Get ready, shojo manga fans! Chie Shinohara's iconic 90s masterpiece, "Red River" (known in Japan as 天は赤い河のほとり), is finally getting a TV anime adaptation! Announced today (February 15), this marks the series' first-ever animation, a whopping 24 years after its original conclusion. Set to premiere in Summer 2026, the news has sent long-time fans into an absolute frenzy!
For those unfamiliar with the legend, "Red River" (天は赤い河のほとり) plunges middle schooler Yuri Suzuki into the ancient Hittite Empire, whisked away by a jealous empress's dark magic. There, she somehow catches the eye of a dashing prince and a hunky, bronze-skinned Egyptian general – leading to some truly wild, bare-knuckle wrestling matches on the Nile over her affections! Talk about an OG isekai adventure!
The manga ran from 1995 to 2022, spanning 28 volumes and selling over 20 million copies worldwide. It even snagged the 46th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shojo category and was adapted into a stage play by the renowned Takarazuka Revue in 2018.
Author Chie Shinohara herself shared her emotional reaction to the long-awaited anime, even drawing a celebratory illustration:
「Thank you all so, so much for the 'Red River' anime adaptation!! I'm incredibly happy!! It's been 24 years since the serialization ended, and I never imagined that after all this time, people would still remember this work, let alone want to make an anime out of it!! What a blessing it is to be able to bring it to everyone. For fans who've supported it since its serialization, I hope it brings back vivid memories; and for anime viewers new to the original work, I hope you'll enjoy this story with a fresh perspective. Honestly, I'm the most excited one here – I truly can't wait for it to air!」
The anime will be directed by Kousuke Kobayashi, known for works like "Starlight Magic!", with animation production handled by the legendary Tatsunoko Production.
For long-time fans of the manga, this anime announcement is undoubtedly a dream come true! Mark your calendars for Summer 2026, and keep an eye out for more official updates!