Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
SaikatBairagi
Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master - The Most Underrated Court Drama of 2024*
Score: 9/10*
I finished Yatagarasu in two days and I’m still thinking about it. This is easily one of the most intelligent and underrated anime of 2024, and it’s a crime that more people aren’t talking about it.
STORY: 9/10*
The premise sounds simple: In the land of Yamauchi, ruled by the Yatagarasu clan who can shapeshift between human and three-legged crow form, the Crown Prince Wakamiya must choose a consort from four noble houses.
The first 6-7 episodes deliberately trick you. It feels like a slow-burn reverse-harem / palace selection story focusing on the four girls - Asebi, Hamayu, Masuho no Susuki, and Shiratama. But that’s just the surface. Underneath, it’s a tense political thriller ab…
Read at the sourcepetrichorbones
I forgot that just anyone can write reviews. Listen to me, especially if we are friends on this platform. LISTEN to me you MUST watch this its so good and it deserves way more praise than it gets. If you too care not for the whatever anime is most popular with men rn, watch this and be free.
Its just really good I will not take any criticism of this show or its manga or its light novels esp if you are a man. Its good. That is final.
Okay, okay, the only criticism is that they made Yukiya less fluffy and baby faced, and don't have enough time for Wakamiya to play the clueless silly airhead for as long as he's supposed to. Manga Yukiya is so cute and fluffy and then they took my boy and gave him serious face. BUT it is a fitting choice for the pacing of the show and it's really well done y…
Read at the sourcetoki1
All I have to say is the first 13 episodes are truly amazing. The way it had me hooked and would always make my jaw drop by the revelations that just kept coming. The story is unique and very interesting. You will keep wanting more as it goes. 10/10 for the first 13 episodes
Now the next 7 are not quite up to the first 13, but with that being said I would still give them a 7.5 or higher. I just hope a second season is going to be announced to make the second half feel more complete.
The art style was very fitting and I grew very fond of it as the episodes went on. This story gives several different human emotions and I loved watching how the characters react to the many twist and turns.
I will keep recommending this anime to others! Now go watch it :)
Read at the sourceBigDaddyTuesday
tl;dr Yatagarasu: The Raven Does not Choose its Master stands out incredibly as both a Historical Drama and as a series. The mythological flair combines with superb plot direction and character writing to form one of the best of the genre. Were this show given the recognition it deserves, it could easily stand tall among the other great hallmarks of both the historical genre and as a benchmark anime to watch. Sadly, for the time being, this show is criminally under-watched with a mere 14k people having completed the series in MAL statistics at the time of writing. I both pray for a continued adaptation of material and for more people to discover how wonderful this show truly is. Below is a more concise summation of my thoughts.
Setting - The world of Yamauchi, the fictional land in which…
Read at the sourceNemethBooshi
The show is separated by two arcs. If I were rating just the first, it would have been a 9/10.
The first arc takes a few episodes to establish itself but once it does, it's a story full of intrigue and unexpected twists and turns.
The second arc however, just isn't as strong as the previous. All the unanswered questions and political drama in the first arc were mostly ignored. Though I can appreciate the world building, if there isn't going to be a season 2 then they should have just cut this arc completely.
As a whole, I still think this show is worthy of praise even though it takes a minute to get into and the second arc not being as strong as the first.
Read at the sourceValentine07
(Spanish review below).
I liked the first part a lot more than the second. The conflicts in the palace and the mystery behind the emperor seem a thousand times more interesting to me than the monkeys. In fact, when they appeared in the story I was like: what is this?
The first part has a much bigger element of mystery than the second part. It reminded me a lot of ‘The Apothecary’s Diaries’. Also, the characters that are introduced in the second part didn’t manage to interest me either.
The animation is amazing and I really liked the drawing style. Also, I found the world of the Yatagarasu very interesting, with all its hierarchies and legends. At first I had a bit of trouble understanding the subject of hierarchies, but the story gradually introduces you to the details.
I really liked t…
Read at the sourcekemptea
This is a classic "stick with it" show. This is an in-depth world, and a lot of moving parts. You're going to feel a little confused and bogged-down by all the characters and intrigue at first, but oh, boy does it pay off in the long run.
The Good:
- The show takes its time to build characters, motivations, intrigue, subplots, and red herrings.
- The plot reveals reward a careful and patient audience.
- The visuals are wonderful, though some people may find the character design a little off-putting at first.
- The MC isn't a bland everyman. He's a clever, somewhat cynical kid who isn't afraid to dive into it.
- These are bird people. That's an unusual, fantastic setup.
The Not-Quite-Bad:
- I found it difficult to keep track of which families (north, south, east, west, etc.) were know…
Read at the sourceMewsicMagic
The Raven Does Not Choose It's Master is by far the most impressive hidden gem I've ever seen. An anime that despite it's masterfully produced story, plot and pacing still manages to stay at the bottom of the popularity barrel. That sad treatment is something it certainly doesn't deserve, If I said it was better than everything that released in the same anime seasons as it, I wouldn't take that as objectively true, however it wouldn't be that far off from the truth. The short recommendation at the start is if you enjoy political maze plots, mystery vibes or even just watched something like The Apothecary Diaries and liked it for the "political" or mystery type parts of it. There is no reason on this earth you shouldn't watch this.
Let's hit things off with the story and plot, the actual…
Read at the sourceConundrum_mine
Do you expect your anime to blow you away with every twist and turn, always exceeding what you expected out of it? If so then is the show you're looking for.
This was a very masterfully crafted political drama, mixed with fantasy, lore and lots and lots of mystery and the ability of the author to keep you guessing how things are gonna get resolved but you won't be able to guess any. It starts out simply as a typical political drama, where you've got lots of plotting, power hungry characters and the cliche battle for the throne but the more time you'll give to this anime, the more you'll realise that this is much more than that and by the end of the series you'll literally be questioning what really was this anime. I don't want to spoil it for anyone but all I'm gonna say is that this thin…
Read at the sourceCookie111
This is an example of good drama and suspense. The mythology adds to the setting and creates lore that makes the main plot feel more important. It completes one and then moves on to another plot. The first I believe is somewhat predictable however the experience is not diminished tone, suspense is effectively built and this does mean that when there are 'expected' twists it is a better one especially as what has been set and up makes you take the information for granted. I found the 2nd plot to be the better part of the series all previous positives stated happen again but to an extreme. I found the fact the villain was not clear more interesting as you learn new things with the characters and I played along with that when it was being revealed, this was the part that gave me an experience…
Read at the sourceAechgal
Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai has been the greatest surprise of the year so far, as of October 20th. Not only is it the biggest surprise, but it's also the best anime I've watched this year.
It started off as a solid anime. The first episode threw a lot of information at me, but it still piqued my interest. As the episodes progressed, I found myself more and more engaged, increasingly intrigued, and eagerly anticipating the next one. Then came a couple of episodes—the climax of the first arc—that completely blew my mind.
The end of the first arc... HOLY F*CK! It was so AMAZING, so well-crafted. Everything started coming together, bit by bit, while I couldn’t believe how thoroughly I had been fooled. It all made perfect sense. I can't even describe my reaction—it could have easily served as…
Read at the sourceMoonboye
For the love of God, PLEASE give this a second season! This show has it all: brilliant writing, interesting characters, thoughtful worldbuilding, great plot twists and mystery...
Mystery series can suffer from "insufferable know-it-all syndrome" (The Apothecary Diaries suffers from this, for one), where the main character is somehow able to deduce the truth from basically nothing and explains it all to the viewer as if they could have drawn the same conclusion if they had just looked a little closer.
Yatagarasu is not guilty of this fault. The story is extremely well thought out. Subtle hints and clues are interlaced in the progressing plot. Nonetheless, the reveals are huge and very satisfying payoffs.
To call Yatagarasu only a mystery series would be a disservice, however. The charact…
Read at the sourceExistentialUFO
This anime ranks in my top five of all time. It exudes a classy, art-house vibe, with exceptional world-building, aesthetics, and character development, all deeply rooted in Japanese high culture. As someone who loves crows and ravens, I particularly enjoyed seeing them woven into this fantasy setting. The series is split into two arcs, both of which I found highly engaging. If I had to offer one minor critique, it would be that the two arcs could have benefited from separate opening themes, though this is hardly an issue for me. The first arc beautifully captures the elegance and regality of court culture amid political intrigue, while the second arc delves into a macabre mystery threatening societal stability. Both were exceptionally well-written.
Read at the sourceLeina_Lu_Long
When the first cour began I was expecting a typical run-of-the mill harem story, which I was totally in for anyway. Pretty soon the creators threw us into a rich world of beauty, mystery, and ever-present threats. For anyone who enjoys the kishoutenketsu (introduction, development, twist, conclusion) storytelling style, this one is for you!
Overall 10/10 (spoiler-free)
The premise of Heian-like period Japan intrigued me from the start (historical fiction for the win!), with cunning characters of the inner palace. The introduction of the four houses and what stakes they have in gaining a connection to the imperial family sets the premise: behind the fleeting sakura and smiles lies an ongoing battle for power and prestige. Yatagarasu politics mirrors our own, but with the added layer of sha…
Read at the sourceCaptainKenshiro
Last year, there was an alternative history royal palace political drama, which took me by surprise with its characters and world building.
No it wasn’t Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, which I dropped because it seemed too semi-episodic and lighthearted to match my expectations of it, nor was Koukyuu no Karasu either, as I did not watch that one yet, and it is usually referred as the worse Kusuriya, imagine that.
It was Oooku, which although it had a not very good first episode, and relied more on its setting, plot elements and characters than an actually good story, it was overall pretty good.
This year I heard about this anime expecting something similar, and just like with Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, the tone seemed very lighthearted and made me drop the show, but only for its first three episod…
Read at the sourceIonliosite2
Political dramas are hard to make, I’ve seen enough series be completely unable to have the gravitas needed for such storylines, so the fact that Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai actually managed to pull it off was a pleasant surprise to me. The series tackles webs of conspiracies ingrained in the royal family, in the royal court and even in the common populace, taking it all with the seriousness these plots need, but also the complexity needed to be engaged in them. A character chart to keep track of every character, their relations and alliances is practically a must if you want to follow all the twists the mysteries provide, being a rare example of a modern anime that rewards you for paying close attention to everything happening, something I never expected to see when I picked this show pur…
Read at the sourcewhiteflame55
This show is great. Never thought I would have been saying that early on, but wow, did this ever exceed my expectations.
Still, it took a while to get there. I don't think I was really onboard with what this series had to offer until episode 7 as its mysteries, particularly those at the Cherry Blossom Palace, really started to ramp up. I like a good story of political intrigue and, while the series offered a good deal of that before that point, it didn't feel like there were real stakes to it. Oh, but the stakes came in a big way, and from then through episode 13, I was absolutely mesmerized. I loved how this mystery played out, especially the who's and how's of a number of key points in the story up to that point.
And it's not just the mysteries that this show does well. I think it's ob…
Read at the sourceOne_Good_Name
It is a non mainstream anime although it is studio pierrot. This anime got me into it from episode 1, although some people only started to love it after giving it a try to three episodes at least.
It is extremely amazing anime, from touching into topics like mythology and traditional customs from the japanese history. It is a straight up 10 for me, it includes lots of mystery and I did not find the plot very obvious at times, which made me go into a detective mode to find out what happens. I think the best arc was the first one because there were lots of plot twists, imo.
The last arc is also really great!
I definitely recommend this anime and to anyone giving it a try to at least watch three episodes, I met some people who only started getting more into it on episode three. If you are i…
Read at the sourceMarinate1016
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 th…
Read at the sourceKANLen09
Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master - In the realm of historical anime, this show stands aloft with its widespread wings, even if it doesn't get the popularity that it should deserve all the more.
As a bona-fide Asian, having lived and watched countless palace-centred series ranging from Chinese to Korean live-action drama shows that have lasted for time millennia, I had the privilege to learn a part of history that not only is a centerpiece of the Feudal times, but this is essentially where the world got its start in a lot of aspects, from romance to politics. Of course, the Japanese medium, just like its East Asian counterparts, has all of that too in anime form through the depiction of the historical fantasy genre, ranging from the likes of Fall 2022's heavily underrated K…
Read at the source