Story:
Romeo x Juliet like its origin, Romeo and Juliet is a true masterpiece. Not only that it tells the beautiful story of love and revenge, but there’s also a fantasy twist which will just make things much more interesting. Having seen Romeo and Juliet plays for about three times now, I always felt that there is something missing. The original story feels somewhat 1D in comparison to the “remake” though I will never say that one is better than the other. They’re both good in their own ways but it feels like adding something new to the story makes it standout even more. I don’t know. Maybe I was just tired of seeing the same old story over and over again so when a bit of a fantasy element was added, I enjoyed it a lot better. The title in it of itself is enough reason for you to watch this show.
Characters:
Though the series mainly focuses on Romeo and Juliet, it is not right to say that the supporting cast is not that good. You’ll either hate them (Lady Hermoine and King Montague) or love them (William Shakespeare appears in his own creation. lol.) but they are made for you to do so. You’ll hate a character because they were made to be hated. It like professional wrestling: Heels (Chris Jericho is the natural heel in my book) are made to be hated while Faces (Super John Cena) are made to be cheered for. Now, with the supporting cast out of the way, let’s talk about the 2 characters that gave the series its name: Romeo and Juliet.
At first, we have Juliet Fiammata Asto Capulet (No google. Fuck yes!) who is not your typical damsel in distress. Throughout the series, Juliet is always fighting. Not just for herself, but for everything as well. As Odin, her “superhero” alter ego, she fights the system for the right of every citizen of Neo Verona. While as Juliet, the rightful heir to the throne of de Capulete, she fights not only for her right for the throne, but for her love as well. In the course of 24 episodes, Romeo and Juliet had too little screen time together because they we’re always apart. This in turn made Juliet a little weaker but not helpless. She is a fighter down to her core. Shows a feminine side often but produces testosterone higher than even Simon, the personification of testosterone (in my book) himself. Okay, that’s enough. lol. What I’m trying to say is that, she may be a damsel in distress but she is definitely not that helpless. She’s just madly in love with Mr. Perfect, Curt Hennig, I mean Romeo.
Then, we have Romeo Candorebanto Montague (I googled that! Fuck yes!), a noble gentleman (Like yours truly) who died a virgin (Like you. Haha, burn! Just kidding! lol. )… Or did he? I think. Probably. Lesson? Be a gentleman but never abandon your perverted side. Be like me, I mean like Sanji. He’s a good example. lol. Anyway, back on topic. He, like me (*grins*), treats women really good (right Hermoine? *winks*) and does anything for the one he loves (aka. Andres de Saya. It’s an expression in my country. Send me a PM or comment if you want to know what that means. lol.). The personification of chivalry and that’s about it. I have nothing much to say about his character other than that. He’s not a bad character but I didn’t give a shit about him that much. He’s just a bit perfect for my taste. I sometimes imagine him walking and the words noble, gentleman, handsome, and perfect will simultaneously pop on top of his head. You know, like that one in Seitokai Yakuindomo (Fun show. Go watch it.). lol. I’m getting a little sexist but that’s fine, right? I’m a man after all so I think it’s natural that I care about Juliet more than him. In all seriousness though, I feel like he’s a male nadeshiko, perfect, just too perfect for my taste.
Animation:
Romeo x Juliet was animated by Gonzo back in 2007. But if you’re familiar with Gonzo, you know that they are a bit hit and miss. Though they can make amazing stuffs like Full Metal Panic, they can also do things like Gantz. It’s as if they flip a coin and be like: “If its head then let’s put all our effort in it, but if its tails then let’s just fuck it”. Well, going back on topic. In Romeo x Juliet’s case, I think it’s safe to say that the coin landed on its head. The animation is nothing too fancy but definitely still worthy of praise. I don’t remember seeing any CG which is like Gonzo’s trademark. I just might not have noticed it but I’m pretty sure they didn’t wave their 3D cocks in this series. Not much bombastic scene other than the few battle scenes and the “thing” in the end so the animation was a little stale but I think it’s not enough to deter future viewers. Overall, the animation is pretty polished for a Gonzo show.
Sound:
If I can marry a voice actress, it would probably be Brina Palencia. She’s got the looks, the voice, and the wits (Go check out her con-session videos with J. Michael Tatum on Youtube, it’s really cute). So when I heard her dub for Juliet, I was seriously fangasming. Just like how Crispin Freeman is the embodiment of Alucard, Brina is the only one meant to play as Juliet. She nailed both her damsel in distress persona as well as her Odin alter ego. In regard to Chris Burnett who played Romeo, it’s a real good dub; however, I think there are other ones who are much more suited for the job. I can’t really think of a name, but I just felt that his dub was not as powerful as Brina’s. And because I have only seen the dub, I don’t really have anything to say about the sub. I’ve never seen the Japo dub line up as well, so I can’t predict if it’s a good dub on their part. So, if you plan on watching it for the first time, it’s only obvious that I suggest that you watch it dubbed. It’s a Funimation dub so it’s really good.
The soundtrack is really good too, specially the different variations of the original “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban. Though repetitive, I wouldn’t say I was unhappy about it because it was always used at the right moment. One perfect time when it was used was at episode 7. Oh my god, I swear to God (even if I’m an atheist), my testosterone level have never been so low my entire life. I was about to squeal but I was watching it with my friends so I had to hold back a little. Anyway, yeah, at that time when a certain event happened at episode 7, the way they used You Raise Me Up was just godly. To this day, every time I watch it, I still get goosebumps. All I can say is, well done. There’s also this instrumental version of the song (I really suck at identifying sounds. It might be a guitar or a piano or neither) and when I hear that, I naturally sing along with it.
Verdict:
If there’s one “flaw” in this series, I would say it was its ending. Though technically not a flaw, I feel like as a human being, you have already been spoiled even before you watch this show (If you don’t know how Romeo and Juliet ends then you, my friend, have been living under a rock your whole life. And since I’m a bit generous today, here’s a gift: Romeo and Juliet both die in the end. You’re welcome). Though the means differ in both mediums, the tragedy is still present and may deter some people because they know what will happen. No offense to those who have that mindset, but I personally thinks that’s a stupid reason for not even touching the show. Romeo and Juliet is a true masterpiece in any medium and we should all watch it at least once in our lifetime. Do not be deterred by the spoiler, even if they both die, their trials and hardships are what make the story incredible. “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey”.
With all that said, after some random computations, I’d gladly give Romeo x Juliet an overall score of 9.06 out of 10. As a true masterpiece made by the one and only William Shakespeare, no human being have the acceptable excuse to not watch it. It is a beautiful story of love and revenge that I’m sure 95% of viewers will really like. The other 5% probably have poor taste or just men with really high testosterone level. If you have not seen it yet, you have my full pledged recommendation in doing so. If my reviews have somehow helped you in the past then this one will surely end up to your liking as well.
Alternate Anime Recommendation:
For alternate anime recommendation, why don’t you try Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo? Both series centers around love and revenge that somewhat led to a tragic end. Though do not be deterred as both series have an outstanding journey in between them. And funny enough, both series was made by Gonzo back in the day and both of them are adaptations from really popular stories; Romeo and Juliet for Romeo x Juliet and The Count of Monte Cristo for Gankutsuou.
If you don’t like classic literature that much then we have… hmmm… *checks list* Ah! Got one! Nisekoi! I know what you’re thinking: “WHAT A SHITTY RECOMMENDATION FOR ROME X JULIET!” I know! I should probably punch myself. Though in defense, let me give some obvious comparisons. Both series have family feuds, romance (hahahaha!), and tragedy (because Nisekoi is a harem! Hahahahaha!). Though be warned that even if both series are somewhat comparable, they could never be much more different. I just couldn’t find another anime in my list that had the same premise so, yeah, fuck me! Hahaha!
And that’s it for me! Thanks for reading! Bye!
