The official website for the television anime of Chie Shinohara's Red River (Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori) shōjo manga announced on Wednesday that Minami Takayama and Kazuhiko Inoue have joined the anime's cast as the protagonist Yuri's mother and father, respectively. Takayama previously voiced Yuri, and Inoue previously voiced the co-lead character Kail, in a drama CD for the manga.
Viz Media describes the manga's first volume:
Yuri, a pretty Japanese girl, is ecstatic after passing her college entrance exam and having her first kiss with her childhood friend-turned boyfriend. However, her luck soon changes. She starts to notice that water becomes agitated whenever she goes near it. One night, hands appear out of a puddle on the street and drag her into the water! Transported to an ancient village in the Middle East, she is then captured by armed troops and taken to the Queen's palace for a human sacrifice.
The cast includes:
Mirai Tachibana as YuriWataru Katō as Kail Muršili (later King Muršili II)Aya Uchida as Queen Nakia, the queen of the Hittite EmpireShōya Chiba as Zannanza Hattušili, the fourth-born prince of the Hittite EmpireTomoaki Maeno as Ilbani, Prince Kail's aide and advisorKōji Yusa as Urhi, Nakia's servantKōsuke Toriumi as Prince Mattiwaza, the Prince of Darkness of the chariot-riding Mitanni kingdomTomohiro Ōno as Kikkuri, Prince Kail's servantShiki Aoki as Hadi, a daughter of the Hatti clan, servant of Kail, and elder sister to Ryui and ShalaNatsumi Kawaida as Ryui and Misato Matsuoka as Shala, Hadi's younger twin sistersHaruki Ishiya as Kash, the leader of the Hittite chariot corpsJunya Enoki as Rusafa, the leader of the Hittite archer corpsShinichirō Kamio as Mittannamuwa, the leader of the Hittite infantry corps
Kōsuke Kobayashi (Waccha PriMagi!, Alice or Alice) is directing the anime at Tatsunoko Production. Yoriko Tomita (The Elusive Samurai, My Dress-Up Darling) is overseeing the series scripts, and Kenji Fujisaki (YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world., Blood Lad) is designing the characters. Yoshihisa Hirano is composing the music, while Hiroto Morishita is the sound director. Team Kawadon is credited for sound production. Hiroki Nanami is performing the anime's opening theme song "Akatsuki no Sora" (Dawn Sky).
Historical researchers include Kimiyoshi Matsumura and Daisuke Yoshida, who are members of the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology as part of the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan.
The anime premiered in NTV 's "AnichU" programming block on July 7 at 25:35 (effectively, July 8 at 1:35 a.m.), and on BS NTV on July 8. Crunchyroll is streaming the anime as it airs in Japan.
Viz Media started releasing the manga in English in 2004, and released all 28 volumes between 2004 to 2010. The company then started re-releasing the manga in 3-in-1 omnibus editions in October 2024, and released the seventh omnibus volume on April 21.
Shinohara originally serialized the manga from 1995 to 2002 in Shogakukan's Shōjo Comic (Sho-Comi) magazine.
The manga inspired a stage play by the famed all-female Takarazuka Revue troupe in 2018.
Sources: Red River anime's website, Comic Natalie