Anatolia Story, Band 4

天は赤い河のほとり [Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori] #4

by Chie Shinohara

Die Geschichte handelt von Yuri Suzuki, einem modernen japanischen Mädchen, das plötzlich durch einen Wasserbrunnen in die historische Welt des Hethiter-Reiches im alten Anatolien gezogen wird. Dort wird sie zur Konkubine des Prinzen Kail Mursili gemacht und muss sich in dieser fremden Welt zurechtfinden. Sie muss lernen, wie man in der harten Realität des alten Orients überlebt und dabei auch noch den Intrigen am königlichen Hof ausweichen. Während sie versucht, einen Weg zurück nach Hause zu finden, beginnt sie Gefühle für den Prinzen zu entwickeln.

Genres: Manga, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Historical, Time Travel

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 1996

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

[Lexie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So we basically spent this book with Yuri and Kail not talking because even in the Ancient Days communication between the sexes never happened. This did however lead to Kikkuri, Hadi and the twins (Ryui and Shala) concocting a scheme with Zannizanni to get the two talking.

Why weren't they talking? Well Yuri realized she loved Kail, Kail realized that you know he wouldn't mind if she acted more like a concubine and this has Yuri freaking out. She's 15 and he's...19 I want to say though I could be wrong. He's all about the hanky-panky and she's, justifiably honestly, worried because she's not REALLY an adult by her standards. By his maybe, since you know people died early back then, but not by the time she comes from.

Also the King Suppichan (sorry Suppiluliuma I - incidentally while much of this series is dramatized Shinohara does a fairly good job at sticking to facts when it comes to battles and such) gives Kail command of all his troops and orders him off to the border to squash the Mittani scum trying to invade their lands.

Kail wants to leave Yuri behind--they can't return until they defeat the Mittani and her next chance to flee his world is in 10 months time--but Zannizanni forces his hand. All is sun and rainbows until the Fire Nation attacked as Kail has a very audacious plan to defeat the Mittani in under 10 months so they can return and (despite no one REALLY wanting this to happen but too cowardly to say as much) send Yuri back to Japan.

[haven ⋄ f (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had forgotten how whiny the main character, Yuri was.

This mainly was her whining about wanting to go hang out with the Prince, thinking that she's in love with him (honestly she isn't), and politics of the story. This was better than the last volumes.

The character development is very slow and quite limited.

The art style is... Still something. I feel that the author draws the insignificant people much better than the main cast. Another pet peeve I have with this is that since the guys are all so beautiful they look pretty much like girls in this art style... That's a problem.

I don't think I'll continue this series. I've had a good enough sampler into this to see what it's like and what it might be.

[Pflanzis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yuri will noch immer nach Japan zurück, doch die nächste Möglichkeit, sie zurückzuschicken, gibt es erst in 10 Monaten. Prinz Kail hadert, ob er Yuri von sich stoßen oder die verbliebene Zeit mit ihr an seiner Seite verbringen will.
Ich finde es super, dass sich die Geschichte, wenn auch nur grob, an historisch belegten Ereignissen orientiert.

[Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is bingeable !

[EruditeBirdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What kind of military tactics are these ?
Today's military involved in middle eastern wars could learn a lot from reading these books.
Maybe they could use an Ishtar, Goddess of war, to lead them to victory too.

Is it conventional warfare ?
Yes and No.

Then there is the wonderful romance.
The romantic tension has built to an extreme peak in this book.
I can't wait for the mountain to crumble beneath them, and the hot lava to release in an earth shattering explosion.
Maybe not the best description figuratively, but it works to sum up the feelings between Yūri and Kail.

You really should read these terrific books if you love romance and archaeology.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

What first drew me to this series was the romantic historical aspect. I loved how a modern day girl gets pulled back into the past. I don't know what it is about those stories that attract me so much, maybe it is the difficulty for the girl of fitting in and having to rely on the guy so much to be able to get along in the world.

I would really recommend this series to fans of Inuyasha, it has a lot of the same concepts.

[Soobie has fog in her brain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Però, troppo comodo che tutti i tramacci della regina non possano mai essere provati perché lei usa tutta una fila di pozioni...

Comunque. Certo che neanche allora maschietti e femminucce si parlavano... Uno è troppo orgoglioso per ammettere le cose. L'altra, poverina, non sa da che parte prenderlo e non sa cosa vuole. E cucciola, non sa nemmeno cosa voglia dire essere la concubina di un principe.

La strada è ancora lunga...

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series when I was in high school and purchased almost every volume as it was published. The artwork is phenomenal, the plot is fantastic without being too fantastical and the characters are amazing. I've always particularly enjoyed the fact that Yuri, our time traveling heroine, does not whine overly much, is not obsessed with food and actually adapts pretty well with support she is given.

[scarlettraces · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swoonily intense. Despite the rather high Gothic-maiden-in-peril incidence driving the plot (I'm just going to go over here to this really dangerous place to do this thing. By myself.) I'm kind of addicted.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series and my review is on vol. 1 as to why I love it so!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story, beautiful artwork, and great characters.

[AN NGUYEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GREAT!!!

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

really good. this is my second time reading this series and i think it makes me moore in love with it.

[Kereesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I did feel the plot in this one was a bit tropy, it was something that needed to be addressed, so I'm willing to let it slide.

Plus I love it so much I just don't care.

4.5-5/5

[Caitlyn Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigh even back in ancient times lovers have problems with communicating. But I knw there LUV is to strong to b beaten over something like that!

[Alexis]

I found this series on a mere coincidence but it quickly became one of my all time favourites. I read the entire series in 1.5-2 days. It was truly wonderful and a joy to experience.

[Mr Puddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read second time

[Bomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

So in this volume there was a bit more of action and we have Yuri demonstrate that she can be self-sufficient and fight after she spent a few days, weeks? training with Tito's sisters (I'm sorry, I don't remember the names.) She doesn't need to depend on other people to participate in a battle and she can definetely save people! She also decides to believe in herself and to not backup when someones tells her that what she's going to do is dangerous, she is a strong girl, she is pretty useful... only that when Kail tells her that he doesn't want her to accompany him, first because is dangerous and second because she is going back to Japan so she needs to stay safe and not move from Hattusa, she doesn't do anything! She didn't put enough strength to fight him, she just became a passive woman who agreed to stay back and she just sat there, depressed because it would mean that she wouldn't see him again. Yuri in the end cries because she thinks that if she can't go with him is because she believes he doesn't like her. Yuri is playing the passive role with Kail, she barely fight him back and when she does, she ends up angry and telling him to go with other women, meaning she's a bit jealous becausen she isn't the only woman for him (although we haven't seen Kail with another woman... yet.), but Yuri's in conflict with herself. She wants to go back to her time and she wants to stay, for Kail. She needs to make up her mind.

Also, Yuri reaffirms again that she loves Kail, even after he spent almost the entire volume ignoring her and after she decided to not tell him that because she "can't and to stand by his side she needs to be Ishtar". In the end, when Kail agrees to take Yuri with him thanks to his brother, she thinks "I'm just happy as long as I can be with you" which can be a reasuring way to tell that she's already fallen enough to think those 10 month she will spend with Kail are going to make her mind change to go back.

[cherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhh… I’m not super into this story right now. I’m willing to continue reading and giving it a chance for some time though.

I find the main female character extremely annoying and immature, and I’m not sure if she will endure an extreme character development, or if this just her personality. She whines and complains until she gets her way, is overly emotional and dramatic about her love for Kail, and stupidly throws herself into dangerous situations. But alas, she is a fifteen year old girl so these things check out.

The political aspects aren’t engaging me much but I’m curious to see how Prince Kail plans to win this war in a mere ten months. Hopefully we get to see more of his intelligence and strategy in battle. I do like him so far.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I reviewed this at Lady Business; I can't stop looking at it as An Old Series with all of the worst tropes that come with that (see also: sexual harassment and attempted rape pretty regularly!), but it's still really engaging!

[MaguiWorld · Rating 3 out of 5]

A veces me maravilla la capacidad que tienen ciertos mangakas (y también escritores) en no pensar bien las cosas antes de plasmarlo en la historia.

En este tomo nos encontramos con varias incongruencias, que te dejan recalculando varias páginas 😆 por suerte esto va mejorando al pasar los años.

Va lento... Pero al menos podemos ver un poco de #GirlPower ✨

[Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lo voy a seguir diciendo, cada vez mejor, llego la guerra y los perosnajes tienen cada vez mas problemas y las formas de resolverlas de Yuri son tan inesperadas y divertidas que tanto el lector como los otros personajes se sorprenden y eso me gusta mucho. El shippeo es cada vez mas inmenso estoy encantada con la relacion que se va formando entre Yuri y Kail.

[J.Nida · Rating 4 out of 5]

ศึกกับเจ้าชายดำแห่งไมเทนนียังคงยืดเยื้อและมีเรื่องตรามังกรที่ใช้ควบคุมจิตใจคนเข้ามาอีก เจ้าชายต้องเดินทางไปรบมากกว่า 1 ปีเลยจะไม่พายูริไปด้วยเพราะดาวประกายพรึกจะขึ้นแปปเดียวเท่านั้นแต่ยูริร้องจะไปด้วย

เจ้าชายพายูริไปและบอกว่าจะต้องชนะใน 10 เดือนให้ได้

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

🗡️ Red River by Chie Shinohara 🌊
Volume 02 & 03 (4-9)

Such an entertaining read! I’m on the edge of my seat. I’m loving this story and finding it a fast-paced read. I’ll definitely be keeping up with this series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Katie (Katie's Corner Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

see full review @ Katie's Corner

[Mariza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m addicted 💕

[Jenny Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more of a relationship development volume, but there is still political intrigue. It will be interesting to see what happens in 10 months...

[Hisgirl85 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Vivien · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bit boring with Yuri avoiding Prince Kail. That evil Urhi.
That evil bitch Queen Nakia.

[Krista Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5