30 Years Later, Crunchyroll’s Biggest Classic Fantasy of The Year Makes a Disappointing Debut

The anime and manga industry is heavily dominated by the Shonen demographic, and most of the mainstream series are battle action. Most of the best-selling manga of all time are also battle Shonen, including One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball, Demon Slayer, and more. In a lot of these cases, the success of manga series is often linked to their anime adaptations, which is why most Shonen Jump series release their anime debuts within two to three years after the manga begins serialization. On the other hand, most Shojo series often fall behind in global recognition, despite offering some of the most unique stories in the medium.

The 1990s wasn’t only a phenomenal decade for Shonen, but Shojo series also thrived during that era. Some of the best classics were released at the time that are appreciated to this day. Unfortunately, despite receiving critical acclaim and having a wide fan base in Japan, many such series never received an anime adaptation. Red River by Chie Shinohara is one such series that was serialized in Shogakukan’s Sho-Comi magazine from 1995 to 2002. The supernatural fantasy received praise from both readers and critics alike and even won the 46th Shogakukan Manga Award in the Shoujo category in 2000. More than three decades after the manga’s debut, the anime adaptation has just made its debut. Unfortunately, despite the hype around the anime, the debut is incredibly underwhelming.

Red River‘s Animation Doesn’t Stand Out

One of the biggest reasons that the anime isn’t well-received is the animation, which simply doesn’t do justice to the manga’s gorgeous art style. This seems even more disappointing after considering the scale of the production. The anime is being produced by VAP and was created under the banner of Tatsunoko Production, one of the oldest animation studios in Japan, which was established in 1962.

The studio is best known for several critically acclaimed and award-winning shows such as Ping Pong the Animation, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and many more. On the official website of the anime, creator Chie Shinohara shared a new visual of the characters, along with hyping up the anime adaptation. The first look at the animation wasn’t particularly striking but couldn’t be considered subpar either. Even so, with so many modern animations having striking visuals, it’s difficult for Red River to stand out among the crowd and grab viewers’ attention.

Red River Uses Outdated Shojo Tropes That Aren’t Popular Today

While the story was appreciated when it was released, it includes many outdated tropes that don’t appeal to new viewers. If the manga was adapted in the early 2000s, the anime probably would’ve been considered a classic by now, but that wouldn’t be the case anymore. While the story is praised for its historical setting and political intrigue, at its core it’s an isekai series where an ordinary girl is somehow thrown into another world and considered a goddess thanks to a prophecy.

The story focuses on Yuri Suzuki, who has just passed her college entrance exam and shared her first kiss with her boyfriend. Just when she is about to begin a new chapter of her life, she is forced into another timeline and awakens in the 14th-century BC Hittite Empire. Waking up in an unknown world without anyone by her side, she eventually gets entangled in the fight for the throne when the truth about the prophecy comes to light.

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