Fantasy palace intrigue anime focusing on the eccentric servant of a noble prince
Kodoani.com – NHK announced on Tuesday that it is in the process of producing an anime television adaptation of the novel “Karasu wa Aruji o Erabanai” (The Raven Does Not Choose its Master) by author Chisato Abe, this is the second novel in her “Yatagarasu” novel series. It is expected that the anime will premiere on NHK in April 2024.
The novel focuses on the world of the yatagarasu, a mythical crow that appears in East Asian folk mythology. The yatagarasu have the ability to transform between human and crow forms and live in the Yamauchi world, a parallel world created by the yatagarasu god Yamagami. In Yamauchi, there exists a society reminiscent of Japan’s Heian period, and this parallel world is still linked to the human world.
“Karasu wa Aruji o Erabanai” revolves around the story of Yukiya, a beautiful but eccentric yatagarasu boy who is chosen to be a retainer of the prince. The story unfolds as Yukiya and the prince are caught up in intrigues and conflicts within the royal court.
Author Chisato Abe launched the novel series with the first book titled “Karasu ni Hitoe wa Niawanai” in 2012. The novel series consists of six books (with “Karasu wa Aruji o Erabanai” being the second book, published in 2013), along with a spin-off novel. The second part of the novel series has inspired three novels (the latest released in October 2022) and one spin-off novel.
The first two novels have been adapted into manga. Mitsumi Matsuzaki drew the manga adaptation of the “Karasu ni Hitoe wa Niawanai” story arc that was published on Kodansha’s Comic Days app from June 2018 to April 2020. Matsuzaki also launched the manga “Karasu wa Aruji o Erabanai ” in Kodansha’s Evening magazine in May 2020, then moved to Comic Days in December 2021, where the series is continuing to develop.
