Red River: Vol. 13

by Chie Shinohara

Synopsis
Yuri, a teen of the twenty-first century, has been transported to ancient Anatolia as part of a scheme by the evil Nakia, Queen of the Hitties. Only the intervention of Nakia's stepson, Prince Kail, saved Yuri from the Queen bloodthirsty intentions. As an unintended consequence, the people of the kingdoms of Anatolia are now convinced that Yuri is the incarnation of the great war-goddess Ishtar.

Yuri finds a way for her and the Hittite army to take the castle city of Beykal without bloodshed. In the course of this conquest she also gains a powerful new ally. Nakia, however, plans to thwart Yuri's eventual return to Japan by building a temple over the spring from which Yuri sprang! Responding to this new threat to his beloved Ishtar, Kail makes a decision that not only brings a fresh challenge from Egypt but may cost him his life!

Review
Things really come to a head in this volume. Yuri wants to go home, of course, so we get never ending scenes of angst, and her saying how much she wants to go home, but she loves Kail, but she wants to go home, but she still loves Kail, and -- oh, she misses her family so much, but she'll never forget Kail! Bleh, spare me. I keep complaining that she won't decide, but I guess she has -- she chooses to go home. It's really the childish choice. When people grow up, it's natural to grow apart from your family, and create your own life, and your own family. But whatever. I can't wait for her to get back to Japan and have a boring, boring life. School, work, marrying a man you don't love. Ha. What's also utterly ridiculous is Hadi, her servant, makes a comment about how Yuri has to decide, not her friends, and not Nakia. Keep that comment in mind.

So now Nakia has a new dastardly plan to keep Yuri there. She's going to destroy the spring where Yuri first arrived in Hattusa. Although, I fail to see why if Kail sends Yuri back, why Nakia can't just re-summon her. But I think too much. Seriously, if there's really a reason why it must be Yuri who is the sacrifice, why doesn't the author tell us? As it is, it just seems like a case of not following the Evil Overlord's Handbook.

I should mention that Yuri actually was clever in her capacity to conquer the towns of Arzawa, by posing with the sisters and Ilbani as traveling musicians, with her as the dancer. I don't know how well this would work as a tactic, but it is pretty ingenious. Too bad she's not this clever all the time.

Also, it looks like Ramses may have killed Kail. Or, if you know history, you know he doesn't. So much for that suspense. Yuri doesn't know, but through that magic of stories, she can tell because the headband he gave her broke. I wonder if she'll still choose to go home or will she rush to his side?

Final thought: I'll keep criticizing.