Many works throughout the decades have adapted and re-imagined the writings of William Shakespeare, but perhaps none more so than Requiem of the Rose King. Combining two Shakespeare plays into one, the result is an entirely different story altogether. The original manga recently came to an end just as the anime began, with two versions of the very altered history now available.
History and literature buffs who think they know the story already are in for several surprises, while those who don't even like Shakespeare are sure to find something that they enjoy in the franchise. Here's more on what Requiem of the Rose King is about, as well as how to read and watch the different versions of it.
The Plot of Requiem of the Rose King
Requiem of the Rose King loosely combines elements of William Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 3 and Richard III, turning the War of the Roses completely on its head. In the story, the Houses of York and Lancaster battle over England, with the House of York losing its leader to a deadly enemy attack. Left in the wake of this loss is Richard III, the king's intersex son who identifies as male. Richard is hated and feared by many around him, including his own mother, all while spirits torture and subjugate him. Forced into an unlikely situation, Richard prepares to defend his house while dealing with external and internal threats.
Where to Read the Requiem of the Rose King Manga
Requiem of the Rose King began as a manga from Aya Kanno in October 2013, being published in the magazine Monthly Princess. The series ran for almost nine years, ending in early 2022. In the West, the series has been localized by Viz Media, with 14 of the 17 volumes having been released in English-speaking territories.
The series has two spin-offs: King of Idol: Bara-Ō no Gakuen and Bara-Ō no Sōretsu: Gaiden. The former is a more humorous spin-off where the characters are in high school studying to become entertainers, while the latter focuses on events not shown in the main series. Since both of them only began in the last year, neither has yet been localized. The main series' manga can be purchased physically wherever manga is sold, including Walmart, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble and Amazon, while Kindle and Comixology carry the digital version.
Where to Watch the Requiem of the Rose King Anime
The anime adaptation of the series began airing in January 2022, just as the manga ended, although it was originally intended to come out in late 2021. Requiem of the Rose King was animated by J.C. Staff, a well-known studio whose recent works include the anime for How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom as well as Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?. The result is a series with beautiful, breathtaking art, befitting the nature of the characters.
So far, 13 episodes have aired in Japan, with the show planned to air for two consecutive cours. The only way to watch the series in the West currently is through the Funimation streaming service. However, this service simulcast Requiem of the Rose King, so it's only available as a subtitled series and not dubbed. However, once the series has finished its run, a dub and physical releases will likely be on the way.