On September 6, 2022, Sugoi LITE (OECUF) leaked a visual for a new The Rose of Versailles anime film project on Twitter. The project is to celebrate The Rose of Versailles’ 50th anniversary, but what is it all about?
Fans would love to see the anime remade in a new art style or remastered. But there are a few possibilities to consider.
A rose by any other name
The Rose of Versailles has undergone a few name changes since the manga came out in 1972. It would have 14 volumes and end in 1973.
The anime came out in 1979, and there are multiple sequels, spin-offs, musicals, a live-action film, and an animated film. In Japanese, the title is Berusaiyu no Bara and is also called Lady Oscar and La Rose de Versailles.
To call this a classic is a severe understatement, as it helped change the definition of shoujo anime and covers many topics that are still relevant today. In addition, it even has a special episode that covers the anime’s events called The Rose and Women of Versailles.
The series also has an animated film covering the show’s events. It’s called The Rose of Versailles: I’ll Love You As Long As I live, and Toei Animation announced a remake in 2007.
However, it still hasn’t been made. Since Sugoi’s post refers to the project as an anime film, could this be the remake finally moving forward?
Time to brush up on your history!
The Rose of Versailles is set slightly before and during the French Revolution. It features a mix of historical figures (like Marie Antoinette) and original characters (like Oscar).
Hence, if you’re looking for a happy ending, you won’t get it with this one. Series creator Riyoko Ikeda did not follow the trend of bringing characters back to life.
And yes, Marie dies at the end, along with the nobles and, more importantly, so does another main character that we all know and love.
Still, the side characters show up in the sequel manga and spin-offs, and new characters fittingly join them. Therefore, we know sparkly eyes are still present in the teaser image.
Marie and Oscar’s chins and overall appearance are much better, and you still can’t tell Oscar Francois de Jarjayes is a woman.