The influx of manga into the American graphic novel market has made for a dizzying array of choices. A nice side effect of this is that there are more graphic novels available with female main characters and romantic, as well as adventurous, subplots. One of the shojo manga (manga aimed at women and girls) that I greatly enjoy reading is the series Red River. It is long, twenty-eight volumes total, some of which are still forthcoming, but the adventure is nonstop!
A spell sends Yuri, a young Japanese teen, back in time to the ancient Hittite Empire. Queen Nakia, the sorceress who cast the spell, wants to use Yuri as a blood sacrifice to ensure that her son becomes the next king. While trying to escape the evil queen, Yuri stumbles upon Prince Kail, one of the brothers in line for the throne. He mistakenly thinks that Yuri is a tool of his conniving stepmother. When he realizes that she's just an innocent pawn, he promises to protect her until they can figure out a way to send her home. Of course, when the prince spends so much time with Yuri, everyone else assumes she is his concubine. Kail decides that Yuri will be safest if they continue to let everyone believe that they are lovers. This keeps Yuri out of Queen Nakia's clutches, but conflicts with other empires, notably Egypt, soon draw Kail away from the palace, leaving Yuri vulnerable on several fronts. She must learn to navigate the brutal landscape of the ancient world, protecting herself and sometimes Kail as well. After one adventure, Yuri is declared an avatar of Ishtar, the Hittite goddess of love and war. The army believes that with her at Prince Kail's side, they can defeat any enemy. This declaration binds Kail and Yuri even closer together, and, as more time passes, Yuri isn't sure she wants to leave Kail at all, even if it means missing her chance to go home.
With clean, crisp artwork and a good sense of drama and suspense, Red River is an easy, fun read. Personally, I often struggle with the love triangles that drive most manga storylines. Thankfully, Red River doesn't revolve around one. Rivals for Kail and Yuri's love pop up from time to time, but none are serious threats. The obstacles they face are usually more diverse, political machinations and continuous warfare chief amongst them. Their love affair is racy enough to be amusing and sweet enough to be heart-warming. Readers looking for a romantic adventure will find one here.
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