raven Does Not Choose Its Masteris not only an interesting historical drama, but it’s well-animated, utilizing the mystique of the yatagarasu through their transformations and the beautiful landscapes to entice fantasy buffs. The art style is distinguished but not too much to where it doesn’t allow itself to crack jokes or display hysterical features for characters like Yukiya, who gets badly beaten and attends a grand ceremony in the first few episodes.
Even down to the development relationships, such as Asebi in the Cherry Blossom Court trying to make friends with her fellow consorts, to Yukiya navigating a tricky and often taken advantage of trust from Wakamiya who does see this son of a village chief as the one ally he can trust in a court of hundreds of crows out for his head.Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Masterpaints a fascinating anime that balances dastardly political movementsand the combined efforts of Wakamiya and Yukiya to make it through the year until the prince’s coronation.
