Review: Romeo X Juliet

Hey guys! LimitedEmpathy here with another review!





Honestly, I've only made it to episode six of Romeo X Juliet, but I am absolutely mesmerized by it. Being an English major, I love seeing new takes on classic works, and seeing it in a manga or anime form is even better.

Romeo X Juliet tells the story of Neo Verona, which was taken over by the Montague family. The Capulets ruled the city until the time that Prince Montague murdered the family. There were only a handful of survivors - some of the servants and Juliet, the only family member who escaped.

The story is old, and yet new, which makes it an exciting adventure. You never know what to expect with this anime. A war between the Montagues and the remaining Capulet and her protectors is brewing - but the stakes are much higher than in Shakespeare's original tale. The Montague Prince rules Neo Verona with an iron fist, and there is no one to stand up to him but the Red Whirlwind (a Shakespearean take on "Batman"). There is also the fact that the Prince has been searching for the last Capulet, so he can kill them - putting Juliet in enormous danger. Especially since she has fallen in love with the Prince's son. Romeo.

The animation is absolutely gorgeous, from the complex backgrounds to the character design. Also, the music is fantastic. One thing I've noted about some animes is the lack of music in the episodes. Romeo X Juliet has pleased me with its gorgeous music that plays through most of the episode. It is fully orchestrated and really adds to the Shakespearen tone. One note about the music that made me smile - the opening song for the show is a Japanese take on "You Raise Me Up." While the lyrics are totally different from the English, and obviously in Japanese, it's still fun to hear it. (Not to mention the fact that I can't get Josh Groban's voice out of my head when I hear it.)

This anime is subbed, rather than dubbed. You can watch the series now on Hulu for free. I've linked the title of the article to the site, so click to enjoy!