Mary Jul 21, 2015
Honest, intelligent news and reviews for manga romantics
Udon Entertainment announced it acquired the license for The Rose of Versailles and Sugar Sugar Rune during their panel at the San Diego Comic Convention.
The Rose of Versailles, the classic shoujo manga by Riyoko Ikeda, ran in Shueisha’s Weekly Margaret magazine from 1972-1973. The manga was published in 10 volumes and was released as a 40-episode anime running until 1980. The manga inspired two live-action films and several musicals. In 2008, Ikeda received the Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur (National Order of the Legion of Honour) from France for her contributions to bringing French cultural awareness to Japan.
Udon will release the manga in two-in-one omnibus volumes, starting in the second quarter of 2016.
Synopsis from publisher: The story focuses on Oscar François de Jarjayes, a girl raised as a man to become her father’s successor as leader of the Palace Guards. A brilliant combatant with a strong sense of justice, Oscar is proud of the life she leads, but becomes torn between class loyalty and her desire to help the impoverished as revolution brews among the oppressed lower class. Also important to the story are her conflicting desires to live life as both a militant and a regular woman as well as her relationships with Marie Antoinette, Count Axel von Fersen, and servant and best friend André Grandier.
Sugar Sugar Rune is an eight-volume shoujo manga, by Moyoco Anno. Kodansha ran the series in Nakayoshi magazine from 2004-2007. Del Rey, who no longer publishes manga, released it in English originally. Del Rey’s titles were taken over by the U.S. division of Kodansha. The manga received the 2005 Kodansha Manga Award for best manga and was animated between 2005-2006 with 51 episodes. Anno is also the mangaka for the josei manga, Happy Mania, which was released in 2003-2004 in English by Tokyopop and Sakuran, published in 2012 by Vertical.
Sugar Sugar Rune’s first volume from Udon will be released in the second quarter of 2016.
Synopsis from publisher: In the Magical World, the future queen is chosen by selecting two young witches and sending them to the Human World, where they’ll compete to capture the hearts of boys. Whoever has collected the most by the end of the competition is crowned queen.
This generation’s Queen Candidates are best friends and polar opposites Vanilla Mieux and Chocolat Meilleure, the daughters of the current queen and her former competitor (respectively). They’re aided by their assigned mentor and guardian, pop idol witch Rockin’ Robin, and their two animal familiars, Blanca the mouse and Duke the frog.
But the girls have more to deal with than just competing for hearts at school. There’s something weird about the cool, mysterious middle school boy Pierre, who resembles the evil king Glace—and he seems to be after Chocolat. Now, both trapped within their own new goals, the two witches must fight their way and retain a friendship which no magic can defeat.
The Rose of Versailles was a gem to watch. I was starting to consider buying the Japanese or French manga since I thought we would never get this. Turns out not to be the case. I am so happy. Day one buy for sure! And yes to Sugar Sugar Rune also.