Dec 05
19
Title: Red River #8
Author: Chie Shinohara
Publisher: Viz
Contains spoilers!
Yuri, seriously wounded when Queen Nakia’s henchmen attack Prince Zannanza entourage, lies beside Zannanza’s corpse as the desert sands slowly begin to cover their bodies. Saved by her black steed Aslan (sorry, Chie, horses aren’t that smart!!), Yuri is trying desperately to stop the brewing war between the Hittites and the Egyptians. Saved by Ramses, Yuri is able to foil the evil Nakia’s plans and bring peace back to the lands.
Just as things begin to settle down, the seven day fever strikes, claiming Prince Kail’s father as it’s first victim. As the plague sweeps across the land, Yuri is confined to Kail’s palace as Queen Nakia begins scheming again to have her son named the crown prince instead of Kail. When Ramses sneaks into the palace to inform Yuri that an impostor is masquerading as Ishtar, and damaging Kail’s reputation, Yuri is determined to put an end to it!
Sneaking out of the palace, Yuri rides to Katapa to confront her impostor. Horrified to see the other girl demanding feasts and entrainment while the population suffers from the fever, Yuri tries to see the town officials in hopes that they may recognize her. Denied entrance to the palace, she poises as a servant, and confronts the impostor during the feast. Will anyone believe that she’s really Ishtar?
Red River is such a great shoujo title! All the drama!! All the scheming!! Why can’t our couple find even a few moments of happiness before someone has to come along and destroy their peace?? Why does Yuri always have to run off without telling any one, and keep putting herself into all of these dangerous situations?? So the series can last 28 volumes?? Duh!!
I don’t know why I like this series so much – the art is serviceable, but nothing really spectacular. The plots have the depth of a soap opera, and the associated melodrama. But when I reach the end of every volume, I gasp with dismay! What happens next?! When’s the next volume coming out?? Argh! I’m glad it’s on an every other month publishing schedule!
Grade: B+
