LC: Red River vol. 28

天は赤い河のほとり [Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori] #28

by Chie Shinohara

Akhirnya penobatan Yuri menjadi ratu berjalan dengan baik. Kail melamar Yuri untuk menjadi pendampingnya memimpin Hititte. Berdua mereka mampu memakmurkan wilayah mereka dan membahagiakan rakyatnya.

Kisah-kisah pun berlanjut dengan para keturunan mereka.


Editor's Note
Pemenang penghargaan Shogakukan Manga Award ke-46. Cerita historical romance berlatar belakang Timur Tengah.

Genres: Manga, Historical Fiction, Romance, Graphic Novels, Historical, Fantasy, Shojo

200 pages, Paperback

First published July 26, 2002

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]

Welcome to the volume 28--the final volume and one that not only wraps up the wedding, but also gives us some interesting side stories.

I want to first say that when I first read Red River (or Anatolia Story or Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori) I knew nothing about the Hittite Empire. Oh I read about them in conjunction with Egypt, but it didn't interest me overmuch. After re-reading the entire series I want to know more.

What saddens me about this though is that Shinohara goes on to explain--in one of the companion stories "Orontes Love Story"--that thought Kail and Yuri had a peaceful and prosperous reign the Empire didn't stay as such. The decline began soon after their deaths and I can see how that would happen. They were the driving force behind change and action in that country (or so the story goes, history is...different as no one really knows what happened to Hattusa. 150 years after their deaths the country just...vanishes).

We have their wedding (which is super cute) and that closes the official "Red River" series.

The short story "A Day in the Life of Kikkuri" features our Kikkuri, but is based on an actual set of tablets found about horse training by a man named Kikkuri (they haven't found them all). Shinohara posits that maybe this is what his life was like (twin daughters, twin sons...)

The short story "Cappadocia Story" is classic Yuri from start to finish. Its set 10 years after she takes the throne as Queen, but she's still as reckless and headstrong as ever. This time her son, Crown Prince Dail, comes to collect her (and chide her).

Then of course there's "Orontes Love Story" which takes up the bulk of the book. Its worth reading because we find out what has happened to the Hittite Empire as well as Egypt and the ending is...well I think it suits the kind of person this Yuri was and the kind of person our Yuri was. But it leaves me with such bittersweet feelings. I like to believe that Yuri and Kail lived for a long time and had a prosperous empire, but it sounds more like it broke down into squabbling once they passed away. That's a true shame.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so instead of writing a review for each vol. I figured I'd simplify things by reviewing the entire series at the end. Here goes!

I have absolutely fallen in love with this genre!! This series was much more grown up than any other series I have read so far! It added a whole new dimension to the series, which I really liked, but the sex & violence may not be for everyone, and be warned, there is a lot of both! What I really loved though was that there was so much more to the series than the sex and violence. It had genuine, deeply developed characters. The heroine is VERY strong, so while she is still frequently rescued by her man, she has absolutely no trouble taking care of herself. I may not agree with her eagerness for marriage and babies, but within the context of the story and the world it creates, I don't have any problems with it, and in fact, it makes sense. In addition, I absolutely LOVED Kail (aka the hero). He had the characteristic traits of a hero of the genre -- amazingly attractive, frequently nude for no apparent reason (LOL not complaining about that though ;), strong moral code, etc -- but what really made me love him was the fact that he wasn't completely perfect. He occasionally makes stupid decisions (particularly where Yuri is concerned), and legitimately struggles with the responsibilities and choices he must face over the course of the series. Almost all of the other characters in the series were every bit as well developed, even the bad guys. I particularly liked Ramses, although I'm not sure if you would call him a good guy or a bad guy lol... He made a perfect rival for Kail though.

I absolutely LOVED the world of the series, especially how they integrated the fantasy with history. I kept thinking wow, the writer must have done a LOT of research to write this series! Very exotic, very well rounded and detailed. The art was absolutely gorgeous as well! So beautiful!

All in all, this series has confirmed that I am now a full-fledged shōjo addict! LOL. Trying not to feel too guilty. Maybe I should go read some high-concept sci-fi and try to regain some self respect... *lies to self, runs off to find more manga*

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume review is 4/5

Whole series review is 5/5.

Honestly, this is how a shoujo should be written.



Who needs that high school romance when you can have a story about a girl coming into her own.

I guess this series can be considered the 90s version of Akatsuki no Yona?



Yuri gets her own harem too but it is less straight forward.

Anyway the series itself follows the story of Japanese girl Yuri as she is transported to the BC era and has to adapt to living in the Hittian empire. It can be considered "inappropriate" to some but THINK OF THE TIME PERIOD.

If this kind of story happened in a modern setting it probably would be problematic but this is a time period where the stuff in the series actually happened(I don't want to spoil anything). So I overlooked a lot of stuff that would annoy me in any other setting.

Yuri has character growth. At first she's scared(Who wouldn't be?) but she grows into her own throughout the series. And this is the main thing I loved.

The supporting cast is great too and I love each and every one of them and the "villains" were alright in the end.

Why does this volume have a lower rating?
Sadly volume 28 is only about Yuri and Kali...for maybe 30 pages? The rest are just side stories which I didn't feel like they had the same magic as the rest of the series. It was nice to see where everyone's lineage ended up though.

I have to say, I like the headcanon that the duo at the end traveled to Japan, thus closing the circle(and making it kind of weird xD)

On a final note...I'm so sad it's all over now...

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

see full review @ Katie's Corner

I have been postponing writing this review for a long time. Not because I had no idea what to write, but because there was too much I wanted to write about. I even wanted to write more than one review, but somehow every time I had this idea I didn't know where to stop. In essence, there was a great place to stop and write the review, but even when I was reading the book for the 3rd time, it still captivated me too much for me to even stop reading to write the review. I remember the 3rd time I was reading it, that was during the conference in April 2016, I even bailed on my teammates' party just so I could experience it once again. So, what's so interesting about it?

If this was a video review, I believe I would be talking for at least an hour, but as you have to read it, I'll try to keep it as short as possible, but no promises here. First of all, keep in mind that the story started releasing in 1995 and it was ongoing for a couple of years, well, there are around 28 volumes. Therefore, don't ignore it, if you do not like the art, in the beginning, you'll get used to it. I loved it a lot! There were moments when I wished the author didn't know how to drew dead bodies. But I'm going on the topic right now. The story follows a 16-year-old Japanese girl - Yuri. The opening pages are great, and you wonder if the story will happen "now", but hat's where I'm going to disappoint you, or maybe elate you. Due to some circumstances, Yuri is dragged into the past, specifically in 12 B.C. into Hatti era. In the very beginning, I didn't add everything together, because I learned Hattie's under a bit different name in my history class. Therefore, if you are a fan of historical romance, tonnes of action and battles, politics and court intrigues, get ready for a fantastic rollercoaster called - Red River!

Here's another thing you should know, in essence, this was the initial story that made me crave historical romance. It was the reason I read Legend of Basara, Crazy Girl Shin Bia and Legend of Nereid. But let's get back to the story, you can always read the review for others on my blog. As I have mentioned, befoe I have read the story 3 times, and I'm pretty sure I will read it once again after some time. Why do I love it so much? It has a strong plot line and fantastic characters. I love reading about storing female characters, and Yuri is just like that! You can argue that she did depend on Kail, but if you look at it, she grew as a character much faster than him. Her charm made even me fall in love with her. My boyfriend is getting jealous, so I'll have to rephrase it. Her wit and her ability to assess the situation very fast made me like her as a character a lot. She has a sense of humour, she's loyal, and she doesn't fear to fight for what she believe is hers. But let me introduce her partner - Kail, sorry I have a selective memory when it comes to his surname. He's a fantastic politician and caring person. Don't get me wrong, but I do make a difference between a politician and person in this story. He falls in love with Yuri unconsciously, and it is a fantastic moment when they finally acknowledge their feelings and overcome most of the barriers on their way to happiness.

Another character that needs to be mentioned her is Queen Nakia, or for you to better understand our villain, pretty much for the whole story. There were some others too, but it was ultimately the behind all of it. Her reason and goals are quite normal for an ambitious queen as well as for a queen of that era. I didn't quite get why a Tawananna had a second highest position, even if the king had a wife (that's when Yuri goes in Egypt and meets Nefertiti). Yup, we have a lot of famous historical people appearing in the story and trust me you'll never get bored. There's always something on the way of Kail's and Yuri's happiness, in the beginning, it was Yuri's dream to go back to Japan, it was ... I'm actually trying to spoil the best part of the story! Sorry, for that! I don;t really want that. My hand is writing all by itself without me registering anything... are you ready to plunge into 12 century B.C.? don't forget, it's absolutely different from the 21st century. Get to know, how a person's life can change in a matter of seconds. And how will or characters overcome different problems that will arise on their way to ultimate happiness.

I remember I read somewhere that leaders are born, but without special circumstances, they might never nurture their full potential. I believe it's the same with Yuri, if she didn't come to the past she would have been just another normal person, but she got to experience a lot of traumas both physical and mental, but will she able to overcome them? That's what I will leave for ou to find out! I believe anyone should read this story. It's not only a romance story. It's a story of true leadership and loyalty. Of a single desire and how it could change the course of history!

I hope you'll find some time to read this fantastic work, I'll be coming down from the ecstasy this story gives me for another couple of days! Enjoy it to its fullest and don't forget to share your thoughts below. Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos! Don't miss your net favourite book or manga! Happy reading!

XOXO

Katie

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

can't believe I finally finished this series after 10 years?? I might cry I love them all so much.

[Starbubbles · Rating 3 out of 5]

my goodeness, the final volume, finally!

so i finally get to read this thing, and while it was decent, it was completely not needed. i loved the propsal. but i thought yuri's response was covered, oh, 7 books ago. i mean, come on! the day before you get married and your questioning if he wants to get married? what?! really?! i mean, he's even being totally nice about it and proposing! dweeb!

moving on. so there was the marriage, and that was it. end of yuri and kail's story. i was a little taken back that the rest of the stories were about other characters, their kids, grandkids, etc. i think that they could have been spread out as bonus stories throughout the series. well, a couple of them anyway. i mean, it's not like it wasn't already known that one of thier grandkids was going to egypt. that bonus story could have been in that volume. the lovely horse training story and the funny mountain story could have stayed in this volume. but i wanted more about their married life or something. reaction to grandkids, yuri's death, something! after the marriage, you only see kail like in two more scenes, one kissing yuri, and the other dead. lovely.

i just feel like this series fizzled towards the end. it lost it's spark like 4 or so back. it's still good, and i know i will read it again sometime soon, but it just seems like if it kept up the awesomeness from the beginning, it could have been so much better. i guess shinohara just ran out of ideas. it's tough writing a 28 volume series, i get that. oh well.

[Starbubbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020: I did it! I finished my reread! It only took a near nationwide quarantine to do so. I am grossly out of practice with long series. I seem to max out around the 4 or 5 volume mark. 28 was a struggle! When I was on the 10th volume, I was like "why isn't this done yet?! Why?!!!! Oh why!"

I loved this series when I first read it over 10yrs ago. Older me still really enjoyed this but it came off as repetitive and at times over dramatic. Palace intrigue is often overly dramatic, so that gets a pass. There is a lot going on here and an interesting time, so I can understand wanting to linger. But it did come across at times that the mangaka geeked out and wanted to include so much.

The history in here was great. Utterly great! There are maps to help with all of the empires you encounter, explaination of where they were, sometimes even how long they existed. It was just pretty cool.

I also never realized before that Nakia is only like 7yrs older than Kail. I thought she was in her 40s and Kail in his lower 20s. I mean, he calls her "mother" the entire time! The math was there, I don't know why I never bothered with her age.

Also, I never got how all the Hittites and Egyptians understood each other. Yes, they are close, but everyone is bilingual? Really?

Overall, this is still work keeping and rereading. I have been itching to reread this for years, so I am glad I got to it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute gem of a series! If I didn't stumble across this title at my local library years ago, I probably never would have discovered it! And it never got its own anime, which is a damn shame, because I would absolutely love to see and hear my new favorite characters in action! I decided to pick it up again earlier this month, all online, and found myself falling head over heels in love. It's such an amazing series, I refused to touch any other series until I finished this wild ride of a historical drama (which is amazing for me, as I tend to juggle several manga titles simultaneously).

This is a manga that I think older anime/manga fans would enjoy. It's up there with Inuyasha and Fushigi Yuugi in terms of creativity and entertainment, only far more intelligent and well-written, but also still firmly in the Soap Opera genre of fiction. Like those two titles, this is a "historical isekai," where an Ordinary Teenage Girl accidentally goes back in time, falls in love with a handsome young man, loads of drama happens, and then she has to choose between two worlds: her home or her love? But while Inuyasha is mostly Japanese folklore/fairytales come to life in the Middle Ages, and Fushigi Yuugi is a Chinese fictional story that is more like Neverending Story, Red River is much more heavily steeped in hard historical fact, with only Queen Nakia's power over water and Kail's (barely used) power over wind being the fantastical elements. Yes, even accounting for the time-traveling, because it was caused by Queen Nakia's power over water that reached through space and time and chose Yuri, pulling her through a puddle... It happens!

History and fantasy aside, the story itself has it all: palace intrigue, political schemes, the beginnings of iron usage in war, sweeping romance, and some of the best and most visible character development I've ever seen in a shoujo romance. In some ways, the plot is more like a ridiculously addicting Soap Opera, with scheme after plot after twist happening every other page, but it's also what makes it so entertaining. I never felt bored or overwhelmed by exposition, which was refreshing because more often than not, history or historical fiction is painted as boring even in writing (when in actuality, sometimes history is weirder than fiction, but I digress). Yuri starts off as a terrified, helpless little girl who cries and reacts passionately to her surroundings, but slowly, she learns the ways of the world she's been pulled into, and eventually comes into her own.

(Which is why the vicious online comments about her character in the FIRST TWO VOLUMES irritated me so much, even before really seeing how much she grows. If YOU were a teenage girl that had creepy hands reaching out for you at every bit of water you came across, and then those creepy hands suddenly grabbed a hold of you and pulled you underwater until you emerge in a foreign land, and everyone is out to kill you, I imagine you wouldn't exactly be acting like the most rational human being either!!! >.<")

Yuri's character development is honestly the most satisfying parts of the story. It makes all her servants', suitors', and subjects' adoration for her actually have merit. She isn't just a stereotypical shoujo heroine; she learns, adapts, and grows, and becomes a bonafide leader and strategist. She overcomes adversary time and time again, and even when it's unrealistic, it's just so satisfying on a narrative and character level.

The manga's only Achilles' heel is the absurd amount of sexual assault and near-rape scenes, especially in the first half. Even Kail, the love interest, is guilty of a few close calls, but I expected as much considering 1) the setting, and 2) the fact that this is a 90's manga title. So, as long as you're prepared, it's worth checking out, but proceed with caution if that subject material is too much for you.

Honestly, I cannot sing this manga's praises enough. Over the past few years, I fell in love with long-beloved titles (Skip-Beat! and Black Butler), and even underrated titles by a beloved mangaka (CLAMP's RG Veda and Yuu Watase's Alice 19th), but this is the first truly underrated manga title that I had never heard of among countless lists, discussions, and websites about various anime and manga titles. It's up there with Angel Sanctuary of a truly breathtaking, beautiful manga that sorely deserves its own anime, or at the very least, more recognition. In a way, its seemingly tiny fandom makes it all the more special, and I can respect that.

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

The actual storyline of this volume was really short, the rest of the volume was a handful of short stories that took place after Yuri and Kail married. I really loved the first one about Kikkuri and all the Aslans :-p

I really enjoyed this series a lot. The historical aspect was really neat (and very well researched), and despite it's length, Shinohara-sensei paced the story out well and always kept the readers attention. She created really loveable characters that were hard to not fall in love with. There were hardships and happiness, a good balance of both. And I really did enjoy her artwork.

If you'd like a little bit of history and fantasy with your romance (as this is a shojo manga), I'd definitely recommend this series. It is more than just a love story - there is action, magic, and of course, history and intrigue. Shinohara-sensei did a great job!

[C. Erani Kole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty much one of the longest series I've ever read o.o

I know I should be happy that they're together, but I still totally cried when it moved to present time where her sister and once-was-crush are, and then the crying went from pretty tears to ugly crying (the serious kind) when it struck me that they were DEAD, because all this time had passed. I mean, sure, they're alive in the past, but it still made me sad when they fast forward to the present time...

It's still sad when the characters die, it's really emotional and sensual (maybe sexual? idk) and I love how there was always something crazy happening.

Good series! You should read it, but start with the first volume, not here. XD

[Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved the historical aspects of this series. Makes me want to further research Hittite history.Shinohara's artwork and attention to detail is phenomenal. Battle scenes where you can clearly see every single feature and action are rare, but Chie never takes the easy route. The architecture, clothing, landscapes - all of them are drawn beautifully. I truly wanted to give this 5 stars but some parts were too laughable and others too redundant and frustrating. Specifically the main antagonist. Responsible for every setback and yet the characters were always surprised and somehow missed every opportunity to get rid of her. Naraku all over again. But overall, a great manga that was a treat to read.

[María · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primer manga que me leo! No puedo creer que apenas esté pasando por esta etapa... He desperdiciado toda mi adolescencia! Sobra decir que me encanto. Fue una recomendación de una amiga súper friki y me enganchó por completo al género, ya tengo una lista to-read inmensa :)

Lo único es que la historia me pareció un poco infantil, yo se que es shōjo y que tales, pero ese parece ser mi problema con todas las novelas gráficas, cómic y BD's que me he leído. Como que no alcanzó a ver la misma profundidad que con una novela en prosa. Lo bueno es que como empecé tardísimo, tengo mucho material para leer y muchos géneros para explorar!

Pero aparte de eso todo es genial, el arte, la historia, los personajes. Muy fantasiosa pero entretenida de todas formas.

[Lok Ting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red River is about a young girl of age 15 in present time Japan, she is somehow pulled back through time to a place where the queen wants to kill her. She runs for her life, but as she lives her life back in ancient civilization even before iron was worldwide, she gets aid from Prince Kail. They go through adventures together, falling in love and at the end they slay the queen, the girl is safe. Her final decision is to stay in the past with the prince and live together.

[Amy Sanderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this series long ago and pretty certain I loved it more back then. There's a bit too much of the will-they, won't-they type deal, and it drags on for far too long. However, the characterization of historical figures and their usage in this series is absolutely exquisite! It's always fun reading historical fiction like this.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice wrapup, I suppose, although I wish there were more bonus stories about the kingdom after Yuri's successful ascension to the throne. Or at least a longer continuation after their happy marriage scene. But the bonus stories as is are enjoyable.

[ramy]

*cry*.....lovely ending.....i like and hate the stories....hate cuz they talked about the death of cail and yury(i'm pretty sure tose are there name)-lovely couple btw- like them because there lovely especially ramsis grandchild-so much like his grandfather

[Luna's Little Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall series review, 4 Stars.
I started Red River a few years ago but finally got round to finishing it this year.

[Rune · Rating 4 out of 5]

The entire series may have dragged on for a little too long. But, eh, it was still an enjoyable read.

[Viny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A romance fiction with real historical background.. Chie Shinohara always good with detail, love it!
I read the English version online though..

[Pflanzis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh je... selbst einen Tag später fühle ich mich völlig book hungover. Wahrscheinlich weil mich diese Reihe soooo ungewöhnlich lange begleitet hat! <3

Kennengelernt habe ich sie 2009 als mir die ersten Bände von einer Klassenkameradin ausgeliehen wurden. In den Jahren danach habe ich versucht online weiterzulesen und die Reihe bis heute bestimmt 4 oder 5 Mal angefangen, aber nie komplett beendet (online lesen ist nicht so cool...). Zum Glück bekam ich dann vor ein paar Jahren die ersten 13 Bände von einer (anderen) Freundin geschenkt und entschied mich dazu, die mittlerweile rar gewordene Serie zu sammeln. Und nach langem Suchen und viel Glück konnte ich sie im letzten Jahr endlich vervollständigen! <3

Auch wenn ich sie erst jetzt zuende lesen konnte, ist sie mir in den letzten 15 Jahren sehr ans Herz gewachsen. Sie hat von Anfang an ein besonderes Gefühl in mir ausgelöst und hat sich von den anderen Shojo-Reihen, die ich gelesen habe unterschieden.

Ich liebe den Zeichenstil, der für mich nur so nach den 90ern schreit, sich aber auch von den anderen Veröffentlichungen dieser Zeit abhebt.
Ich liebe die Prämisse und das Setting. Ein Mädchen aus der modernen Zeit wird durch einen üblen Zauber in das alte Reich der Hethiter(!!) gebracht? Was für eine großartige Idee!
Und ich liebe die Charaktere. Allen voran Yuri, die eine großartige charakterliche Entwicklung durchmacht! Und Kail, der einfach liebenswert ist. Und alle gut durchdachten Nebencharaktere.
Und was kann ich zur Handlung sagen? All den höfischen Intrigen, der langsam brennenden Lovestory und der Entwicklung des Reiches? Ich liebe sie. Alle.

Vielleicht bin ich durch meine lange on/off-Beziehung zu dieser Mangareihe stark voreingenommen. Aber ich kann einfach nichts anderes tun als 5 Sterne zu geben und mich weiter im Elend meines Book Hangovers zu suhlen. Die Reihe wird auch noch bei mir wohnen, wenn ich 90 bin.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

Well, it's finally ended, and I am underwhelmed. After so many volumes of the same recycled plots, got to the point where I just didn't care too much about the characters anymore, so, yeah, no happy ending payoff butterflies from me. It's an okay ending. It continued and wrapped up everything it said it would (though I rolled my eyes so hard at them letting Nakia live, no one every learns in this story). I'm still very disappointed they never even thought to play with some kind of plot point where Yuri was able to see her time again in one way or another, to challenge her decision to stay rather than jumping into another Nakia scheme for the seventh time. Maybe it would have been more enjoyable reading it as it came out with periods of time masking just how repetitive everything was.

There were a few bonus side stories at the end to give a little teaser of what happened afterwards, and they were fine, on par with the rest of the series. More than anything though, I'm just disappointed that with all the potential stories to tell with this concept, they stuck to the same handful over and over (and the side stories were no exception). The art was good though and I did enjoy the characters initially, before the repetitive plots soured them for me. Ultimately, I will still recommend this for people asking for a historical manga or something to read after things like Inuyasha, Fushigi Yugi, or Basara. But unfortunately, it just didn't keep up the variety to stand out like those series.

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I'm finally finished now. Took me a little less than a month to make it through, and overall the series was great. But over the course of twenty-eight volumes, there was a plethora of recycled stories, useless (in my opinion) casualties (Lookin' at you, Yuri's miscarriage), and towards the middle up until about the twenty fifth volume, there's this weird sense of nothing and everything happening. Yeah, there were battles, but they were all interspersed with Yuri's inevitable kidnapping (I swear, it's like a prerequisite that some big bad bully comes along with war time ambition on Kail's front, and wants her to be their concubine, wife, take your pick), and once Kail and Yuri declared their love, that kind of sealed the plot's fate. So much of those early volumes are a strong mix of romantic tension and battle strategy, and don't get me wrong, I loved when they finally got together, but it all felt played out by volume twenty. And the finale has more emphasis on side character vignettes than the main HEA. Side note, I can't be the only one disappointed in the eventual demise of the Hittie Empire? All of Kail/Yuri's struggles for a prosperous nation only lasted while they exist. This is a series that moves fast, but try to take it slow... if you can.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was harder to read because it's about what happens in the decades after the main story line. I've always had a hard time transitioning like that with series that decide to stretch beyond the protagonist's story line. For this whole series I struggled with the maturity and skill of a present day 14 year old Japanese student, who would be closer to 18(?) by the end of volume 27. Military master mind? Geographic acumen? There's a strange moment at the beginning of the story where she can suddenly understand everyone. So, I feel the plot has some really questionable moments, but I do still like that this is set in a time period I've been interested in for most of my life. I like seeing a person's interpretation of that. Overall, I think this was a series I needed right now. Something to get engrossed in and a little less vapid? Shallow? Whatever. That I've experienced with some manga lately.

[Judith (Judith'sChoiceReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads Summary

Over 15 million copies sold in Japan! R to L (Japanese Style).
Final Volume!

Prince Kail, a young warrior and sorcerer, and Yuri, a modern-day teen, were thrown together when Queen Nakia drew Yuri across time and space into the ancient Hittite Empire. When it is the season of the North Star, Prince Kail has the power to send Yuri home. But the evil queen's plan to murder them both--and their growing feelings for one another--keep getting in the way!

During the ceremony to install her as Tawannana, Yuri tells Kail she's pregnant. Then, in a glimpse into the near future, Kikkuri recounts a day in his life as the chief trainer for the kingdom's horses, and Yuri gets herself into a bit of a fix while visiting Cappadocia. And in the concluding tale, love finds its own road in the events leading up to the marriage of Ramses, now the Pharoah of Egypt, and Kail and Yuri's granddaughter Naptella.

My Thoughts

With 28 volumes it is difficult to review every single one, and that is putting it very lightly! I took heed from a few readers and decided to review the last one as a giant summary of the series. It will be brief and just my notes on incidents and characters.

------------------ Beware of Possible Spoilers! ---------------------


This series was excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning the history between the Egyptians and Hittites. I bet Ms. Shinohara did a butt-load of research to pull off something so amazing, and it definitely showed by how knowledgeable it was! Shinohara had a way of educating and entertaining with intelligent humor, and I liked that a lot about this series.

I loved Kail, and was in love with his adoration for Yuri! Man they were so sweet. Seeing them in this final volume is such a far-cry from the first where she was like, "I hate you. Get away!" Now it was like, "C'mon sugar, yeah!" Lol, they were cute. I cannot begin to describe what a strong heroine Yuri was! Girl had fire and it was hot! She comes from the 20th century but still manages to strategize the whole Hittite army to victory, not to mention rule like a boss! I respect, very much.

You know who I also respect? Ursula. She ended up dying for Kail and Yuri's future to exist, and I do not think that was appreciated nearly as much as it should have been. Yuri did start out upset but the feeling slowly faded, and it became sort of like Ursula was expected to sacrifice so hugely. She was not. I felt bad for that guy she was going to marry, I mean to say that her loss would have been so hard! And still he was so loyal, truly admirable.

The other character that was a favorite was Hadi. Her toughness was just killer and she was beauty and skill all in one, so totally a beast! I didn't care for her sisters however, and thought them quite foolish to fall for the same guy and both know about it. I do not share men. Ever. Plus Kikkuri was so not a catch! He took care of horses and didn't have any desirable qualities or looks whatsoever; he was just there, and giving him both girls was such a waste.

The ending was also a little weird for me and although I hoped there would be a little extra snippet with Yuri ruling, instead there was just a summary of sorts and closing with the same aggravating Kikkuri. But guy was a pimp! I gotta give it to him, two twins and a truck-load of kids...who were also twins. Lucky duck. With freckles of course, can't forget those.

I also never saw the promised marriage between Yuri and Ramses grandchildren; that would have been so cool, finally a union! Still, it ended pretty decent and I was left with a slight case of mixed feelings for Urhi and the Queen. I wished they could have been together in some alternate universe/spin-off, I hated that those horrible people made him a eunuch! No child deserves that and Shinohara garnered my sympathy by throwing that last-minute bit of info into the mix. I felt bad for him.

Most of the regrets I have are expressed above, although another, and equally important, area of concern is the slight smuttiness of this manga. I wasn't expecting it. Nudity, yes, but not the depictions of Kail having sex with Yuri and her throwing her head back in ecstasy as she nibbles on his (sorry to say) less than defined chest. It felt a little like porn at times,(not good), and I was so grateful that there was no drawn genitalia. That would have been more than a little much!

Also I did not really appreciate the way every man with a penis loved Yuri. Attraction does not work that way, but every man wanted her, like really badly and it was awkward. I pained for Rusafa and frowned deeply at this author when she did what she did to him! UNCALLED FOR!! That's another thing, Shinohara is so casual with her disposal of characters that it is painful. Obvious examples such as Usula. Tito and Zananza were hard to swallow being swept away, and in that aspect the author did not prepare the reader nearly enough. Not for their abrupt passing or the easiness in which it is soon forgotten.

Rusafa was a great guy and I think she should have killed Kikkuri instead of him. Just saying.

But no book except the truly celestial ones can leave zero signs of dissatisfaction; and I accept that this work was better than most despite my perceived failings in certain areas. Like I mentioned, having some things different would have been more my cup of tea, but it was as final in presentation as I had expected of the series closer, and with that I have no issue.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Viaggiando si impara.

Una storia fantastica in tutta la sua lunghezza che, a spasso in tempi antecedenti ai giorni nostri, riesce ad insegnare e lasciar maturare la coscienza giovanile di una ragazza imprigionata in un sortilegio di morte. Un amore tenero e passionale al tempo stesso, senza corse eccessive, che con un solo bacio da luogo ad una serie di sfortunati/fortunati eventi dove spiriti d'acqua ed aria la fanno da padrone.

Legende, divinità senza volto ma incarnate in un nome celeste e potente influenzano il futuro ormai passato della protagonista.

E' un manga perfetto e stupendo fin dei minimi particolari che mi ha stupito e affascinato e che consiglio a tutti perché insegna anche un pezzo di storia che non si poteva usufruire dai tempi di Lady Oscar!

[Dessy Permatasari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ini salah satu komik terkeren yg pernah aku baca dan bakal aku baca ulang terus. Sekeren itu dari development karakter, gambarnya, riset ceritanya, semuanya dikemas secara apik. Bener-bener gak ada cacat ini cerita, sempurna. Perkembangan tokohnya pun amat sanagat bagus, cara Yuri-Kail mengatasi masalah pun menakjubkan. Paling keren risetnya tentang kerajaan Hittite yang mendalam banget dan memang diangkat dari sejarah asli. Aku sampe nyari-nyari fakta tentang turki kuno.

Gak tau berapa kali menganga takjub akan ceritanya. Sisi romancenya pun gila meleleh banget. Suka semua karakter dan hubungan antar karakternya. Ini bener-bener komik yg wajib dibaca setidaknya sekali dalam hidup. Bintang 1000!!!

[Rebekah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m finally done with this series. It wasn’t bad, but it was very repetitive and I couldn’t help thinking that Yuri only survived because she was the main character. She kept making reckless choices and putting herself in the midst of battles that should have killed her. Honestly, she annoyed me quite a bit. Still, the story was interesting and made me curious about the time period. I wonder how much of the story is based on real history and how much was completely made up.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Binge read during exam revision season. Kinda trashy, but good trash 🤌🏼. Questionable pacing and character development (how did MC fall in love so quickly and go from dumb schoolgirl to genius war strategist within the span of what - 1-2 years?). Art style took some getting used to (did every male skip leg day or what). Best part was the tidbits of ancient history sprinkled in about the Hittite and Egyptian empires.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of my all time favourite mangas out there. The art is gorgeous, the story is engaging, the romance is sublime, the drama is exactly the kind I want to be entertained with. Yuri is 100% a heroine we can get behind and root for! 10/10 series that is always worth a first read or a hundredth.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this series. I loved how it tied into actual historical events, and while it skewed melodramatic at points, it felt like it was mindful of the limits presented (like not being an autocracy). I'd personally recommend any fan of this series to try The Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, because the political intrigue is more engaging and it's more grounded.