Romeo X Juliet. The Fantasy Anime You've Never Heard Of.

 

Picture it: It's 2009. In terms of childhood, it's the year of Princess and the Frog, Hannah Montana: The Movie, and the last year that 7 am to 11pm Saturday Morning Cartoons would actually mean anything. 2009 was the best year for content in my opinion, and not just because of the core memories I've listed but because one day I was introduced to my very first anime on the On Demand section of Comcast. Back when it looked like this: 

And that anime was Romeo X Juliet. Yes, there's an anime version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and it's amazing...until it's not. I won't go into spoilers but I HIGHLY recommend anyone who loves Romeo and Juliet and fantasy to watch it on Funimation.com or Youtube. It has dubs and subs, I've only seen the dubbed. I think it's good, but you do you on that regard. You're probably wondering why am I talking about an anime that was already kinda old when I watched it? It's because I'm in a nostalgic slump right now, and this show just happened to be on my mind. And with the miniscule discussions about it on the interwebs I want to talk about it.

Very loosely based on the Shakespeare tragedy, Romeo x Juliet is set in an alternative world where it's a medieval fantasy version of Verona Italty where no magic exists except for the tree of Escalus and where royals have flying pegasus...despite that, it's pretty grounded with its themes of overthrowing monarchs, rebellion, murder, oppression, identity, and forbidden love. Yeah, don't remember half of what was listed in the original? Like I said, very loosely based. 

But that doesn't mean it's bad. The opening to the first episode is badass with sword fights, blood, and murder, and honestly, that tone carries a lot in this show. Look at this screenshots and tell me this doesn't make you want to watch it: 

This show is totally wicked.

 I shall leave the link to the first episode right here. I won't spoil it, but please watch it. Please. It's such an awesome wtf intro to the series and it hooks you. It sets you in the tone very early, and it is amazing.

So What is Romeo x Juliet About?

Juliet is the last heir of the ruling house Capulet whose members were brutally murdered by Leontes Montague, the main villain in this whole show. Being kept safe from the blade of the Montagues, Juliet is raised among the people under a male non-de-plume and goes out as a Robin Hood kind of vigilante against the oppression the Montague Prince is reigning down on others. The first time she can go out among the public as a young woman, she goes to a ball where she meets none other than Romeo Montague, and both of them are completely smitten with each other. This lasts only for so long because Juliet is then taken away by a friend who takes her to see something across town. They go, and she is taken to a dilapidated graveyard where her assassinated family lies. Juliet is then told of her true identity as not only the last Capulet heir but that she is the one they want to lead the charge against the Montague family. Juliet and Romeo reunite and yearn for each other and more stuff happens after that obviously, and if you want to know what that is WATCH THE ANIME! PLEASE!

This show, my guys! The way this show was able to reconstruct the same old tale of forbidden love and tragedy and just plop it right in the middle of a story of coups, swordfights, murder, and politics is just:

It ended in 2007, having two seasons with 24 episodes, and it needed more. It needed 30 or 35. I won't tell you why it needed more, but I think the twenty-four-episode cap did this show dirty. It's so clear they wanted to do more but were capped at the knees with the episode count and length. Despite what the ending does, I 10000% recommend everyone to watch this show. It's captivating, energetic, passionate, epic, and fantastic. There's even an anime characterature of William Shakespeare: 

And yes he is as gay and flamboyant as the real one probably actually was. My friends Alison and Megan are going to kick me with this joke. 

I can't recommend it enough. 

Also, the main theme song is a Japanese and English version of You Raise Me Up...and if you've never heard of it. Look here. You're welcome. I hope you love it as much as I do.

If you've seen it let me know so we can gush and rant.

If you haven't will you see it? Please? Please see it! I beg of you. Please? 

If you want to me to do a full-length spoiler review of the show on the blog, let me know.

Thank you for letting me chaotically rant for a couple minutes about this super duper underrated show.

 Photos are obviously not mine. All credit goes to funimation and the show runners.