Crest of the Royal Family

Crest of the Royal Family (王家の紋章, Ōke no Monshō), is a shōjo manga by Chieko Hosokawa. It has run in the monthly magazine Princess since 1976. In 1991, it received the 36th Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo.^[1] As of 2006, the collected volumes had sold 36 million copies in Japan, making it the third best-selling shōjo manga ever. The manga has been adapted into 2 drama CD's released in 1990 by pony canyon (reprinted in 2004) and an anime ova produced by Toei Animation.The anime is like the Yami no Purple Eyes OVA which like a music video with some limited animation.^[2]

The main character is Carol, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American teenager from a wealthy family with an interest in Egyptology studying in Cairo. When her mentor discovers the tomb of a young pharaoh, a curse is put on the excavation team and Carol. The curse sends her back in time to ancient Egypt, where she becomes embroiled in the affairs of Egypt and other ancient countries such as Assyria and Babylonia. Carol meets Memphis, a handsome young pharaoh whose tomb she excavated in modern times. Despite his headstrong, at first violent nature, they fall deeply in love. This angers Memphis's half-sister, the Priestess Isis, who has longed to marry him. Carol, due to her exotic looks and curious ability to tell the future, becomes a major player in ancient history.

Characters

Main Characters

• Carol Lead (キャロル・リード, Kyaroru Rīdo): the teenage heroine of the story, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American teenager who studies archaeology in Cairo. When she got cursed, she was sent back 3000 years ago and meets the cruel but handsome Pharaoh, Memphis. Due of her vast knowledge of ancient Egyptian history, Carol is able to help Egypt through difficulties and because of that, the people of Egypt hail her as the Daughter of the Nile, Guardian of Egypt. Carol also falls in love with and marries Memphis. Because of her beauty and intelligence, Carol is constantly surrounded by danger in the ancient world, since people either want to kill her or keep her for themselves.
• Memphis (メンフィス, Menfisu): the seventeen-year-old pharaoh of the ancient Egypt 3000 years ago. His name is based on the ancient capital of the Egyptian Empire, Memphis. At first, Memphis is shown as a cruel and spoilt Pharaoh, but later, we see his softer side as he develops feelings towards Carol. He is very stubborn and does not understand why Carol does not want to marry him at sixteen years of age nor does he understand that siblings in Carol's time do not marry each other and for that reason, argues with Carol about her relationship with her brother Ryan.
• Isis (アイシス, Aishisu): the princess and High Priestess of ancient Egypt (she rules Lower Egypt) and elder sister of Memphis. She is loosely and madly in love with her brother and wants to kill Carol to take her place as Egyptian Queen (by her brother's side), believing that she will make Egypt stronger and more prosperous. Her name is based on the Egyptian goddess Isis. Isis hides her cruelty and hatred of Carol behind her beauty and is always plotting to kill Carol in numerous ways and always fails.

Supporting Characters

Modern Days

• Ryan Lead (ライアン・リード, Raian Rīdo): eldest brother of Carol. He cares about her very much. He is shown as a very clever young man as he manages his father's company.
• Rody Lead (ロディー・リード, Rodī Rīdo): second eldest brother of Carol.
• President Lead (リード社長, Rīdo-shochō): father of Carol. He died from being bitten by a cobra controlled by Isis, because he broke into the Royal Grave.
• Mrs. Lead: mother of Carol. She loves her very much and has her best interests at heart.
• Maria (マリア, Maria): the old, fat, funny nanny of Carol.
• Professor Brown (ブラウン教授, Buraun-kyōju): grandpa of Jimmy, he wants to take Carol as his granddaughter-in-law. A brilliant archaeologist who found the tomb of Memphis with Carol and her friends.
• Jimmy Brown (ジミー・ブラウン, Jimī Buraun): A childhood friend of Carol. He is in love with her and wants to marry her.
• Ahmad (アフマド, Afumado): the young son of an Arabian oil king.

Ancient World

Egypt

• Nefenmert (ネフェンマート, Nefenmāto): the deceased father of Memphis and Isis.
• Imphotep (イムホテップ, Imuhoteppu): The Prime Minister of Egypt. He's bright, calm.
• Minue (ミヌーエ, Minūe): the lord of Egypt, he is loyal to Memphis and in love with Isis. His mother is a female official named Nafutera (ナフテラ, Nafutera).
• Unus (ウナス, Unasu): Personal guard of Memphis and later Carol. Born into slavery, young Memphis took him into his service on a whim while raising hell outside of imperial palace.
• High Priest Kapta (カプター大神官, Kaputā-Daishenkan): the philogynist priest of Egypt. He harbors less than pure interest in Carol.
• Teti (テティ, Teti): a servant of Carol. She is funny and loyal.
• Nebamen (ネバメン, Nebamen): the fake prince of Egypt. He was Nemen (ネメン, Nemen), a prisoner under sentence of death. Using the items of a secret grave of a lost princess in the desert, he fakes the place of Royal Lost Child.
• Mec (メク, Meku): an ambitious woman who was sent to the Egypt palace by Kapta as a palace maid. She wants to conquer Memphis' love. Later, she seems to fall in love with Nebanon.

Kingdom of Hittite

• Hittite King (ヒッタイトの王, Hittaito no Ō): a cruel king. He is philogynist.
• Hittite Queen (ヒッタイト王妃, Hittaito no Ōhi): Ismir and Mitamun's mother.
• Ismir (イズミル, Izumiru): the young, handsome crown prince of the Hittite (Turkey in present days). He distinguishes himself in the story as a valiant warrior, and at the same time, a wise, intelligent, cunning strategist of the Hittites army. Believing that Memphis killed his beloved younger sister Mitamun (ミタムン, Mitamun), he decides to disguise himself as a Palestinian merchant and secretly enters Egypt. There he falls in love with Carol at first sight. Acutely conscious that Carol is the future queen of Egypt, he kidnaps her as a revenge to the young Memphis, and subsequently declares war with Egypt, using Carol as the trump card of the Hittites. Carol's beauty, intelligence, kindness and most importantly, her bravery and undying determination to escape from him and return to Egypt only makes Ismir love her more. His regard for Carol as a pawn for annexing Egypt is gradually supplanted by a desire to marry her and crown her as the future Queen of the Hittites. However, since Carol's destiny is tightly bounded with Memphis and Egypt, Ismir is never able to capture her heart. Carol always succeeds in fleeing from him, no matter how difficult it is for her. Once when crossing a desert with Carol in his arms, a miracle happens: Carol's brother, Ryan, appears and hears Carol crying for his help. Seeing his sister with Ismir, he draws a pistol and shoots at Ismir. Ishfaq Minhaz falls from his horse in agony, and thus Carol is able to run away from the prince. Since then, Ismir will have to suffer frequently from the pain caused by the two bullets in his shoulder, without knowing how to cure it. The weapon that injures him from such a long distance, he believes, must be that from a God who wants to save Carol. Now he wants Carol more than ever before, not only because of his love for her, but also he thinks only Carol can heal this wound. Besides Memphis, probably no one else in the story loves Carol as much as Ismir does.
• Luca (ルカ, Ruka): a loyal servant of Prince Ismir who is sent- undercover- to Egypt to protect Carol, and to bring Carol to Ismir whenever possible. He and Carol form a close friendship.
• Uria (ウリア, Uria): the princess and younger sister of the King. She is Gidantash's mother.
• Gidantash (ジダンタシュ, Jidantashu): Ismir's cousin.

Empire of Assyria

• Algon (アルゴン, Arugon): the emperor of Assyria. He is very sly and was known to use dirty tactics and lowly tricks. He is a pervert who longs for Carol, the Daughter of the Nile river, who was well known for her beauty, intelligence and her position as the future queen of Egypt. Aside from wanting Carol for her beauty and intelligence, he plans to use her to conquer Egypt.
• Jamali (ジャマリ, Jamari): one of Algon's concubines. She travels to Egypt and tries unsuccessfully to seduce Memphis.
• Hassan (ハサン, Hasan): a young merchant traveling everywhere. He is also a doctor. He used to help his uncle Caref kidnapping Carol from Hittite to Assyria.
• Caref (カッレフ, Karefu): an old greedy merchant.

Empire of Babylonia

• Ragush (ラガシュ, Ragashu): the emperor of Babylonia. He proposed to Isis and made her his bride with the condition "Kill Carol". Ragashu breaks his promise to Isis and instead of killing Carol, he imprisons her in the Tower of Babel.

Kingdom of Minoa

• Minos (ミノス, Minosu): the king of Minoa. He has a weak health before Carol goes to Minoa and makes him heathier. Minos then falls in love with Carol. The name is based on the king of Crete, king Minos from Greek Mythology
• Atlas (アトラス, Atorasu): the prince of Minoa and elder brother of Minos. Because of his strange appearance, his mother hid him in a deep cave of the Empire. She usually visits him and tells him what happens in the Empire. His name and appearance are based on the Greek Titan Atlas and the ox-like creature Minotaurus.
• Minoa Queen (ミノアの女王様, Minoa no Joō): the mother of king Minos. She is bright.
• Yukutat (ユクタット, Yukutatto): the general of Minoa. A powerful warrior.
• Photia (フォティア, Fotia): daughter of an official. She is one of the royal handmaidens in Minos' palace.

Kingdom of Libya

• Libya King (リビアの王様, Ribia no Ō): father of princess Cafra.
• Cafra (カフラ, Kafura): the princess of Libya. She fell for Memphis and set many traps to eliminate Carol. She is proud of her "dark-skinned and plump-faced" beauty.

Empire of Abyssinia

• Massharhiqhi (マシャリキ, Mashariki): the blue prince of the empire. He was imprisoned by Memphis's soldier and punished heavily by Memphis by mistake.

The Amazons

• Queen Amazones (アマゾネスの女王, Amazonesu no Joō): the beautiful queen of the Amazons. She adores Carol. She kidnaps prince Ismir to save her sister Hulia (ヒューリア, Hyūria), whose life in then saved by Carol.

Media Kingdom

• Arshama (アルシャマ, Arushama): The King of Media. He hid his true identity to reconnoitre the Egypt palace's situation. He gave Carol a rare Chinese silk.

Indus

• Sindhu (シンドゥ, Shindu): prince of the Ancient Indus.

References

External links

• Ōke no Monshō (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia