The original work by Riyoko Ikeda of Versailles is a masterpiece that deserves to be left in the history of Japanese manga. Set on the history of the French Revolution, the story follows the romantic life of Oscar François de Gerge, captain of the men's beauty and guard of the princess Marie Antonette Josepha Jeanne de Habsburg Lorraine. This combination of virtual and real techniques has made the work win explosive popularity. The original work was serialized between 1972~1973, but in 1974 it became the subject of Takarazuka Opera's performance, and remained a repertoire for the next 40 years. So what kind of charm does the work imply? Recently, the Blu-ray BOX of this work was officially released, and some Japanese media also took this opportunity to talk about the charm of the work.

■ The watershed between the 1970s and the 1980s

Although "The Rose of Versailles" had an unparalleled influence at the time, it was animated on TV later than "Tennis Sweetheart" (serialized and animated in 1973) of the same period, and it was not officially released to the audience until October 1979. The anime is also a collaboration project for the live-action work "Rose of Versailles", which premiered at the Palace of Versailles in March of the same year. The broadcast time of this anime is almost the same year as classic works such as "Mobile Suit Gundam", the theatrical version of "Galaxy Railway 999", the theatrical version of "Tennis Sweetheart", and "Lupin III: Cagliostro City". It was also the golden age when Japanese animators went from immaturity to maturity and began to do their best to contribute to children, adults, and even adults.

But even among so many classics, "The Rose of Versailles" still shows its unique side. This is the chief director of two animators. The general director of the first half of the series (up to episode 18) is Tadao Nagahama, who has directed works such as "Star of Giants"; The director of the second half (from episodes 19 to 40) is Toshi Izusaki, who has masterpieces such as "Lupin III", "Treasure Island", and "Tennis Sweetheart". And this distinction is closely integrated with the dividing point between the 1970s and the 1980s, allowing people to see the differences between animation systems in different eras. Therefore, it can indeed be called symbolic. Although we are only discussing the problem from the results, the change of directors does bring the quality of the work to a higher level, which is undoubtedly worth our attention.

The characters led by Oscar are in the most **· As the French Revolution drew closer, complex interpersonal relationships arose and people grew up after multiple events. This mental state had to be turned upside down, and people's worldview became different, so their attitude towards "revolution" resonated with the audience and made the work more symbolic. And this contrast is also closely related to the difference in the performance of the front and back parts of the work, and it should be said that the work uses the animator Shingo Araki, who has participated in "Star of Giants" and "Tomorrow's Sho", to participate in the production of zuò (he and Yoshitomo Himeno both served as character and art directors).

The so-called "animation work" can be said to be the crystallization of the absorption of various elements and finally condensation. Thinking about this, "The Rose of Versailles" does have so much to explore.

■Tadao Nagahama's performance brought us a passionate stage

At the beginning of the animated version of "The Rose of Versailles", Oscar, who was raised as a man despite being a woman, still retains her purity and shows her passion. During this period, we can see scenes of various action scenes intertwined. On the other hand, Marie Anton Vanette had just married from Austria to France, and these figures, disillusioned with the corruption of the French dynasty, also began to rebel.

Tadao Nagahama's theatrical performances are perfect for presenting this simple plot structure to the audience. The conflict between the opposing forces is linked to the inner psychological entanglement of the characters, and the pressure is further escalated by the intensification of the antagonism, and when the pressure reaches the boiling point, all the forces are directed towards liberation. The problem with the Oscars is the gender difference, and Mary Anton Vannette's contradiction is reflected in the system and customs. Both share a desire to move from isolation to freedom, so the bond between them can easily resonate with the audience.

Tadao Nagahama uses very clear expressions for the plot and pictures, so that the audience will not be misunderstood. When the characters are angry, the picture also changes to vivid tones, and sometimes as the photographic effect changes, the characters' eyes become sharp or sinister, and the trembling lines become more and more impactful. If there are still shortcomings, then use an effect that can express shock, and the characters will become monochromatic. The special effects of the work are completely comparable to the lanterns on the stage, and it can be said that the whole work is a drama.

Before directing "The Rose of Versailles", director Tadao Nagahama was also in charge of "Super Electromagnetic Machine Qì Man Kon Batra V" and "Fighter Demos" and other machine animation that attached great importance to "romance" and "drama". In the works, the enemy characters are often very beautiful and full of contradictions. Especially in "Super Electromagnetic Man Borudis V", the enemy world has a social structure of "the aristocratic class with horns and the exploited class without horns", and La Gore, who is a nobleman without horns, becomes a companion on the earth, and the story gradually develops from the battle between half-brothers to the revolutionary epic of the people. This setting is precisely related to "The Rose of Versailles".

Nagahama's performance is full of enthusiasm and momentum in every sense of the word. And this style corresponds to the sensibility of the young characters in "The Rose of Versailles", which makes the work win at the starting line. It can be said that this kind of surrealist expression is rare to see from ancient times to the present, so even if you look at the work again, you will be filled with new feelings.

■ Izusaki's performance pins the hidden thoughts on the video

Compared with Tadao Nagahama, director Tomo Desaki, who appeared in the middle of the work, brought us new surprises. Under the premise that the momentum of the revolution is getting stronger and stronger, he shows the audience a technique that is more in line with the film image. Although the enthusiasm of the characters themselves has not changed, the secrets hidden in their hearts have gradually become the appearance of the characters. The mysterious atmosphere covers everyone, and the melancholy in their hearts is fully transmitted to the audience. At the same time, this approach also reflects the fact that everyone's actions and ideas are slowly maturing.

Of particular concern are the "breathing", "timing", and "direction" of the image. Compared with the previous ones, Izuzaki also naturally valued some dramatic and passionate scenes, similar plots were staged many times, but the slowness of the film processing, the directionality of the camera when the characters are running, and the size of the long shots have all been multiplied in terms of the force of the drawing table, which is also reflected in the rhythm of the video. The coordinated drawings, etc., which often arouse topics, all reflect the inevitability of the nature of the film itself, and play the role of periods, commas, and exclamation marks in the text.

While flexibly handling the camera shooting method to make the effect resonate with the viewer's heart, Izuzaki also portrays the characters in the picture more powerfully. The characters are not directly connected to the audience, but in the clever editing of the producer, the audience can expand their imagination through the momentary changes in the expressions of the characters and the gaps in the background. He emphasized "who and with what mood to watch".

And every expression in the work makes the story seem more vibrant. On the whole, after the 1980s, there was a tendency for the entire animation industry to "move towards film". But the second half of this work is not to deny the first half, but to make the anime more mature. In addition, the "light and shadow" repeatedly emphasized in the work is originally a kind of existence that is difficult to distinguish. But being able to interpret this concept of ** so clearly also shows the status of "Rose of Versailles" in the animation industry.