Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master was an anime that flew under many people’s radar. The series started in the spring season, had three weeks off in the summer season due to Olympic coverage, and was practically unnoticeable the rest of the way from a wide-standing audience. It didn’t rank higher than 30th in the Anime Corner weekly polls during both seasons, and it received fair ratings at best on fan-ranking sites. But the Yatagarasu anime proved that if fans simply give something different a chance, they may find a diamond in the rough that they’ll thoroughly enjoy.
Animated by the widely popular studio Pierrot, some may see that name and immediately be turned away from the series for multiple reasons. But looking past the studio name and finding the time to sit down to watch Yatagarasu, viewers will immediately find themselves encapsulated by the beautiful artwork and character designs. The mysterious story behind it all just added to the allure. In short, Yatagarasu became a must-watch anime project handled by Pierrot.
Yoshiaki Kyougoku was the director for Yatagarasu, making it just his second work as a TV anime series director with the other being the first two seasons (and movie) for Laid Back Camp. He’s joined by Yukiko Yamamuro, who made her TV anime production debut handling the series composition and script for the series. So one would think that the two aren’t the fanciest names in the industry that draw much attention, right? But I’ll say it firsthand that the work they both put in, along with Art Director Shinji Matsuura and the rest of the staff, was extremely well-crafted.
Yatagarasu‘s selling point was undoubtedly its artwork, eccentric characters, and compelling story, especially when you consider the twists the series puts forth. That’s also a big draw with Yatagarasu—you really don’t know what’s coming next unless you’re well-versed in mystery-supernatural stories. I was originally uninterested in the series myself back at the beginning of spring and now it has become my pick for Summer 2024 Anime of the Season.
Yatagarasu was very consistent in every aspect. It makes sure to cross the t’s and dot the i’s when it should. Viewers may find themselves saying “Well what about…?”—patience. This series was a slow burn and really takes its time to unfold the mysteries within it. Yatagarasu was the type of anime that knew what was happening more than the viewers, a sort of reverse dramatic irony. The main characters and side characters alike were engaging, leaving me hating some (because of good writing), liking others, and constantly questioning who was trustworthy and who wasn’t.
The Chinese-themed setting in terms of architecture and positions of power, specifically dealing with concubines and royalty, were similar to recent anime such as The Apothecary Diaries and The Raven of the Inner Palace. So if you loved either of the settings for those stories, then you’d undoubtedly be drawn into watching Yatagarasu.
It didn’t have the flashy animation like others from this summer season, but it didn’t necessarily need to. Yet, when some fast-paced scenes happened, the animation was rather beautifully executed. Yatagarasu was a story and character-driven anime that excels in just what it wants to do. My real criticism of the series was its transition between the two arcs that make up the full season. As entertaining as both were, it’s a, let’s say, interesting switch-up. Most of the characters from the first arc don’t really play too much of a role in the second cour, and that was slightly disappointing. It was almost as if the story went “Okay, now on to the next plot development.”
Everyone was still technically around the Cherry Blossom Palace. But not hearing from them for the most part in this second cour, it makes me wonder what’s the point of them right now after developing so much story around them? Outside of that and some rather slow moments, my criticisms of Yatagarasu are minimal. The anime delivers a carefully articulated story that stands out from the rest of the Summer 2024 anime lineup. If you’re wondering whether or not to watch Yatagarasu then the answer is a resounding yes, you should. The fantasy drama series dealing with Shinto mythology created by Chisato Abe received one hell of an adaptation. Hopefully, we’ll see another season sooner rather than later.
Screenshot from Crunchyroll
© Abe Chisato / Bungeishunju / NHK, NEP, Pierrot