Posted: 11/15/2011

Romeo X Juliet: The Complete Tragedy

by Amber Burnham

Now available on S.A.V.E. DVD from Funimation Entertainment

Romeo X Juliet is a retelling of the play by William Shakespeare in which two young people in love cannot be together because their families are enemies. In Romeo X Juliet the two people fall in love despite the fact that not only are their families enemies, but their personal destinies are fated to place them on the opposite sides of a possible revolution.

The anime takes place in a kingdom called Neo Verona, here the House of Montague rules with an iron fist led by Leontes Montague. Fourteen years before Romeo and Juliet meet, Romeo’s father Leontes Montague overthrew the House of Capulet in order to become the ruler of Neo Verona. Juliet, the only survivor of the House of Capulet, was saved by loyal subjects of the Capulet rulers. Juliet’s saviors, then hid her in plain sight within Neo Verona by having her dress as a boy and call herself Oden.

While living as Oden, Juliet becomes a masked crusader called “The Crimson Whirlwind” who defies the noblemen by helping the normal people of the town. The night before Juliet’s sixteenth birthday she finds herself at the palace where she meets Romeo for the first time. While she is falling in love with him, she also finds out whom she really is and that there are many people who are planning on overthrowing the House of Montague in her name. What does this mean for Romeo and Juliet and their love?

When thinking about the play by Shakespeare, you may wonder how the anime could create a story that would feel as powerful as the original while not just telling the same story again. The way the story is placed together through the killing of the Capulet family in the beginning automatically gives the story an added sense of danger. Despite the fact that you may know the original story, the writers of Romeo X Juliet have made the situation foreign enough that you will find yourself wondering how the two lovers will work out their situations. This sense of the unknown is the greatest aspect of Romeo X Juliet.

Romeo X Juliet is a mixture of two-dimensional and three-dimensional art. The three-dimensional art is used in the backgrounds. This is especially noticeable when the characters are riding on their dragon steeds through the air. The viewer feels as if they are riding along with the characters because of the quality of the three-dimensional art. The two-dimensional art is of the same quality and is beautiful to watch. Some of the best art can be seen in the eyes of the characters. You feel as if you are looking into the eyes of a real person, the emotions are expressed so readily through the art.

Romeo X Juliet is boxed in a Funimation Super Amazing Value Edition (S.A.V.E), so you can get this great anime at a great price.

Amber Burnham has a BA in Early Childhood Education from Kendall College. She is also a regular panelist on Kichicast, the all-girl, Chicago-based podcast devoted to anime, manga, and Japanese culture. You can listen to Kichicast at kichigi.com.

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