‘The Rose of Versailles' opts for empty opulence
shōjo manga
(comics traditionally aimed at a young female audience).
Through her fictionalized account of the French Revolution, Ikeda explored themes of political and sexual upheaval, bringing new levels of complexity to the genre. A successful anime adaptation, which aired for 40 episodes between 1979 and 1980, plus spinoffs, sequels and multiple musical adaptations by the all-female theater troupe Takarazuka Revue, have further cemented the reputation of Ikeda's tale. Now comes a new adaptation, an animated theatrical film — and even days after seeing the movie, I'm struggling to figure out why it exists.
'The Rose of Versailles' begins a few years before the revolution and centers on two women: the real-life Marie Antoinette (voiced by Aya Hirano), the Austrian princess sent to marry the future king of France to foster peace between their two nations, and the fictional Oscar Francois de Jarjayes (Miyuki Sawashiro), raised by her father as a man to become commander of the royal guards. At first, Oscar protects the young Marie with fierce loyalty, but as the years go by and the people of France suffer under the oblivious Marie and Louis XVI (Fukushi Ochiai), Oscar begins to sympathize with the country's revolutionary elements.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
an hour ago
- Japan Today
Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, dies at 87
Terence Stamp arrives at the premiere of "Valkyrie" in Los Angeles on Dec 18, 2008. By PAN PYLAS Terence Stamp, the British actor who often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87. His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online, prompting a wave of tributes from and an array of fans and those close to him within the industry, including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, better known as Bafta. Bill Duke, who starred with Stamp in director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 crime drama 'The Limey,' said he was 'deeply saddened' to hear of his death. 'He brought a rare intensity to the screen, but off-screen he carried himself with warmth, grace, and generosity,' he said on Facebook. The London-born Stamp started his film career with 1962's seafaring 'Billy Budd,' for which he earned nominations for Oscar and Bafta awards. Stamp's six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his touching portrayal of the transsexual Bernadette in 1994's 'The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," the second of his two Bafta nominations. But it will be his portrayal of the bearded Zod in 1978's 'Superman' and its sequel 'Superman II' two years later that most people associate with Stamp. As the Kryptonian arch enemy to Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel, Stamp introduced a darker, charming and vulnerable — more human — element to the franchise, one that's been replicated in countless superhero movies ever since. Stamp started his acting career on stage in the late 1950s, where he acted in repertory theatre and met Michael Caine, who was five years older than himself. The pair lived together in a flat in central London while looking for their big break. He got his break with 'Billy Budd' and Stamp embarked on a career that would see him in the early 1960s be part of the 'angry young men' movement that was introducing an element of social realism into British moviemaking. That was perhaps most notable in the 1965 adaptation of John Fowles' creepy debut novel 'The Collector,' where he played the awkward and lonely Freddie Clegg, who kidnapped Samantha Eggar's Miranda Grey in a warped attempt to win her love. It was a performance that would earn the young Stamp, fresh off his Oscar nomination, the best actor award at that year's Cannes Film Festival. While part of that 1960s British movement, Stamp learned from some of the most seasoned actors from the classical era, including Laurence Olivier. 'I worked with Olivier briefly on my second movie (1962's 'Term of Trial"),' Stamp recalled in an interview with the AP in 2013. 'And he said to me, 'You should always study your voice.'' Stamp then segued into a spot-on Olivier impersonation, continuing, ''Because, as you get older, your looks go, but your voice will become empowered.'' His career took a bit of a hiatus from the late 1960s after he missed out on the role of James Bond to replace Sean Connery, that included a years-long stint in India and which saw him embrace a more holistic approach to his self. It was the unexpected role of General Zod that brought him back to the limelight. His career, which also saw him play the role of Finis Valoru, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, in 1999's first Star Wars prequel 'The Phantom Menace,' ended with the 2021 psychological thriller "Last Night In Soho." Born in London's East End on July 22, 1938, Stamp lived a colorful life, particularly during the 1960s when he had a string of romances, including with actress Julie Christie and model Jean Shrimpton. He married 29-year-old Elizabeth O'Rourke in 2002 at the age of 64 but the couple divorced six years later. Stamp did not have any children. Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look. He generally sought to keep his standards high, but up to a point. 'I don't do crappy movies, unless I haven't got the rent,' he said. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SoraNews24
03-08-2025
- SoraNews24
Immersive multimedia Gustav Klimt exhibition held in Tokyo
Toss on a loose-fitting robe and head on down. Austrian painter Gustav Klimt has earned himself a spot among the greatest artists of all time, but I always appreciated that the guy really knew the value of comfort and spent most of his later life in a robe with little else. Unfortunately, to get a good look at his work, one usually has to travel to Austria, but a new exhibit in Tokyo is giving us an unprecedented way to enjoy it. Klimt Alive projects several of his pieces onto floors, walls, and objects up to seven meters (23 feet) high, moving and accompanied by lights and music. The spacious venue springs to life as Klimt's masterpieces, such as The Kiss , Judith I , and Death and Life, flow throughout it. Photography and video are allowed inside, so our writer Anji Tabata was able to share a look at it when she visited earlier this month. She was marveled by the flowing changes in themes, both in the sights and sounds in the room. Rather than walking among the art, she felt as if she were being pulled into it. The layout of the screens, all at different angles, allowed her to view the works from different perspectives at the same time while standing still. She could appreciate the nuances in each piece much better this way, but walking around only amplified the sensory experience that felt like a daydream. There are also two areas with stationary displays that are good for having your own picture taken in. The first one is based on Klimt's Tree of Life and shows the titular tree's branches spreading all along the walls of this room with starkly contrasting lighting. Anji felt the space had a solemn, church-like vibe to it. The other area was based on The Kiss , and had a more dazzling display of bright colors and flowers. Anji also felt this exhibit captured Klimt's use of sensuality and light and used those effectively for intoxicating displays that made her lose track of time. Images even floated around on the floor at times. While the complete immersion was entrancing, Anji also wanted to warn people who, like her, suffer from motion sickness. All the moving images may trigger feelings of nausea, but she recommends not looking at the floor so much to avoid getting queasy. But if it's still too much, you can just duck into the gift shop for more static delights. Some of our writer's favorite items were a tin of cookies made in cooperation with Cafe Tanaka in Nagoya, a feline-themed Cat Can Soap, and many items featuring Klimt-san, a cartoonized version of Klimt himself, robe and all. ▼ You can see Klimt-san on the right of the bottom shelf. There's even a QR code that allows you to access AR versions of Klimt-san doing various activities like playing with cats, much like the real Klimt who often enjoyed the company of cats. All in all, Anji felt the Klimt Alive exhibit was breathtaking and something even people with only a vague knowledge of him can enjoy. Be sure to check it out at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall in Chuo, Tokyo, before it ends on 5 October. Event Information Klimt Alive / クリムト・アライブ Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Nihonbashimuromachi 2-2-1, Coredo Muromachi 1 5F Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall 東京都中央区日本橋室町二丁目2番1号COREDO室町1 5F 日本橋三井ホール Open: 18 July – 5 October, 2025 Admission: Adult – 3,000 yen, University/High School Student – 2,000 yen, Junior High/Elementary Student – 1,500, Pre-School – Free Website Photos © SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
Nikkei Asia
30-07-2025
- Nikkei Asia
Praise for 'Parasite' is ironic mirror for Korean film business
Director Bong Joon-ho accepts the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for "Parasite" at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, in February 2020. © Reuters Haeryun Kang is a journalist and filmmaker in Seoul. She is the director of the feature documentary "Naro's Search for Space." If Bong Joon-ho had started out in South Korea's film industry 2025, could he have reached the stratospheric success that he is known for today as one of the world's most renowned directors, or even break into the industry? This isn't a judgment on his talent or the quality of his films, the most famous of which, the Oscar-winning "Parasite," recently topped the New York Times list of "100 Best Movies of the 21st Century."
