Ranked #414

Romeo x Juliet

Going into this series, I admit that I had braced myself for more of a tragedy than this. Having acted in the original play, I know just how depressing and plain ol' emo it can be. But this is truly something different.

Story: First off, the story is much more moving and uplifting than I was expecting. There were times when I was actually moved to tears by the responses of characters to each other. The story just barely follows Shakespeare's original story. Basically put, if you're looking for an anime rendition of his story, you're looking in the wrong place. This is not to say that the story is bad in any sense of the word. Rather, I think that Shakespeare would be proud of this expansion to his original story.

Art: I'd have to say that the art section is the most disappointing of all. Thankfully, this isn't saying too much. The art from front to back is very well done. Some of the townsfolk felt a little bit cheapened but I would count this as making sure the story is focused on who it should be.

Sound: I have to admit, I'm extremely impressed with the sound from this anime. From the musical compositions to the sound effects to the voice acting to one of the better renditions of "You Raise Me Up" (performed by Lena Park). As far as audio goes, darn impressive.

Characters: Only a couple of characters weren't all that impressive. However, all of the key players are very well developed. All of the seiyuu who performed did an excellent job indeed. This really helped to bring out the characters personalities and brought life. read more

What can we expect from a title that says Romeo x Juliet? Probably a cheesy and draggy remade version of the original story that has no dept whatsoever.

But I was utterly wrong. Simply bear in mind that this is the Anime Version of Romeo and Juliet, and expect what you'll expect from most anime for eg, fantasy. I'm no fan of Shakespear's work but I do know the general outline of the story and the important scenes such as the balcony which audience will get to enjoy during the course of the series (although I'm guilty of laughing at that part).

Story wise - Firstly, I'm very impressed by the various climax and exciting moments in this series. The first 10 episodes or so will keep you on your toes while tugging your emotions along with the sweet and tragic moments of our main characters. Following episodes then mellow down, and just when I thought it's gonna get boring here forth the story picks up again and you just have to keep watching. ie. damn high priority. However, you may find yourself with a big "huh?!" at the last few eps. Yes there's where the Fantasy kicks in although if you have watched enough anime, you'll know that this is a typical storyline and thus befitting for this series as well. In general, the story was well remade for an anime indeed.

Art - The style may be a little hard to stomach for some but fret not, you'll get used to it in 1 or 2 episodes' time. The background was beautiful in some scenes especially the extensive flower beds. In fact, during the course of watching this series, I actually felt that it's well drawn because the characters doesn't have oversized eyes (or boobs) or overly skinny limbs, unlike some other animes.

Sound - Needless to say, the opening is one where you'll keep listening to even after completing the series. Images from the anime will then naturally float into your mind. Yes that's how influential Lena Park's version of You Raise Me Up is.

Character - For this portion, I'll really have to give the director a big hug. Setting the side characters aside, the mental development of both our hero and heroine was well-balanced and developed. The romance between the 2 was nicely presented while slowly telling the audience how they fell in love. This part was absolutely perfect because a plain love-at-first-sight thing would cause the story to lose its meaning and turn me off quickly.

Despite it being a great anime, I've gotta admit the presence of my fan-girling moments during the exceptionally sweet and touching moments which were strewed here and there. So fellow babes, watch this to ignite the shoujo heart in you! read more