is a Japanese shÃ
Âjo manga written and illustrated by Chieko Hosokawa. It has run in the monthly magazine Princess since September 6, 1976. In 1991, it received the 36th Shogakukan Manga Award for shÃ
Âjo. As of 2015, the collected volumes had sold 40 million copies in Japan, making it the fourth best-selling shÃ
Âjo manga ever. With 70 volumes (as of September 2025), it is one of the longest-running manga series of all time. The manga has been adapted into 2 anime drama CD's released in 1990 by Pony Canyon (reprinted in 2004) and an anime OVA produced by Toei Animation. It was adapted into a stage musical in 2016.
Story
The main character, Carol Reed, is a 16-year-old blonde-haired, blue-eyed American teenager from a wealthy family who has an interest in Egyptology and is 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
<small>Voiced by Keiko Han (OVA)/ Miyuki Sawashiro (Drama CD)</small>
The heroine of the storyâÂÂa 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 to 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. Due to 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.
<small>Voiced by Akira Kamiya (OVA)/ YÃ
«ki Kaji (Drama CD)</small>
The 17-year-old pharaoh of the ancient Egypt 3000 years ago. At first, Memphis is shown as a cruel and spoiled Pharaoh, but later, we see his softer side as he develops feelings towards Carol. His name is based on the ancient capital of the Egyptian Empire, Memphis.
<small>Voiced by Kazuko Sugiyama (OVA)/ Romi Park (Drama CD)</small>
The Princess and High Priestess of ancient Egypt (she rules Lower Egypt) and elder sister of Memphis. She is 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. Isis hides her cruelty and hatred of Carol behind her beauty and is always plotting to kill Carol in numerous ways. Her name is based on the Egyptian goddess Isis.
Supporting characters
Modern Days
- : eldest brother of Carol. He cares about her more than anything. Ryan is depicted as a clever young man and he manages his father's company after his death.
- : second eldest brother of Carol.
- : father of Carol. He died from being bitten by a cobra controlled by Isis, because he broke into the Royal Grave.
- : mother of Carol. She loves her much and always has her best interests at heart.
- : the old joyful nanny of Carol.
- : grandfather of Jimmy Brown, he wants to take Carol as his granddaughter-in-law. A brilliant archaeologist who found the tomb of Memphis with Carol and her friends.
- : A childhood friend of Carol. He is in love with her and wants to marry her.
- : the young son of an Arabian oil tycoon.
Ancient World
- : the deceased father of Memphis and Isis. He was named after the historical Nefermaat.
- : the second wife of King Nefermaat, formerly a Princess of Nubia. She murdered her husband, attempting to marry his son. She failed to do so.
- : the prime minister of Egypt with a bright and calm personality. He was named after Imhotep.
- : a general of Egypt, he is loyal to Memphis and in love with Isis.
- : a female official. She is the mother of Minue.
- : personal guard of Memphis and later Carol. Born into slavery, young Memphis took him into his service on a whim while the prince was still a little boy rampaging outside of imperial palace.
- : 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.
- : the philogynist priest of Egypt. He harbours less than pure interest in Carol. He is obsessed with gold, and a golden-haired goddess would be his most valuable piece of collection.
- : a loyal confidant of queen Carol.
- : a young merchant traveling across deserts. He is also a doctor. He helps his uncle Careb to kidnap Carol from Hittite to Assyria.
- : an old greedy merchant.
- : confident of princess Isis.
- : the imposter prince of Egypt. He was , a prisoner under sentence of death. Using the items of a secret grave of a daughter of King Nefermaat in the desert, he counterfeits the evidence to become a royal.
- : the former jail-mate of Nebamen.
- : an ambitious woman sent to the Egyptian palace by Kapta as a palace maid.
- : a cruel and perverted king. He is philogynist.
- : Ismir and Mitamun's mother.
<small>Voiced by Kaneto Shiozawa / Takahiro Sakurai</small>
The young, handsome crown prince of the Hittites (present day Turkey). He distinguishes himself in the story as a valiant warrior, and at the same time, a wise, intelligent, cunning strategist of the Hittite army. Believing that Memphis killed his beloved younger sister Mitamun, he decides to disguise himself as a Palestinian merchant and secretly enters Egypt. There he falls in love with Carol at first sight. Besides Memphis, no one else in the story loves Carol as much as Ismir does.
- : the younger sister of Ismir. She fell in love with Memphis, who seemed to also be interested in her. Isis imprisoned and killed her by jealousy.
- : the nanny of prince Ismir. She has a close relationship with the prince and seems to love him as her own son.
- : Ismir's cousin.
- : the princess and younger sister of the King. She is Gidantash's mother.
- : the fiancée of prince Ismir.
- : a military leader of the Hittites.
<small>Voiced by SeizÃ
 KatÃ
Â</small>
The sly emperor of Assyria who is known to use dirty tactics and lowly tricks. He longs for Carol, the Daughter of the Nile river, who is 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.
- : Algon's favorite concubine. She travels to Egypt and follows her emperor's order to seduce Memphis.
- : the brother of emperor Algon.
- : 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.
- : the confident of emperor Ragash.
- : an official and the high priest of Babylonia.
- : the son of high priest Rimusin.
- : the king of Minoa. He has a weak health before Carol goes to Minoa and makes him healthier. Minos then falls in love with Carol. He is possibly named after Minos, the king of Crete from Greek Mythology.
- : 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.
- : the mother of king Minos and Atlas. She is also the bright regent who helps her son rule over Minoa.
- : the general of Minoa. A powerful warrior.
- : daughter of an official. She is one of the royal handmaidens in Minos' palace.
- : a noble lady from Athens who became a handmaiden to the Minoans.
- : a witch who helps Prince Ismir take princess Carol into his custody. Her name and character are loosely based on Circe from Greek mythology.
Other factions
The Amazones
- : the beautiful queen of the Amazones. She adores Carol. She kidnaps prince Ismir to save her sister, whose life in turn is saved by Carol.
- : sister of the queen.
Kingdom of Libya
- : father of princess Kafra.
- : 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 the Abyssinians
- : the blue prince of the empire. He was imprisoned by Memphis's soldier and punished heavily by Memphis by mistake.
- : the maid serving prince Massharhiqhi.
Media Kingdom
- : The King of Media. He hid his true identity to know more about the Egyptian palace's situation. He gave Carol a rare Chinese silk.
Kingdom of Indus
- : prince of the Ancient Indus.
Media
Manga
The series has been serialised in Akita Shoten's Princess magazine since 1976.
In Thailand, Vibulkij has licensed the series.
In South Korea, RH Korea is publishing the series, however, it was originally pirated into the country in the 1990s under the title "Ramses, Son of the Sun" (ÃÂÂìÂÂì ìÂÂë¤ ëÂÂì¸ì¤).
OVA
Titled , it was released on 8 March 1996 Toei.
Stage musical
In 2016, the musical The Crest of the Royal Family was performed for the first time, adapting the story up through volume 4 of the manga. The music was composed by Sylvester Levay and the production was directed by Koichi Ogita. The premiere took place from 5 to 27 August 2016 at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, with preview performances on 3 and 4 August. A second run was held from 8 April to 7 May 2017 at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, and from 13 to 31 May 2017 at the Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall in Osaka. A third run followed from 5 to 28 August 2021 at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, and from 4 to 26 September 2021 at the Hakataza Theater in Fukuoka.
The role of Memphis was played by Kenji Urai in the first, second, and third runs (double-cast only in the third) and by Naoto KaihÃ
 in the third run (double cast). Carol was portrayed by Sae Miyazawa and Seiko Niizuma in the first and second runs (double cast) and by Sayaka Kanda and Haruka Kinoshita in the third run (double cast). Izmir was portrayed by Mamoru Miyano and Motoki Square in the first and second runs (double cast) and by Motoki Square and Yusuke Ã
Ânuki in the third run (double cast). Ryan was played by Kanata Irei in the first and second runs and by Takuya Uehara in the third run. Luca was played by YÃ
«suke Yada in the first and second runs and by Takehisa Maeyama and Kuru Okanomiya in the third run (double cast). Unas was portrayed by ShinichirÃ
 Kogure in the first and second runs and by YÃ
«ta Ã
Âsumi and Takehisa Maeyama in the third run (double cast). Mitamun was portrayed by Ayu Aika in the first and second runs and by Airi Kisaki in the third run. Naftela was played by Aya Izumo in all three runs. Isis was played by Megumi Hamada in the first and second runs and by Manato Asaka and Seiko Niizuma in the third run (double cast). Imhotep was portrayed by Yuichiro Yamaguchi in all three runs. Minue was played by Tatsuya Kawaguchi in the first run and by Tsuyoshi Matsubara in both the second and third runs. Finally, Seti was portrayed by Hiromu KudÃ
 in the first and second runs and by Wakuto Sakaguchi in the third run. A stage musical adaptation, titled Musical: Crest of the Royal Family, took place in Japan in August 2021.
Influence
In Vietnam
In May 2024, Kim ÃÂá»Âng Publishing House announced the plan to publish a remastered version of Ã
Âke no MonshÃ
 under the name "Dấu ấn hoàng gia." Originally published in Vietnam from 1990 to 2000 as "Nữ hoàng Ai CáºÂp" (The Egyptian Queen), it was a childhood nostalgia for many Vietnamese. However, Kim ÃÂá»Âng was forced to delay the publication due to an inappropriate post made by their cover designer. The result was the change of artist used by Kim ÃÂá»Âng and an apology from the designer.
References
External links