TV-Series
Description
Hamayū is the legal wife of Wakamiya, the crown prince of the kingdom of Yamauchi, and is also known by the name Lady of the Cherry Blossoms, which is her true name. She is a tall woman with a striking figure, characterized by black hair, blue eyes, and a direct, unpretentious presence that defies conventional expectations of courtly elegance. Her manner of speaking is notably frank and masculine, carrying little of the traditional feminine delicacy or refinement often associated with ladies of the court.
Born as a daughter of the Nan family, a branch family whose former head lost a struggle for power, Hamayū was adopted by the current head of the family, her uncle Tooru. Her past is marked by tragedy and political violence. She is the daughter of criminals who were executed for the murder of Izayoi, who was the mother of Wakamiya and Fujinami. On the day of the murder, her uncle Tooru decapitated both of her parents. As punishment, Hamayū was originally sentenced to disarticulation, a process where a raven's third leg is removed, trapping them permanently in their beast form. She was spared this fate but lived for a time as a lowly hill raven before begging her uncle to restore her status. He agreed, but only in exchange for her completing a specific task for him.
In the court selection ritual meant to choose a consort for the crown prince, Hamayū enters as a member of the Summer Palace representing the Nan family. Among the candidates, she stands out for her honesty and lack of pretense. Throughout the story, her secret history becomes a point of contention. Fellow candidate Shiratama exposes Hamayū's past as a hill raven and the crimes of her parents. However, Hamayū herself reveals the full depth of her secret, confessing that her true assigned task was to assassinate Wakamiya. After divulging this information, she advises the other princesses to think for themselves and consider their own happiness before fleeing the Cherry Blossom Palace.
Her motivations are complex and somewhat ambiguous. While she admits to being an agent with a mission to kill the prince, the full truth of her loyalties remains in question. It is possible that her parents were framed for the murder by the real culprits, and that her apparent cooperation with her uncle is a cover for a deeper scheme of revenge or a secret alliance with the crown prince. As a member of the raven clan, Hamayū, like all her people, possesses the ability to transform into a three-legged crow, though her specific powers or combat abilities are not highlighted beyond those inherent to her kind. Her role in the story is that of a tragic and enigmatic figure, a pawn in a larger political game who ultimately breaks free from her assigned role, revealing a desire for autonomy that upends the schemes of the powerful houses.
Born as a daughter of the Nan family, a branch family whose former head lost a struggle for power, Hamayū was adopted by the current head of the family, her uncle Tooru. Her past is marked by tragedy and political violence. She is the daughter of criminals who were executed for the murder of Izayoi, who was the mother of Wakamiya and Fujinami. On the day of the murder, her uncle Tooru decapitated both of her parents. As punishment, Hamayū was originally sentenced to disarticulation, a process where a raven's third leg is removed, trapping them permanently in their beast form. She was spared this fate but lived for a time as a lowly hill raven before begging her uncle to restore her status. He agreed, but only in exchange for her completing a specific task for him.
In the court selection ritual meant to choose a consort for the crown prince, Hamayū enters as a member of the Summer Palace representing the Nan family. Among the candidates, she stands out for her honesty and lack of pretense. Throughout the story, her secret history becomes a point of contention. Fellow candidate Shiratama exposes Hamayū's past as a hill raven and the crimes of her parents. However, Hamayū herself reveals the full depth of her secret, confessing that her true assigned task was to assassinate Wakamiya. After divulging this information, she advises the other princesses to think for themselves and consider their own happiness before fleeing the Cherry Blossom Palace.
Her motivations are complex and somewhat ambiguous. While she admits to being an agent with a mission to kill the prince, the full truth of her loyalties remains in question. It is possible that her parents were framed for the murder by the real culprits, and that her apparent cooperation with her uncle is a cover for a deeper scheme of revenge or a secret alliance with the crown prince. As a member of the raven clan, Hamayū, like all her people, possesses the ability to transform into a three-legged crow, though her specific powers or combat abilities are not highlighted beyond those inherent to her kind. Her role in the story is that of a tragic and enigmatic figure, a pawn in a larger political game who ultimately breaks free from her assigned role, revealing a desire for autonomy that upends the schemes of the powerful houses.