Red River is not stopping after its first batch of episodes. The anime will begin its second cour on September 29, and the continuation will add Soma Saito as User Ramses and Shun Horie as Juda Haspasrupi. The full plan now reaches 24 episodes.
The news gives the first television adaptation of Chie Shinohara’s historical fantasy manga a longer runway than many seasonal anime receive. It also brings two characters into the story who connect Yuri’s struggle to the armies and royal families surrounding the Hittite Empire.
The Second Cour Starts on September 29
Red River’s second cour begins on September 29 in Japan, continuing directly after the first cour rather than returning as a separately branded sequel. That distinction matters for viewers following the weekly story: the show is expanding its current run to 24 episodes instead of asking fans to wait for a later season announcement.
The anime is currently airing on Nippon Television’s AnichU block, with Tatsunoko Production handling animation. Crunchyroll is streaming the series as it airs, although viewers should check their local schedule for the second cour when the date gets closer.
Ramses and Juda Join the Cast
Soma Saito will voice User Ramses, a general of the Egyptian army. In the story’s political map, Ramses is not just another soldier. He is described as one of Egypt’s strongest warriors and as a rival to Kyle Mursili, the Hittite prince who has become central to Yuri’s new life.
Shun Horie will play Juda Haspasrupi, the sixth prince of the Hittite Empire. MANTANWEB describes Juda as a kind-hearted young prince who holds an important place in the story. His arrival adds another royal connection around Kyle and gives the second cour a new relationship to develop inside the Hittite court.
The Story Moves Between Modern Japan and Ancient Anatolia
Red River begins with Yuri, a girl from modern Japan, being summoned to the Hittite Empire in the 14th century BC. Queen Nakia brings her into the ancient world as part of a scheme, but Prince Kyle stops Yuri from being killed. The people around the empire then begin treating Yuri as the goddess Ishtar, putting her inside a political and religious conflict she did not choose.
Kyle is the likely successor to the Hittite throne, so Yuri’s presence is tied to the decisions of a royal family as much as it is to her attempt to return home. Ramses and Juda widen that conflict in different ways: one represents a powerful rival empire, while the other belongs to the Hittite royal line.
That setup gives the anime more to work with than a simple time-travel romance. Yuri has to learn how power works in a society that sees her as a symbol, while Kyle is forced to balance his feelings for her against the danger around his throne.
Red River Is Finally Getting the Run Its Story Needs
Shinohara’s manga ran in Shogakukan’s Shojo Comic from 1995 to 2002 and was collected in 28 volumes. MANTANWEB reports more than 20 million copies in circulation. The anime is also the first television adaptation of the series, arriving more than three decades after the manga began.
A 24-episode order cannot adapt every part of a 28-volume story by itself, but it gives the staff more time to establish the ancient setting and the relationships that drive the plot. A shorter cour would have to move quickly through Yuri’s arrival, Kyle’s position, Queen Nakia’s plans, and the conflict between neighboring powers.
The series joins a busy summer anime schedule that also includes the shows in our Crunchyroll Summer 2026 anime watchlist.
What the Announcement Still Does Not Confirm
The September 29 date is confirmed for the Japanese broadcast, but the announcement does not provide a separate international release time. It also does not explain how far the 24 episodes will take the manga’s story or whether a second television season is planned after this run.
The new cast does not mean Ramses and Juda will replace the existing characters. Yuri, Kyle, Queen Nakia, and the other members of the cast remain the center of the adaptation. These additions give the next part of the story more pressure from outside the palace and more competing claims around the throne.
For now, Red River has a fixed return date, two new voice actors, and enough episodes to keep its first anime adaptation moving through the fall. The next useful update will be a clearer look at the second-cour story and how the anime plans to handle the manga’s larger political conflict.
