EMPRESS OF ALL SEASONS

You’ll think you know where this story is going: rooted in Japanese mythology, it’s the tale of a yokai (monster) girl competing to become the bride of the Emperor’s son in a land where yokai are subjugated. Mari, the heroine, is plain yet determined, raised to marry a rich man then run off with his wealth, as Animal Wives do. There’s the obligatory boy who loves her, in this case another yokai, Akira, The Son of Nightmares. The prince is suitably handsome and lonely. But there are twists you won’t see coming.

Another thing that’s unexpected is the sheer humanity of the characters. While they conform broadly to certain familiar tropes, there are little nuances in their thoughts and actions that make them feel like real people. You’ll empathise with them, and genuinely hope things work out for the best.

If there’s anything to complain about, it’s that sometimes things happen illogically quickly – Akira’s able to master using the shuriken in a matter of days, though Mari had to train with her naginata for years – and the wonderfully diverse nature of yokai isn’t really explored, with most of the ones encountered being humanoid. However, the power of the characterisation carries things through to the end, which is rather abrupt. Miriam McDonald