Romeo x Juliet (anime)
September 30th, 2007 by Lianne
PG-13/16 for sex and violence, and possibly a hormonal wedding night scene; great fan website
What’s this? Orange Skirt expanded this into a much better full review here! Off you go.
I don’t know if this has been bought for an English release yet, but it’s probably only a matter of time. Like Gankutsuou (The Count of Monte Cristo), this is Studio Gonzo adapting a classic for a modern otaku audience. Romeo x Juliet, however, is better. There’s a quick equation that can explain why that is:
(awesome French pulp fiction from 1800s + anime trappings) < (boring Shakesperean play + anime trappings)
But even beyond that, the animeness injected into this classic is superior to that in Gankutsuou: the Montague family murdered the Capulets in order to rule Neo Verona, but the lost princess Juliet has been raised as a boy in the hopes that she will lead a coup d’état when she reaches the age of 16. In the meantime, she’s become a masked vigilante of justice that’s caught the eye of Romeo, who opposes his father’s tyrannical rule. There are stupid flying horses in this, and Mercutio has been reduced to a cliche, snarky anime villain, but other than that, most of the additions are a vast improvement. And Romeo and Juliet swordfight in this. If that’s not hot as hell, I don’t know what is.
Educated impression: Worth a try for everyone, but especially the ladies. (Lianne)
Damn, this sounds like fun! I’m going to download this as soon as I can find it. Also, I just pictured some retarded flying horses, rather like blind pigeons, flying around major cities in flocks and running (flying) into buildings comedically. “Stupid… flying horses!! RRRGH” So… yeah.
Also, moreso in western comics/cartoons, but I appreciate female vigilantism NOT related to previous sexual abuse, so Juliet is already hiiiiigh up on my “shoujo awesome scale”.
I don’t remember a hormonal wedding night scene in the anime? and when was there any sex XD?
I wrote this when I’d only seen the first 5 episodes or so, hence I used the word “possibly” before “hormonal wedding night scene.” Now that I’ve seen the whole thing and know whether or not such a scene exists, my lips are zipped, because that’s a one-way ticket to SPOILER LAND.
cool site!