Winter 2025 Preview: The Rose of Versailles

When broaching the topic of MAPPA’s upcoming animated films, most will likely think of Chainsaw Man The Movie, perhaps the studio’s most anticipated project in recent memory. However, it would be unwise to sleep on their upcoming release – The Rose of Versailles, an adaptation of a shōjo classic whose success built a remarkable cultural bridge between Japan and France.

Riyoko Ikeda is a prolific mangaka who rose to prominence during the 1970s, writing romantic shōjo manga with an emphasis on historical fiction, often set against the backdrop of Europe. The Rose of Versailles is one of her most popular works, using the unrest of the French Revolution as the framework for a story about identity, duty, and love in a time of great change.

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What Is The Rose of Versailles About?

Ikeda’s story is led by none other than Marie Antoinette, who arrives in Versailles to marry the crown prince, Louis XVI, yet another catches her eye. His name is Oscar Francois de Jarjayes, the captain of the Royal Guards, but he is not a “he” at all. She is the daughter of a noble family who had raised her as a boy, entrusting her with carrying on the family legacy, a call Oscar answers with pride and determination.

But growing inequality leaves Oscar torn between her duty to the royal family and the people of France, while a naive Marie comes to understand the disparity between her and those she rules. The Rose of Versailles chronicles the relationship between these two as they grapple with the expectations placed upon them and the responsibility they carry in shaping the future.

The Global Impact of This Manga

This groundbreaking period drama did not succeed without first overcoming much skepticism. In the early 70s, manga as a medium was regarded as a lower form of art. As Hotta Junji of Nippon.com puts it, “shōjo manga was the lowest of them all, with female manga artists earning only half as much as their male peers.” The editorial staff was doubtful that their female reader base would fully appreciate a historical drama, fearing the nuance would be lost on them.

Ikeda and fellow shōjo writers of her time would prove such misconceptions woefully wrong, and the success of The Rose of Versailles expanded beyond Japan. It became a worldwide hit, inspiring a 40-episode TV anime in 1979, a live-action film the same year, and multiple stage adaptations. The surge of tourism and interest in French culture inspired by the manga’s success didn’t go unnoticed by the French, who later honored Ikeda with the Legion of Honor in 2009.

The Staff Behind the New Adaptation

This new adaptation is directed by Ai Yoshimura, an experienced director who previously helmed Ao Haru Ride, Dance with Devils, Cheer Boys, and Kabukichou Sherlock. She has also directed episodes of Black Butler, Gintama, Daily Lives of High School Boys, and Gatchaman Crowds, an impressive portfolio that makes her an ideal fit for this story and its audience.

Joining Yoshimura is prolific anime screenwriter Tomoko Konparu, an industry veteran who wrote for classics like Urusei Yatsura and Touch. Later, she wrote Nana, Kimi ni Todoke, and collaborated with Yoshimura on Ao Haru Ride and Dance with Devils. Just this year, Konparu penned the Boys Love comedy Cherry Magic and will be writing its film sequel in 2025.

Mariko Oka, a longtime animator, serves as the character designer for the film. Her credit as the character designer for Hetalia will likely speak volumes to a particular sect of readers, but she has worked throughout the industry, from Attack on Titan to Dororo, to Yuri on Ice, and beyond. She was even the animation director on Mari Okada’s 2023 Netflix Original, Maboroshi.

The Sound of Revolution

As pretty as the film looks, the sound may be where it truly soars. J-Pop singer Ayaka performs the film’s main theme, titled “Versailles”, which features heavily in the latest preview. Hiroyuki Sawano, known for the music behind Attack on Titan, Blue Exorcist, and the upcoming Fate/strange Fake, is producing the music. His collaborator and protégé, Kohta Yamamoto, is the film’s composer.

In between adapting some of the hottest contemporary manga such as Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen, MAPPA seems to have hopped on a trend of modern remakes. Just this season, MAPPA produced director Kounosuke Uda’s remake of Ranma 1/2 and The Rose of Versailles looks to be no less faithful in capturing such a beautiful and nostalgic art style. With any luck, some form of international release will follow soon after its premiere.

The Rose of Versailles opens in theaters in Japan on January 31, 2025.

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Source: Nippon.com