Yumerei said:Is the novel any different from the show?
It seems like the show is so fast paced we hardly get to know much about Shouxue's flower powers or why she kept on using the same tricks over and over again (or is this due to the anime cutting corners?)
There's hardly any mystery or feelings involved and the ghost is already exorcised in less then an episode
Idk but the show doesn't seem very put together imo I saw you just finished the series (Love your list design), but I'll try (and fail) to keep my answers concise.
1) I think the novel is a little more detailed and worth reading, but as a tradeoff the anime's visual style, music and voice acting are well done.
2) But you're right. The anime definitely tried to keep some plots to single episodes and wrap up some mysteries quickly. But I don't think it was terrible. Some mysteries were hinted at in earlier episodes when necessary. It was just a bit too efficient to give the final 3 episodes room to breathe. And the flowers did have some explanation in that final episode, but I don't think it was overused. Plus the style of her hair (one harpin, two hairpins, different styled hair) was all episode by episode. I appreciate a series that remembers its details. Even if the flower sequence is the equivalent of a magical girl attack.
3) Yes, some cases just fail to hit in the anime due to the speed and resolutions are too quick (23 minutes). Whereas, in a novel, you try to puzzle it out yourself with the clues presented before it reveals its hand. (1hour or more if you take a break between reading sessions). Mysteries are a delicate genre.
Few anime/manga handle mysteries as a genuine mystery like Mushishi, Hyouka, Master Keaton, Monster, Pluto, Gunslinger Girl, Kino's Journey: The Beautiful World, Steins;Gate or The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria.
Most anime/manga just try to focus on the emotional resolution and some are able to succeed in that like Natsume's Book of Friends, Violet Evergarden, xxxHolic, Baccano! or Bungou Stray Dogs.
Some of my examples might fall under both categories, but all of them are mysteries in some capacity.
4) Overall, I think the show is enjoyable and it has some strong moments, but not all of its scenes are suited to the anime format and it definitely could have been edited better, but I can say I probably never would have tried the series if not for the anime's presentation and the fact that I hadn't seen a series set in a country similar to ancient imperial China. Closest I can think of is Yona of the Dawn (similar to ancient Korea) or Miss Hokusai/Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (Ancient Japan). So it was a new experience for me and I'm definitely going to try the novels because of it. Whether or not you do is up to you.
5) If you need to check if you missed anything due to the speed, Wikipedia has detailed recaps of each episode. They cleared a few things up for me and are a good way to see if you missed anything due to a quick episode, a short post-credit scene or if an anime episode had the ending/opening reversed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raven_of_the_Inner_Palace#Anime
6) If you need another opinion/viewpoint, I recommend reading the TWIA (This Week in Anime) Column by Anime New Network for Raven of the Inner Palace. 2 out of 4 anime reviewers talk about a series, using comments and screenshots, in an insightful, humorous or perplexing way and are a good for a laugh or an insightful opinion about what did and didn't work. Especially in bad series, but also in good ones. Plus they sometimes cover anime that don't get weekly reviews. Have a read if you wish. Just note the names in the byline at the top of the column. I keep mistaking who says what when Nick (Nicholas) and Nicky (Monique) are in the same column.
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/this-week-in-anime/2022-11-22/.192196
Thanks for reading.
Available Light Novel release dates:
Volume 1 Early Digital Release Date: 2023/01/05 (January 5th, 2023)
Volume 1 Paperback Release Date: 2023/02/14 (February 14th, 2023)
Volume 2 Paperback Release Date: 2023/06/06 (June 6th, 2023)
Volume 3 Paperback Release Date: Late 2023 (Probably November 2023 if they release a new volume every 5 months. Post-Anime content). |
