Romeo x Juliet

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!

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.

Overall I believed it was a very good story. It goes along the basic storyline of the Shakespeare version, but I thought that the twists and extra pieces really made it unique and likeable.

I loved the music, it really went well with the anime and the mood of the story. I also loved the opening and ending music.

Each episode was a sort of cliffhanger, which made me want to watch the rest of them in a row (but couldn't). When I did, I felt kind of sad that it wasn't long enough.

Some of the characters that have more similar roles in both this anime ... and the Shakespeare story were excellent. Oveall the characters were well thought out and drawn (animated).

If you haven't watched it, I recommend watching it with an open mind. Don't limit yourself to thinking it will just be like the Shakespeare play, and I'm sure you'll be surprised, pleased and love most, if not all, moments in this anime laid out before you.

An anime version of Romeo and Juliet? Interesting.

But its a loose adaptation. Very loose. Don't expect Romeo X Juliet to be like the original Shakespeare play. This review, is written by a person who never read the play but has researched enough about it. Arguably, all the characters in this anime are made differently, unintentionally or not, from their counterparts. And from these traits we get an awfully plentiful disagreeing opinions.

Now for a detailed review...

Story: 6

The discussion of this part is going to be longer than the others because its the core of the anime, being an "adaptation." Let us begin with the basics; ... the original Romeo and Juliet is a very romantic tragedy with intense passion and drama of two very young lovers from enemy clans. And undeniably, it could be the most famous love story written, romanticizing love at a very high level. Also, the play has many social and societal issues that are heavy for younger people.

But, Romeo X Juliet defied the themes of the original by setting a different, lighter mood through a fantasy world. It was not made to adapt the original at all. The given conflict of the Capulet and the Montagues' dispute is briefly introduced to give way to additional plot lines such as oppression of the masses, heroism and coming of age. In context, this anime does not fall short of creativity in interpretation and twists in respect to the Shakespeare's play.

And of course, the heart of the story is the love between Romeo and Juliet- romance. And I can say that made a good job in creating interesting sweet and innocent love story between the two characters through memorable cinematic scenes. It was further made good by many emotional lines and dialogues, both original and quoted from the play itself, that are appropriately romantic.Those wonderful aesthetic qualities combined with the challenges the two must face warms up the interesting and the well-paced story.

However, though it has many notable rare qualities, its full of inconsistencies and wasted potential. I repeat, a lot of wasted potential; foreshadowing and the plot itself. Somehow, this anime introduces a lot of unconventional and promising conflicts, especially at the beginning, that disappointingly, unexplored further or left hanging. The Capulet and the Montagues' dispute was rather shallow and offers cliched character involvement which will be elaborated later in the review. Other notable examples could be the new characters, duty and a possible forbidden love.

The anime has a bad habit of introducing something big and exciting, and suddenly replacing it with in-character yet obvious internal conflicts, and gets resolved in a manner that's nothing brilliant. In par with this, many sub-plots have thin links with the main focus of the show. And most probably, the greatest weakness of the anime was the short climax build-up that lacks intensity. And the "climax" itself, a poor attempt to adapt the ending of the original, is totally unrelated to the path leading to it. Lastly, there are some important plot devices that makes very little sense at all.

But one thing makes all of these work: Romeo and Juliet. Their fairy-tale like romance is just so addictive because of its innocent nature. Ideally, they're in love, but in a mature perspective, its an obvious infatuation and a very compatible friendship. Its not intense, passionate and dark but rather the opposite. And of course, if they're together, they make it look that everything will work out. Well, the series did work out because of them, the anticipation of a different ending is a driving force to finish the series.

Pure romance is excellent, everything else that complements it are mediocre.

Art: 8

Artistically, this anime has done very well in dramatizing the themes with an excellent opening. Not only that, as I mentioned, cinematography and the bright mood of lovely scenes made its romance element noteworthy. However, the setting, the clothes, the building designs, appropriate they be, are nothing exceptional or new for they are based of from real life designs, except the pegasus perhaps. Romeo and Juliet's color schemes work well andare memorable.

Animation is another downer. It was inconsistent at most.

Sound: 9

The opening song itself "Inori (You raise me up)" by Lena Park raised the score of this anime. It was beautiful, intense and well performed and placed in appropriate scenes in different themes. Disappointingly, the endings songs are pale in comparison with it.

Background music is as inconsistent with the story. It is very touching, light, mellow with Romeo and Juliet scenes and anything concerning romance. It adds up to the feeling of love in many scenes and makes them more memorable. So; the light romantic element itself is again portrayed exceptionally, everything else seems so bland and lacking.

Character: 7

A Code Geass Review has this line but I guess it will be very appropriate to put it here too:

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts..." - Shakespeare

William itself is in the anime, a nice caricature. Though he has minimal involvement he his comments are a nice homage and perspective to what what happening.

The characters in the anime are different and can be considered "twisted" versions of the original. Let us begin with the main protagonists; Romeo and Juliet:

Juliet is probably the true heroine of the story and she is very tradition defying one. She's considerably lacks maturity, evident from her views, actions and emotional responses. Yet, her strength and capabilities in leadership and combat pushes a fairly well development on her side. And being torn between her duty and her feelings for Romeo, the way she overcomes the hurdles of of these internal struggles is something that only few female characters achieved. The used metaphor for actions, also for her love and determination she shared with Romeo, the "wind" suits her role in stirring a revolution and going against the odds. She's apparently more level-headed than the original Juliet.

Romeo too, is a very unique prince, because his role of a child of an influencial/evil person, a kindhearted noble who advocates reform, well mannered, naive and innocent nature are the usual stereotypes for lead heroines: That's right, mainly princesses. But he fitted his role well and it's in tandem with his idealism and pure, young love for Juliet. And amazingly,none of these traits badly affect his male protagonist image, but rather it makes him more lovable and adorable. On the other hand, the real Romeo is impulsive, violent and too passionate according to some sources.

Romance worked out very well between the two, but again, mostly everything else is utterly mediocre. One big flaw is the lack of intense reaction from the other characters regarding RXJ love. It should be outrageous, scandalous, disappointing, shocking- all kinds of emotions to further juxtapose love. But all the characters are lacking in that area so the challenges RxJ face aren't romantic in nature themselves but rather situational or societal. Personal issues are always defeated by love. And like what I explained earlier, those conflicts have wasted big potentials.

The best example of poor character involvement is the repetitive "Montagues are evil" and "The Capulets must be destroyed." And the reason for that? Cliches...

Through all those negative attributes, the side characters are not that bad at all. There is the presence of nice best friends like Benvolio and Cordelia. Loyal protector with interesting little secrets and personalities like Curio and Francisco are very likable. The cast from the original play is certainly "animated" here, as alternate persons. Although the background people are decent enough, some of them made no contribution to the overall drama; just creating additional insignificant situations.

Enjoyment: 8

This is very opinionated and based on my preference; I had high hopes for this series but I was very disappointed. But I can say that I did enjoy it, especially the lovely scenes between RxJ. It succeeds in making the audience experience the kind of love that is shared between the two. I makes people "fall in love."

Overall: 7

I went into this anime not expecting to like it very much. I am not a fan of Shakespeare. I am also not a fan of plots that showcase war and revenge. As it turned out, I am, however, a fan of Romeo X Juliet.

This is NOT your ordinary melodramatic love story. This is an adventure.

All of the characters are presented well and integrate with the story seamlessly, allowing this fictional world to brim with life, with living, breathing characters. Romeo and Juliet are portrayed as strong and brave protagonists that dynamically grow through each episode. The Capulets ... quickly become likable comrades plotting against the Montagues through perfect camaraderie, and this coupled with Romeo and Juliet overcoming regular adversities kept me watching. You can't help but care for them all. And the romance isn't sappy, but captivating and without a single blemish in its execution. Best of all, there are no fillers; each episode is dense with quality content.

Yes, the anime might not adhere to Shakespeare's version to the T, but I loved the enhancements: Juliet as a cool Zorro-like figure, Neo Verona set in the skies, and especially the flying pegasus! The visuals are fantastic, from character design to setting detail and imagination... everything! Be sure to watch this one on a large screen. And the opening, with Lena Park's rendition of "You Raise Me Up"... a slice of heaven right there. I wasn't a fan of the ending though, and the more magical aspects of this anime (e.g. the tree near the end) did not seem to fit very well.

Please try it. The first few episodes should be all it takes.

From the name of the anime, you can tell what it will be about, based on Shakespeare's original work.

Even from watching the opening theme, you can see that the series does not appear to be like the original, so don't expect it and judge this series based on that. For example... flying horses?

The story is extremely well played out. The only reason why I didnt rate the story any higher was that sometimes, the fantasy elements were too much, and didnt always fit in *spoiler* (Escalus). Only at the very end do all the elements fit together. Although almost everyone knows how a Romeo ... and Juliet story should end, you cant help but anticipate what twist Gonzo will throw in. Most of the story's details are different from the original, but all the underlying themes are there.

The art is beautiful. The character designs are different from commonplace anime designs, and the backgrounds are amazing.

The music is amazing. The opening theme suits the anime very well. The insert song in episode 7 was AMAZINGLY placed and well done... brought me to tears. The ending songs are also good, but at first they dont seem to fit. But as you sit and listen to it and think about the episode.. it just feels right.

I liked the characters the most in this series. One thing I didnt like about the original story was the love between Romeo and Juliet. It seemed more like infatuation, and there was no development of love between them. In this adaptation. there is actually love. You see the characters struggle and love each other so much. Actually, I havent seen such good relationship development in anime for a while (and this includes romance animes). The other characters, although almost all of them have a different role, all fit their new roles very well.

I found this series extremely enjoyable and definitely recommend it to any anime viewer who enjoys adaptations, and a clean anime full of love and struggle.

Added new depth to the classic William Shakespeare tail Romeo and Juliet.

I had a few doubt going into this series, but my misgivings were quickly put to rest, I thought it might turn out like the Leonardo DiCaprio movie Romeo and Juliet, the movie was pretty bad. Thankfully the anime series is a whole lot better.

Romeo X Juliet is a extraordinary anime series. There is the same story of two waring families, and the two children from the families falling in love. There are so many things that make this a great anime series. First the story, sure there's the same classic story, but GONZO ... added much more and new twists to the story. The world the anime series takes place in is wonderful. A mysterious land floating in the sky, winged horese, and of course the Tree called Escalus. The mystery behind the floating land is the real story. The love story, between Romeo and Juliet is just a added benefit.

The characters were also amazing. GONZO brought many changes to them, adding more life to them than in the classic play. Characters from Lady Portia(Romeo's Mother), William, Ophelia, and many more.

Next is the music, which is excellent on par with Fullmetal Alchemist, but a notch below Cowboy Bebop.

Finally the animation is done by GONZO. The did a stunning job with Romeo X Juliet, it just amazes me how good a job they do.

Overall Romeo and Juliet is a classic anime series, and is in my top 5 anime series I've seen

When i first saw the title, i though it would be quite a cliche anime since the story itself is quite well known. But i must applaud the effort put in by the studio in adding a lot of extra detail while still being able to maintain the original storyline. Myself being a fantasy lover was immediately taken in by the flying horses and mythical tree. I think that they made the story more interesting and enhanced the mood,especially the drama in the show. So in terms of the story it was quite well done in my opinion and should not be taken lightly because ... of its title.

The artwork was fairly good, although i don't pay that much attention to the artwork,there were certainly no noticeable flaws in the animeand the characters were drawn quite well.

The Songs in the show were quite an interesting selection. The opening was a surprise to me in that i never imagined there would be japanese version of the song "You Raise Me Up", but it fitted well with the anime. The ending was more upbeat then the opening which i squite different from your usual anime but i guess i dont detest it since its something different fro a change. The inserts of the english version of the opening helps to enhance the mood in the story and her voice is amazing.

The Characters is of course what makes the story so great.However, in this anime too much focus is on the main characters and the supporting characters do not get much showtime, so it is a bit onesided. But they still used the supporting character well to create the setting i shant spoil it.It is also interesting to see William in the anime acting as if the story actually originated from this anime and his presence is another interesting feature of this anime

I thoroughly enjoyed this anime because i myself am a romance-drama anime fan. But i found it different from the original shakespeare version and it draws me in. The conflict and burden of the names that the two must carry draws in the audience and the ending is somewhat satisfying even though it is meant to be a tragedy, it was portrayed in a manner that seems like a happy ending which is good because i hate those open endings.

Overall, it is a good anime worth watching and should not be judged based on its title, i hope this was helpful to whoever reads it, its only my first review though.

"Just another adaptation of one of Shakespeare's most popular plays. Boring." This was more or less what I thought when I stumbled upon Romeo x Juliet a while ago. One look at the opening credits of this anime suggested that I may have judged it too hastily, and 24 episodes later I knew I was definitely wrong.

It's a difficult task to improve upon the original story of Romeo and Juliet, a tremendous tale full of romance and tragedy. This anime adaptation pays a lot of respect to Shakespeare's famous work, and yet also manages to throw in so much of it's own ideas. Unlike the ... 1996 American film adaptation which was set in modern-day Verona, the anime changes the setting to Neo Verona, an aerial continent. Incorporated into this new fantasy setting are elements such as dragon steeds and enchanted trees. Rather than having two warring families on equal grounds, the anime instead depicts the Montagues as the dominant family, who force the Capulets into hiding for several years. The main theme of the story remains the same, with an ill-fated love between Romeo and Juliet accompanied by a rebellion by the Capulets towards the Montagues. However, the anime also includes many action scenes which gives the series plenty of energy and excitement. No matter how much one wishes against it though, the anime stays true to its roots and provides a tearjerker of an ending.

The animation in Romeo x Juliet is excellent during the first half of the series, but unfortunately there is a dip in quality during the second half. The character models are simple but effective, whereas the city of Neo Verona is shown in great detail and full of vibrant colours. The action sequences are also well animated.

The musical score supports this anime very well, and most of the tracks are used at the most suitable moments to create uplifting, dramatic, or sad atmospheres. The narrative is also superb, keeping in tone with Shakespeare's original play by including lines which use an older style of English as well as many of his quotes. The opening song (Inori ~ You Raise Me Up) is extremely soothing and fits the overall theme of the story perfectly. However, the first ending song doesn't suit this anime at all, whereas the second ending is fairly average when compared to the opening.

The characters in Romeo x Juliet don't disappoint either, and a lot of them feel like a breath of fresh air to the story. If you've seen or read the original play, forget what you already know about Mercutio and Tybalt, because they (among a few others) have different backgrounds and personalities. There are quite a number of new characters introduced, including one who is basically Shakespeare himself! The side characters are interesting to a certain extent in their own little ways, and provide decent support to the main leads. Surprisingly, the background of Romeo’s father is explored in quite a bit of detail, which partly helps to explain why he acts like a tyrant. Then we come to Romeo and Juliet, who as expected get the most screentime and development out of the whole cast. The length of the series allows it to take the time to develop each of the two main leads individually and thoroughly; Romeo has a strong desire to help others despite a lack of affection from his tyrannical father, whereas Juliet masquerading as a hero of justice is a great idea and provides another dimension to her character (she can handle a sword just as well as anyone in this show). The chemistry between the two feels very realistic and heartwarming, and never too cheesy.

Romeo x Juliet is a great series to watch, feeling familiar yet new at the same time. The main part of Shakespeare's play is still here, but there are so many other aspects to it too. The pacing of the story slows down a little during the middle section (due to the two leads embarking on their own separate adventures for a while), but any other flaws aren't noticeable enough to detract from the enjoyment too much. Definitely recommended.

I figured that I should write my first review with one of my favorite stories I've ever seen/read. Romeo x Juliet is one of the most romantic and tragic anime ever because it's derived from Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet, duh. But the anime's story is a little bit different than Shakespeare's, with the addition of mythical creatures and magic to add even more drama into an already dramatic story.

Story: The love story between Romeo Candorebanto Montague and Juliet Fiammata Asto Capulet. But instead of their parents being enemies and forbidding their love, the Montague family killed the entire Capulet family, except for ... Juliet who grows up to be the people's hero of justice, "Red Whirlwind". Meanwhile, the Montague family is a tyranny, and cruel to the people, therefore making them Juliet's opponent. And in the midst of a rebellion, Romeo and Juliet's destinies cross, and the all so romantic and tragic love story between Romeo and Juliet begins. I loved the anime version as much as I did the original play, and I LOVED the original play! There were moments... No, the entire anime was tugging at my feelings, there were many scenes where I couldn't help but cry soo much!!

Art: The art was the same as your typical anime made around 2007, not clear and beautiful, but a more realistic looking art. The characters were designed just the way I had imagined them when I read Romeo and Juliet. I loved the quiet symbolism of poison, roses and beautiful angelic wings.

Sound: This was amazing! Romeo and Juliet had the perfect voice cast for them! The music certainly made all the sad moments in Romeo and Juliet even sadder! The song, "You Raise Me Up" was beautiful and tear-jerking! Oh my goodness when it played at the end of the anime, I cried soo much!!

Character: A large variety of characters that could have been developed a bit more, or gotten a bit more screen time. But, there's my 2 favorites characters Romeo and Juliet, and that is enough for me. The romance and tragic level between Romeo and Juliet destroys my heart everytime I watch/read about them.

Enjoyment: I enjoyed it so much, and I cried so much watching this anime. The anime isn't the same as the Shakespeare play. Romeo x Juliet has more mythical creatures and overdramatic sad scenes that grasps the attention of the audience more than Shakespeare's original play. Romeo x Juliet is definitely one of the greatest romance stories ever, and one of my favorite stories ever! Everyone must watch or read Romeo x Juliet!

SOUND/SONG/OP AND ED SONG...
The OP song of this anime is very suitable for the theme of the love story of Romeo and Juliet. I don't think any other music would perfectly fit this very emotional and somehow classic anime.
However, the ED song for the first half of the anime is a rock/loud music, contrasting to its OP song, and it's not that suitable. However, I cannot totally judge this song because I never tried to listen to it completely. The second ED song is, i think, more suitable, because it has a nice melody, and the meaning of the song fits the story.

ART/ANIMATION:
The flying horses ... there are not consistent in terms of art and animation. However, the art/animation is not that bad and the characters were drawn well, and the conservativeness of the story is seen in the art of the characters.

STORY:
I haven't read Romeo and Juliet, so this review is not that dependable to those who read it. But the way the story was put in the anime is very nice because even my little sister, who doesn't love serious romance animes, watched it and was very touched and very affected by it. The end is unpredictable, but because this story is famous for its tragic end, you would really want it to end the other way. You would want to have something, a sort of a miracle, to twist its story, because you feel you're a part of it, you feel like you're going to be greatly affected if it would end tragically, if it would end the original way.
Every end of an episode keeps you hanging and asking for more. However, on the 22nd/23rd episode, you would want to end it there.
The original story is translated in a nice way, because I understood the gist of the story.

CHARACTERS:
I liked the the way they retained the names of the characters.
As of their roles, I found Juliet strong, but becomes weak when it comes to love, and is very indecisive when her love for Romeo will be greatly affected with her decision.
Romeo is the perfect guy a girl can have, as presented in this anime.
The antagonists are effective antagonists because they can make you angry and pity the protagonists.
About the supporting characters, I think they supported the main characters well.

CONCLUSION/OVERALL:
This is a very nice and classic romance anime, and it will keep you asking for more of it. You know, I didn't plan on writing a review for this, but after I finished watching it, I was greatly affected, even though 2 days passed by already. It's still fresh on my mind...
You must watch this anime if you want simple and sweet romance love stories, without the Ecchiness, and with just pure feelings... ^_^

***This is a Spoiler-Free Review***

Alright, for better or worse, shelve what you know about Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, this anime is a fantasy-action and romance story loosely *inspired* by the timeless play, not quite an adaptation. If that doesn't sound appealing or you were expecting Romeo & Juliet: the Noh Drama / [High School] Musical, you may leave. The rest of you...have a seat.

Story [6/10] - It should go without spoiling anything that the focus of the story is our hero Romeo and our heroine Juliet falling in love and the events that transpire before and as a result of this. Towards ... the beginning of the anime, the creative liberties taken and new characters introduced are refreshing, exciting, and it's great to see the lens focused with Juliet as the main character. The fantasy-like setting is fun. It starts out having a great mix of the romance, gripping backstory, action, and character development. Some shows use that momentum and ultimately finish out strong...but Romeo X Juliet sadly is not one of them. Had the second half been as good as the first half this score would be much higher. But if you appreciate good plot with an equally strong resolution rather than anime cliches, you like me will have an imprint of your face on your palm by the end.

Art & Animation [5/10] - Oh boy. At TIMES the art an animation quality are outstanding. R x J is sometimes here, sometimes there. Sometimes there are beautiful backgrounds with well drawn characters (the very beginning and very end are good examples), and at other times characters proportions, ESPECIALLY faces get completely screwed up the moment the character simply turns their head to face a different direction. In one episode, I thought to myself "they must have spent all the money for this episode on animating Juliet in that scene, because in this next scene Francisco's nose isn't on right..." I always try to look at animation in perspective of when it was made, and at times R x J has the animation production value of a show made in 2001. Gonzo and GK are both at fault here, because Gonzo is guilty of this in the past, and we all know they could have been better than that comparing to some of their other titles (even "moeblob" titles).

Sound (OST, OP/ED, Acting) [9/10] -

The OST is the true gem of this title. Whether or not you ever watch this show, you owe it to yourself to listen to if not OWN this soundtrack. Sakimoto-sensei is a man of exceptional talent, compared often to Uematsu Nobuo even though their styles are pretty different (probably by association to Final Fantasy, as his other famous work is the OST to FFXII). The often fully-orchestrated tracks bring an unbelievable amount of live into the characters, at times almost TOO much. But in this case, can't have too much of a good thing.

The OP is also fabulous, naturally pretty much a cover of "You Raise Me Up", but Korean-born Lena Park sings it with vigor and when she hits the high notes, the timbre and beauty of her voice really shine. Excellent staffing choice there. The EDs are enjoyable enough to listen to, the 2nd more than the 1st, but are overall pretty forgetable.

Lastly, the voice acting. Well I'll just say... Gonzo sure as heck saved money in this department. They probably spent most of their budget on Sakimoto-sensei. The female seiyuu are composed of a lot of unknown talents, and some of the best seiyuu in the production (Iwao Junko, Saito Chiwa) play very minor roles. The male seiyuu do a little better save for one gripe. Those who pay attention to the "acting" part of voice acting may agree with me, but it takes true grit to put up with Romeo's voice for 24 episodes (let alone Mizushima-san's voice in general but that is an opinionated digression not suited for this review). That aside the award for best role in the show goes to Ishii Kouji for his roles as Montague. Truly brings out, and makes you hate, the character which brings me to my next section...

Character [6/10] - At the beginning of the show, this really is around an 8 or a 9. The anime-original characters are very welcome, and whether or not you agree with the roles chosen for some similarly named characters from the play, the backstory of characters such as Tybalt are well written. Montague especially seems to be the perfect villain in the beginning, and continues to be through the later half. However...all semblance of character development seems to crumble in the last few episodes. You feel as if you are watching one of Willy's plays, because if you, even based on the anime alone, sit and think "what would the characters I have come to learn so much about over these past 20 episodes do in this kind of situation?" you'd be surprised at how contrary their actions seem, as if they are puppets in a play...or victims of poor writing on the staff's part. Some characters are completely forgotten, whilst others are simply assigned stereotypical "roles" which completely overwrite their personalities.

Enjoyment [7/10] - On the whole a fairly enjoyable title. The ups generally outweigh the downs and if you're looking for fantasy-romance, you can do worse than R x J. Some of the well written parts make the show worth seeing on the whole, and the incorporation of the OST as well as some of the "new" or "refreshed" characters give this title life differentiated from the Shakespeare play.

Overall (not an average) [7/10] - Based on the ANN Rating System "Good, worth seeing" Naturally there are negatives, the art and animation being the primary factor, and the somewhat rushed writing towards the end of the anime. But on the positive, the refreshed setting, new characters, and most of the character development make it worth the ride and some scenes may even be worth a rewatch. Like a good coaster, you will enjoy most of the ride, you just might get gas pains afterwards from that chili you ate before.

Rewatch Value: Low

As an English Major in University, I would be the first to say that Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is far from the masterpiece many think it is.

The original play is rushed, unbelievable and ultimately the characters themselves are most at fault. Romeo and Juliet are nothing more than lovestruck teenagers, who cannot stop thinking about their libido long enough for the play not to end in tragedy. That being said, Romeo x Juliet is an inventive interpretation of one of the worlds most famously known plays.

Story:
The story of Romeo x Juliet, is thankfully, a pretty big departure from the original. Adding in a ... flair of fantasy while keeping the true essence of what Shakespeare was supposedly trying to achieve in telling a tragic love story. What falls flat ultimately though is the pacing of the story and parts of its presentation. The introduction of Escalus and Juliet's true destiny should have been introduced much sooner, as well as a lot of the development that worked to make the love between them more realistic broke the pace of what could have been a true masterpiece. 6/10

Art:
I quite liked the art of this adaption, the contrasting images of Montague Blue and Capulet Red was nice along with the bright colours and flowers that populated Neo Verona. 8/10

Sound:
When I first heard the intro song I was off put by how familiar it was. It wasn't long until I realized it was a cover of You Raise Me Up, and while at first I wasn't too fond of it, I'm not too fond with most versions of it to be fair, it grew on me and ultimately fit well with the story. 10/10

Characters:
The characters of Shakespeare's play are ultimately its downfall. Romeo and Juliet are basically moronic teenagers who get themselves killed, while it may be romantic, the pacing would show that it was nothing more than momentary lust and you lose a lot of the sense of tragedy or romance that would normally be perceived. Romeo x Juliet does a lot to alleviate this, however it still falls short. Romeo is honestly a bore and Juliet is the clichéd mold of a anime heroine, but both are huge steps in the right direction in comparison to Shakespeare's version. The twists that were added to such characters like Tybalt and Mercutio were wonderful delights and if only all were utilized in such a fashion this could have been so much more. 7/10

Enjoyment:
Like I stated before I am an English Major in University, so coming across Shakespeare's work is pretty much unavoidable. I've never been much of a fan, but do enjoy some of his plays, unfortunately Romeo and Juliet is not one of them. After having to recently right an essay on it, I remembered this adaptation and low and behold, honestly and truly loved it. 10/10

Overall:
Except for a few misteps, this is definitely an anime worth watching. If you know the original at all, it is almost a crime not to watch this just to see it in a different light. I give this anime 8/10.

Ah, Romeo and Juliet. Probably the most enduring love story of all time. The story of passionate young star crossed lovers, in passionate searing love, falling into the hands of an impossibly tragic fate in order to teach their quarreling families and the audience a lesson about innocence in the midst of violence and hatred. Lovely and stirring and compelling, right? I sure think so. So being the really really pathetic Shakespeare nerd that I am....and a huge fan of anime I thought to myself, "ROMEO AND JULIET IN AN ANIME????" *nerdgasm* "I MUST SEE THIS".
but
after seeing it, all I could think was "poo."

STORY
This anime, ... despite it's lovely name and main characters named after the protagonists of Shakespeare's masterpiece, is absolutely NOT the classic "Romeo and Juliet" that I was expecting....and wished that the anime delivered. Don't get me wrong. The fact that they changed the story...or wrote an entirely different story stickered with the name of Romeo X Juliet...though unexpected, did not soil my opinion of the anime. In fact, the main premise of the story was very compelling and some aspects of it were good. Very good in fact. BUT OH. the tragedy of this take on Romeo and Juliet was not in the story. It was in the writing. So much potential to be a good series! So many ways that the story could have succeeded! Oh how I flinched while I watched this series as each and every good thing this series had going for it turned to dust with each completely unnecessary arc to enter into the story. Simplicity is beautiful. I wish the writers knew this. So instead of witnessing the achingly pure innocent love story that is at the very heart of Romeo and Juliet...and this series...the love story aspect gets bogged down and diminished by all of the extra unneeded overly angsty arcs that begin to clutter up the last 1/3 of the series. I'm not saying that this series was not a "romance" series. It was very "romantic". It had all the cheesy lines and the cutesy couple scenes. But that isn't what Romeo and Juliet is all about! IT'S ABOUT PASSION. But the romance in this series was...bland. Romeo and Juliet, oh Romeo and Juliet where for art thou romantic beautiful version of Romeo and Juliet?? *cries*

Art
I actually enjoyed the artistic aspect of this series quite a bit. Yes, the animation was not top-notch. at all. But the soft tones and muted pastelly well detailed backgrounds really were pretty. They almost made me feel as if I were watching a fairy tale. The character designs were nice too. I really loved the innocent boyishness of Romeo's appearance and Juliet was not the fickle little thing that she normally gets portrayed as. Overall, the art was not the most disappointing part of the series.

Sound
The music for this series is lovely. It's frilly and fantastical and it matches the tone of the series perfectly. Not perfect, but nice. I really love the song "you raise me up" which the series adapted as its themesong. SO ROMANTIC. too bad it was probably the most romantic part of the series.

Character
Thank goodness the characters in the series were awesome. Otherwise my score for it would've ended up a lot lower. But the characters really make this series. I loved that Juliet was not portrayed as a weak fickle damsel. Not only is she super strong and courageous, she's a freaking super hero! That rocks. I also liked how Romeo was portrayed. He wasn't the little hormonal whiny sop that he normally is portrayed as...instead, he's level headed and rational and strong. I dig that. The supporting characters, although MUCH less developed, were likable and enjoyable to watch as well. Each one plays a role in the story and makes the viewer have a deeper interest in what was going in the series. Even if the story was not perfect, the characters carried it quite well.

Enjoyment/Overall
Was this series Romeo and Juliet, the masterpiece, the tragic tale of passion and love?? Definitely not. But this series was not terrible either. It was, for the most part intriguing and enjoyable. As long as you don't mind A LOT of revisions to the original story and messy somewhat disappointing writing, I don't see why you wouldn't enjoy it.

Many people would say, "Romeo and Juliet? Seriously?" But yes, believe it (no I'm trying to be Naruto). I have to admit I was skeptical when I first saw it but I finally decided to watch a few months later after seeing the trailer (which is seriously epic. Probably the best trailer for anything I've ever seen). That, was an excellent decision.
STORY:
Not the well known Shakespeare story. No useless battles, idiotic butlers and no hormonal teenagers (Well, actually, no. They're the main characters. But they're a lot less hormonal.) If you didn't take the time to read the summary above, I suggest you do. Both ... happy and sad (Yeah, I cried), the story really is great. Rating: 9/10
ART:
The art is actually pretty good. Neo Verona is beautiful (I kinda want to move there) and the people are all animated quite well. If you're a fan of Gonzo's other work, you'll like this one. Rating: 9/10
SOUND:
The music isn't a masterpiece but it does just fine. The real "WOW!" comes from the voices. This is one of those rare occasions I actually like the English dub cast better than the original Japanese. Juliet is played amazingly by Brina Palencia (Hell Girl, One Piece, Evaneglion) and Romeo is played by the not very well known Chris Burnett (Bamboo Blade, Big Windup!, Itsudatte My Santa!) This was the first role I ever heard him in and I absolutely fell in love with his voice. It's amazing. The supporting roles are also played well. William (J. Micheal Tatum) and Benvolio (Sean Micheal Teague) are played perfectly. Also, the script was really good. They could be a little more creative than the Japanese version with fitting in Shakespeare quotes. Rating: 9/10
CHARACTER:
I really like the characters, especially Juliet. She's really strong and independent without coming off as a tsundere character. Romeo is equally good, being sensitive and naive but strong at the same time. The supporting characters are also really great and add a lot to the story. (I absolutely love the little Curio x Francisco x Juliet backstory!) Rating: 10/10
OVERALL:
A really enjoyable series, especially for Shakespeare and history fans. But overall, an AMAZING show! Overall Rating: 10/10

ROMEO x JULIET. The name itself calls only one thing to mind: Shakespeare's most famous tragedy, the tale of the star-crossed lovers, Romeo & Juliet. However, if you want to see an anime adaptation, don't bother with this. After the first four minutes, you will see this has very little resemblance to Shakespeare (in fact, one of the characters in the anime is named Willy Shakespeare).

Story -- 6

I hate hate hate how fangirls and fanboys are going crazy over this. This anime was heavily promoted at anime cons, online ads, previews, etc. However, when its name is literally ROMEO X JULIET, you expect...you ... know...some resemblance to the play, at all? Within the first few minutes, they basically show you the only thing in common is that the characters are named after the ones in the play, and that, yes, it is about two noble children that fall in love and are separated. But here's the issue: it's not separation by the families -- no -- its separation due to the fact that the boy's father gruesomely murdered every other member of the girl's family. Talk about a lot to overcome.

The story is meh at best. It is creative, to say the least. It's set in an island floating in the sky, in a place called Neo-Verona (go figure) where it's basically Italy in the 1600s, except with pegasi. However, this anime is SET UP to be a tragedy -- the problem being that, by the end of the anime, you actually are way too attached to the characters to let them die. In fact, because it doesn't follow Romeo & Juliet by Shakespeare at all, you have NO idea IF they die or not. And you become so attached to the main characters that you're praying that it basically bastardizes the original work of Shakespeare and allows them to live. (Spoiler: Don't worry, they still die.)

In addition to this, the story skips around a bit and adds in random crap that isn't exactly necessary. Although it makes for more time to show off the awesome amazingness that is the soundtrack and art, the story itself takes a hit to allow that to happen.

Art -- 9

SHINYYYYYYYYYY.

That basically sums up the art. It's high quality. Really, really high quality. Some of the highest quality anime art available with the current technology, I'd go as far as to say. It beats the crap out of any of the mainstream shojo or shonen anime art quality.


Sound -- 10

Warning: Rampant fanboyism ahead

Oh my god. The one thing -- one thing -- that makes this anime remember-able, other than being very, very shiny, is two (well, rather, one) songs that form the soundtrack. I don't even remember the rest of the soundtrack -- but the cover of Secret Garden's "You Raise Me Up" by Lena Park is jawdropping. She even had it transposed for a Japanese song, entitled Inori You Raise Me Up, which also happens to be the opening theme for the series. It does not follow the lyrics of You Raise Me Up at all, but flows very nicely and serenely -- if you had not known it were based off of the tune of You Raise Me Up, you would still love it. Between the sappy romance and the utter gore of Romeo X Juliet, hearing about star-crossed lovers and how one shall always support another in such an inspiring song in both English and Japanese says something. This has to be one of the best, if not the best, soundtracks of any anime. Ever.

Character -- 6

Fair would be, well, fair to describe what the characters are. They are loosely based off their namesakes in Shakespeare's play. There is only one very well done performance in the anime. The performance of Juliet, when she decides to be a rebel and crusade as the Red Zorro...er, rather, the Red Whirlwind* shows a compassionate level of caring not found in most characters, giving Juliet both a strength and a weakness to her character. The other characters are basically static throughout, but show enough emotion to give this a "fair" review. They act believable, which is enough for me.

*No. Really. She is basically Zorro, but with a red hat. Don't believe me? Google it.

Enjoyment -- 6

Enjoyment during "You Raise Me Up" -- 9

Otherwise -- 5.8

Evens out to a 6. Ish. Honestly, the anime is "cute" to say the least, and is entertaining. The enjoyment value again varies on your taste; if you're looking for a refined anime, keep looking. Try Cowboy Bebop. But if you're looking for a very well made, artistically at least, anime with an amazing soundtrack, you will enjoy the anime very much. The characters are meh, as is the plot, but for me, the art and soundtrack make it a worthwhile investment to see.


Overall - 7

The 7 represents the culmination of an average or below average anime which has an amazing budget, aka, making it very very shiny with an awesome soundtrack. It would normally get a 5 or 6 -- not rememberable -- but due to its high budget, hype, well made art, and beautiful soundtrack, it is bumped up to a 7. If you really just want to experience the anime in its fullest, however, just watch episode seven. It has all the music and art in one package.

Have you ever seen Romeo and Juliet? It’s a really popular play written by William Shakespeare. Countless variations of the play have been adapted in different mediums. Movie, book, TV Series, Anime. You name it, they have it. It’s considered by many as probably the best romance story in all of literature. But does it live up to the hype? Is it really THAT good? Is it worth watching when I already know what will happen in the end? If this is a Q&A, I would’ve easily answered that, but this is a review so just find out as you read along. Romeo x Juliet: ... a tragic tale of love and revenge. Is it truly love that can never be?

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!

There are lot of ways to go wrong when you write an anime based on a famous work. Especially when that particular work is widely disliked by your target audience. Who wants to read a play about two young teens who kill themselves because they think the other is dead (practically right after they met)? It sounds silly. But Romeo X Juliet takes the brilliant parts of Shakespeare's play and turns them into a truly fantastic anime.

Story: 10
For a plot that was (loosely) based off of a previously written work, this was done remarkably well. Each episode makes you eager for the next.

Art: ... 10
Not your conventional art for an anime, but once you get past the first few episodes, you get used to it. Some of the backgrounds are especially beautiful.

Sound:9
The music is very fitting to the atmosphere of the anime and adds much to it. The OP version of "You Raise Me Up" made me fall in love with the song. I also liked the ending songs.

Character: 10
The character development in this anime is phenomenal. Almost all of the major characters go through some sort of change, and I'm not just talking Romeo and Juliet. Even the more annoying characters get more likable.

Enjoyment: 10
I thoroughly enjoyed this anime. It always keeps you on the edge of your seat, and you just have to see what happens next. The end of each episode is just too tempting. If you like a good romance (and a tearjerker) I would highly recommend watching Romeo X Juliet.

This is my first review so please bear with me but I felt like there were some things about this anime that I had to discuss even though I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Story - 6
I thought the story was a sweet, fresh take on Romeo and Juliet, adding some themes of magic and more of fairytale-like feel. The fact that it was hardly an adaptation at all of Romeo and Juliet is what really ruined the story. There were a lot of differences in Romeo x Juliet than the original with the setting being in Neo-Verona; a floating island in the sky, creatures called dragonhorses ... which is literally a pegasus with a dragon tail, Juliet and a few loyal members being the last of the Capulets and not to mention a few other smaller changes. I was deeply disappointed in the balcony scene in the anime as it is one of the most famous scenes of the story of Romeo and Juliet and they screwed up the other most famous scene; the deaths of Romeo and Juliet too. I felt like they couldn't adapt any of the true parts of Shakespeare's work into the anime at all turning this into a story of it's own. I enjoyed the first 22 episodes but the last 2 episodes I felt went away from the story a bit and became too magical for my liking, they were unnecessary to the anime as a whole making me put it down a point. I sort of wish they stuck to the original idea of Romeo and Juliet's demise than the ending they did which felt like too much.

Art - 7
The art was nice, it was pretty and simple and I liked the continuous use of flowers. I did like the look of the ruins of buildings covered in flowers, the church being my favorite. The dragonhorses were beautiful also. The settings were nice and pretty but the character designs could have been better.

Sound - 8 (Japanese subbed)
The music was lovely, it matched the tone of Romeo x Juliet very well. The opening song ("You Raise Me Up" in japanese) was enjoyable and I felt it was a perfect start of each episode. The voice actors were great but I felt like Juliet could have had a better voice actor, after all she has been through in the anime I think I would have liked her to have a stronger, more determined voice but that was alright. I don't have anything to say about the english dub voice actors because I generally find them to sound cheesy so i didn't bother with that.

Characters - 6
In the beginning I did take a liking to Juliet but her character started to annoy me as I felt like she became two different people; the strong, righteous character we are first introduced to and admire and then the pathetic Juliet whom continuously cries due to love. I know that is the true essence of the story; the heartbreaks and pain of loving someone whom you can not be with but it annoyed me in how weak she was when concerning Romeo. She also was clumsy at times doing stupid mistakes, when we had seen her doing magnificent acrobatic work and fighting as the 'Red Whirlwind' so that was a bit annoying. Romeo was alright, I didn't like him that much because he was so sensitive all the time and a little boring, he was a very typical princely love interest so I found him rather dull. I really didn't like how selfish Romeo and Juliet became in the last couple of episodes especially after being portrayed as selfless throughout most of the series, It annoyed me. I did get tired of Romeo and Juliet always uttering each other's names in a pathetic, whiny voice but maybe that's because I wasn't too enthusiastic with their love. The other characters were well done and some were developed nicely. We got to see the background of a few of them which was done well (except maybe Montague's background which wasn't really elaborated and was a bit far fetched), I wish we got to learn more about how Francisco and Curio came into service with the Capulets though. I also liked how Mercutio became in the end showing that there was more to him than I had thought and it made me pity him rather than hate. Putting William Shakespeare as a character was risky but they did a good job with him so I was pleased. The characters were realistic, as the anime went on I got a true feel of each character in the anime giving them their own individual identity. The only reason why I put a low score for the character's was due to the main two character's being quite frustrating.

Enjoyment - 7
Although I got tired of the romance between Romeo and Juliet, I did enjoy the anime a lot. There was some humour that made me laugh a couple of times and there was a good amount of tragedy but also light heartedness. The fact that Romeo and Juliet were in love when they had hardly said anything to each other except each other's names and how hard it is to be together made me enjoy it less than I would have and I felt like I was forcing myself to watch the scenes with the two of them together. I was hoping to hear Juliet yell "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo" at some point but maybe that was hoping for too much considering how little they followed the actual story. By the end of the anime I felt happy and sweet although disappointed a little with the last two episodes.

Overall - 7
If it followed the original Romeo and Juliet at all I feel like this could've been much better although saying this I did like how original it was and the new direction it went in (which mostly away from anything of the original). Overall I give Romeo x Juliet a 7 which would have been higher if they had cut the last two episodes and had more development of the revolution ending it a more traditional sense of Romeo and Juliet, and Juliet and Romeo had more depth to their relationship. If you're looking for an anime that stays true to Shakespeare's work, I would definitely not recommend this but if you don't mind at how loose this adaptation of Romeo and Juliet is then I say you may as well give it a try!

Is this truly... a love that can never be?through love....and death...


I know and we know the story of Romeo x Juliet Shakespear's version with the strange " oh art thou" well no of that is in this sweet touching loving story.
The whole reason why I wanted to watch this was for the of the characters not talking weired,I read the story I seened the play and if you didn't understand the story there like I didn't I decided to watch the anime see if they are the same. A total twist of fate for me because I never thought I would love this version better ... than the play.

I enjoyed seeing sword fights,the romance Romeo and Juliet had for each other.The art made the love scenes so mesmerizing and not so cheesy.The story I somewhat different then the original Shakespeare version I mean she's the last Capulet hoping to change the way of Montague's reign of poverty and wealth.ofcourse you meet Romeo and how he met Juliet and how deeply he loves her and the emotion is shown throughout many of the episodes there love is shown,lots of drama,fear,sorrow and heartredfrom the both houses.

The opening and ending songs are awesome the begining song is still stuck on my head the ending too Lena Park and 12012 steal the opening and ending!!
The story is different in some ways how it ends is up to you,I for one the sub and dub both made me feel happy they met and up to the end was perfect sweet ending but a tragedy.
Makes you think about your love...are you happy to have the joy to love someone?
I hope you do because this touching story that makes you cry because it sure made me the final things they said to eachother T^T

I just hope you enjoy 10/10