Nana Mizuki Joins Red River Cast, Sings Next Opening Theme
Ryu Matsuyama will perform the ending song for the anime’s second cours, while Mizuki voices Ursula.
Red River announced new theme songs and a cast addition for its second cours. Nana Mizuki will voice Ursula and sing “Akatsuki no Hoshi,” while Ryu Matsuyama performs “flow feat. Yūko Andō.”
The television anime of Chie Shinohara’s shōjo manga Red River (Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori) announced new theme artists and a cast member Tuesday. Its official website revealed the additions for the second cours, a quarter-year broadcast period.
Nana Mizuki will sing the opening song “Akatsuki no Hoshi” (Morning Star) and voice Ursula, a false goddess posing as Ishtar. Ryu Matsuyama will perform the ending song “flow feat. Yūko Andō.”
The anime debuted in NTV’s “AnichU” block on July 7 at 25:35, effectively July 8 at 1:35 a.m. BS NTV premiered it July 8. Crunchyroll streams the series as it airs in Japan.
The cast also includes:
- Mirai Tachibana as Yuri
- Wataru Katō as Kail Muršili, later King Muršili II
- Aya Uchida as Queen Nakia, queen of the Hittite Empire
- Shōya Chiba as Zannanza Hattušili, the Hittite Empire’s fourth-born prince
- Tomoaki Maeno as Ilbani, Prince Kail’s aide and advisor
- Kōji Yusa as Urhi, Nakia’s servant
- Kōsuke Toriumi as Prince Mattiwaza, the Prince of Darkness from the chariot-riding Mitanni kingdom
- Tomohiro Ōno as Kikkuri, Prince Kail’s servant
- Shiki Aoki as Hadi, a Hatti clan daughter, Kail’s servant, and older sister of Ryui and Shala
- Natsumi Kawaida as Ryui and Misato Matsuoka as Shala, Hadi’s younger twin sisters
- Haruki Ishiya as Kash, commander of the Hittite chariot corps
- Junya Enoki as Rusafa, commander of the Hittite archer corps
- Shinichirō Kamio as Mittannamuwa, commander of the Hittite infantry corps
- Sōma Saitō as User Ramses, Kail’s greatest rival
- Shun Horie as Juda Haspasrupi, sixth in line for the Hittite throne
The production staff includes:
- Director: Kōsuke Kobayashi (Waccha PriMagi!, Alice or Alice), at Tatsunoko Production
- Series script supervisor: Yoriko Tomita (The Elusive Samurai, My Dress-Up Darling)
- Character designer: Kenji Fujisaki (YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world., Blood Lad)
- Music composer: Yoshihisa Hirano
- Sound director: Hiroto Morishita
- Sound production: Team Kawadon
Historical researchers include Kimiyoshi Matsumura and Daisuke Yoshida. Both belong to the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology, part of the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan.
Viz Media’s first-volume synopsis introduces Yuri, a pretty Japanese girl delighted after passing her college entrance exam. She also shares her first kiss with her childhood friend, now her boyfriend, before her fortunes change.
Water begins stirring whenever Yuri approaches. One night, hands reach from a street puddle and pull her underwater, transporting her to an ancient Middle Eastern village. Armed troops capture her and bring her to the Queen’s palace to be sacrificed.
Viz Media began publishing the manga in English in 2004 and released all 28 volumes between 2004 and 2010. It launched 3-in-1 omnibus editions in October 2024, with the eighth omnibus released July 21.
Shinohara’s manga originally ran in Shogakukan’s Shōjo Comic (Sho-Comi) magazine from 1995 to 2002. In 2018, it inspired a stage adaptation by the renowned all-female Takarazuka Revue troupe.
Sources: Red River anime's website via ANN
