I really liked this anime. Please realize, however, for those of you who have yet to watch it, the title, I believe, is purely for commercial reasons. Using the title of something so familiar was what first drew me to it, and I am certain that was their intention. Quite clever, really. Apart from the 'star crossed lovers' plot, there is no similarity to the play. When they say it's loosely based on the play, they mean a completely different thread.
They borrow names from other of Shakespeare's plays, such as Ophelia, and Patrucio (if that's spelled right) But I found no similarities to the characters of the 'original' plays.
When Romeo leaves the mines with the other workers, it truly shows his competence as a ruler. In the scene where his father dies, there is a very clear contrast in which you see both Romeo's and Montegue's capes; Romeo no longer wears the family crest, meaning he truly gave up his name. In that same scene it is obvious they used the ending of Hamlet; the poisoned sword and all that.
On a historical note, the besieging of the castle in episode 22 (I think) was reminiscent of the Glorious Revolution, of course in the revolution, the king simply flees to France, but still everyone else surrendered and even welcomed the rebels.
The end was befitting, and I loved it, but I kept hoping they were still alive 'till the very last minute of the last episode. Perhaps it had been wishful thinking, but I kept seeing hints that they would live--like when they acting out the play in Mantua and Juliet doesn't say the lines assigned to her. Also, how Romeo seemed be almost maturing as a leader. I hated it, really, because it kept you so optimistic and then, they're dead.
Unfortunately, I don't think there was much character development. It feels as if they remain static. None of them really change through out the series. I think they could have expanded a bit more on some of the supported characters, since we still don't know what was Cordelia's original connection to Juliet. Was she a maid or daughter of a loyal noble? Antonio as well. I didn't even know he was the old man's grandson until the very end. And how about the other two? How did they get involved? The ending left a lot of unanswered questions.
I did like watching it, but in all honesty, I was a bit disappointed with the romance. I didn't quite feel the conflict. Really, what's to keep him from joining rebel forces? I don't know if this is simply me being silly, but when I watch a romance I expect to feel giddy or depressed depending on the even, and I was only touched (not enough for tears though, which I would have hoped for) when they died at the end. Again, I think this is the fault of not enough character development.
