A classic shojo from the nineties that mixes time travel with political intrigue in the ancient Hittite Empire finally gets its anime adaptation, and the full trailer is here. Red River revealed the season opening performed by Hiroki Nanami, confirming its premiere for July 7, 2026. The opening theme is called “Akatsuki no Sora” (Dawn Sky), and the new video presents it alongside scenes that delve into the historical fantasy atmosphere of the series and its central characters.

The trailer offers a more complete look at Yuri‘s world after being transported to the ancient Hittite Empire, showing both the palace intrigue and her encounter with Prince Kail.

A particular detail of the production: historical researchers from the Anatolian Archaeological Research Institute, Kimiyoshi Matsumura and Daisuke Yoshida, participate in the project development. It is uncommon for a historical anime adaptation to have that level of direct academic advising, reflecting the care the team is putting into accurately representing the period.

Voice Cast

• Mirai Tachibana as Yuri.
• Wataru Kato as Kail Mursili.
• Aya Uchida as Queen Nakia. (Maki Nishikino in Love Live! and Eris Boreas Greyrat in previous light novel adaptations).
• Shoya Chiba as Zannanza Hattusili. (Genya Shinazugawa in Kimetsu no Yaiba and Shoyo Hinata in Haikyuu!!).
• Tomoaki Maeno as Ilbani. (Levi Ackerman in Shingeki no Kyojin and Hak Son in Yona of the Dawn).
• Koji Yusa as Urhi. (Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop and Kyoraku Shunsui in Bleach).
• Kosuke Toriumi as Prince Mattiwaza. (Kiba Inuzuka in Naruto and Nishiki Nishio in Tokyo Ghoul).
• Natsumi Kawaida as Ryui. (Natsumi Hodaka in Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater and Shu Keigetsu in Though I Am an Inept Villainess).
• Junya Enoki as Rusafa. (Megumi Fushiguro in Jujutsu Kaisen and Reiji Kirihara in Black Torch).

Production Team

Direction is by Kosuke Kobayashi at Tatsunoko Production, with Yoriko Tomita supervising the scripts and Kenji Fujisaki handling character design. Music is composed by Yoshihisa Hirano, with sound direction by Hiroto Morishita.

About Red River

Red River is a manga by Chie Shinohara serialized in Shogakukan’s Shojo Comic magazine from 1995 to 2002, collected in 28 volumes. Viz Media published the complete series in English from 2004 to 2010 and began re-releasing it in three-volume omnibus editions starting October 2024. In 2018, the story inspired a musical by the Takarazuka Revue. The plot follows Yuri, a modern Japanese high school student who is suddenly pulled into the ancient Hittite Empire by mysterious hands while in water. Captured and taken to the queen’s palace, she becomes entangled in a major political intrigue that will ultimately define the empire’s fate, while becoming increasingly involved with Prince Kail and the events that will shape history.

Are you more drawn to the historical angle set in the Hittite Empire or the time travel element that connects the story with the modern world?