Episode 11
The prince said something in this episode that really resonated with me.
“You introduced yourself as Yukiya of Taruhi.
This episode spent a lot of time discussing Yukiya’s parentage and how that affected his position as an attendant to the Prince. After the attack on the Prince and his rescue by Natsuka and Rokon, the five of them are having a discussion and it is revealed that the Prince knew about Yukiya’s parentage.
How he is the grandson of the Lord of the North.
The Prince knew this all along and had chosen Yukiya to be his attendant long before Natsuka came to the North in the second episode.
Yukiya is understandably annoyed. He feels like a tool in the Prince’s hands, useful only due to his lineage. When Yukiya asks why the Prince hasn’t said anything until now, the Prince tells him: You introduced yourself as Yukiya of Taruhi. If you had introduced yourself as Yukiya of the North, I would have dealt with you differently.
This simple statement tells us volumes about the Prince and his sensibilities and also about Yukiya, particularly how he identifies―how he sees―himself.
Even to the Prince, even upon their initial meeting, even in the court where a simple mistake can mean life or death, Yukiya doesn’t try to gain approval by using his superior lineage. He is Yukiya of Taruhi and that’s how he describes himself.
Seeing how dejected Yukiya is, Rokon takes him to see Atsufusa where he is imprisoned. Yukiya asks Atsufusa if he isn’t offended by Natsuka using him. Atsufusa laughs and reveals that he knew how the Prince and Natsuka were in cahoots.
Nevertheless, he still went ahead to plot against the Prince, stating that he just wanted to be useful to Natsuka as he still believes that the older brother will be the better kin’u.
Yukiya remains disgruntled but seems a bit more resolved to see his mission through.
We get a time skip and the next scene is of the Cherry Blossom Palace. It has been a year since the Rite of Ascension began. The Lords of the Houses, except the Southern House, meet and reflect on the past year. Especially now that the plot to assassinate the Prince through Hamayu is in the open.
As the Lords ponder what the Prince will do, the man himself arrives at the Cherry Blossom Palace and announces that he will pick a wife, there and then.
Episode 12 is a banger. A masterclass in character development.
It’s time for the selection, right? The climax of the plots and cunning and battle of wits enveloping the consort position. So which of the 3 ladies left in the Palace will be the Prince’s choice?
Hint: None of them.
Let’s break it down.
The ladies and the Prince are gathered and he starts with Shiratama.
The Prince knows all about her relationship with Kazumi. Yet, that isn’t his major gripe. He acknowledges her devotion to her role, appreciating the burden being the youngest in the Palace must have been.
He, however, asks her if she ever considered making her own decisions and choices, instead of letting her family choose for her.
Quite harshly, the Prince compares her self-sacrifice to laziness.
Then he asks about the child. Que the Peeta in Hunger Games moment.
To the shock of the entire gathering, the Prince alleges that Shiratama is pregnant with Kazumi’s child and if she doesn’t want to keep it, he’ll marry her. Even though she is no longer a virgin.
Her lady-in-waiting is beside herself. The woman screams at Shiratama to forsake the child. In an impressive showing of defiance, Shiratama disagrees, wrapping her arms protectively around her midsection.
She wants to keep the child.
Yukiya appears, escorting an injured man up onto the open area. Plot twist, it’s Kazumi. He is alive and apparently, not the intruder murdered by the guards.
Shiratama and Kazumi hug and it is revealed that Shiratama isn’t pregnant. Humorously, the Prince gambled on Shiratama not knowing enough about sex and pregnancy (they haven’t had sex) and his gamble paid off.
The new couple is settled and the Prince moves on to the next lady―the majestic Masuho-no-susuki.
The Prince acknowledges her strong sense of duty. And she proves him right almost immediately by asking for Hamayu’s redemption, alleging that Hamayu never intended to kill the Prince.
Nazukihiko swiftly dismisses her request.
She then asks why he never visited the Palace and he says that he never needed to. He goes further and dismisses her pride and dedication to improving herself and becoming worthy of the consort position as nonsense.
In a deadpan delivery, he says above all he wants a patient wife, one who can wait endlessly, without complaints to Masuho’s dismay. He states that he will select as many wives or concubines as he needs.
“Given the right circumstance,” he says, “I might even abandon you. I will not allow you to complain or to become intimate with any other man.”
Masuho is speechless. Her pride, devotion, and determination have been tossed aside. Demanding a dagger from her lady-in-waiting, she decisively cuts her hair, announcing that she will join a monastery instead.
Girl boss moment right there. And so in line with her character.
The final lady in contention is Asebi. The Prince walks up to her and compares her to a delicate flower. The moment seems magical. The twinkle in her eyes plus the fact that she is the only one left.
Is this it? Is Asebi going to be the Prince’s consort?
Is it fate?
Nope.
The story takes one of the biggest twists I’ve seen in a while. Notably, as Nazukihiko approaches Asebi, displeasure paints his expression and the weather cools. Is the Prince’s mood connected to Yamauchi’s weather? No time to ponder. The Prince starts talking and every word that falls out of his lips is a shocking revelation. The soft-spoken, gentle Asebi is actually a psychopathic manipulator.
Now, remember how the Prince visited the Eastern House some episodes ago. It turns out that he got the full story of Asebi’s crimes there.
The revelation of those crimes takes us to episode 13.
The manservant at her father’s estate who the Prince meets with is Kasuke, the same Kasuke that Asebi wrote letters to, asking about her mother. Now, Kasuke is in love with Asebi and she knows it. Directing that devotion, she uses him to sexually assault her older sister and the trauma causes the first child to pull out of the rite.
It doesn’t stop there.
Fujinami is also in love with her, as they were close in childhood, and she uses the Princess’ sway to steal the letters the Prince sent the ladies.
Enter Samomo, the unfortunate lady-in-waiting. Asebi used Samomo to deliver letters to Kasuke, asking him to rendezvous with her, although that was against the law. Kasuke ends up dying at the hands of Sakimoto, the Wisteria Hall guard.
As she realizes that Samomo is a loose end and can spill the truth, she uses Fujinami to drive Samomo away. Fujinami pushes Samomo off the building, thinking she can fly but Samomo’s dress catches on the guard railing and she plummets to her death.
Now, the truth is in the open. The Palace is aware of how Asebi causes the death of two ravens and the sexual assault of her own sister. Is our dear lily of the garden bothered?
Not in the slightest.
The psycho is so calm and unbothered and somehow, fails to see what she did wrong.
Of course, now that the veil is off, there were some signs that Asebi was not what she presented herself as.
Why was she the only one who received a letter from the Prince?
Why did Samomo look so discomfited after delivering her letter?
She seemed shocked when Yukiya transformed into his human form. Was that shock on her face or disgust?
Why did she refer to Kasuke as just a “hill raven”?
Either way, the Prince walks away and Yukiya looks disgusted. Another one down and… there are no ladies left.
Or is there?
The Prince walks towards the back of Masuho’s entourage and hidden there is…Hamayu! Although Nazukihiko refers to her as “Sumi”.
Turns out that, convinced of her innocence, Masuho sheltered Hamayu/Sumi and kept her safe. The Prince then asks for Hamayu’s hand in marriage. There is a familiarity between them and he describes them as “running mates.” He repeats his statement to Masuho: If Sumi chooses to become Empress, she will dedicate her life to him, sometimes, waiting endlessly.
Sumi agrees and it seems like we have our Empress.
I like Hamayu/Sumi as Empress. The Prince will have someone who supports him unconditionally and is unaffiliated with any of the houses.
Their relationship is friendly, a puff of fresh air amidst the thick toxicity of the rite.
The Houses receive news of the results of the rite but the episode does not give us more insight into their emotions. We are quickly taken to Yukiya’s departure.
Our protagonist is ready to return to Taruhi but he has some words for the Prince, in essence saying: Why not resign yourself to a lesser position in the court? You don’t have to be kin’u. Let Natsuka rule and support him from the sidelines. I’ll stay and be your aide if you do.
Yukiya is worried about Nazukihiko and for good reason. The rite is over but the dangers remain. Many parties are against the Prince ascending the throne of Yamauchi. And as Yukiya rightly points out, Nazukihiko could lose his life in the struggle.
The Prince says something strange though. I have nothing if I am not a kin’u.
What does that mean?
Lecture finished, Yukiya departs and begins his journey to the North. Somewhere in the centre, we are introduced to a new foe. A beastly animal that preys on a raven. The preview shows a new character, a young woman, riding a shabby carriage.
How does she fit into this new development? A victim or a perpetrator?
We have to wait for episode 14.
My thoughts so far
Remember when I said my reviews would be less detailed…what a joke. If I hadn’t restrained myself, this review would have been twice its current length. Anyway, these past three episodes were masterpieces.
Plot twist after plot twist after plot twist.
Yet, they were delivered in engaging scenes that don’t leave you exhausted or overwhelmed.
Crunchyroll released a new trailer for the upcoming arc which will drop on the 20th of July. You can watch it here.
This new arc is titled “Golden Raven Arc.” And if the trailer and preview are anything to go by, it’s going to be good.
All in all, the past 13 episodes of “Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master” have been delightful. The characters were well-developed and have been consistent, growing with each episode. The pacing is beautiful. I never got tired or bored or tried to skip ahead.
The plot twists were shocking but very believable; the story was not contorted to fit the twist. When the plot twists were revealed, you got surprised but quickly nodded in agreement. It all made sense.
I hope the new episodes will shed more light on the Prince’s power and the reactions of the Houses after the Rite.
What will the Empress do? Who is this new antagonist? And who is this new character?
I’ll see you on the 20th of July!
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