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dollcoven's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolutely sensational - and I mean in that in both senses of the word! Enjoyable and exciting and very much like a soap opera. The art is absolutely gorgeous, a style that influenced many after it with sparkling eyes, lustrous hair, and gorgeous, intricate fashion. I can see why this was so popular in its heyday and why it continues to intrigue readers today. I’m looking forward to reading the entire series!
opportunerain's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
soph22's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I swear it’s as if this manga was written just for me two decades before I was born. I love anything to do with Versailles and the French Revolution and this just ties it all together with some epic romance thrown in. Lady Oscar is an incredible character and I can’t wait to read the further volumes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
memorian's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
duskx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Best French Revolution manga
sugar_book_fairy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sarahdm's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.5
Okay listen. I felt so guilty about giving this a 2.5.
TLDR: I didn't enjoy how empty the manga felt and the simplified art style that I feel like it used way too often. I found these early chapters REALLY boring, but it seems like it might get better later on. The anime is better, so far.
Concerning the art, at times it was so beautiful. The beautiful dresses and sparkly shojo art style. I really loved it. But I would say that 75% I was not vibing with the art. I think a few things contributed to this. First, I think the combination of so few backgrounds and almost no screen tones made panels just feel so EMPTY. When they do use these elements they come out looking great. Example being when Marie is walking through the gardens: LINK. But it felt so rare that a panel would have either. So much white space. I don't know why it bothered me so much. Second, I just didn't like how much the manga utilized the more simplified style for characters. Some chapters resembled a Popeye comic more than modern manga. I get that these art choices are probably just how manga looked back in the day, but I just did not like it. It was not for me.
The plot. It was so boring for the first 5 chapters. I seriously considered just DNF-ing. But decided since I suggested this manga and that I run this page I should probably read it >_> With how much Oscar is the face of this series I was really surprised that we barely focus on them. I later read that the manga shifts more onto Oscar once her popularity grew with the readers. So maybe it gets better later on, shifting more on to Oscar learning more about how France's government sucks and leading up to the Revolution. But for these early chapters, I just did not care about Antoinette and de Barry weren't talking to each other and how that was scandalous or whatever. I was way more invested in what ever was going on between the two sisters Rosalie and Jeanne.
It was nice to get a peak at the gender of it all in these chapters. Oscar being loved by women and being mistaken/treated as a man was really interesting. More of that please! Here is an example that I really enjoyed: LINK. I know this manga is highly praised for its explored themes of gender, sexuality, and feminism. I just wish we got to see more of that in these early chapters.
The background of this series is so interesting. It revolutionized not just shojo but manga all together (along with the other Year 24 Group members), allowing the medium to finally tell stories with more adult themes. Finding out the author used to be a activist, communist, protester, and how those politics from her college days INSPIRED THE WHOLE HECKING MANGA. The crazy idea that this revolutionary manga was not translated into English until 2015(?!?) and then wasn't published until 2020????? The plot/drama basically relied on whatever the fans wanted in their fan mail. The series just seems so interesting I felt like I had to explore it in other avenue since I didn't really enjoy the first volume of the manga.
I watched the first few episodes of the 1979 anime. The story focuses on Oscar right off the bat. Most of the events in the first 2 episodes aren't in the beginning of the manga. From episode one it is already so much more compelling than the manga. I was instantly hooked. I love Oscar and Andrea's friendship too. It was peak. Also Antoinette is so much more interesting (i mean shes still a brat, but its interesting).
I watched a little bit of the Takarazuka Revue. Kind of wish there was a way to watch the whole thing outside of just like, buying the DVD. It honestly look like a delight. I couldn't find the 1987 movie and I didn't bother with Lady Oscar 1979 live action movie.
Overall, I might watch the anime but I don't think the manga is for me.
TLDR: I didn't enjoy how empty the manga felt and the simplified art style that I feel like it used way too often. I found these early chapters REALLY boring, but it seems like it might get better later on. The anime is better, so far.
Concerning the art, at times it was so beautiful. The beautiful dresses and sparkly shojo art style. I really loved it. But I would say that 75% I was not vibing with the art. I think a few things contributed to this. First, I think the combination of so few backgrounds and almost no screen tones made panels just feel so EMPTY. When they do use these elements they come out looking great. Example being when Marie is walking through the gardens: LINK. But it felt so rare that a panel would have either. So much white space. I don't know why it bothered me so much. Second, I just didn't like how much the manga utilized the more simplified style for characters. Some chapters resembled a Popeye comic more than modern manga. I get that these art choices are probably just how manga looked back in the day, but I just did not like it. It was not for me.
The plot. It was so boring for the first 5 chapters. I seriously considered just DNF-ing. But decided since I suggested this manga and that I run this page I should probably read it >_> With how much Oscar is the face of this series I was really surprised that we barely focus on them. I later read that the manga shifts more onto Oscar once her popularity grew with the readers. So maybe it gets better later on, shifting more on to Oscar learning more about how France's government sucks and leading up to the Revolution. But for these early chapters, I just did not care about Antoinette and de Barry weren't talking to each other and how that was scandalous or whatever. I was way more invested in what ever was going on between the two sisters Rosalie and Jeanne.
It was nice to get a peak at the gender of it all in these chapters. Oscar being loved by women and being mistaken/treated as a man was really interesting. More of that please! Here is an example that I really enjoyed: LINK. I know this manga is highly praised for its explored themes of gender, sexuality, and feminism. I just wish we got to see more of that in these early chapters.
The background of this series is so interesting. It revolutionized not just shojo but manga all together (along with the other Year 24 Group members), allowing the medium to finally tell stories with more adult themes. Finding out the author used to be a activist, communist, protester, and how those politics from her college days INSPIRED THE WHOLE HECKING MANGA. The crazy idea that this revolutionary manga was not translated into English until 2015(?!?) and then wasn't published until 2020????? The plot/drama basically relied on whatever the fans wanted in their fan mail. The series just seems so interesting I felt like I had to explore it in other avenue since I didn't really enjoy the first volume of the manga.
I watched the first few episodes of the 1979 anime. The story focuses on Oscar right off the bat. Most of the events in the first 2 episodes aren't in the beginning of the manga. From episode one it is already so much more compelling than the manga. I was instantly hooked. I love Oscar and Andrea's friendship too. It was peak. Also Antoinette is so much more interesting (i mean shes still a brat, but its interesting).
I watched a little bit of the Takarazuka Revue. Kind of wish there was a way to watch the whole thing outside of just like, buying the DVD. It honestly look like a delight. I couldn't find the 1987 movie and I didn't bother with Lady Oscar 1979 live action movie.
Overall, I might watch the anime but I don't think the manga is for me.
annaisreadingcurrently's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ek4therin4h's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
5.0
samdoo's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0