One of the bestest manga series of all times have got to be Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori, also known as Anatolia Story, Red River, and Heaven is Beside the Red River. It runs up to 28 books, a lot but soooooooo worth reading!This wonderful series is by Shinohara Chie and has been on going from 1995 to 2002. According to Baka-Updates Manga, this work won her the 46th Shogakukan Manga Award. Her works are worth checking out, and although her art may be quite old looking and simple, her enchanting tales will definitely compensate for it.
Even wikipedia has a page for it, GO to Anatolia Story
Red River is about a fifteen-year old Japanese girl named Yuri Suzuki, who is magically transported to Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite Empire in Anatolia, the heart of ancient Turkey. She was summoned by Queen Nakia who means to use Yuri as a human sacrifice. Yuri's blood is the key element needed in placing a curse upon the princes of the land so that they will perish, leaving Nakia's son as the sole heir to the throne.
The story takes place during the reign of King Suppiluliuma I, at a time when the Hittite Empire was near its peak of power, rivaled only by Egypt, which was then ruled by the young Pharaoh Tutankhamen. Many of the people and events in the story are drawn from actual history, from Princes Kail Mursili, Sari Arnuwanda, and Zannanza, to battles with the neighboring Mitanni kingdom around the town of Kizzuwatna. As a result, it is likely that a close study of that period of history may contain spoilers of sorts for the series.
Both the Japanese and English names are in direct reference to the Halys River, which is colored red in the wet season due to sediment carried by the water's flow, but may also be an allegory for blood or womanhood, both of which are key threads in the story.
It tells the tale of a 15 year old girl, Yuri who gets transported back in time to where the Hittite Empire still reigns in Anatolia. What's more amazing is, I soon found out that the mangaka incorporated some real historical facts into the manga. That yes, in 1400 B.C, King Suppiluliuma I did reigned the Hittite Empire.
Even the male protaganist, Prince Kail Mursili II is real. He was in fact the son of Suppiluliuma I and would go on to succeed his father in both his military expeditions and diplomacy. The only fact which is fake, would be the his love life. haha XD He is the 3rd Prince to the throne and son of the previous queen. A powerful priest who can control the wind.
Obviously, these 2 character are the main couple in the series.
Far from your usual heroines, Yuri is one girl who never sits around waiting to be rescued. Instead, she became a legend known as Ishtar, the Goddess of War. Kind hearted and strong willed, she soon captured the hearts of everyone. She is even armed with her own black war horse, Aslan.
In the beginning, we see how Yuri struggles to stay alive from the clutches of Queen Nakia, who was the one who teleported her, planning to use her blood to curse the other 5 princes, to ensure her own son, Prince Juda gets the crown. As it turns out Prince Kail and Queen Nakia are at odds with each other, because Prince Kail is widely favoured as the successor, the eldest prince was an invalid, and the second prince was born of a low blooded mother. Also a powerful priest who commands the wind.
Prince Kail saves her from his step mother, making her his concubine in name. He knows that his consort will be Queen, the Tawananna, a very powerful position, hence he has never taken a legal wife, even Yuri is his only concubine. Queen Nakia as the current Tawananna( the most powerful woman in the empire), is proof of what happens if one evil in mind can do with the title. Queen Nakia is also a priestness of the water.
One day I will rule, much is required of the woman who will be my wife. She must be strong, wise, poised and benevolent. But I will take no other women, I will love only my Queen
~ Volume 2, Prince Kail
Yuri's determination to return home was marred when she accidentally cause her first friend, Tito to get brutally murdered by one of the Queen's henchmen. She felt responsible and stayed behind a little longer to ensure his death was avenged, thus skipping the ceremony. Because the ceremony to send her home could only be done if certain astrological conditions are met, she would have to stay behind another year.
It is in this period, that Prince Kail had to go to war with the Kashugas in Alinna, coincidently, the place where Tito's tribe, the Hattis live. He was the youngest and the only son of the Talos, the head of the Hattis. The Hattis are known for their well kept secret of making iron and weapons.
When Yuri manages to slay Tito's murderer using an iron blade, Talos offered Yuri the services and iron making skills of the Hatti, which Tito was suppose to inherit. Also, because Yuri forgave Tito's 3 sisters, Hadi, Ryui and Shala for attempting to poison her due to a misunderstanding caused by no other than the Queen. In return, they would work as palace maids in Prince Kail's palace. Their loyalty coupled with their fighting skills, helped protect Yuri through times. It was also their teachings, that Yuri became an awesome warrior in her own right.
Yuri may have been known as Ishtar, because she rose from the spring as the morning star, Ishtar rose. But here, it evolved to the Goddess of War, when she managed to turn a losing war into a victory, when the horse she mounted in her pursue to escape her killers, ran down from a sharp cliff, causing the enemies to think that there was a surprise attack from the other side.
Ishtar is a mother goddess, fertility goddess, the goddess of spring, a storm goddess, a warrior goddess and goddess of war, a goddess of the hunt, a goddess of love, goddess of marriage and childbirth, and a goddess of fate.
~wikipedia
It has a wonderful storyline, with bits of real history inserted into it. I also loved the clothing. Simple but yet graceful, with many jewellery pieces adorning it. As as you read on, it tells you more about not just the Hittite Empire but also about Egypt and the Mitanni Kingdom. A tale peppered with drama, politics, and romance. =3
More characters are introduced in the story, and though not all play very important roles, they do appear repeatedly, as firm and loyal supporters of the couple. Keep your eyes open, and you'll be able to spot some symbolical assesories they wear. >w<
Be aware that this manga may have some tasteful nude scenes, but it's not much. XD Also, you get deaths, so it's as real as it gets.
Personally, I have yet to finish reading the series, only up to volume 13, BUT I got the raws, so I kinda previewed the whole thing, without a clue of what's going on. haha XD
So yups, go download it, try it out! I'm posting up some of my favourite pictures. XD
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