[Manga React] Anatolia Story vol.1

Anatolia Story • 天は赤い河のほとり

Volume 1
Chapters 1-3

"February 1995, Japan. That was when I got my first kiss."

Publication Date: 25 May 1995
Mangaka: Chie Shinohara

Yuri Suzuki is a modern 15-year-old girl from Japan, happy living her normal life. But suddenly hands emerge from a water puddle, dragging her in, and throw her out of a spring in 14th century B.C.E. Hattusa, capital of the Hittite Empire. This is all part of a curse cast by Queen Nakia, who plans to use her as part of a spell in an attempt to take control of the Empire. Fortunately (or unfortunately) Yuri quickly runs into Prince Kail Mursili, who might just be willing to help her out of being a blood sacrifice. But will she ever get home?

Now, I've actually started reading this quite a long time ago, but... I actually forgot where I left off. So yeah. Considering how long ago it was I figured I might as well just reread it instead of digging for the right spot. Besides, it might be good to look at it with new eyes anyway.

We're going old school! As in ancient world.

I think I came across it when browsing the web for more history-based manga (y'know, because I'm a historian). And when I came across this I just had to jump on it. Thus began my love affair with the Hittites. The ancient world isn't an unknown setting in fiction for you, I'm sure, but the Hittite Empire!? Now that's something most people might not have even heard off. Hell, it still was a bit of a foggy mystery and was only known about thanks to some off-handed mention somewhere until archeologists did their archeologist thing in the later half of the 20th Century. So it's a nice change of pace in really anything to start learning about a not-so-mainstream civilization (that's really interesting and cool and really freakin' important in world history btw). I won't lie, compared to Egypt, Greece, or other areas of the Ancient Near-East, Anatolia is kinda a hipster choice when it comes to settings.

Toto, I don't think we're in Tokyo anymore

Still I've got other shit to talk about besides history. This manga starts off pretty standard, what with all the "Hey, I'm an average 15-year-old Japanese girl named Kagome Yuri". But was the 90s. They all start with that standard, "insert name here" intro. What can ya do? Really it's what happens after that that has all the fun. Actually, now that I think about it, the whole situation initially isn't that different from Inuyasha. Let's recap:

1. Fifteen-year-old Japanese girl from the 90s
2. Has normal life with sibling(s) and even a potential cutie back at school
3. Standard fluffy haircut
4. Hands come out of water source and drag her in (Ok, the well in Inuyasha was dry, but it's still a well).
5. BAM! Time travel magic!
6. Someone wants something out of her. Literally out of her.
7. Hot dude to the rescue.

I'll also note that this was published before Inuyasha. But apart from that initial intro they start to go into different directions anyway. But like Kagome, or any other fish out of temporal water, I can't help but constantly want to punch myself at their actions. And not in the "that was fucking stupid" kinda way. More in the "DO YOU EVEN HISTORY BRO!!??" way. Yet, considering the fact that she - and most characters that time travel - aren't historians, and the type of situations this story kicks off with there really isn't much she could have done differently.

Except slap a hoe.

There were plenty of times where I would have slapped a bitch. Which probably would have gotten me killed instantly considering the situation/environment.

And when I say "hoe" I mean that.

I know people constantly complain about these type of protagonists not doing shit and waiting around to be saved but really, what the fuck are you going to do when your bound and gagged in the middle of a castle complex filled with guards. Now you're just imaging yourself as a Mary Sue, not Yuri. 

Her decision near the end of chapter 2 on the other hand... 

Attack of the Yaoi Hands

I'm not gonna sugar coat it. "Oh, hey don't go into the lair of the witch who wants to kill you, especially for something we have at least a season to handle". Yea - she goes.

On a better note the art is really nice. It's a dated style, so if you're not used to older manga it might take you a bit to get used to it, but it's got a great eye for detail, I mean just look at the image above. I've never seen such a decked out yaoi hand! And it's consistent too.

Bling-bling

Even if you're not a fan of the style itself, it's still quality. It's like different flavors of ice cream. You may prefer chocolate over strawberry, but you'd probably still find a nice cold cone of strawberry ice cream better than melted chocolate (unless you're either allergic or just werido who eats melted ice cream out of your waffle cone). The art style overall is pretty androgynous on both sides, actually. I still wonder about skin tone accuracy, but apparantly after some research blonde hair among the Hittite characters actually makes alot of sense. Suppiluliuma, the name of one Hittite king, means "golden hair" (assuming my sources weren't wrong). I feel the need to go and do more art history research.

Its nice to re-read this series. It really is.

I seriously need to catch up to where I used to be...

"Doesn't the nobility exist to protect commoners!? If this isn't the time to use authority then what is!!?"