The Rose of Versailles
Based on what is credited as the first true shoujo manga, the Rose of Versailles anime began its run in October of 1979, continuing for 40 episodes. It details the life of Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes, the young, androgynous commander of the Royal French Guard, and ascension of Marie Antoinette to the French throne. Set previous to the French Revolution, the story combines real aspects of history with some fictional characters and situations, such as Oscar, who was raised as a son rather than a daughter, to enable her to take up her father’s legacy. Oscar becomes part of the Royal Guard just previous to the wedding of Austria’s Marie Antoinette to Louis XVI of France, the wedding that was intended to cement good relations between the two nations permanently. Her childhood friend, Andre, appears frequently, as do several important figures in the life of Marie Antoinette, such as Hans Axel von Fersen of Sweden, Austrian diplomat Count Florimund Mercy d’Argenteau, and others.
Since the historical manga debuted in 1972, The Rose of Versailles has been made into an anime, a live-action film, and been performed in Japanese theatre. The anime has been translated into many languages since its inception in Japan, including French, German, Italian, and many others, though no English-language version was ever produced.
For more information, images, and tips on locating this anime, please visit one of the excellent fansites below:
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