Polygon.com / 30.04.25

Netflix's anime adaptation Rose of Versailles speedruns a story that needs more time

Even before I fully became an anime fan, I knew about The Rose of Versailles, one of the greats of the shoujo genre. Id seen pictures of gender-nonconforming aristocrat Oscar François de Jarjayes in her French military uniform, luxurious blond hair tumbling over her svelte shoulders. Even without knowing much about who she was, I was intrigued by her striking looks and gender ambiguity. I never read Riyoko Ikedas 1972 manga or watched the 1979 anime series, but it held a constant place on my perpetually growing backlog. After the first teaser for Netflix and MAPPAs Rose of Versailles movie, I did some preliminary research and learned that Ikeda dove into themes of revolution, sexuality, and gender, all with gorgeous art and poignant love stories woven throughout. I was excited for this new version, which would let me experience all the highs Id heard about, but visually updated for a slicker era of anime. But about 20 minutes into Netflixs Rose of Versailles movie, I felt like I ...
Read more