Versailles no Bara

The everlasting dilemma when you choose a historical setting for your story; is it more beneficial to aim for historical accuracy or inaccuracy? Pretentious historians would most likely point at "accuracy" and label it obvious while I personally think that a tone of creative liberty allows the narrative to soar into more admirable levels of grandeur. Rose of Versailles is not only famous for being among the first titles ever produced in the Shoujo genre and its strong female lead but also for the fact that it takes place before, during and after the French revolution using non-fictional characters like Marie Antoinette and Maximilien Robespierre ... as key figures. The inevitable ending is thus spoiled by one's standard knowledge of history, but the ride in itself and the terrific characterization is more than enough to still make the 40 episodes an entertaining ride.

Story: 8/10

The story takes a closer look on Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes, a tragic character born as a woman but raised as a man in an environment of fencing, horseback riding and responsibilities. I'd never dream of calling Rose of Versailles story driven in comparison to the amazingly portrayed characters, but the narrative still boasts a pretty impressive combination of twists, melodrama and dialogue. Many historical events like the infamous diamond necklace affair are used as plot devices, though in slightly altered ways, ranging from heavily changed to slightly modified.

My interest for history aside, the excellent transitions between accuracy and inaccuracy are one of the reasons that I derived so much entertainment from this watch. You could argue that the show dwells a little on its melodrama, or that a few repetitive scenarios (like Rosalie crying in front of Oscar while stuttering her name) turns the task of watching it into a tedious one, but if you look for a somewhat educational, though not entirely trustworthy, story about the tragic life of a woman pursuing honor and the fundamental facts about the revolution, then this might be right for you.

Animation: 6/10

Compared to its temporary opponents like Galaxy Express 999, Rose of Versailles radiates extremely high production values for its time. It has since then faded into insignificance, but the relatively detailed character designs as well as a few decent moments of action are definitely impressive. Keep in mind though that this is more than thirty years old, and that you cannot expect the same quality that it's natural to do in modern times. Most moments of a more swifter haste tend to be slowed down to the point of abnormality in attempts to lower expenses, so it takes several seconds for the apple Andre throws to Oscar to reach her hands and whenever someone jumps a longer distance the same phenomena can be found.

Another aspect of the visual frontier that I relished was the creative and occasionally beautiful art direction. Shocking revelations are followed by equally dramatic facial expressions complimented by metaphorical cracking mirrors that burst onscreen. In each episode there are at least more than two dramatic close-ups (though likely many more) and while this reaches serious depths of annoyance on a few occasions, you'll get used to it.

Sound: 7/10

The opening theme was designed to be used in the show both verbally and instrumentally but works equally well in all cases. Worth to bring up though is that the show usually makes sure to decapitate the melody right before the chorus is about to make its entrance which seriously ruins the mood it has been so eager to establish. The soundtrack in itself is also good but does by no means deserve any praise.

What does deserve an endless amount of compliments, on the other hand, is the voice acting of Reiko Tajima who portrayed the protagonist Oscar. Her voice radiates the kind of authority and dignity that will have women and men alike experience delight and appreciate the powerful potential in her character. Other voice actors are competent in most cases, but nobody is near the most impressing vocal performance of Reiko.

Characters: 9/10

In the initiating paragraph of this statement, allow me to emphasize that I'm by no means a feminist. Not only has feminism reached the state in my nation where it's associated with the bizarre will to place women on pedestals and emphasize a non-existent oppression in favor of equality, but I also doubt that its followers even remember the nature of traditional feministic values.

However, if there's one thing that gets to me in Anime it's when female characterization is successfully made. Shows like Kino's Journey, Haibane Renmei and Rose of Versailles where female protagonists exist for purposes that do not include fanservice or anything alike. And that's why I heavily enjoyed watching Oscar develop throughout this show. She struggles to live her life in honor and masculinity, confronts her womanhood and attempts to oppress it in favor for her military and patriotic way of life and ultimately ends up falling in love with a man named Andre whose humble origin complicates things. Likewise, the rest of the show is heavily influenced by powerful, yet usually malicious, ladies who yearn for nothing more than power and wealth. Rose of Versailles explores corruption in its most unpleasant form and does so through a large variety of characters. Not to mention its infamous portrayal of Marie Antoinette who's luxurious and wasteful ways attracted public hate which made the bloody revolution possible.

Overall: 8/10

Historically significant as well as a prime example of strong female characterization, Rose of Versailles entertained me while simultaneously making me realize that I should watch more shows from this era. It enjoys spending its time modestly observing flowers, sparkles and beautiful dresses, but fulfills its grander ambitions by exploring the many obstacles of royalty, the struggle of sexual identification and most fundamentally; love. On its way it throws in characters who long for democracy and glory, only to end with the inevitably grisly revolution followed by the executions that we all know lie in the future. A most pleasant watch!

"Rose of Versailles" is a great piece of anime history. But more than just being an interesting fossil, I think it stands on its own if you enjoy historic dramas. It's hard to think of any modern anime with such a sweeping and ambitious historic story. Sure, there are good modern dramas, but if you are starting to bristle at the repetition, I think you'll enjoy going way into the past for this one that is certainly free of modern anime tropes.

The story is strong and works on many dimensions: Oscar, a noble, is raised as a boy by her father and allowed to join ... the army, rising quickly in rank and given the duty of protecting the infamous Mary Antoinette when she first arrives in France at age 14. The series is all about the fictional Oscar, but uses its characters from real-world history in clever (and basically accurate) ways. We also meet Ferson, a Swedish noble, and more famous figures like Robespierre and Saint-Juste. They are supporting characters in a way that moves along the plot but will also teach you a bit about French history, it's quite well done.

In addition to the historical drama, we explore gender issues in a way that I have to think is pretty progressive for the 1970s. Oscar lives as a man, for the most part, to the point where she holds a high military rank, is expected to fight in duels when her honor is challenged, and is even mistaken for a biological man by strangers. She even explicitly chooses to live as a man at one point in the series. She is only romantically interested in men, however, and this forms the basis for some of the plot, with her classic Shoujo harem of real and fictional suitors. Even when she does find romantic happiness I don't think it's in a way that will offend even very politically correct modern viewers. Given anime's typical performance on this issue, I was pleasantly surprised... her crossdressing and gender bending is not once used as a source of humor or degradation.

The plot is quite wide-ranging, with episodes featuring everything from swashbuckling to court intrigue (with an injection of Shoujo drama), to romance to political thriller to history lesson. I found that it all worked surprisingly well, it's true that the tone and content of early episodes is markedly different than later ones, but at the same time the early ones were definitely progression toward the eventual conclusion in a coherent way.

The art is, well, it's an anime from 1979. It would be silly to judge it by modern standards. The art is not cheap and psychedelic as I'd feared it might be, given the era. You can definitely see its age in the backgrounds and action shots, but the detail to faces and clothing was quite good. It also freezes at dramatic moments at the end of segments for a detailed, painting-like still which shows both artistic and emotional detail, it might seem silly to some viewers but I have always liked this effect.

The music is pretty good, with strong opening and closing themes, and some decent incidental music... although not much use is made of period music. I'm not a huge fan of seeing 1780s scenes with 1970s synth music, but it could have been a lot worse. I am not a great critic of Japanese voice acting but I did find that the tone of the voice actors meshed pretty well with the sorts of characters they are playing - you can hear the pretension and condescension in the nobles, and the grittiness and honesty in the voices of the good commoners.

This anime is not perfect by any means, but I think the modern viewer can definitely enjoy it if they go in with an open mind. Comparing this to American and British television of the era, wow, Japan was definitely making some good stuff even back then.

Rose of Versailles review(it's biased af)

Bara wa bara wa.......Oscar!

Story 10/10
The story is about the France revolution from the 18th century and the events that lead to that revolution. Rose of Versailles depicts the fateful meeting of Marie Antoinette and Oscar, which is bound to influence history and change the life of the people facing the French Revolution as the clock ticks toward the end of the French royalty.
The story has a slow pace in the begining but thats just a preparation for the big play that will occur later. We are introduced to the classic atmosphere of France 18th century, the stuning peisage carefully evidentiated ... in this anime captivates our eye. The old chimney houses ,the beautifull gardens of roses from Versailles ,and the gourgeous arhitecture of old France palaces and castles all together forming our big stage where the actors perform the best play of their life called Rose of Versailles.
The slow pace that the anime has in the begining is meant for the worbuilding of this anime which is magnificent. Another purpose is to get used with the characters their personalities ,habits and finally the way the act and interact with each other in a situation.
The story most part in this anime occurs in the beautifull city of Versailles inside the royal palace where we follow Oscar and Marie Antoinete across the flowing time. But as a pleasent surprise this anime shows us not only the bright side of France but also the dark past were people lived in poverness and didn't afford a single piece of bread. As the story progreses we found out more details about our characters and how they influence each other directly or indirectly across time.
One of the most beautifull unrequited love stories are told and offered by this anime to the viewer delivering a bunch of feelings and shred tears.
What's marvelous again are the details that this anime carefully and steady at a slow pace builds up his world and characters leaving a strongfull impression for the viewer.

Characters 10/10
These are the best actors that a play could hope for. Their character development is slowly but steady done and every detail is not missed at all building up a firm foundation for their character.

Oscar one of the best female leads in the history of anime she is the best written character from this anime. She influences every character directly or indirectly because of her actions and desicions and has a great role for the progression of the story. She is brave she doesnt hesitate at all has a iron heart and a soft part too she cares for everybody and tries to help them as best as she can. Indeed a splendid character that many anime need.

Andre is Oscars friend since childhood and the one that helps Oscar when in need . Another well written character from this anime. His character development is amazing and his loyalty towards Oscar is impressive never doubting or betraying her. He also keeps his promises and he is a trustworthy man. His actions influence the whole story.

Marie Antoinete is the queen of France and her character starts of as a spoiled little child but after she experiences the sour part of life her character changes and becomes more mature and responsible.

Other honorable mentions are Jeanne, Rosalie and Fernes who have a fantastic influence across the story and change and help Oscar during the entire anime.

What is a good point in this anime is the interactions between the minor characters and main characters which is done so well that the minor characters shine too.Also the minor characters help the development of the main characters but the show doesnt cast them away after that instead they are offered a role in the "play"called the revolution of France.
The interactions between all characters is well done and meaningfull for the plot and story every detail matters every action affects directly or indirectly each character and their influence across the story.

Animation 9/10
Stuning visuals and character designs that are way better done than in the anime made nowdays and it's a 40 years old anime. Gorgeous.

Sound 10/10
Impressive ost that brings shivers to my skin every time i hear it. Also it's well done within the most important moments from this anime at the exact time.

Enjoyment 10/10
Every episode brought up new things the progression of the story was linear and the characters actions and decisions in a crisis situation impressed me and captivated me especially Oscar.

Overall 9.5/10( its a 10 ffs)
The ending was well done left a strong impact on the viewer and was according to the characters actions and interactions during the whole story. One of the best and firm characters that a anime could provide for the viewer with such an amazing an carefully crafted details to our characters to shine out their unique traits.
Gladly recommand this anime one of the best History-Drama anime of all times.

Romance , Drama , history & Comedy ,, what more could you wish for in an Anime ?!
Oscar is my first anime love I watched it when I was 11 years old , it was dubbed in my language which I have to say was beautiful, once you watch it you will become a fan of the creator Ikeda and go search all of her work .

Here it is. One of the best known shojo shows of all time by Riyoko Ikeda, she is known as one of the best known manga artists of the 1970’s. It was directed by Osamu Dezaki (Ace wo Narie, Ashita no Joe), so there are many noticeable similarities in art and story development. Now, what do you know about the French Revolution and the main players involved?

What makes Rose of Versailles so good is the plot. How many anime out there is a historical rendition of anything outside of Japan? This one takes place during the years and major events leading up to the French ... Revolution with our main character Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes. Oscar is actually a female in which her father wanted a son, and despite having a girl, says “I will raise my son.” So already off to a wild start. But, the Lady Man Oscar is a solo fighter not caring what others think.

Even though Oscar is the main character, one could see her closer as a secondary fictional character while the plot itself is more important. How did King Louis XVI and Queen Antoinette lead France and its’ people the wrong way? How did the events such as the meeting of Hans Axel von Fersen from Sweden impact the Queen? How did a simple expensive necklace create such disorder in France? So many important parts of history told in an interesting anime perspective kept such an interesting view throughout the 40 episodes.

Each instance in the story is matched with great shojo animation, great fight scenes, terrific music, and finally an intro song that didn’t sound like an old 30’s vinyl soundtrack coming out of a gramophone. There are countless amounts of symbolism (roses) and foreshadowing techniques unlike anything seen so far.

In short, this is a good watch. One could learn a lot about history, and this teaches so much better anything learned in school.

Rose of Versailles is set during the 18th century, with the main focus being around Oscar François de Jarjeyes. She is brought up as a man although actually being a woman, causing her to have a strong and dignified persona. The other focus of the story is the princess of Austria, Marie Antoinette. Her character is childish, carefree and naive. When put under unforeseen circumstances she reacts unpredictably with disregard to the consequences of her actions.

This dramatic tale about the state of France includes the rich nobles, poverty within the country and the over ruling monarchy. Interestingly, the plot wasn't simplified or dumbed-down, handling ... mature topics such as suicide/murder and how the country should be ruled. Even though some plot points where over/under exaggerated and some were forgotten by the next episode, the story was developed steadily. Although, towards the end the story was rushed and some was left to be narrated. This could have been used as an effect to make more of the drama seem intense but I see it as unnecessary since it would have been more interesting otherwise.

The art was glamorous during the palace scenes with sparkling lights and shimmering jewels. The importance of the extravagant clothes and accessories was displayed, as well as how people would be viewed among others. Even though some of the characters had nearly the same face and some didn't age, the characters expressions seemed realistic and weren't too over dramatic.

The characters were developed naturally and were shaped by the situations they were in, the story had an ending and art was reasonable for a anime made in the 70's.

This is a must watch for any anime fan. Few anime I have seen have truly moved me and made me reflect on and truly appreciate the craft of story telling. If your not used to watching older shows I implore you to give this one a try. If you are able to make it to the end you’ll be rewarded with having experienced one of the the truly great stories anime has to offer.

Story: 10

What can I say other than it’s amazing. It’s a bit of a slow burn at times but when you make it to the end and you look back ... on everything that happened and how it happened it makes you appreciate even the slowest portions of the show

Characters: 10

Oscar steals the show she is the best character in my opinion. Her arc is a joy to watch. As for the other characters they are all solid. Most of them have arcs as well all of them well done and enjoyable.

Art: 10

I love the character designs and the art style. Personally I very much love the way 70s anime looks in general, but I understand someone could look at this and think it just looks old. Even so it looks great compared to many other shows of this time so I have to give it full props.

Overall: 10

I fully implore you give this anime a try. It’s worth taking your time with as well, this isn’t a show I recommend binging through, watch a couple eps a night, trust me you want this experience to last as long as possible ;)

It's kind of cheesy and very old fashioned show but the art is still nice (maybe not so much the animation though) and it can be boring at times too.

I very much enjoyed the girl on girl drama parts but I found the war and soldier scenes to be boring and those characters were hard to sympathize with. I felt the series was at its best when it was about how Marie would endure the schemes of villains like Madame du Barry and Jeanne.

I will also mention that it's obvious that Oscar inspired Reinahrd from LotGH so that was interesting to see as a fan ... of LotGH.

My favorite part was the Madame du Barry arc from the beginning, and I learned a lot about the French Revolution. I would say that the climax of the story was the trial of Jeanne and the conclusion of the affair of the diamond necklace. After that, the characters become too hard for me to sympathize with, save for Andre, who very well could be considered the protagonist by then.

First of all i have to say that this Anime is political correct and many things in the anime are simply not true. Marie Antoinette for example never said "Let Them Eat Cake" and there is no proof that she had a realationship with Hans Axel Von Fersen. Also Louis XVI is kinda portrayed as a weak and incompetent King. But however this is nothing new.
If you don't take it to serious everything is alright.

Now to the Anime. It is a masterpiece. Oscar is such a good hearted and pure women that i almost felt in love with her. I believe there are only ... a few characters in anime history who have these characteristics.
The Anime itself combines many genres it would be unfair to say it is only one genre cause in fact it is many.

Roses of Versailes was the anime who made me to an anime fan.
I can understand why some say it is maybe the best anime ever.

Like i already said in the beginning don't get bothered by historical facts.
Otherwise you will not be able to enjoy this masterpiece in its full beauty.

Its not every day that you see an anime about European royalty. Rose of Versailles is the story of a woman named Oscar and how she becomes the guard to Marie Antoinette set before, during and after the French Revolution. The anime and manga have had influence on the shoujo genre. The series stays about 85-90% true to the history it is based on, while leaving room for some great story telling. Anime fans of today can appreciate it for strong female leads and classic animation.

It is a shame that this anime is not well known in the Americas except for French Canada. Rose ... of Versailles is a gem hidden among decades of other anime. If you are given the chance to watch Rose of Versailles, please watch it. It is available on crunchyroll.

The Rose of Versailles tells the events leading up to the French Revolution with an added twist - shaping its events around the struggles of two fictional characters, Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes and André Grandier. It's interesting because even though these characters never actually existed, the author managed to interweave their stories with real historical figures like Marie Antoinette and Hans Axel von Fersen. In fact, the narratives pushed in these real historical events make it seem like Oscar and Andre were real people involved. It's really amazing how the author managed to add in fictional characters to these events without creating plot holes that ... lead up to the French Revolution. Please note that I'll be spoiling the entire plot as I don't believe I can write a proper review without doing so.

Oscar is introduced as part of France's Royal Guard; an elite regiment of soldiers that protect the royal family. The twist here is that Oscar is actually a woman, as she was raised as a man out of frustration from her mother not being able to give birth to a son. As anyone could probably guess, being a woman in the 18th century is a boat load of troubles, because women were not recognized as equal to men back then and having a woman being part of the military would cause all kinds of confusion. André happens to be a Oscar's childhood friend and fencing partner. However, Oscar is born a noble while André isn't which sets up difficulty in their relationship later on.

The anime does a very good job of picking the right events that are depicted as the key causes of the French Revolution. Simply put, France under Louis XVI was in huge financial debt and its people were starving. However, that was only a problem visible among the commoners. The events that were chosen were: Marie Antoinette's grudge against Madame du Barry, Madame de Polignac's exploits against Antoinette, the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, the Black Knight, and of course the summoning of the Estates General and its subsequent events.

Antoinette's grudge really showcases how unfair societal norms were back in 18th century France. It showed how the only way a female commoner could get into noble society was through connections with a noble. In du Barry's case, she made a living as a prostitute and ended up becoming the King's mistress. The interesting thing is that the story doesn't exactly start off sympathizing with du Barry's unfortunate circumstances and instead portrays Antoinette as the protagonist refusing to recognize a prostitute in Versailles because she found it disgusting. It wasn't until the end of the arc that du Barry tells Oscar that everything she did was justified because of how unfair society was for commoners. This arc portrayed both Antoinette's naivety and lack of understanding as to why du Barry ended up being in her position in the first place.

The events depicted after Louis XV's death and the coronation of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette showcase very important naive decisions made by both of them that lead to the downfall of the French monarchy. Antoinette's lack of financial understanding made her offer a promotion to Oscar doubling her salary. She doesn't realize that this money comes from the citizens of France and that reckless expenses like that will only make France's financial situation worse. She also turns down the responsibilities as Queen like showing up to events, and opts to have secret meetings with Fersen instead. With these events well depicted, it's no wonder that she ends up being de Polignac's puppet and spends so much of France's tax money on her well-being, being easily manipulated into thinking that following de Polignac's advice will improve the well-being of France.

Oscar's visit to Paris was also a very drastic change in environment compared to the first arc that was only set in Versailles. Much of Paris was very poor and Oscar had to witness a noble shooting a child that stole his money because he needed it to buy bread. This sudden shift in tone settled in a very appropriate mood that would start the conflicts that lead to the French Revolution. The public's resentment of Antoinette came to a climax during the Affair of the Diamond Necklace when Jeanne framed her for being responsible for the scam. The public was easily convinced that Antoinette was the culprit because of her spending habits that further deepened France's debt.

The anime's greatest strength however, are in its characters. The personality and development of these characters are what drives the story of the French Revolution to be so interesting. Marie Antoinette is an easy blame for this tragedy, but we are seeing the events in a lens that makes us realize that she never intended the destruction of the French monarchy, but was simply too naive to make the right decisions. The most notable of these characters however, is definitely Oscar. Many of these famous historical figures heavily rely on Oscar during their periods of struggle, and she successfully acts as their guiding light to help put them on the right path.

These character live tragic lives because the structure of class rule impacts their romantic lives. This was already seen between du Barry and Louis XV, but the problem doesn't really take hold until Antoinette's affair with Fersen. These two are in love with each other but can't hold a relationship because Antoinette is married to Louis XVI as the Queen of France. This basic obligation due to marrying for power prevents a genuine relationship from happening. Because of this genuine love, rumors start to spread across France of Antoinette's affair with him, further ruining her reputation. Fersen realized that the only way he could fix this was to escape France and distract himself in the American Revolutionary War.

Rosalie's desire for revenge was also another brilliant arc that tackled this theme. Rosalie was born from unintended pregnancy between a noble and a commoner. Because her noble mother couldn't marry her commoner father, she had to abandon her daughter. She was adopted and raised by her foster mother, a commoner. Because her foster mother was killed by de Polignac due to negligence, it was difficult for her to do anything about it. Madame de Polignac values power, so she willingly sets up her daughter Charlotte with a man she doesn't love just so she could marry for influence. These problems only exist because society is split into classes, and it shows how psychologically damaged people can become just because of their desire for power. This becomes clear when it's revealed that Rosalie is actually de Polignac's biological daughter and that she doesn't feel that she's her mother at all, but cries when her little sister Charlotte kills herself because of her arranged marriage.

This theme hits its climax when Oscar and her identity as a woman gets involved with her unrequited love for Fersen. Oscar herself has to deal with the fact that she doesn't recognize herself as a woman, so she can't stand her father trying to set her up with another man. Because Fersen recognized her the one time she dressed as a woman to a ball so she could attract a possible partner, it devastated her because she knew he didn't have feelings for her. This feeling of unrequited love becomes empathetic when André confesses his love for her, making her realize that she needed to distance herself from him by joining the French Guards to help André recover from his broken heart.

All of these intricacies that tie the stories together really make this anime a wonder for storytelling, however the anime suffers flaws that are evident towards the end. It was clear that the ending of the anime wanted to focus on the rekindled romance between André and Oscar, however it had to stage that romance during the climax of the French Revolution; the storming of the Bastille. In my honest opinion, I don't think the romantic premise really fits anywhere near the climax of one of the most famous revolutions of all time, so it really felt out of place. I feel like the story would've been a lot stronger if André and Oscar's romance was settled before the Revolution. Because the anime heavily focuses on romance, the inclusion of characters like Robespierre and any kind of politics related to the Revolution felt very forced. I don't think it could be any more evident when the last episode practically skimmed over some of the most important events in the Revolution itself, such as the Royal Family's attempted escape and the Reign of Terror.

All in all, I would recommend this anime if you're interested in the struggles of romance in a class society and if you're interested in the French Revolution. However, I wouldn't recommend it if you're only looking for an anime that focuses on political struggle and the Revolution itself.

Rose of Versailles

When the anime of today is peppered with thin line moe girls, CG in near every frame, and poor adaptations, it is very refreshing to watch this anime and experience a journey so different from what you will find today. Don’t get me wrong, I love modern anime and if you take one look at my list, you can see the majority is 2010 onwards, however I do appreciate how different this show is from modern days.

Rose of Versailles is a story of love, hate, anger, and luxurious balls, we follow the androgynous teen to turned woman Oscar François, de Jarjeyes as she ... navigates life living and working as a noble during the French Revolution period.

The story consists of many arcs which vary from simple drama between to nobles trying two be most popular, to all out war against the French Monarch. No arc lingers and as per my point below the show is very well paced.

This show has some of the best pacing in an anime that I have ever seen, around 20 years (give or take) passed in this anime, and as the 40 episodes progress you never get hit with a jarring time skip, you don’t even notice the character designs change (in a good way) as the shift is subtle but noticeable. I actually found myself switching to old episodes while I was watching this show and being amazed how I never noticed the character designs change so much.

The artwork, story, pacing, and feel of this show are all amazing and you should do yourself a service by watching it.

“Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise” Victor Hugo wrote those words with the benefit of hindsight. Not only being fully aware of the events that transpired before and during the revolution but also of the horrors of the Napoleonic conquests, the Bourbon restoration, the failed student rebellion and the rise of the 2nd Empire to that point. I would like to think that he really meant it, in fact, I must believe it. Because 2 centuries later and the world suffers from similar issues. In a world in which Ayn Rand is considered a legitimate philosopher, the world’s disdain for ... poor people has clearly not wavered. I needed this introduction to illustrate that the topic of the French revolution holds a permanent space in my brain as well as my heart. How did the show do with said topic? Well, let’s find out, shall we?

From a writing perspective, it did such a great job of illustrating that some of these people are victims of circumstance to an extent. Like obviously it’s not completely grey because the peasantry are starving while Marie Antoinette is walking around with boat hair but when it’s the only life you know it’s kind of hard to care about things you're somewhat purposefully kept ignorant of. Monarchy is built to support and perpetuate itself. But I digress, my point is that it does its job of making me sympathise with Marie Antoinette despite my disdain for inheritance-based positions of wealth and power and not just her there is the humanization of characters like Jeanne Valois despite the fact that she’s portrayed as a villain. The show, however, can be somewhat inconsistent in this regard as it does need villains and nuance is hard. Why is this important you ask? Portrayals of certain people as carton villains just detract from the overall story. Like if you paint certain nobles as the "bad ones" Instead of actors in a system that exploits others. Some of which may or may not be abusing their power and doing extra harm it just sends the wrong message. Plus, since the anime seems to be able to balance and show that reality for long stretches of times it just feels jarring and inconsistent when it abandons that approach. Though maybe that problem is more in my head than on the screen. Completely self-serving people do exist though it certainly doesn’t make for very compelling writing.

I do feel like I might be getting ahead of myself though. After all the anime starts at the birth of our main character Oscar François de Jarjayes, what despite the male name and the performative genderism Oscar does, in fact, largely identify as a woman, now the intricacies of what the flip-flops of that mean are frankly beyond the scope of review but it is something the anime harks on a lot so it deserves a mention not to mention something I found rather interesting. I’ll be honest it took me a while to warm up to the main cast, Oscar and André, the other character we’re almost immediately introduced to (servant/stable boy for the Jarjayes) both have their moments that bred nothing but contempt from me. From improperly thought out decisions to downright heinous actions (I am looking at you André), which would be fine after all these moments make the bittersweet redemption that much more tragic and satisfying. The problem comes that they seem to coincide with these weird periods of lulls in the story because those moments tend to revolve around them as characters, but they are the main characters, I hear you say, and yes that is indeed true, however, the overall story of the French revolution is so intrinsically powerful that it does overpower that character status. That said, one is bound to experience some sort of catharsis when you see the characters dawn the same foresight into the situation you already knew all along. Oscar throughout the course of the show grew from a character I mildly disliked to one of my favourite ever written.
In fact, it is quite funny that what started off as annoyance became my reprieve from the misery that is 18th century France. Oscar and André play perfectly into the themes of love that is not meant to be, quite like say the Queen and Fersen another real-life figure, one the show also paints as a victim of circumstance. Speaking of the Queen, Marie Antoinette, in real life known as ‘Madame Déficit’ is another character whose portrayal I praised. I was averse to her based on real-life lore but it's hard not to have sympathy for the young Dauphine. Daughter of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa, Antoinette was used as a bargaining chip to broker peace between the Kingdom of France and the HRE. Women, even those in power lacked the same amount of autonomy as men do, and while Marie was groomed and indoctrinated into the system we do see other nobles, Oscar included realise the inherent injustice of the system that keeps them at the top. While, post King Louis' ascension to the throne one can see Antoinette’s desire to maintain the status quo, arming the French army against their very own people, dismissing reform from the inside, and the dismissal of Necker both in the show and in real life was seen as the King being done negotiating. The proceeding riots and the storming of the Bastille, is one of in this humble reviewer’s opinion, crowning achievements of humanity. It was a fitting end to the story. The show currently pointed out how it stands out and there is a reason why France celebrates July 14 every year as Bastille Day.

Ultimately ‘The Rose of Versailles' is about love. Unrequited love, impossible love, parental love, queer love, sibling love, love of friendship and finally the love for your nation. Nowadays nationalism is closely tied to Authoritarianism and policies of racial supremacy but it's prudent not to overlook that nationalism is essentially what gave way to national identities being French is what led to the French revolution. It was not a feeling of superiority. It was a desire for egalitarianism and equality, the nationalism that led to the revolution was not a love for the flag or the landmass. It was a love largely combining all the previous types of love, it was a love for your fellow man. It was a desire to stop the suffering, not for your own sake, but for the sake of everyone around you. Was it a flawed and perhaps even corrupted love? Sure, but as the anime shows many times that’s all types of love, yet we cannot give up love despite it all, as the anime itself will remind you at the end of every episode “If to love is to suffer, I shall suffer any amount.” But like Hugo said "to love another person is to see the face of god"

This anime made me want to learn more about the French revolution and the events leading up to it. Something I had no interest in before. I think that says a lot about its story and execution. I could not give it an 8 however because part of the show's goal seemed to be defending Marie Antoinette. In my mind it failed to do so and lost some of my goodwill in the process. The animation is outdated looking, and also made me think it had inspired Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga with all the sparkles it had. The voice acting was quite good. All in ... all the Rose of Versailles is worth a watch especially if you like historical dramas.

The Rose of Versailles has everything, action, danger, romance, evolving characters, and genuine emotion. Oscar is readily likable and interesting as a lead. A beautiful rose surrounded by the corruption of the royal court. one thing I found fascinating is knowing how this story I.e. the story of the French revolution, ends and the fate of Marie Antoinette and Louis-Auguste. A history lesson and a love story rolled into one. I really love the old school style animation and design, it reminded me of happy childhood memories. if there was any complaint about this series is it's length. at 40 episodes (between work and six ... weekly anime on this site, and TV watching) it took me eight weeks to watch it all. The pacing moves slow, but it suppose to, as true storytelling requires context and subplots. All in all I recommend this show to EVERYONE, even if it isn't your cup of tea. It certainly wasn't mine, and when I started watching it found myself enthralled through the first five episodes enough to stick with it for 40 episodes. Also it was strange & endearing to see an anime keep the same opening and closing themes and images. that doesn't happen anymore in the 21 century.

One of the best anime I've ever seen, it's really one of my favorites. The fact that it is an old anime from the 70s may put some off but the story is really good. The characters are touching, the atmosphere really plunges us into the political context of the time (even if the story is clearly revisited), and the romances are not boring as in some shojo. The dialogues give the work a theatrical vibe, which makes everything dramatic. It's truly one of my favorites. I’m really glad I found out by chance.

It's highly recommended that you try Versailles no Bara, it's a true ... classic.

No Spoilers.

This anime was absolutely awesome. The characters it sets up are memorable and deep, with each having personal motivations amid a sea of political turmoil. This series predates my birth and as a result is less fettered by modern conventions in anime. The over-the-top cinematography and excessively dramatic interactions which might normally bog a series down drape like fine French embroidery from a plotline erupting with the passion of its characters and the inexorable fire of revolution. Instead of making the history itself the story, they tell a story with the backdrop of history, and as a result it ends ... up truly conveying each character's deeper intricacies.

I'd recommend this anime for anyone at all. It is a classic anime, and even though much of the original gravitas of the series has faded over time, it's still an incredibly beautiful story with wonderful pacing and characters. And if you're anything like me, you'll really be amused by the dramatic cinematography. More than once I had to pause the show to catch my breath from laughing so hard at just how over-the-top their dramatics were. It was fabulous.

It is hard to try to put into words what this visual experience has been for me. Versailles no Bara is a magnificent series that portrays a spectacular character development and transitions that has ever existed in anime. I have never felt engaged to characters the way this anime has for me and I have never felt so shattered by the tragic development and direction of a story, albeit expected as it is inspired by the events that lead to the French revolution.

My love of world history and historical fiction makes me terribly biased towards the retelling of events that have transformed our world's system. ... This is not an exception as this accurate depiction of the French Revolution, includes everything a lover of this genre may expect: battles, fights, loyalty, royalty, a change of an era and a convoluted male - wait, a female - protagonist that alters the fate of history.

Yes, this is a gender bender series that beautifully deconstructs the concept of being a woman and the troubles of being raised against the character's will, as a male. Oscar François de Jarjayes is in my eyes one of the best written female characters that have ever existed in entertainment, and partly because of her reluctance, or rather, lack of choice in accepting her womanhood.

Living in France during the Bourbon dynasty as an aristocrat woman meant almost surely to be the owner of a male. However, what makes this series extremely poignant is the inspection of the fate of noblewomen in the eyes of a character that was supposed to have followed a similar path. Oscar witnesses throughout the series the decadence of the noble class, characterised by the female aristocrat Marie Antoinette. As viewers, we see a spectacular growth and a questioning of the character’s own beliefs and loyalties.

Accompanied by beautiful drawings, and animation planes with dramatic character spins, the anime builds up the tension and invites us to observe the character’s internal turmoils. Additionally, the powerful voice acting with strategic long silences and camera animation closeups formulates a vivid expression from the characters that further encapsulates us to the story.

Overall the Rose of Versailles is a beautiful anime that has as its strongest feature a simple and easy to follow story transformed by an elaborated and sometimes easy to misunderstand main character.

Story: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Sound: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10

I don’t tend to want to review TV shows because they’re long and there may be too much to say, to keep up with as the episodes roll on. But the value of The Rose of Versailles lies in its essence, and a lengthy description of its plot doesn’t feel necessary.

There are two things which, I think, might draw a variety of viewers back.
One is the animation, shoujo-ish to the extreme. Admittedly, the variety of sparkles and shiny eyes and dramatic eyelashes took a couple of episodes to get used to, but I came to appreciate the dramatisation that they bring to the characters. ... Besides, it improves as it goes and the series itself is full of animation techniques that make its visuals far more expressive than plain moving pictures. Sharp shading, mood-colouring, image fusion... Symbolic, emotive or impressionistic: take your pick, because Versailles no Bara brings an excellent visual arsenal to further its story.

The other possible draw-back is the tone of the drama itself. Initially, overreactions and despair abound (particularly from Marie Antoinette) over matters that don’t seem to be such desperate problems, yet that is solved as well. Once the characters have been introduced, the story settles and the events keep their dramatic tone, but gradually shifting to more serious and ambitious content.

The change of director (from Tadao Nagahama to Osamu Dezaki) within the first half becomes noticeable from the very first episode, and the story is openly heavy-themed (occasionally even disturbing) from there.

So past all this, what is it that makes it great? What did it do so differently? Because it IS different, and I don’t think any modern series could cope with this story and deliver it as this 1979 adaptation did.

The lens may be rose-coloured in the sense of romanticism, but the story has little of today’s air-headedness in romantic anime. The key to that may be in the characters: Oscar François takes under the icy-shield prototype, but there’s nothing typical about her. The premise itself is a tremendous help, but the development is what solidifies it.
She makes the characters around her better and vice versa, and presenting her as the protagonist is the only link that was needed to make inspired fiction from the French Revolution historical events. In terms of names and locations, the series likes to take after them closely, and observing how the story chooses to deal with that source for narrative adds one more layer of interest—one which lasts from the first episode to the last, with the eventual Revolution.

An emotive soundtrack gives the finishing touch to this old jewel that has something fresh to offer in every layer.
The ending song becomes iconic, sampling the voice acting in the series: one of the best I have ever heard. Here, that quality extends to every character.

The Rose of Versailles is, quite possibly, one of the greatest shojo anime I have ever had the experience of watching. The story immediately grips you, even if you have no interest in historical works, because of the two fictitious characters -Andre and Oscar- there to change things up with their own dynamic impact on the French Revolution.Oscar's story in particular is amazing to watch-from her training all the way up to her leading the Royal Guards. In fact, every character plays their own role in the story, whether they be commoner or royalty, and they grow and develop as people right before your eyes. ... Marie Antoinette's story of being born into royalty and becoming a material glutton is perfectly demonstrated here, and I got a newfound appreciation for her as a historical figure after watching this anime.

If I only had to gripe about one thing, then it would be the art. While at times beautiful, it has the overall same production value of many 70's era anime. However, I wouldn't let that detour you from experiencing this very unique anime.