SEAN: Just as kids these days have no idea what I’m talking about when I mention watching a cartoon “in syndication”, I imagine there are manga readers who don’t know what old-school shoujo releases were like back in 2004 (when Shojo Beat was a magazine!). But now they can! My pick goes to the omnibus edition of Red River, aka Anatolia Story. It’s a classic about a Japanese girl who is called to… ancient Egypt? To be used as a sacrifice. Because her blood is special. Wow, did isekais all get their ideas from Red River?
KATE: I second Sean’s pick! Red River is old school shoujo at its best: it’s got a handsome male lead, a power-hungry queen, magic spells a-plenty, and enough plot twists to satisfactorily fill out its 28 volume run. It’s the perfect way to waste an entire weekend when you should be doing something else–like raking the leaves or putting away your patio furniture.
MICHELLE: It’s gotta be Red River!
ANNA: I agree, it is wonderful that Red River is coming back into print. It is epic in scale that only a very few manga manage to pull off.
ASH: I haven’t read Red River yet, but I’ve been wanting to. And you all make it sound amazing, so old school epic shoujo is my pick this week, too!