This has been a good sleeper anime among a few others.
Just love this mix of Chinese traditional settings with the right mix of dark elements and sort of SOL moments.
A bit surprise the ED is placing at the intro point but it fits well tho (Also gonna be in my top 5 ED's this season. And I'm glad Jusetsu/Shouxue found her inner self.

I'll do a proper review in a bit.

Now it's review time and sorry everyone for the long time frame since it's hectic on this day so many anime that comes out.

Review:
Kokyu no Karasu (Raven of the Inner Palace)
Genres: Fantasy, Historical
Source: LN, M_an_ga
Studio: Bandai Namco Pictures(BNA)
A well known studio for anime like Gintama, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun, This years sports anime on golf Birdy WIng: A Girls Golf Story, and many others.

Personal thoughts:
This had been a hidden gem and sleeper anime on one of the biggest days for anime to air where we have other contenders like Spy x Family, Blue Lock, Boku no Hero Academia(My Hero Academia), and ofc Iruma-kun S3. Aside many others.
This Chinese historical piece starts with Shouxue's profession to her history and her relationship with Gaojun, amongst other points which it's build some parts with comedy but hits us with mystery and suspense with every character.

The art and animation were very good and tier quality best.
The OP + ED was what attracted me to this and the story was what kept me.
The soundtrack is very excellent,
The pace is a bit slow but keeps you there and the most negative about this is the cliffhangers. Aside from that it's solid and different than most anime you see each season.
Also this will be in best list and the ED be in my top 5 ED's list for this seasonal line up of anime.

Final words:
I give this a 9/10 rating and it's a nice change pace of anime.

Woohoo! What a splendid review, short and sweet.
Tbh the cliffhangers add more to the mystery and suspense which one can only feel if he's watching the anime as it is airing, like a lot of us here did. Maybe this is why it was frustrating too. But if you look at it objectively, you'll see what I mean.

Indeed I do

Yes a sleeper indeed. As you said, the OP/ED was "mysterious" enough to keep this show running. The Chinese culture and dark supernatural made it thrilling and very calming to watch.

Also congrats to the Emperor.
He is finally getting some night duties ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

7/10 - unfortunately the plot-progress was dull, the action in last ep would been great asset in the whole serie.

Nothing happened between them, no nighttime duties. I mean, it's obvious from how their relationship is at this point.
And lack of action is an asset imo, pacing was perfect.

he gets a (none dirty) handjob that's a start xD

Gaojun finally cracked the impenetrable defense of the silver haired girl ~

9/10 (of this season) agree with that number. The story is elegant and unique. Not a romance tag, but i think it showed deep romantic moments unlike romances we usually saw, quite sophisticated. Decorated with folk story at its core. it seems to be far from ended, hope it get second chance to finish the story.

Shoxue is blessed, i like that statement. She is in fact.

Indeed

And I just noticed Chinese word in it at this part with bracket: 02:09
I'm glad I did pay attention to the lyric this time XD

lolz

What does it say?

Exactly like what the sub lyric showed.
Chinese translation: 我[wo]想[xiang]要[yao]帮[bang]助[zhu]你[ni] It's true

Please do! Can you reply to my comment (this one) when you give a review so I can get a notification? thanks!

I finish it, come see when you can.

Sure

Lots of sweet moments between Gaojun and Shouxue, I thought she was also writing a letter for Gaojun since she spent time with Huaniang on her own volition but I liked how she wanted to help him out in her own way.

The marks that have grown on Gaojun's arm is concerning though, especially with that imagery at the end with the owl wing, is the owl going to inhabit within Gaojun or something? That seems like it could cause some trouble.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected, and I really liked both the OP and ED. I won't keep my hopes up for a second season but I would definitely watch another season.

Same here

Same for me.

Me too

If that owl is going to inhibit within Gaojun, things will get worse that it can create more walls between him and Shoxue. But it will make things more intriguing.

Me three

Yes, the history repeat it self.

Prev Winter King Killed by Summer King, the cause probably same

This is so mysterious

I see what you did there.

I've watched this every week and let me just tell you all. This anime is a 9/10. I would say 10/10 but I only give that to animes I get obsessed with ,so much that I can rewatch it forever. This one is just a really sweet,short anime that I would binge before sleeping. It has everthinggggg I need in an anime. The whole chinese background is really interesting,yet the author is japanese which made me confused at first. The relationship between the mian charachters is something I really love because it's so pure and the kindness to each other is so beautiful,and how it doesn't need to be romantic yet is so sweet.How Koushun always gives her sweets and their care for each other. BUT ALSO HOW THEY MANAGED TO SHOW US EVERYONESSSSS BACKSTORY like I rarely see that. I'm really sad that this is the end but it's been an awesome journey and I'm definitly reading and collecting the novels ;) I hope everyone watches this and gets it more popular because I havent seen anyone talk about it.

yup even Gyoei Setsu (now old guy) at the end who loved the very cute Li Niang so much...who had her taken away from him and had the love of his life forced to be alone...

Wow. What an anime. This is the most beautiful historical anime I've ever watched. I'm completely blown away. I love that the main concept instead of being love was friendship and self-acceptance. of course I know that romance will occur if there is a season 2 which I will not watch but the core theme is still friendship. Amazing indeed. One thing I really wish they had done is to use the ending theme as the opening theme because it sounds beautiful. If we're talking about music not vocals then indeed the opening theme is perfect as the music pulls you along.
I'm glad my 2022 is ending with this beautiful anime, 8/10.

This anime was so beautiful, I hope there’s a season two… (not likely so I’ll end up reading the manga). The OP has to be my favourite of the fall season it’s just Hdhtutufjjf

Although it didn't get as much attention as it should, I really liked this fantasy story!! this episode was especially sweet as we can see the contrast in Shouxue nature from first episode to the last..would like to see more of the progress between Gaojun and Shouxue..hoping for 2nd season announcement!!

Can we get a 2nd season please I wanna be MYSTERIOUS again

Very nice bandaging skills lol

loved how he lost his voice when he looked at it lol

Jusetsu and Gaojun relationship is finally blossoming as Jusetsu opened up to him. Wanna see more of their cute interactions but it seems this anime won't get another season.
The ending is quite vague tho.

Wowowowo so so so beautiful 😍😍💖💖💖💖💖💖 if it is not gonna get another season I don't know what I gonna do !!! I mean - this anime was really beautiful, very interesting, enjoyable very much, and so nice !!!! I really want another season of this anime , I will watch it for sure! I will miss it 🙁❤️❤️

Same here :(

mannn i really hope that injury dont fuck up anything ;-;

He wanted to kill her because she had more fortune than her predecessor? Envy doesn't even begin to describe such sin

Out of love and jealousy

Out of being a dumb poopybrain

he's salty cuz he cant bang the previous raven consort and be single till he became decrepit old man

Sees unusual bruising around wound.
"It's nothing unusual..." BAKA!!! THAT was a nasty cliffhanger to drop on us at the end of the series.
Really enjoyable series, very different. Highly recommend.

Thus end the best anime of this season. Very emotional series that saw great development for Shouxue and the emperor. The art style and story was great with realistic historical references. A truly rare gem in anime.

it ended on volume 2 of the original novel. and there are 7 volumes.

THANKS!

BRUH the king really should've told Shouxue about his wound & that bruise looked like fingers and its definitely a CURSE!!!! I mean why else did an owl wing sprout from his arm when she was dreaming!!! 😭

Also when the king & the dad of the consort started crying it made me start CRYING TOO- 💔

UGH I really hope this show gets the green light for a S2! and we get more cute scenes with the king and Shouxue!

It's almost comedic that Shouxue faints in the first 2 minutes and the ending plays haha, at least this wasn't the first time they did that.
I give this show 8/10, while the ghost stuff were interesting at first it start to get repetitive after 6 or so episodes, Shouxue and Gojun's relationship and her background is way more interesting to me. The ending song is soooo good!

I laughed when Jusetsu made pouty face like your PP lol.
Agree, I wish their interactions would be 50% of the anime, but we only got like 10-20% of screen time per episode

it's too cute to not change my profile pic for that face