Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai

In the Kingdom of Yamauchi, people have the ability to transform into three-legged crows known as yatagarasu. While the men plot over daily governance, women compete for the hand of Wakamiya, the crown prince who was selected as the Kinu, the servant to the Mountain God. Four young women arrive at the court to join the competition, including one named Asebi.

While the kind and innocent Asebi sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the other women, the crown prince has to fight for his place in the clan. Despite being born both to a concubine and as a second son, the royal priests still chose Wakamiya to be the Kinu over his older brother. This decision created a rift between the siblings while enraging Wakamiya's stepmother in the process.

When Yukiya, one of the teenage sons of the village chief, is sent to the palace to become Wakamiya's new attendant, the prince is not pleased in the slightest. However, Yukiya's presence at the imperial courts is no mere coincidence.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Wakamiya Main

Irino, Miyu Japanese

Yukiya Main

Tamura, Mutsumi Japanese

Hamayuu Supporting

Nanami, Hiroki Japanese

Sumio Supporting

Takeuchi, Eiji Japanese

Shiratama Supporting

Kugimiya, Rie Japanese

Masuho no Susuki Supporting

Fukuhara, Ayaka Japanese

Natsuka Supporting

Hino, Satoshi Japanese

Asebi Supporting

Honizumi, Rina Japanese

Samomo Supporting

Yorita, Natsu Japanese

Natsumihiko Supporting

Kase, Yasuyuki Japanese

Kyougoku, Yoshiaki Director, Episode Director

Tange, Yuuji Sound Director

Kawatsura, Shinya Episode Director

Kogawa, Yoriyasu Episode Director

Reviews

Sep 21, 2024

Marinate1016

Recommended

For the past 5 months I’ve yelled from every proverbial rooftop how underrated Yatagarasu is and how it’s one of the best anime of the year. Sadly, it never got the attention it deserved but those who watched it will sing nonstop praise about this show. It’s truly incredible and one of the best works Pierrot have ever done. Interesting fantasy story, captivating characters, twists, action, politics, you name it this show does it and does it damn well. Truly a pleasure watching this over the last half a year or so and I pray we get another season because I can tell there’s so ... much left of this story.

Yatagarasu is actually the first piece of media I’ve seen in a very long time which has had twists I genuinely didn’t see coming or detect any foreshadowing of. On several occasions through the show’s run I had my jaw on the floor because of well executed plot twists that changed everything I thought I knew about the story. The author does an amazing job of having you fall in love with characters only for them to be the most vile deplorable people imaginable, and making seemingly evil people into some of the kindest and most noble. The sheer level of complexity that all the characters have in this story is remarkable. You can feel the effort and thought that went into crafting each of them and it has the feel of a fantasy soap opera at times with just how big and alive the cast feels. That’s not a knock either! I love stories with ensemble casts and multiple people you can get behind and root for. One of the best examples of that is my fave anime of all time, Fruits Basket, and I definitely got some of those vibes from this show which is a part of why I like it so much.

One of the coolest aspects of Yatagarasu for me is the political dynamic of Yamauchi. It’s not unlike medieval Japan with the class system, and gap between rich and poor, but it’s made even more interesting with the shape shifting Raven aspect of the story. Not all ravens are created equally and some are forced to work as “horses” or manual labourers for other more wealthy ones. There’s the fragile peace maintained through political alliances and the constant fear of being betrayed. As a fan of house of the dragon, I was captivated every episode by these relationships, especially at the start with the sakura palace selection arc.

But things only got better from there, culminating in what were some of the best reveals I’ve seen in anime down the stretch. The last 7-8 episodes were just incredible, nonstop action, tension, anxiety over who’d make it out. I was so enthralled by this show and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s really great. It’s hard to describe a lot without spoiling, so just give it a chance. If you’re a fan of stuff like Kusuriya, Ooku, Kokyou no Karasu and other historical fantasy/mystery stuff you really have fun with this. It feels like a well done J or K drama and you even forget it’s anime because of how immersive it is.

Yatagarasu gets a very easy 10 out of 10

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Jun 30, 2024

Veldimburg

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (12/20 eps)

"I'm going to get this meeting"
"I finally got it after many trials"
"I did it"

Basically all the story.

I wondered why, even though the intrigue wasn't that bad, I did not feel to actually read the original work but now, after 12 episodes, I get it.
There is no climax.

It's like, look, I have my arc, I have the purpose of the arc, I have the troubles to get my purpose and, I win.
... Win what? No freaking idea, but the purpose was gotten even if you have no idea in what way it'll help in the story nor what was even the point in the short term.

Aaaaand, that's basically the whole story of Karasu wa aruji wo erabanai.
You have complots but when it ends you just don't get what was even the point to begin them for most parts in it.
You have a twist but when you think about it, you don't get why the character would actually bother to do a twist having nothing to gain but all to lose from it.
Feel like all of them are just the puppets of the author, making them move because it's otherwise boring rather than having characters in a box moving by themselves.

Now, that's the case of most stories but there are still anchors saying that you need to bring the story there, but those here are so far away that you're basically watching fillers.
I dare say that of the twelves first episodes, you just have to watch 3 of them. The others are colors.

Oh, and the main character has almost nothing to do with the story too. Too bad, the mc is one of the few likeable one, he's just watching other people while getting as much as us.

Making the whole anime, like... Not bad but I remember almost nothing?
Which is to be expected when the arcs are useless and characters shallows.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Oct 9, 2024

BlueVergeofDeath

Not Recommended

Preliminary (9/20 eps)

I don't recommend. Not gonna lie, kinda disappointed since I really like the first 2 episodes. The world, the lore, I like all of them. But then, nothing. I find myself doing something else while watching. There is nothing wrong or bad with the anime but at the same time there is also nothing stands out, except maybe the excellent opening and ending as in it's really fit and set the mood for the show. I can't really describe it, but try to at least watch 7 episodes if you are interested. If even after that you still feel that hollowness then I would recommend ... to just drop it because I'm quite sure future episodes won't change a thing.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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