I Failed

PewDiePie’s Failed Crow Friendship Quest

PewDiePie admits that plenty of his projects have failed, despite his successes. His two-year effort to befriend Japan’s crows was one of them. He joked that he hoped a crow might bring him money, but the birds kept their distance—even when he offered peanuts. He also built a feeder and watched it for two weeks, but the crows ignored the free food.

His biggest opportunity came when he spotted a raven hanging upside down in a tree. Convinced this was his chance to become “PewDiePie, Friend of the Crow,” he rushed home for equipment and assembled a towering, unwieldy pole to try to rescue it.

Local families joined in with suggestions, including using scissors. As the attempt went on, PewDiePie grew increasingly stressed and worried that the bird’s fate was on him. He ran back for a saw, but by the time he returned, a capable Japanese dad had arrived—and the raven had flown away.

Everyone applauded. PewDiePie was relieved the bird was safe, but disappointed that his heroic headline had become “the guy who almost saved a crow.”

He describes the whole attempt as a humiliating defeat. He also gives a brief plug for boot.dev, an online programming-learning platform he says he has been enjoying.

People and Animals

• PewDiePie
• Bjorn, his dog
• The Japanese families and local dad who joined the rescue attempt
• The crows and raven