The Rose of Versailles
The Rose of Versailles (Japanese: ベルサイユのばら, Hepburn: Berusaiyu no Bara), also known as Lady Oscar and La Rose de Versailles, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Riyoko Ikeda. It was originally serialized in the manga magazine Margaret from 1972 to 1973, while a revival of the series was published in the magazine from 2013 to 2018. The series is a historical drama set in the years preceding and during the French Revolution. Using a combination of historical personages and original characters, The Rose of Versailles focuses primarily on the lives of two women: the Queen of France Marie Antoinette, and Oscar François de Jarjayes, who serves as commander of the Royal Guard.
Ikeda created The Rose of Versailles as a story about revolution and populist uprisings after becoming involved with Japan's New Left as a member of the Communist Party of Japan in the late 1960s. The series was developed during a significant transitional period for shōjo manga (manga for girls) as a medium, characterized by the emergence of stories with complex narratives focused on politics and sexuality. The Rose of Versailles was a significant critical and commercial success, and by 2022 had sold over 23 million copies worldwide. The series contributed significantly to the development of shōjo manga, and was one of the primary works responsible for its shift from a genre aimed at children to a genre aimed at adolescents and young adults.
The Rose of Versailles has been adapted multiple times, notably as a television anime series that aired on Nippon TV, a live-action film directed by Jacques Demy, and a series of musicals staged by the Takarazuka Revue. Several sequels and spin-offs have also been produced, notably Eikou no Napoleon – Eroica. An English-language translation of the manga has been published by Udon Entertainment, while the anime adaptation is currently licensed in North America by Discotek Media.
