I distinctly remember when Tokyo Ravens aired a few years ago, nobody talked about it, except to mention that when it was simulcasted, it aired on Tuesday. Not a lot of anime airs on Tuesday. Oh, and it aired on FUNimation. A deadly combination.
I avoided it then like everyone else, but then finally saw a solid amount of episodes and thought it wasn’t too bad. I really need to go finish that someday. For now, I’ll stick with the manga, which, if the first volume is any indication, won’t be as fan service heavy as the anime.
The manga version of Tokyo Ravens is based off Kouhei Azano and Sumihei’s LN series in Japan. Atsushi Suzumi is handling the manga responsibilities, which I hope it’s a sign that the LN’s pretty fun since I think I prefer the style of the manga compared to the anime. It’s still the same here: Harutora is a part of the Tsuchimikado family that has a ton of power, but he has no powers, and desires to keep it that way. It is only when he loses to Hokuto, a childhood friend he cared about, that makes him decide to become a familiar to Natsume Tsuchimikado, the heir of the family and assumed reincarnation of the father of Onmyoudo.
What I like about the manga version is that it’s accessible, for starters. You’ll be able to understand the personalities of each character, and also understand the setting without being bogged down in heavy cultural information. The art can be weird in scenes, particularly when it comes to any action works, but it’s drawn competently and depicts jokes and emotions well enough. The story isn’t the newest thing out there, but it’s told well, and makes me wonder what’ll happen next. If you can understand Bookwalker’s payment system, it’s not terribly expensive, and it actually does read well on its app. If you’re in need of fantasy and spiritual components, Tokyo Ravens might be your thing.
