Staff for the Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori (Red River/ 天は赤い河のほとり) TV anime have released the full promotional video and main visual for the anime’s second cours, which will begin on September 29th, 2026, on Nippon TV and BS Nippon TV.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N6pcBa0TzU]
The anime premiered on July 7th, 2026, on TV, and Crunchyroll is streaming the anime as it airs in Japan. Crunchyroll streams the anime under the name Red River, and it describes the anime story below:
“After a mysterious hand drags her beneath a puddle, modern Japanese teenager Yuri awakens in the Hittite Empire of the 14th century BCE. Thrust into a deadly struggle for the throne, she joins Prince Kail to battle assassins, outwit royal conspiracies, and survive a world at war. As her exploits earn her renown as the goddess Ishtar, Yuri must choose between her old life and an uncertain future.”
Kobayashi Kousuke directs the anime at Tatsunoko Production, and the anime stars Tachibana Mirai as Yuri, Katou Wataru as Kail Mursili, and Nanami Hiroki as the character of Satoshi Himuro and the narrator for the anime.
The anime is based on the Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori ( 天は赤い河のほとり) shoujo manga by Shinohara Chie. Shinohara started the manga in 1995 and ended it in 2002 in Shogakukan’s Shoujo Comic magazine. Shogakukan published the manga’s first tankoubon volume in May 1995 and the 28th and final volume in July 2002.
Viz Media has released all of the manga volumes in English under the name Red River. It has also started to re-release the manga in 3-in-1 omnibus editions, and will release the ninth omnibus volume on October 20th, 2026. Viz Media describes the manga’s story below:
“Yuri, a pretty Japanese girl, is ecstatic after passing her college entrance exam and having her first kiss with her childhood friend-turned boyfriend. However, her luck soon changes. She starts to notice that water becomes agitated whenever she goes near it. One night, hands appear out of a puddle on the street and drag her into the water! Transported to an ancient village in the Middle East, she is then captured by armed troops and taken to the Queen’s palace for a human sacrifice. Adventure and good-looking boys fill this great first volume!”
