The long wait is over! This was a tougher chapter than usual in terms of translation, cleaning, and redrawing than usual. I think most of our active cleaners helped out on this chapter. I think we are all glad to have this chapter over with! Phew!
Well, the chapter didn’t go as I expected, but my random wish for pirates in the story did come true! Hooray for pirates!
Updated 03/11/2011 (incorporated multiple minor edits from Holanio)
Updated 03/10/2011 (error on page 25 fixed)
Links to “Akagami no Shirayukihime” chapter 23: (Zip) (PDF)
My thoughts on the chapter:
I’m so happy about the introduction of pirates into the story. Perhaps now there will be more action and some real danger in the story. With this, though, comes the risk that Shirayuki will become the helpless “damsel in distress”. We’ve seen no evidence in the past that Shirayuki can fight or that she has any fighting spirit. Plus, in this chapter she seems dazed and confused. I was hoping that she didn’t swallow the sleeping pills and instead was pretending. Meh… And then her last thought about Zen was rather disappointing. I would have rather seen an angry and determined look on face and her thinking, “I’ve got to get out of here!” and then saying, “Kadzuki, you got any weapons on you?” Even peace loving Yuda in ZHD was packing heat and learning to fight before the end of the story. Maybe Shirayuki will use her chemistry skills to do something clever with Kadzuki’s sleeping pills.
Shirayuki and the mountain folk…so what’s up with these mountain folk? I hope they are bandits and that Shirayuki is their princess. I imagine the pirates want to use Shirayuki as a bargaining tool with the mountain folk.
Kadzuki — meh…he’s now one of the many guys trying to save Shirayuki. Perhaps since he was once in the pirate gang, he’ll know something about how to escape from them.
Obi — I love seeing Obi angry! At this point he and Zen seem to be overlapping. Is Zen going to try to catch up with Obi, or is he doing a separate effort to find Shirayuki? Maybe Obi and Zen will meet up at the mountain and launch their effort from there. I kinda wish the story would let Obi do his violent ninja thing to get Shirayuki back. Maybe Zen can hang out with the mountain folk while Obi and the rest take down the pirates. What good is having a personal assassin if you don’t let him loose on your enemies once in a while?
Chapter 24 comes out on April 9th in Japan. If the chapter is as complicated as this one, it may take us 3 to 4 weeks again to put out translation.
Next up are chapter 6 and 7 of “Pika Ichi”!
The Crimson Flower Blog 
Oh man! My whole day has been screwing with me and I've been feeling like shit. You can't imagine how happy this release has just made me! Thank you!! ;w;
Thank you for the release! Now I can't wait for the next chapter XD
Man Obi is one angry fella! I think that Obi and Zen are likely to meet up at the mountains since the taller kidnapper said he wanted to alert his comrades and Zen & co. are also gonna be heading there.
Heh, I didn't realize that was Zen on the first page until after I read the story..lol.
Anyway, you… are.. AWESOME!!!! Thank you for this! ::gives you many, many cookies:: I find it greatly amusing that there are actually pirates now, after you had wished for some. ^_^
Who on earth who named their SON Eugena!? That's a girls name!! ::mumbles and grumbles about it for a while:: But, I like Prince Raji's.. uh.. escort.. or assistant.. Sakaki. He's an amusing fellow.
Now, I gotta say. I'm confused about something on page 25. Isn't that the guy who tried to kidnap Shirayuki (what was his name…? Ah!), Mihaya? Um.. when did he become the King's son? Heck, when did he ever live there?! Akizuki Sorata-san.. you're confusing me!!
AND! Ooooooh, Obi looks awesome when he's mad! Also, Zen's comment, “We will make then kneel!” was pure awesomeness as well (but, then again.. I actually like Zen..lol). Um.. Oh! Way to step up Prince Raji! Yay!!
Yeah, yeah.. Kadzuki will help you until you get away, then he'll kidnap you AGAIN and take you to the mountain people! ::snorts:: Don't trust a pretty boy.. ::shakes head::
-Tin
ps: Again, thank you!
@Tin — nice catch on page 25. I kept staring at the page thinking it was Raji and not Mihaya. It didn't make any sense that Raji couldn't talk to his own father, so I did a little creative editing ;p. Oops…:(. Hahaha! I seriously stared and stared at the page for hours and all I saw was Raji. And I kept thinking “WTF”? I guess some characters look too much alike. Anyhow, I fixed the page.
Obi mad!!! wow…what a cool thing to see…he looks more intimidating when he is angry than Zen does…
I agree with Tin…Kadzuki is only helping Shirayuki escape so he can go about his business with her…never trust a man/boy who says trust me.
Some of the king's expressions seemed a bit suspicious. Almost like he was in on it or something…
And thumbs up for the pirates…now if we could only see some glorious pirate action! And wouldn;t it be funny if, in the thick of the melee, it's Shirayuki who has to save Zen's hide rather than the other way around?
That emotion
The awaited chapter T.T
That emotion.
Thank you
Pirates! YES!! 😀 This chapter just about made my month, just fyi. Thank you for posting!
So, first off, Obi. Holy CRAP. I LOVE him. We knew he was a beast from the very beginning, but now his ninja/asssassin side is coming out. (His TRUE self? He's so mysterious (:) Freakin' sweet. It just almost made the manga to see him being absolutely and completely serious throughout the entire chapter – proof, I think, that he is in love with Shirayuki, since he took off after HIS mistress. XD
I think the scary pirate lady is Kadzuki's sister or something. I'm disappointed that he's being so nice to Shirayuki – there should be more comic tension between them.
I highly doubt that Zen and Obi are going to meet up – I can see Shirayuki getting forced onto a pirate ship and Obi doing his ninja thing and somehow catching up to it right away. Zen's goal is being redirected towards the “mountain.” Ah, the plot thickens… Perhaps a true villain will show up soon?
I want to see Shirayuki get tough, though. She seemed that way to me during the first few chapters of the manga, but lately she's been acting more helpless. By the way… I've totally jumped on the Obi x Shirayuki bandwagon. -_-; It's delightful; we have ninjas!
Psyched for the next post!
i just think that kadzuki is shirayuki's brother
YEAAAHHHH PIRATES!! We get to have a pretty pirate girl! I am pleased :]
Kadzuki will turn out to be a girl. (He) looks way to girly for my taste, turn out as a girl PLZ.
And WTF at page 25?? That was Mihaya? huh? WHERE?? All i see is Raji!
*smack head*
Thank you, thank you so much for this release! sorry i just thank you now, i've been buried under school work that i jut recently read the chapter D:
AAAAHH, Obi's ninja skills won me over in this chapter~ i was all for shirayukixzen since the beginning, but now i'm starting to gravitate towards shirayukixobi. what is this? XD don't trust that pretty boy shirayukii!
These releases are the highlight of my day. Throwing off the lurker cape just to let you know how much I appreciate all the effort you put into these scanlations.<3
I think I'm warming to the possibilities of Shirayuki/Obi because badass bodyguard-ninja-boy Obi was pretty impressive in this chapter. His loyalty deserves to be rewarded!
On the subject of Shirayuki reverting to a useless Damsel-in-Distress… I doubt that'll happen. I mean, look at that FURIOUS expression she had on when Kadzuki's henchman picked her up as they were about to make their escape (small wonder why they decided to drug her).
I've always loved the strength of Shirayuki's character and I don't see that last part as a moment of weakness. I think that invoking Zen was just a way for her to find some inner strength to deal with her current situation. Poor girl was kidnapped twice after all, and the last thing she remembered was one of her closest companions getting knocked unconscious. 🙂
Anyway, again, I have to thank you for the release. They are always a pleasure to read. Keep up the good work!
＠Lau — welcome! I hope to read more comments from you. Feel free also to use the chatbox :).
Thank you for the release. You don't know how it made me happy. :DDD
OMG
THANK YOU for the release!
really, I read the last fews chapters in a shot and I'm now so into it!
Arg, I can't wait to read the next release and I can't wait to see zen and shirayuki's reunion!! ><