Born a girl to a Father desperate for a son, Oscar
François de Jarjayes is not like any of the ladies in court in France. At age 14, she becomes Commander of the Royal
Guard, charged with protecting a young heiress from Austria named Marie
Antoinette. In an era where power is
everything and gossip is the ultimate fodder for downfalls, the meeting of
Oscar and Marie begins a tragedy of lies, deceit, love and delusion as France
begins its march to one of its darkest and bloodiest conflicts in history.
We’re back for our annual Extended Summer Series Review
and this year we’re changing things up a little bit.
Instead of focusing on sci-fi, mecha and
Gundams, we’re switching to a whole different genre (ngl it might end up being
a nice change of pace after the disastrous experience I had with Macross 7 last
year).
The Rose of Versailles comes
highly recommended from several friends and a rare chance to purchase it last
year got me thinking it could slot into an ESSR nicely.
While historical dramas aren’t my first
choice of genre, I’ve got to admit, I think The Rose of Versailles may have my
attention right away.
So much so I’m
hoping I don’t short change this review just because I want to start the next
set of episodes ASAP.
First off, this show belongs in a museum.
Ok, ok, it’s not as good looking as Akira or
a Studio Ghibli project.
But for a
series that came out around the same time as the original Mobile Suit Gundam in
1979, Rose of Versailles looks freaking gorgeous.
Maybe it’s the late 70’s aesthetic.
Maybe it’s the clever uses of still drawings
to emphasize when things are really about to go down.
It’s hard to pin down just one factor but
this is certainly one of the best old school TV Anime I’ve had the pleasure to
watch.
It perfectly captures the look
and feel of Pre Revolution France.
The
palaces look large and epic, the country side can be both serene and violent
depending on the weather.
Heck some of
these still frames deserve to be displayed in an exhibit somewhere with how
well it showcases the time period.
Pair
it with a hauntingly beautiful OST and it’s possible you can enjoy this one on
production value alone.
As for the characters we’ll be spending the month with,
Oscar and Marie are quite the pairing.
Oscar invokes proto Utena Tenjou vibes with her dress style and how she
holds herself.
I’m so freaking happy no
one else is as deluded as her father thinking she’s a boy when she’s a
girl.
Oscar can walk both lines being
respected like a man but also ok with being who she is, even if she has a
greater destiny to grapple with.
Also
clearly there’s something between her and her best friend Andre.
She may shout at him a lot but the guy gets
her better than anyone and can even go toe to toe with her in some amazingly
animated sword duels.
Then there’s Marie
and oh man, this girl.
Anyone who knows
even an inkling of world history knows the name Marie Antoinette and that her
story doesn’t end well.
Rose of
Versailles heightens the sense of tragedy about her immediately, introducing
her in a way that you instantly like this girl who loves catching butterflies
but has a terrible fate looming over her without her knowing it.
I feel so bad for her and it’s certainly
going to make later episodes tough to watch since the show makes it clear the
French Revolution is coming.
So points
to Rose early on for these two strong leads who are so engaging to watch.
What really caught me off guard about Rose of Versailles
premiere was the infectious societal drama.
A good chunk of the first five episodes centers on Marie’s silent
sparring with Madame du Barry, a prostitute who has risen to become King Louis
Mistress.
The show clearly explains that
though du Barry is the Kings woman, she cant speak to Marie unless Marie speaks
to her first, hierarchy rules and all of that.
Marie continues to ignore du Barry, which sets off explosive events that
you just cant look away from.
For her
role, du Barry is a piece of work.
Manipluative, vain, desperate for power and attention, she has the King
on her whims without really having to try.
She’s a horrible person who isnt below using deadly means to get what
she wants.
It’s also here where the use
of still frames works the best.
When the
screen goes still, suddenly cuts to a random color and the music throws down
along with it, you feel kind of pumped to see what happens next.
Will Marie keep ignoring du Barry?
Can Oscar keep her Mom and herself from being
used as pawns in this spitting match?
Will Maries actions lead to war that could ruin multiple countries?
This show isnt an action heavy but it
certainly feels like it with how intense the drama can get.
Also side note: how the hell is du Barry
getting all those mirrors and expensive items replaced?
Every time Marie wrongs her, she smashes
something, especially the mirrors.
I’m
surprised the King hasn’t dumped her just for continuous room trashing alone,
that cant be cheap, even by the “frivolous” spending habits of the time.
If there is anything that lets me down about the Rose of
Versailles premiere, it’s the guys.
Specifically Oscars Dad and The King.
Like I said, I’m glad everyones not leaning into the “NO THIS IS MY SON
NOT MY DAUGHER” mentality that broke Oscars Dad but wow.
Honestly, the premise of the show hinges on
this first story beat but what irks me is that Oscars Dad still isnt seeing
sense 14 years later.
He still calls
Oscar his son and no one wants to say “look dude, it’s been X amount of
years.
You can start calling her your
daughter ok, we do.”
Then there’s the
King.
And I get it, it’s by design how
gullible he is that he can be easily swayed by du Barry’s complaints about Marie
not accepting her cause she’s the Kings woman.
But to go to war because Marie’s trying to put someone in her place,
someone who clearly isnt a good person.
Yeah I can see why the country falls apart in a few years.
Call me crazy but I’m totally hooked on The Rose of
Versailles.
The story is compelling, the
characters engaging, the animation nearly flawless, I can see why this has
captivated Anime fans for ages.
There’s
also the sad knowledge of what awaits Oscar and Marie down the line.
I get the feeling neither is long for the end
credits of the final episode but I’m still kind of excited to see how they get
to the French Revolution.
Who’dve think
I’d be this psyched for a historical drama Anime?
Well I am and it’s a good thing it’s our
Extended Summer Series Review of 2026, which means you get two reviews a week
for its duration.
See you back here Monday
for more of The Rose of Versailles, right here over at the Gundam Anime Corner.
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