I-S WATCHES AN ANIME? OH NOES!

[Prydania]

My anime experience is very limited. Dragonball Z, the Transformers Unicron Trilogy, and Code Geass being the extent. Which is strange since I tend to prefer anime art styles to more western styles. One would think I would have watched more of it.
Well a friend recommended I take a look at an anime called Romeo x Juliet. Seeing as I have a minor in English literature I figured if I was going to watch more anime I might as well watch one that makes me want to punch my tv screen....

....then again it is anime. So I think I might be disappointed if this ends up being a faithful retelling. I expect giant robot battles.

So I invite Taijitu, the most random online community I belong to, to join me on this quest through dubbed goodness.

EXCELSIOR!

[Prydania]

Disk 1

Episode 1: If They Did Not Meet: Love Across the Universe (Can You Recall It?)

So they bothered to dub this into English, but they couldn't get English language intro cards made up?

Why is Verona a floating island?

So....Lord Montague killed all the Capulets and became king of Verona? Alrighty. I was not aware Ridley Scott started directing anime. HIOOO!

This is getting very Anastasia-esque. I'm out if there's a talking bat.

"based on the play by William Shakespeare" ahahahahahahahahahaha!

THEME SONG TIME! SWORD FITEZ! Holy crap! Drive-by nudity! They look so happy together. This must be before they die horribly of poison.

14 years later? K.

HOLY SHIT IT'S BATMAN THE RED WHIRLWIND!

Cloaked boy in the crowd. Bet he's with Batman. Any time you see someone in a cloak in a crowd they're up to something.

"Why do I have to run with you?" Good point.

Romeo helps Batman out? And he's turned on by Batman's writs? Batman's Juliet. Calling it.

Wait? Batman's name is Odin? Oh well. I was right about mysterious cloak boy.

Ok. It's now clear that Batman is Odin who is Juliet. "I'm a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."

A play called Otello? Meta. 5 points for you, Japan.

William Shakespeare stand in: Why does no one appreciate my work?
Juliet: Because your plays are overwritten and difficult to follow.
Ok, that's clever. 5 more points Japan.

So William is infatuated with Juliet, who he thinks is a boy. I foresee massive therapy bills.

Grumpy old guy! Finally someone I can relate to.

Uggg. Even with the good dubs there are cringe worthy instances.

Title card after the opening theme, in the middle of the episode? Why the hell not!

Pegasus races!

Lord Montague looks like Scar from the Lion King. And his glass has a dragon on it. I think he's supposed to be evil.

Now he's going all Machiavelli on us. He's evil.

Lady Hermione? HARRY POTTER CROSSOVER! ABANDON SHIP!

Ok, so Romeo gets to take a hot blonde away and he flashes back to the time he grabbed Batman's wrists, who he thought was a guy at the time. So many questions are going unasked.

Juliet meets the guy once, disguised as a boy no less, and she already thinks she's madly in love with Romeo. I get that theirs is a true love and all, but after Twilight I can't take teenage romance seriously.

I'm getting a serious Agent Gillette vibe from William.

Romeo: What's true love?
Benvolio: It's finding the  one you wish to die with.
OMGFORESHADOWING!

Ok. So in the play Romeo and Juliet meet at the Rose Ball. And I assume they will here in the show shortly. So why not wait until they meet there to start all of this true love talk? Because having them talk about it when they've only met once, one of them dressed up as a gender swapped superhero, is kind of forced.

Actress girl wants to get Juliet into a dress. Keep in mind that actress girl thinks Juliet is a boy. SO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS SHOW AREN'T BEING ASKED THE RIGHT QUESTIONS!

OMG FOPPISH HAMBURGLER!

Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! The Red Death showing up would really pick up the pace. "Have you missed me? I have written you an opera!"

IT'S EDWARD ROMEO!

Ok. Rock music in the end credits came out of nowhere!

Ok. Thoughts.
The music is fantastic, though the rock in the end credits hits you like a brick to the face after the love song opening and the classical/epic theatrical score used in the show.

Art is fantastic.

All in all the show's pretty interesting. The dialogue has a few "IT HURTS!" moments, but you'll have that with any dubbed anime. Beats reading subtitles though. Turning the whole story into Anastasia/Batman/V for Vendetta is....pretty cool actually. Fact is that they were going to change stuff from the original play. Had they tried to keep it a straight retelling but with a few changes it would have come off as odd. By doing this the show kind of shoots everything you expected halfway to hell and you're forced to just sit back and enjoy the new narrative.
Plus I've always enjoyed political intrigue/superheros/evil dictatorship stories more then romance stories, so I'm more interested after one episode then I thought I would be.

[Gulliver]

Of course it's on a floating island. That's what Italy is.

[Prydania]

Episode 2: The Promise, A Scent Remembered: Love Across the Universe (Can You Recall It?)

Beginning the episode with a quote from the play? Don't go there show. I gave you props for changing up things from the source material, but don't pretend to be any more connected to Shakespeare's play then I Robot was to Isaac Asimov's book.

Ok, this scene should have been the one to kick off the "it's true love" stuff. Not the scene where Romeo helps Batman.

Romeo: The scent of those blossoms, do they please you?
Juliet: Yes.
Romeo: As well they should.
Smooth dude. Smooth.

Romeo: What is your name?
I AM THE NIGHT. I'M BATMAN. *Danny Elfman score*

I noticed this with Code Geass too. Half the time they provide English subtitles to the Japanese opening/closing themes. The other half the subtitles are just the Japanese lyrics Romanticized. Why?

It's Legolas! This guy only exists to be fangirl bait. Shed a tear for him, for he belongs to the living damned.

So Scar arranged for Romeo to marry Hermione? The blonde? Oh how I weep for his misfortune.

Juliet, she risks all the work her protectors have put into keeping her safe so she could go to a ball. Our heroine!

Juliet: It was like a midsummer night's dream.
Yes, we get it. It's William Shakespeare.

Juliet turns 16, when all will be revealed to her. Of course we already know, so kind of pointless.

So apparently if you don't pay back a loan to a noble in this world he gets to take your daughter. Should have read the fine print guy.

Batman!

Robin? Curio apparently.

Blah blah blah all will be revealed blah blah blah

Irises? I think we've found our reoccurring symbol of love for the show.

No one clued the kid into the fact that Odin was Juliet? Hehe.

This 16th birthday is nothing compared to the ones on MTV. Where's the giant chocolate fountain?

Well way to ease her into the whole "your family used to rule the country and then they were killed and now you're our last hope long live the Rebel Alliance!" thing guys.

Thoughts.

Not bad. The whole episode establishes the love between Romeo and Juliet and builds towards the reveal to Juliet of her family's history. The old guy, Conrad, laid on the cheese at the end with this reveal, but all in all it was done well. The only problem, from a narrative point of view, is that we already know all of this. On the other hand had they gone the "audience finds out with the character" route things would have dragged in the first episode and most for this one. So all in all I can't complain.

[Prydania]

Episode 3: Love, Cruel Mischief: Love Across the Universe (Can You Recall It?)

Again with the Shakespeare quotes? At least they're committed to the idea.
"Is this truly a love that can never be?"
Well, I read the play. So *SPOILERS* no. No it can not.

It was a dark and stormy night.

So the surviving loyalist of the House of Romanov Capulet want to rally behind the last survivor of that house to overthrow the Soviet House of Montague. As divorced from the source material as this is...I'm intrigued.

OMGSWORDOFDEZTINIEZ

Well she fainted. Maybe you guys should have thought about easing her into the stressful position of leading a revolution.

A girl taking a bath in an anime and gratuitous fan service isn't involved? I am shocked.

DIALOGUE THAT HURTS! GAH!

So William's mom is a noble helping the revolutionaries.

She recalls a line from one of William's plays but can't recall the story. I so relate to that.

So close to a lesbian scene!

*cue Imperial March*

"A merchant named Shylock"
I feel like I should be offended.

Scar: Commoners are no different then grapes. We are free to decide if we are to harvest them or crush them.
Lord Montague, your 2012 Republican Presidential candidate!

Oh snap! Bitch slap! Scar don't take crap!

Mercutio reeks of douchebag.

The Tree of Life? K.

Title card? Why?

Juliet's kind of a tease.

I smell the makings of an exiled mother subplot.

Batman rescue scene!
THIS CITY JUST PROVED THAT IT'S FULL OF PEOPLE READY TO DO THE RIGHT THING!

SWORD FITEZ! DUEL OF FATES!

Romeo against Batman. There can be only one Highlander!

Oh, it was only a ruse on Romeo's part to help Batman and the guy she was helping escape get away. The lost potential for hilarious misunderstandings.

Oh noes! Juliet as Batman figured out that Romeo is the son of Lord Montague. THAT'S NOT TRUE THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!

ROCK MUSIC ENDING CREDITS! HEADBANNING TO ENGRISH!

So that was fun. We're introduced to a new character, a doctor, who Juliet, as Batman, helps out in a Robin Hood kind of way. He gets captured and Batman rescues him with help from Romeo. The drama of the episode revolves around Juliet finding out that Romeo's the son of the guy who killed her entire family. While it makes for good drama it strikes me as odd that she wouldn't know who the son of the ruler of the country is. I mean it's sort of like being surprised to find  out that Prince Charles is from the House of Windsor.

[Prydania]

Episode 4: Bashfulness, Beaten by the Rain: Love Across the Universe (Can You Recall It?)

I just have to accept that regardless of the fact that this thing is taking liberties with the source material it still wants to pretend it's deeply connected to it with quotes from the play to start each episode.

PREVIOUSLY ON BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

The Priest is informing the secret police? Why not?

I'M IN LOVE WITH A GUY WHO'S FATHER IS A MAJOR DOUCHE SO I WON'T SEEK VENGEANCE EVEN THOUGH I'M PERFECTLY JUSTIFIED IN DOING SO AND WE'D ALL BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT LORD SCAR ANYWAY

*cue scene from The Dark Knight where everyone discusses the pros and cons of Batman's existence*
"You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain"

Benvolio: You cannot govern with nothing but a sense of justice.
Romeo: Why the hell not?
Well it's not working out to well for the Obama AdministrationOHSNAP

Romeo: I expected better council from you!
Yeah, you tell him! Screw him for not simply telling you what you want to hear! Boooooo!

Oh no. Juliet's going through the same thing Bella went through in Twilight 2.

I don't see the "arrest anyone who looks at us funny as being the Batman" being a good strategy. If the police want to catch a vigilante maybe they should do, oh I don't know, actual police work?

I admit, I'm digging Lord Scar's propaganda styling. Dude may be a monster, but he has one fine sense of style.

Wandering child, so lost so helpless....
Yeah, cemetery scene.

Oh and here's Romeo. And Juliet's disguised as Odin. I think we're in for some wacky hijinks!

Romeo's pegasus figured out Odin is Juliet before he did.

How can a flying horse seem insistent Romeo? Are you the horse whisperer?

Romeo's getting a little touchy feely with someone who he thinks is a dude. Again people, these characters aren't being asked the right questions.

So Romeo smells irises on Odin. He smelt them on Juliet. And Batman. And it's been established that irises are the symbol of the House of Capulet. Lets see if he can connect the dots.

Romeo just walked in on Juliet drying off, out of her Odin costume. wawaWAAAAAA

Romeo: You're....Juliet
Finally, that second brain cell flares up.

DANCE TIME!

Despite me poking fun at it, Juliet's angst over not wanting to rise up against the Montagues after finding out Romeo is Lord Montague's son was really well done. Her expression in that scene comes across as one fuelled by passion, not by self-righteousness.
This episode, however, really stretches the boundaries of disbelief.  That Romeo took as long as he did to realize that Odin was Juliet was just silly. That being said, the episode leaves on a high note, but not in the way you might think.
See Romeo comes into the shack he and Odin stop at to get away from the rain. He sees Juliet drying off out of her Odin costume. She's startled and trips, falling into the fire. He saves her, but falls on top of her. He's shirtless, she's in her underwear, and he's lying on top of her. Lesser writing would have used this scene for fan service, but here the writing was restrained, and scene seemed more genuine.

[Prydania]

Of course it's on a floating island. That's what Italy is.

SKYLANTIS!

[Prydania]

Going back to the end credits thing for a moment. Maybe it's my Transformers Unicron Trilogy experience talking, but whenever I hear a rocking Japanese theme I expect Transformers.
"Juliet Capulet, I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. We need your help to save Neo Verona from Megatron and the Decepticons."
*cue slow mo explosion shots and Prime decapitating someone 'cause that's how HE ROLLS!*

Episode 5: Whirlwind, Burning Resolve: Love Across the Universe (Can You Recall It?)

KISS HER YOU FOOL THERE WILL NEVER BE A BETTER TIME!

No one knows where Juliet is? Wow, as far as Rebel Alliances go, you guys kind of suck.

Starving the people until Batman turns himself in? That's....not a bad plan. Coming from an evil dictatorship's point of view, anyway.

Juliet: I want to try sewing a shirt.
Cordelia: Why? Have you outgrown the ones you have?
Well she is 16 now. Amirite? don't judge me

Romeo's finally putting the Juliet/Odin/Batman/irises/Capulet puzzle together. Turn rusty brain cogs, turn!

Never mind. False alarm.

Seriously secret police, just arresting someone you call Batman won't actually get rid of Batman.

Juliet's first embroidery attempt was pretty good. If you're into modern art anyway.

Well look at that. The police had a plan. Mass execution to draw out Batman.

TITLE CARD!

Doctor going to smack a crooked priest!

Brilliant secret password guys. Just use the symbol of the house you're trying to restore.

OH NOES! WHAT TO DO? WHERE IS THE BATMAN?

The Doctor's pulling a Harvey Dent from The Dark Knight.
"I am the Batman!"

Pretty good episode. Now that Juliet's been brought up to speed on her heritage it makes sense for the Rebel Alliance to put an end to her Batman shenanigans. The doctor disguising himself as Batman, seemingly to sacrifice himself to save Juliet, works. Far to often these shows tend to sidestep difficult discussions. Here Juliet is faced with one, and she has to live with the consequences of her actions. Huzzah for character development!

[Prydania]

Just a thought on the opening theme song. They go through the trouble to dub the anime into English, but they keep the Japanese theme? If they didn't want to write a new theme song they could have just used What is Love? or (Don't Fear) The Reaper. You know the latter choice would be amazing.

[Prydania]

Episode 6: Hope, Tomorrow Entrusted: Love Across the Universe (Can You Recall It?)

I AM SPARTACUS!

Who's afraid of the big, bad, bat?

"It's not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you."
No, the Batman jokes will never leave.

"Come on Cohaagen, you got what you want. GIVE THESE PEOPLE AIR!"

"I'm afraid Dantooine is far to remote for an effective demonstration, but don't worry. We'll deal with your rebel friends soon enough. You may fire when ready."

"People shouldn't be afraid of their government, governments should be afraid of their people."

His blood is on your hands princess.

Romeo's going to so confused when this Batman/Odin/Juliet thing gets unravelled.

DRAMATIC WIND!

TITLE CARD!

This guy's pulling a John A.

Typical speech in the House of Lords: Why the House of Lords is important.

"It is with great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling. I love democracy. I love the Republic. Once this crisis has abated, I will lay down the powers you have given me!"

Scar isn't playing around is he? NOBILITY PWN!

Man whore.

"Ideas are bulletproof."

Oh! Angsty cloaked new character! More fangirl bait!

"IT'S A TRAP!"

Not quite Batman, but I still think this calls for a Danny Elfman score.

"The force is strong in this one."

It's Nega-Romeo!

This was a good one. Good action, a fair amount of political intrigue, and a senate scene! I love senate scenes. They're great for world building. The doctor dying in Juliet's place as Batman really seems to have impacted her, in a good way. Rather then wallow in self-pity/hatred she seems ready to embrace her destiny as leader of the Rebel Alliance.

And so ends Disk 1.

[Gulliver]

This might be easier to follow if I was actually watching this.

[Prydania]

EXCELSIOR!

[Prydania]

Disk 2

Episode 7: Warmth, Just for Now: Revenge of the Fallen

Who wants to live forever?

Nega-Romeo: He's the bad boy the girls love to hate.

Tybalt? I always pictured Tybalt as an arrogant asshole, not Emoman.
Then again I didn't picture Lord Montague from the play as Emperor Palpatine, so who knows?

Yeah, you kind of suck Romeo.

Oh don't tell me. Romeo hasn't figured out Juliet's a Capulet yet?

NO ONE CAN SEE THROUGH THE GREATEST DISGUISE OF ALL TIME!

Happy Singles Awareness Day everyone!

And Romeo finally figures out the Capulet connection.

Vittorio: The daughter of Prince Capulet, disguised as a boy all these years. It's beyond imagination.
No, not really.

He who controls the present controls the past. He who controls the past controls the future.

*cue the Imperial March*

"Asteroids do not concern me, Admiral. I want that ship, not excuses!"

Legolas is gonna manwhore it up.

What's with the mid episode title cards?

Conrad: No one would expect someone of your status to share in accommodations such as these.
They would if he was 1) stripped of his nobility, which he was and 2) on the run from the law, which he is. Conrad, the master strategist!

Brooms? How DO they work? Amirite?

"Tybalt?!?! His name was Tybalt?....no haven't heard of him."
Either this is a translation error or Conrad sucks at lying.

THE PLOT THICKENS!

Actress girl's taking Odin out on a date? I'll have to get back on whether that's hot or not.

Oh hey. Lady Hermione. I guess you still exist.

Oh your poor, deluded broad.

What? Personally I find Imperial Stormtroopers to be the perfect complement to any Valentines Day celebration.

Ditched by your date? Ouch.

Hot, steamy love chase!
WHAT IS LOVE? BABY DON'T HURT ME, DON'T HURT ME NO MORE!

Damn it floats, how many relationships must you ruin?

It hurts so bad.

Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you!

Finally I lost him! Now I can be free to live my life as the lonely, crazy cat lady!

Dare to love you fool!

Her body says no, but her eyes say yes.

Poor blondie. She's the real victim in all of this. I think this is how Kill Bill started.

"My Juliet."
SHE'S A PERSON DAMNIT!

This was another good one. The ending was great in the same way the movie Armageddon was great. That movie was full of so many Hollywood cliches that it tried to play straight that it ended up as awesome. Likewise the chase at the end of this episode was cheesy in all the rights ways, and the animators did a great job conveying it visually.

[Prydania]

Episode 8: Nativity, What Justice Is: Revenge of the Fallen

A sword unsheathed? Romeo you dog.

Juliet: Romeo, our love can never be.
Romeo: Is it because I'm heir to the house of Montague and you're the heir to the house of Capulet?
BY JOVE HOLMES I THINK YOU'VE GOT IT!

Awww, she gave him the Picasso handkerchief.

Oh save it for LiveJournal Tybalt.

Way to keep state secrets there anonymous Stormtrooper. Team Montague must feel so lucky to have you on board!

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE HIGHLANDER!

Juliet must feel so strong, beating a ten year old at sword fighting.

*cue the Odd Couple music*

Legolas: Only girls are permitted in my home!
Really? 'Cause you were just fawning over Benvolio being lovely.

wawaWAAAAAAA

Legolas, you heartless bitch.

NO DADDY NO!

Scar: Have ciello (Romeo's pegasus) destroyed.
Damn dude. That's just cold. Cold as ice.

Lord Montague, father of the year! I'm sure his "YOU INSOLENT WORM!" approach to child-rearing to lead to a well adjusted young man.

Hermione thinks Romeo ditched her to check up on Benvolio. Rome dude, you gotta run with that excuse. You play your cards right, you're looking at a threesome with her and Juliet.

Oh you dense bastard. No don't show her the handkerchief!

Mercutio? I thought I smelt dandruff and monkey turds.

Benvolio sucks at witness protection.

VIVA LA RESISTANCE!

Benvolio: Your father's personal guards attacked us. He issued the order himself.
Romeo: Impossible! My father?
Dude, your father is a colossal douchebag.

I AM THE NIGHT. I AM JUSTICE. I AM THE BATMAN.

Look Tybalt, I know it's your "thing" to be dark and mysterious, but I'm going to grow to seriously dislike you if I have to put up with your emo Riddler-speak for the rest of the show.

When you control the mail you control.....INFORMATION!

The World Wide Tybalt Web.

LONG LIVE KING GEORGE III!

"Ready are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh. Excitement. Heh. A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless."

OH SWEET, PLENTIFUL MONEY! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

You'll never make a good Princess Leia if you can't kill a single crooked priest.

Oh snap! Romeo and Nega-Romeo gonna have issues to fistycuffs over.

This episode was all over the place. There wasn't any real unifying theme, except maybe Juliet's acceptance of her role in the Rebel Alliance, but even that was cut up with other scenes of things happening, none of them connected. All in all this episode accomplished a lot by furthering a lot of the story lines, but also accomplished little by failing to commit to any one of them.

[Prydania]

Episode 9: Rise to Action, Hesitation Quelled: Revenge of the Fallen

It's 1980s Sitcom Misunderstanding Time!

Because she craves your sweet, sweet tears Romeo.

YOU'RE WORTHLESS AND WEAK!

May the force be with you, always.

Lady Hermione is gonna be pisssssssed.

Mercutio's the most transparent villain this side of Emperor Palpatine from Episode I.

Rome: I am Romeo of House Montague.
Yes, we've established that. Thanks for though.

Romeo: Do I yarn for an impossibility?
Hey, if the Buffalo Bills are 3-0 nothing is impossible.

Lord Scar aint got time for no leaves!

"I'm not in a rush, I just want to leave the revolution NOOOOOW!"

So the Tree of Life is dying because Scar is a dick? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Great job on the coup there buddy. Even the plant life is rejecting you.

JUDAS CAMILO!

Way to inspire confidence in your leader on the eve of your rebellion guys.

I'M WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE BITCH! I SEE ALL!

I see where this is going....

Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter

THESE REVOLUTIONARIES ARE MASTERS OF STEALTH, SUBTLY, AND TACT!

....Now witness the firepower of this fully ARMED and OPERATIONAL battle station!

It's a bug hunt! A bug hunt!

Oh come on! She's killed Imperial Stormtroopers before as Batman! Now she freaks out over having taken a life in battle?

Wow Scar. You really suck.

Maybe I've misinterpreted earlier episodes, but it seemed like Juliet as Batman was willing and able to kill soldiers. So why does she freak out when she accidentally kills one in battle? I know it's supposed to signify her not yet being ready to lead a revolution, but it comes off as forced considering her earlier vigilante activities.
They're also expanding the Tree of Life subplot. From what I can tell it's the lifeforce of the floating island, and it's been on the decline since Scar took over. Kind of an out there concept, but I like it. Lets see where it goes.