Koukyuu no Karasu

Among the royal court, there is an individual feared as much as revered: the Raven Consort Ryuu Jusetsu. Residing in her jet-black palace and isolated from the emperor, she is the subject of countless rumors. Claimed to possess mystic abilities, she is said to take on any request—from finding lost items to inflicting curses. While some call her an immortal sage, others believe her to be a terrifying revenant. But such comments fail to faze Jusetsu, who prefers to spend her days in quiet solitude. That is, until the emperor, Ka Koushun, barges into her court and asks for her assistance with a mysterious case.

The young emperor's request requires Jusetsu to step out of her palace for the first time. Despite Ka Koushun's frequent visits annoying her to no end, she cannot bring herself to turn him away. Her predecessor's teachings echo in her ears: the Raven Consort is destined to remain forever alone and never desire anything. Yet Jusetsu finds herself making the first of several bonds when she asks Jiujiu, an innocently inquisitive court girl, to be her sole attendant.

Together, they begin fulfilling requests from the people of the palace. However, unknown perils lurk in the outside world, and drawing attention to herself may bring Jusetsu face-to-face with a past that is better left undisturbed.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Ryuu, Jusetsu Main

Mizuno, Saku Japanese

Ka, Koushun Main

Mizunaka, Masaaki Japanese

Jiujiu Supporting

Kouno, Marika Japanese

Ei, Sei Supporting

Yashiro, Taku Japanese

Tan, Kai Supporting

Okamoto, Nobuhiko Japanese

On, Kei Supporting

Shimazaki, Nobunaga Japanese

Han Supporting

Nukui, Yuka Japanese

Ishiha Supporting

Hirata, Mana Japanese

Un, Kajou Supporting

Ueda, Reina Japanese

Sai, Enrin Supporting

Kugimiya, Rie Japanese

Saitou, Souichirou Producer

Inoue, Megumi Producer

Miyawaki, Chizuru Director, Setting

Aketagawa, Jin Sound Director

Reviews

Feb 9, 2024

Bkfootlettuce

Recommended

The art style and character design was truly beautiful. I found the show very captivating and it held my attention well which can be rare. I loved the side characters, storyline, and how each episode there was a new mystery to unfold. This show felt as if there was a lot of effort put in from the writers and animators which really made it special.

I started this show thinking that it was a romance, but nothing fully blossomed in that department.
When I finished it, I double checked to find that it’s not actually categorized as a romance so that makes sense. If there ... is a second season I would absolutely watch it.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Jan 12, 2024

whiteflame55

Mixed Feelings

On a visual level, it's certainly pretty and detailed, and the characters look and act distinctively, particularly the lead. I think the titular Raven, Shouxue, shows some excellent character development over the run of the series, both through her own personal changes and through the development of who she is and how she fits into this world, especially with her supernatural elements. There's also a lot to love about the setting. Much like a more recent series that I loved, Ōoku: The Inner Chambers, this deals in the elements of the inner palace and how they interplay after a coup de etat at the very ... beginning. It's a solid premise for what could have been, and at times was, a very interesting show.

So, why am I struggling? There are two problems.

First, the pacing. This is a very oddly paced series, chiefly utilizing a sort of mystery of the week format. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the show does a good deal to make sure we understand the passion of both the living and the dead in these cases, but since many of them are resolved in short bursts and most of the characters involved in them are one-offs shown for only a little while in that one episode, it's hard to get the sort of investment that you would from, say, The Apothecary Diaries. Instead, what these serve as are little ways to advance Shouxue's character and those directly around her, which is fine, but it makes the actual mysteries feel a bit empty. It doesn't help that larger elements of the series - a certain group of white-haired characters, a conspiracy around a pair of kings, and the supernatural Raven - seem to ebb and flow at various points in the series, disappearing for large chunks of it and leaving me wanting. And to top it off, far too much of this feels like it's very easily resolved. The new emperor can just do a lot without repercussions or broader concerns. Maybe that's appropriate given how long the various Raven Consorts have been around and the fact that they've largely just been set aside, but it begs the question of why this virtually impossible to accomplish for so long. It's essential to the plot and it just leaves me confused.

Second, I think this series is trying to spread itself too thin. I like when it gets personal or political. I would have loved to learn more about how Chinese leadership/society has been transformed by the presence of actual magic in their midst, the knowledge that real, verifiable ghosts are around and that supernatural threats are real and deadly. There's not a lot of that, this is much more localized, but at the same time it's not. By the end of the story, this becomes an issue of almost literal gods and a world much bigger than the palace. And then it just kind of... moves on. There's a sense of inevitability through the plot, including a scene where Shouxue is shown suffering from a monthly affliction that is clearly excruciating and a strong degree of certainty regarding her fate. That's all very big, and arguably could have been a better focus of the series. I still like what we got, but the attempt to tell multiple stories simultaneously just leaves too much in the way of plot threads dangling.

In many ways, this reminds me of Ancient Magus' Bride, and I think like that series, I could appreciate it more if its mysteries are teased out and more time is spent exploring this world. Sadly, a single short season isn't enough to make the most of this plot. If a S2 should arrive, I'll be ready to watch for more, but I can't say this wowed me as much as I'd hoped.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Oct 10, 2024

Valentine07

Not Recommended

(Spanish review below)

It feels... soulless?

If you've already seen 'The Apothecary Diaries' or 'Yatagarasu', 'Raven of the inner palace' has more or less the same essence, setting, power games in palaces, and a detective context. BUT 'Raven of the inner palace' doesn't have a soul like the others.

It's repetitive. Each chapter is the same as the previous one and the situations are resolved in exactly the same way (it even has the same animation).

The animation isn't as good as in 'Yatagarasu' and 'The Apothecary Diaries'. It's average, as is the character design.

It was really boring to watch. At first I had hopes because it seemed interesting, ... but it's not or at least the repetitive aspect kills the entertaining part.

The characters are stereotypes without much more to offer. I don't have a problem with stereotypes if the characters develop throughout the chapters and offer something more. This is not the case.

I don't recommend it

...

Se siente... ¿sin alma?

Si ya has visto ‘The Apothecary Diaries’ o ‘Yatagarasu’, ‘Raven of the inner palace’ tiene más o menos la misma esencia, ambientación, juegos de poder en palacios, y un contexto detectivesco. PERO 'Raven of the inner palace' no tiene alma como las demás.

Es repetitiva. Cada capítulo es igual que el anterior y las situaciones se resuelven exactamente de la misma forma (incluso tiene la misma animación).

La animación no es tan buena como en 'Yatagarasu' y 'The Apothecary Diaries'. Es normalita, al igual que el diseño de los personajes.

Fue realmente aburrida de ver. Al principio tenía esperanzas porque parecía interesante, pero no lo es o al menos el aspecto repetitivo mata la parte entretenida.

Los personajes son estereotipos sin mucho más que ofrecer. No tengo problema con los estereotipos si los personajes se desarrollan a lo largo de los capítulos y ofrecen algo más. No es el caso.

No lo recomiendo.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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	Poll: Koukyuu no Karasu Episode 11 Discussion Stark700 - Dec 10, 2022	43 replies	by shakif1121 »» Nov 21, 5:23 AM
	Poll: Koukyuu no Karasu Episode 9 Discussion Stark700 - Nov 26, 2022	31 replies	by Muow »» Nov 11, 12:25 AM
	Poll: Koukyuu no Karasu Episode 13 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Dec 24, 2022	81 replies	by LeenPhoenixRae »» May 6, 12:25 AM
	Poll: Koukyuu no Karasu Episode 12 Discussion Stark700 - Dec 17, 2022	49 replies	by LeenPhoenixRae »» May 6, 12:05 AM
	Poll: Koukyuu no Karasu Episode 10 Discussion Stark700 - Dec 3, 2022	38 replies	by LeenPhoenixRae »» May 5, 11:27 PM