If unexpected comments translate to popularity, then my last Face Off entry (Death Note vs. Code Geass) has been my Homecoming Queen title. I guess people either lovah da anime or da comparisons.
So now it's time to look to dramatic tales of a historical nature. Both The Other Boleyn Girl and Rose of Versailles deal with centuries-old royalty: sixteenth-century England and eighteenth-century France. And man, are they frickin' scandalous.
The Other Boleyn GirlBasic plot:
Two sisters get caught in the game of pleasing the big hairy king, Henry VIII.
Conniving social climber (female, of course):
Anne Boleyn herself. There is criticism that her character is portrayed as a scheming and power-hungry hussy when she has normally been described as quite religious. Well, Miss Philippa Gregory may have taken some slight artistic license in creating this scandalfest...
King who's relegated to the sidelines:
Henry VIII becomes a boy toy. All that Eric Bana really does is brood and look steamy in what looks like massive strands of ferret fur. Film critic Josh Larsen speaks of him as "absolutely Fabio-lous ... ready to burst from the cover of a romance novel at any moment." Well, now that I think about it, yeah sorta.
Scandal simply for the shock factor:
Just about anything horrible imaginable happens here. I'd love to list them, but honestly, that would give too much away. Besides, you have an imagination. Think about horrific things that happen between sisters, brothers, and lovers, and sho' 'nuff, it goes on here.
Yummy not-so-major character:
Ah, Jim Sturgess. I have to admit-- I've spent many a day watching him play Jude in Across the Universe. He plays George Boleyn and only becomes an interesting character much later in the film.
Annoying recurring scenes (in case you missed them the first ten times):
Sex. Lots and lots of sex-- but without any flashes of flesh. So you won't catch a peek at Scarlett Johansson's always-present weapons of mass seduction. And thank goodness. The love scenes were awkward enough.
Rose of Versailles,or Berusaiyu no Bara
Basic plot:
Oscar-- a woman who acts like a man-- is the moral compass and protector of royalty at Versailles.
Conniving social climber (female, of course):
Oh, too many to count. Madame DuBarry, the Duchess of Polignac, Jeanne... Except for Oscar, any intelligent woman is portrayed as a manipulative wench.
King who's relegated to the sidelines:
Louis XVI barely even comes out. This is definitely Marie Antoinette's story, and she is definitely all over the place-- dancing and giggling like a bunny rabbit on steroids.
Scandal simply for the shock factor:
Family relations and enemies are not always what they seem. The only thing that's not shocking about this extremely popular story is that the main character is a female stronger than just about any man around. Awesome!
Yummy not-so-major character:
So all the sexilicious characters in this series have the same facial features: glittery cocaine eyes and pointy nose. Even though they all look the same, I vote for André, Oscar's man servant and friend. He means well, he's not pretentious, and he wouldn't mind being molded to Lady Oscar's will.
Annoying recurring scenes (in case you missed them the first ten times):
It's a toss up between the overly dramatic design (stuff constantly turns dark red to evoke blood) and the overly dramatic music (loud and strong, baby). You could do a drinking game to these scenes. They make for great comedy, however. This anime is very much a product of its time. In the opening credits, you even see Lady Oscar wearing bell bottoms.
So in this face-off match, who wins?
I have to say that I enjoyed watching The Other Boleyn Girl more than the group I went with. And when I first started watching Rose of Versailles, I found it overdone and slightly obnoxious. The thing is, the more you watch something, the more it grows on you. I sing the kooky opening song whenever I get a chance. I'm even fond of Oscar's frequent lack of expression. Rose wins because of its time-tested endearing factor. I don't think I could have handled even a half an hour more of Boleyn. It just would have been too painful.
Anime wins again!
