Romeo x Juliet
From renowned studio, Gonzo; producers of such great works like Trinity Blood, Black Cat, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ouran High School Host Club; comes an unique retelling of one of the most known and famous stories ever told: Romeo and Juliet. It's not the first time Gonzo takes a classic story and produces it as an anime series. In 2004 they produced and released Gankutsuou based on Alexandre Dumas's novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. Now its William Shakespeare's turn with his tragic love story.
Properly titled Romeo x Juliet (an x instead of the words 'and'); this new series instantly surfaces as unique and different; drifting away from the original during the first minutes when Montague murders Juliet's parents. One may even be as bold as to admit that the only similarity would be the names of the setting and characters. It takes place in Neo-Verona; a flying island; where flying horses called Ryouma are the top choice of transportation. Here Juliet is not a damsel thrown into woe by her parents wishes, but an orphan; the only heir to the Capulet legacy and most importantly a sword wielding vigilante that disguises herself as a boy called Odin in order to hide her identity. On the other side Romeo is not the carefree youth he appears to be in the original, but a heir that seems eternally preoccupied and unhappy about something even if that something hasn't been entirely revealed yet.
This is certainly not the story we all know and love, but it carries the recipe from it that appeals to the fans of the original giving it a twist all its own that hooks its viewer and causes an even more deep attachment to the series. Gonzo has outdone themselves with this project. Creating something amazing and outstandingly beautiful. The art and animation are beyond gorgeous, the characters absolutely well presented and the music is melodic, haunting and caries with it a hint of tragedy that grips you at the core.
