The series Karasu wa Aruji o Erabanai calls to mind – Seirei no Moribito, Akatsuki no Yona – reflect the elite company it keeps. Director Kyougoku Yoshiaki did work on Moribito in fact (as a key animator). And of course Yona was like this series a product of the massively underrated Studio Pierrot. So the bloodline is there in very tangible ways. Pierrot is pretty much always great with story – give them good source material and they basically never screw it up. But I think Yatagarasu may be their most beautiful show Yona. Kyougoku-sensei is no dark horse with the mega-popular Yuru Camp franchise on his directorial resume, but he’s really catching my attention here in a big way. The backgrounds are stunning, but so are some of his stylistic choices.
This story is full of fascinating and complicated characters, none more so than Yukiya and Wakamiya (which is good, since they’re the most important too). Yukiya knew his own parentage of course – he was the grandson of the Lord of the North. But the fact that Azukihiko also knew changes everything between them. His lineage is a burden Yukiya has lived with since he was a toddler, when the leaders of the clan tried to take him away from his adoptive family and bring him to the Center. His father was willing (though not eager) to let them do it, but in the end Yukiya’s stepmother simply couldn’t allow it to happen.
It says something for his mother and brothers that they clearly treated Yukiya with love even under the difficult circumstances his very presence wrought. They were warned that the boy’s presence in their village would create a succession war, as he has a superior pedigree to his elder brother. Yukiya had no interest in claiming Yukima’s inheritance, but that didn’t stop outsiders from trying to force it to happen. Or his father from lobbying to send him away, favoring his biological son and trying to protect him. In the end Yukiya decided to play the role of bonkura (blockhead) – trying to prove himself unworthy of supplanting his brother.
It’s very easy to see why Yukiya is so upset here. Everything he thought he knew about his presence with Azukihiko is a lie – even if Azukihiko is “honest to a fault” as Sumio calls him. The Prince simply isn’t the sort to sugarcoat things to soothe Yukiya’s hurt feelings – he doesn’t have that in him. Yukiya was brought here under contrived circumstances because Wakamiya needed allies, and the Northern House was the most trustworthy. All that was required was for Nazuka to ascertain that the lad’s bonkura reputation was unwarranted – which, being no fool himself, he did quickly enough.
At this point Rokon, who is himself someone who’s here because he’s useful and for no other reason, takes matters into his own hands. He literally drags the boy to see Atsufusa, battered but unbowed as he presumably awaits execution. Why? Maybe, in part, to show Yukiya what loyalty really is. More though, I think, to help the boy understand just how twisted a place the capital is. Atsufusa tells a rather harrowing story. He knew his master was in league with Wakamiya but acted on his own to try and secure for Natsuka what he himself did not seek. Why? Not out of loyalty so much as a desperation to be someone who mattered.
Yukiya is merely a chick, and deeply wounded both by a lifetime of being used because of who he is and by what he sees as Azukihiko’s betrayal. But he’s no fool by a long shot. And like his master he’s a good judge of people – he knows that Wakamiya is a master worth his loyalty in this den of vipers, for all his faults and lack of soft skills. Wakamiya is not the sort to apologize, but he comes as close as someone like him can by asking Yukiya to remain in his service evermore. Yukiya will only pledge to fulfill his promise to stay until spring, and the Prince is in no position to demand (or expect) anything else.
At this point Kyougoku executes a truly magnificent transition sequence, as the seasons pass and spring does indeed arrive. And speaking of arriving, Azukihiko arrives at the Cherry Blossom Palace with one of the all-time great entrances. Only three princesses remain now, and Yukiya announces his master’s arrival with the news that he’s ready to choose his consort. The Prince has been full of surprises from the moment he was introduced to the narrative, so I expect him to say and do anything but the predictable here.
By the way, here’s a timeline that longtime LiA contributor Scampi put together. I find it to be a great resource – thanks Scampi.
Beato
June 16, 2024 at 5:33 pmFYI, Yukimasa is Yukiya’s biological father not his stepfather. That’s why Yukiya specifically says that he has a different mother from his brothers, but they all have the same father.
Guardian Enzo
June 16, 2024 at 5:36 pmRoger.
animealex
June 16, 2024 at 6:19 pmHeh. I was typing so slow, that I only saw your comment, after I posted my own longwinded post.
animealex
June 16, 2024 at 6:18 pmFirst off, am I missing something? Yukiya’s father is his father, only his adopted mother is not his biological mother. I mean, I get the feeling, there’s still something slightly off with this story (Why was there no fallout for the father for knocking the Nord Lord’s daughter up? / Why bring Yukiya to the Center and not to his grandfather’s court?), but so far, Yukiya’s father is his father and no one’s questioning it.
Second, I think Rokon’s intervention was successful. Even if Yukiya can’t identify with Rokon’s mindset, of being glad to be of use to someone, he might see in time, that he’s doing his family a favor, if he becomes the permanent aide of the new emperor: No one can use him and his birth-circumstances to usurp his older brother’s claim to be the next family head. Like the fatuous Atsufusa tried to do with the crown prince’s older brother. Does it hurt Yukiya to leave his family behind? Yes, of course. But he’s growing up fast and in service of the crown prince, he can be part of something greater, whereas at home he would/could become a liability. Btw. it honors Yukiya’s family to no end, that they gave him so much love and raised him right, that not for one second he thinks about the power, the prestige and whatnot it would bring him personally to become the next Emperor’s second in command.
Third: Is there a significance to the mask the crown prince uses, when he presented himself in front of the princesses?
And last but not least: If the crown prince chooses Asebi as his future consort, I will be deeply disappointed. I still don’t trust her any farther, than I can throw her. Especially after the drunken Lord of the West asked my question from before: Why send such a (seemingly) innocent and frankly, not very bright girl in that den of vipers?
Scampi
June 16, 2024 at 8:00 pmYukiya was born second, so Yukimasa must have married Azusa and gave to birth to Yukima first. I guess the weirdness you are feeling must be how did a daughter of a Lord get involved with a mayor of a backwater place that most court ravens treat with disdain, who was also already married with a son, and gets pushed around more easily than his wife? When I look at Yukimasa and the Emperor always had to wonder how these guys get to have multiple wives.
The mask Wakamiya was wearing is the Ko-omote Noh mask, used for young woman or supernatural roles. Noh plays are also often considered to be channeling spirits and gods portrayed in the play. So I’d guess in this case he’s channeling his providence as a kin’u and exercising his birthright as one chosen by the Mountain God.
animealex
June 17, 2024 at 3:08 amThanks for the info on the mask. “Hey girls, look at me! I’m divine!” is quite the statement to start wooing the ladies…
Nadavu
June 16, 2024 at 7:02 pmI wonder why, after it has been established that transforming in plain sight, especially around the high ladies of the court, is a taboo, the prince goes and does just that in front of the entire court (and then Yukiya does it too) and no one seems to be gasping in horror
Scampi
June 16, 2024 at 9:59 pmI went back to check, and the exact wording was: Have you no shame!? How dare you change shape before these noble personages!
It could be something that’s considered indecent or vulgar rather than taboo, in human terms it’d probably be like imitating a monkey in front of nobles and reminding them they’re monkeys too.
Nadavu
June 17, 2024 at 2:29 amOkay, but then the question remains why it’s seemingly fine for the prince to act so vulgarly. Maybe the episode just ended before there was a chance to voice the outrage, or maybe, once the prince himself starts acting like monkey, it pretty much settles the argument that it’s monkeys all the way down.
animealex
June 17, 2024 at 3:13 amOr maybe the prince doesn’t want to play by the rules and likes to flaunt his status as “eccentric”, even though we viewers know, that he’s quite calculating and rational. Perhaps he wants to catch them all off-guard and see how they react?
Scampi
June 17, 2024 at 10:27 pmThere are so many problems with the Rite of the Ascensions I think it’s the least thing on their minds. Yukiya was also almost barred from entering the palace for only wearing a feather robe, but was let in after he told the guards he was the Prince’s attendant, so maybe the guards had just accepted it as one of his eccentricities. The ladies also had to wait for him for a whole entire year, they wouldn’t want to ruin their own chances by being the first one to pick faults with him.
Scampi
June 16, 2024 at 9:38 pmFinally the Prince showed his crow form. Somewhat disappointing. Was hoping he’d have a golden sheen or give speech in crow form (hadn’t heard a horse talk but he did in episode 1). The wind he blew up was certainly very dramatic and makes for a satisfying entrance though.
Purely from a genetics standpoint I hope the Prince will choose Shiratama since the North was said to have never married into the royal family so it’d much needed brand new genes to the pool. Although low chances of it happening since the Prince knew what went on between her and Kazumi. Masuho is his cousin so a pretty icky choice too. Asebi does seem the better choice but I pity any woman who has to marry the clamshell of a man. Still, with all the inbreeding, I wonder if that’s why there’s so many adoptions going around and it’s the court ravens’ way to fix their gene pool.
Think the most beautiful sequence this episode was using the clouds passing over the moon to set the mood for Atsufusa’s conversation. The court may be a twisted place but who’s to say Atsufusa was not an extreme case? Can’t say about the situation in other Houses but being in the Southern House and catching the Empress’s attention certainly didn’t help. I think what Rokon was doing was showing how dangerous the court is, why Wakamiya hid his initial intention from Yukiya, and how precious trust and loyalty are in the court, and how childish it is to throw a tantrum over it, precious as the boy’s feelings maybe. In that regard I feel like Wakamiya still really needs a lot of work with communication if the guy who considered himself a sword for Natsuka is better at getting things across. Even if it isn’t to Wakamiya’s favor it’s something that Yukiya has to experience if he wants him to stay in court.
Wonder what the real reason for Southern Lord’s absence was, and what exactly was the “fuss” mentioned at the Lords’ banquet? Was it about Hamayu’s escape? Was it about the assassination attempts? Were they talking about the assassination Hamayu was involved with or about Atsufusa’s? Also damn right the Royal House didn’t do anything about it because the Empress was behind it all. If Genya knew about Kazumichi’s assassination attempt he probably wouldn’t even have brought up that thread of conversation. There could be another assassination attempt since Cherry Blossom Palace was where assassins were first mentioned in the story, and even if Hamayu ran away there’s nothing to show they were all weeded out.
Btw Enzo, was there something wrong with the timeline I posted? If there’s anything wrong please let me know in the annotations.
Guardian Enzo
June 16, 2024 at 9:47 pmI don’t understand the question – what do you mean?
Scampi
June 16, 2024 at 10:05 pmOh I meant the timeline I posted last week, I’m pretty nervous when you asked to link it because I’m not sure if I got the facts right, thought you might find errors in it that made you not want to use it.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k3hgy6djEh4p3VSFpYy2T_Ku51JAyZnMR4EZpqxswZ8/edit?usp=sharing
Guardian Enzo
June 16, 2024 at 10:10 pmIt’s there! I linked it at the end.
Scampi
June 16, 2024 at 11:47 pmThank Enzo! Really appreciate it.
Joshua
June 16, 2024 at 11:16 pmIn a way, this is essentially an animated version of a classic historical court drama (much like how over in the West, we have stuff like Masterpiece Theater), given how NHK General has aired these kinds of live-action J-dramas over the years. In fact, a J-drama writer, Yukiko Yamamuro wrote this particular adaptation, and an NHK announcer who provided narration for numerous live-action series on the network is the narrator for this show.
It’s probably why this stands out so starkly from what else is airing this season.
Thumpthump
June 17, 2024 at 3:50 pmThank you Scampi! The timeline is much appreciated along with some elaborations on the mythology.
Scampi
June 17, 2024 at 10:54 pmGlad to be of help!
Nicc
June 18, 2024 at 8:19 amThat was yet another terrific 5-minute episode. Yukiya gets the focus for this episode. The peaceful transfer of power in (many) modern governments is definitely something we take for granted. This is the issue that Yukiya had to grow up with. He has an older brother, but he has the superior lineage. That’s a recipe for a succession crisis when the time comes. His parents have been grappling with that too and trying to figure something out before it’s too late. So, he decided to play the fool and to support his brother, as you said.
Right, Wakamiya is not the type sugarcoat things and so he’s very direct with Yukiya about how he got him into his inner circle. Then, here comes Rokon, who’s becoming something of a boisterous uncle figure now takes Yukiya somewhere. It’s to meet the shell that is left of Atsufasa, seemingly keeping himself alive by his delusions. He had a plan on how to make Natsuka the kin’u, but the plans changed and he had to improvise to get rid of Wakamiya. To his credit, he nearly succeeded. Considering his low-born status, there’s no way the Empress would have allowed him to be Natsuka’s chief advisor even if the plan had succeeded. Also, if Atsufasa and Rokon already know about the alliance of the brothers, there’s also no way that the Empress missed that too. Yukiya still intends to stick around until next spring.
And, that comes quickly as there’s a time skip as the seasons change. I wonder if that’s to show that nothing significant happened during that time, though that would be unusual if the Empress and her allies didn’t make any further moves. It’s been a year now since the Rite started. Only three consorts remain and the South seems to have withdrawn from Central completely. Shiratama doesn’t look like she’s doing any better, but she has stabilized enough to stay in the race. She and Masuho no Susuki also got a wardrobe change. Shiratama is now sporting red Masuho no Susuki decided to add some blue. There’s some kind of celebration going on when Wakamiya decides to crash it. Yukiya then declares that Wakamiya is going to choose his consort. He’s very fashionably late, but it looks like he’s made up his mind.
Guardian Enzo
June 18, 2024 at 9:24 amThat’s an interesting point about the seasons and noting happening. Maybe it was intended to show that passage of time since the beginning of the story, rather than since that moment in the story?
Nicc
June 19, 2024 at 7:33 amAh, that’s a good point and it makes a lot more sense. I couldn’t wrap my head around the Empress sitting on her hands over the next few months and allowing Wakamiya to proceed unhindered with his own plans. Having to choose the consort seems to the ONE thing he cannot skip in order to become the kin’u. Then again, he managed to bail on Tanabata (Which he also supposedly couldn’t miss) without any repercussions. There’s a part of me that thinks that this could be a fake-out and that he’s only there to draw out any assassins instead. There he is, seemingly served on a silver platter. It’s pretty close to endgame if he picks somebody right there and then and so somebody’s going to make a move.