Red River (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 4

by Chie Shinohara

Genres: Manga, Fantasy

576 pages, Paperback

Published July 15, 2025

About the author

Chie Shinohara (篠原千絵) is an award winning Japanese manga artist best-known for Red River, known in Japan as Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori: Anatolia Story. She has twice received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo, in 1987 for Yami no Purple Eye and in 2001 for Red River.

Aside from her comics work, she has also written several prose novels. She has published the six volume Big Draw Daughter Hatsu light novel series, as well as five gaiden (or side-story) novels related to her Red River series. All of these were illustrated by Shinohara herself.

Works

Akatsuki no Lion - 2003
Ao no Fūin (Blue Seal) - 1992–94
Houmonsha wa Mayonaka ni (Midnight Visitor) - 1984
Kioku no Ashiato (Footprint of Memories) - 2005
Kiri no Mori Hotel - 2007
Kootta Natsu no Hi (Frozen Summer Day) - 1995
Mizu ni Sumu Hana (Romance of Darkness) - 2004
Mokugekisha ni Sayounara (Farewell to the Eyewitness) - 1985
Nanika ga yami de mite iru (Something Watching in the Dark) - 1986
Ryouko no Shinreijikenbo (A Record of Ryoko's Psychic Events) - 1988–91
Sanninme ga Kieta (A Third Person Disappeared) - 1992
Soshite Gokai no Suzu ga naru (Then Five Bells Rang) - 1994
Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori: Anatolia Story (Red River) - 1995–2002
Tokidamari no Hime - 2008-09
Touboukyuukou (Runaway Express)
Umi no Yami, Tsuki no Kage (Moon Shadow on a Dark Sea) - 1986–91
Yami no Purple Eye (Purple Eye of Darkness) - 1984–87
Yume no Shizuku, Kin no Torikago - 2010-present

Reviews

[Aurakinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many rape attempts in this series - even by the MCs boyfriend. And more than once. Am I supposed consider them the OTP after all this?! Hell no.

This series will probably end either with the two of them together, or with them "tragically" separated but still in love. Both scenarios are fucked up.

Unfortunately I am enjoying the other aspects of the series. Will I stick around for the full 28 volumes? Not if it carries on like the end of this one...

[Kimi Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great volume, the end got a little questionable there but again…. Time era

[Heather’s Reading Bubble · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Red Rivers greatest strengths is Yuri as a protagonist. She’s spunky selfless likable and I truly root for her. The world building is also fantastic. And as I have stated before Nakia is a pure villain which is great to see in media. The art is also very underrated and not talked about enough. The story is engaging. My issue is with how nonchalant SA is taken in this world, yes I understand this is a product of its time, but I’m calling a spade a spade. Kail is absolutely abhorrent in this omnibus to Yuri and very much would have gone through with raping her if he was not stopped. How am I supposed to root for them to be together? Answer I don’t. How is his actions any different from Ramses, who also gropes and assaults Yuri? It’s not yet Kails actions are swept under the rug and Ramses is not. Ramses is portrayed as scum but Kail is not. Honestly I am hoping Nakia wins the war over Kail and he dies and I know that is not the authors intentions so that is a huge problem and why I couldn’t give this anymore than 3 stars.

[Valérie Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai lu la version ombibus anglaise qui publie trois tomes en un volume, donc j'ai exploré les tomes 10-11-12. On est presque au milieu de la série Red River. Ça fait deux ans que Yuri est en territoire hittite, elle est bien établie comme Ishtar, mais elle conserve un statut flou avec le prince: elle est amoureuse, mais consciente qu'elle ne peut devenir son épouse. Et ce, pour plusieurs raisons, dont le fait qu'elle retournera au Japon au prochain printemps...

J'adore toujours cette série, bien construite, dramatique et dure (la politique et la guerre de ce temps laissaient peu de place aux compromis), il y a encore des morts dans cette partie. Les menaces qui pèsent sur le couple sont nombreuses. Et Yuri court de nombreux risques, subit plusieurs épreuves, parfois venant directement des personnes aimées (la finale du tome 12!!!)

J'aime la force de Yuri devant les attaques, mais je trouve parfois que ses réactions sont excessives devant les drames: elle a tendance à faire porter aux autres les conséquences des guerres et des morts... Je me rappelle alors qu'elle n'a que 17 ans, et qu'elle a eu plusieurs chocs à encaisser dans les deux dernières années (dont celui de tout perdre, d'être constamment menacée de mort par la reine, etc.) Ça devient plus plausible.

Bref, à part ce point qui peut m'irriter à l'occasion, les personnages, le monde hittite, ses transformations et conflits avec les nations environnantes, me fascinent! Comme la mangaka, j'ai envie d'aller voir ces lieux et d'imaginer Mursili II galoper sur ces terres il y a 3300 ans...

[Rachel K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did I forget Kash and Ursula’s story line?! 😭

This is the section where Yuri really starts to prove herself and I can’t wait to see her continued growth. I also love Ramses and look forward to seeing more of him.

[Remxo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vol. 10 and 11 offer slight variations of story beats we've seen before and it feels repetitive. Yuri is kidnapped (again), Queen Nakia schemes to kill her (again and again). But chapter 12 brings consequences and changes that move the story forward. I probably won't continue.