Yuuri Suzuki who is magically transported to Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite Empire in Anatolia. She was summoned by Queen Nakia who means to use Yuri as a human sacrifice needed in placing a curse upon the princes of the land so that they will perish, leaving Nakia's son, the youngest prince as the sole heir to the throne.
Red River storyline is the classic 'girl arrives in new world, falls in love and saves the world' concept seen in many shoujo mangas. Whereas other titles of the genre rely on prophesizing the heroine as 'the savior' and bless her with destined powers, Anatalia Story takes a much more realistic approach in its portrayal of Yuuri; Which means there is no all-encompassing wheel of destiny constantly at work here.
One interesting contrast to most other titles of this genre is that although the romantic elements are strong, they do not represent the whole of the content. Indeed, the various interactions between the characters are all integral to the development of the storyline: from loyalty to betrayal, from brotherhood to unrequited love, from friendship to hatred, they all contribute to ultimately shape the direction of the series.
What I must point out is that the artwork is somewhat outdated, which will obviously not please everyone. However, this suits the series very well: in contrast to the usual overly exaggerated shoujo style, or the ecchi infested shounen style.
Anatalia Story is a beautiful story of love, war and betrayal. So sweet and yet so tragic, the sentimental value is unparalleled. And in the end, everything comes together in a tale in order to bring a nation - and most of all, two individuals - together.
Verdict: 9.0
