Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo

A nineteenth century classic French novel, in the future, in space with aliens, space ships, giant robots and evil spirits? Surprisingly, it works! I am not sure what Monsieur Dumas would think of his classic 'The Count of Monte Christo' being turned into a galactic drama, but I like many other anime fans certainly enjoyed it! Those familiar with the novel will know the basics of who the characters are and what the general outcome of the story will be, much like how anyone who knew the basic plot of Romeo and Juliet could easily predict what fate would befall the titlecharacters in the anime Romeo X Juliet. To keep things fresh and interesting, the story gets an extreme makeover by catapulting the plot three thousand years into the future and onto the moon. The story is also told through Albert Morcef's perspective, rather than the Count's, allowing for a new take on the story and minor characters in the novel, such as Franz D'Epiney become more developed and are given a larger role. The story follows the main themes of the novel though; love, betrayl, revenge and redemption. It is an intricately woven story throughout the 24 episodes, each one ending in a cliff hanger making the viewer want to jump right into the next episode. Elements of mystery and suspense are used so effectively, I was compelled to watch the whole anime in one sitting, something I have never done with any other anime before. The visuals are beautiful and innovative, using textures rather than solid colours. While this can be disorienting at first, especially with layers of brightly coloured textures flashing across the screen, it does make for some of the most beautiful and creative scenery I have seen in any film media. The style is something unique to this anime and the CG components are excellent. Music is a mix of orchestral piano pieces, brooding techno, waltzes and the beautiful ballad 'We Were Lovers' for the opening theme. These combine the classical roots of the story with the futuristic elements wonderfully. Characters in Gankutsuou are given little grey area. While some characters, such as The Count, motives and morals remain in the grey, most are clearly good or bad, making it heart wrenching when the good, and often innocent characters are pulled into the anti-hero's deadly revenge plot. The audience wants to see the bad guys punished by the man they betrayed, but at the same time want the innocent bystanders who are pulled into the plot have a happily ever after ending. Albert, the main character, is an idealistic and often rash, privilleged young fifteen year old. His angsting, naivite and rashness might grate some viewers, but at the same time his actions are believable for an average fifteen year old, unlike many shonen series. It also makes him more vulnerable to the more wily characters, as a child his age might be. Many of the characters are not all powerful, having both strengths and weaknesses, making them much more human and believable. One aspect that won me over though was the portrayl of a character who is very strongly hinted at being homosexual. The Seiyu of this particular character confirmed his belief that the character he portrayed was indeed a homosexual. Rather than being slotted into a stereotype or cliche, this character is shown to be very capable, loyal and above all arguably the most rational individual in the series. He is not shown to be flamboyant, perverted, or visually offputing like many gay characters added in for laughs. This character was fleshed out, and in my opinion a very positive representation of a gay character. In fact he takes on many of the Japanese ideals of a homosexual lover, including beauty, brains, strength, sensitivity and above all loyalty. Bravo for this! I would reccomend this anime for fans of drama, mystery, and suspense. Fans of the original novel; beware of deviations and creative liscense. This is not a completely accurate retelling of Alexandre Dumas' work, if you couldn't tell from the giant robots and space ships. The series contains alcohol and hints of drug usage, incest, hints of sex (both consensual and nonconsensual), human trafficing, violence, nudity, frightening imagery and character death. If any of this offends or upsets you, you may not want to watch this one (though you're really missing out on an awesome series). Overall: This is the best anime I have seen in a very long time. It is the first anime that has compelled me to watch the whole thing in one sitting. The art is innovative, the story is intricately woven, the characters are believable, and the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting more. This one is a must for your 'completed' list.

Title: Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo Manga/Anime/Both: Anime series, 24 episodes, ran from October 5th, 2004 to March 29th, 2005 in Japan, licenced by Geneon, with six of six volumes released. A manga is currently running in Japan in Kodansha's magazine Afternoon, and has yet to be licenced over here. Story: And now, the hard part... There is no simple way to sum up Gankutsuou's story, although I'll try. Gankutsuou is based off of Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. I say "based off of," because in the later part of the series (Episode 18 and thereabouts), the series takes amajor divergence from the book. Plotwise, though, Maeda slightly alters whose point of view we see this from and some sideplots; most notably are the Valentine/Maximilien and Cavalcanti plots. The most notable change is the setting, time-wise; Gankutsuou takes place in Paris for the most part, but about two, three thousand years in the future, and on another planet at some points. Also, characters that are barely mentioned in the book get major screentime. However, for the most part, the anime sticks close to the book. If you're a Dumas purist, though, stay far away from this series. Also, there are slight shonen-ai overtones; it's nothing explicit, and only implied, but you can tell that it's there. And there's crossdressing on numerous accounts. Again, if this any of this offends you, stay away. Story Critique: For the most part, if you know the original Dumas story, you have a good idea of what's going to happen in Gankutsuou. Maeda has taken his liberties, though; and after Episode 18, as I said before, the series takes a completely different direction, and will make the purists want to hunt him down with pitchforks and torches. However, I'm really happy with Maeda's changes; the only gripe I have is that he altered the Valentine/Maximilien and Cavalcanti sideplots the way he did, and that he killed off one of the characters he did. For the most part, though, the alterations only add to the sheer awesomeness of the series, and lets some characters shine in ways that they didn't get to in the book. This story will keep you on the edge of your seat and hooked till the bitter end. I didn't get bored with the series at all, as I usually do at the halfway point; in fact, I watched this series pretty much in under a week. I've always thought that The Count of Monte Cristo was prime anime material, considering the serialistic way that it was written. EDIT: There have been complaints lately saying that Gankutsuou isn't for everyone. And admittedly, it isn't. If you think that Bleach and Naruto are the epitome of anime, then you should probably stay away from this show, as this and that are worlds apart. It WILL take some effort on your part to follow the story, which, yes, means using your brain as you're watching this, unlike the typical mindless shonen problem/monster-of-the-week plot seen in both shows I've previously mentioned. Art Style: This is one of the integral parts of the series. The art style will turn some people off; in fact, when Maeda was first screening Gankutsuou, the most frequent complaint was that the art style made viewers' eyes hurt. Maeda uses a unique 2-D animation technique, most notable in regards to characters' clothing -- the technique makes it look like the characters' clothes are moving, but the characters themselves are not. It's really noticeable in the first few episodes, but by the fourth or fifth episode, you become used to it. This technique is used to great effect not only in the clothes that the characters wear, but in the trippy sequences involved with the plot. CG animation is also used heavily in this series; it's mostly used for some backgrounds and vehicles. At times, the juxtapostion of traditional/the new technique of 2D/CG can be jarring, but it takes some getting used to, as well. The backgrounds are where the CG animation really shines though. This combination is definitely a step into the unknown for Gonzo, and has a tendency to polarize viewers; either you love it, or you hate it. Music: There are two types of music in Gankutusou: original compositions and classical music. The classical music has a tendency to become easily associated with certain moods and event types, not to mention become grating. There's one piece in particular (I can't remember the name at the minute ><) that, by the third episode, will become associated with DEATH AND IMMINENT DOOM. The music that doesn't become mood-associated is usually used in connection to one main character's musicianship, and isn't heard that often. The original compositions are by both Kasamatsu Kouji and Jean-Jacques of the band The Stranglers; he also does the opening and ending. The original compositions tend to also become associated with mood and event types; however, there are enough different ones, and are used sparingly enough that they don't become grating. The opening and endings are absolutely awesome; ask FMS how much I was spazzing after getting the full versions. XD The opening is a sentimental song accompanied by piano and strings, and the ending is a raging rock number with a full band and strings that'll have you on your feet by its end; both have a lot to do with the plot. Voice Seiyuu: The voices for this series are simply amazing. Every seiyuu matches their respective character perfectly, and no voice seems out of place. The real standouts for this series, for me, are the seiyuu for the Count, and Mercedes; Joji Nakata, and Kikuko Inoue, respectively. Both capture their characters perfectly, and you can hear the dynamic between them, which is a major factor in the series. Dub/Voice Actors: The first I saw of this series was on the October or November (can't remember which again) DVD sampler for Newtype; dubbed was the only option available. After watching the one DVD I have subbed, and then dubbed, I can say that I really don't have a problem with the dub at all which, for me, is rare. I know that Himura hates it when people do this, but the Japanese and English VAs for these series are easily comprable. The standout voice for the dub is the Count, once again; I don't know his VA, but he does a superb job of capturing his character. Length: Perfect. Shortening the series by a few episodes wouldn't have hurt the series, but character development would've definitely taken a major hit if they had. Had they added more episodes, it would've been too long. However, I would like to see an OAV on the backstory of the Count; we saw brief flashes that explained a lot, but not quite in depth as Dumas' original story. Overall: This anime is one of the best of 05. You will be sucked in the moment you start watching it, and it will not let you go. To sum it up, a line from the promotional trailer from the first DVD: Tell me; why am I so fascinated by you? Story: 10/10 Art Style: 10/10 Music: 8/10 Seiyuu: 9/10 Dub/Voice Actors: 9/10 Length: 10/10 Overall score: 56/60; 93%

Gankutsuou is one of those few series that I actually watched first on DVD. I started watching it when my friend decided to collect it on DVD as it was released, but before I had actually experienced the show, I already had high expectations, having heard so many people praising it as a masterpiece and the artistic style (which I had glimpsed in a number of promotional images) of the show promised innovation and quality. I try to avoid having expectations for a show before I start it, but sometimes they just cannot be quashed, and so I sat down to the first episode hopingfor something fantastic, but braced for a sense of disappointment. After sitting down to watch the final episode, many months later, I can say that Gankutsuou won me over in every way, and exceeded my realistic expectations. It is mystifying that this show was conceived and produced by GONZO, whose name, particularly in recent years has become synonymous with mediocrity or even outright poor production. Until now, Last Exile was easily the best thing I’d ever seen GONZO create, and I had begun to think it was all they were capable of. Gankutsuou raises the bar dramatically, and I honestly think referring to it as a masterpiece is entirely justified (and I’m not one to use words like that very often). It is an achievement in every department, and represents the pinnacle of the many genres it incorporates; romance, action, and revenge story, you won’t find much better of any of these than are in this show. At heart Gankutsuou is a tale of revenge, fuelled by betrayal and the remnants of a passionate love story, which delves deep into the human condition by weaving powerful emotion such as greed, and lust into its story. Touching at times, darkly melodramatic at others, it covers the full spectrum of emotions, and, unlike many other anime, it is not bogged down in redundant complexities or confusing fictional terminology, it is a straightforward story of epic scale and powerful depth. Of course, those who have read the Count of Monte Cristo will already be well aware of the nature of the story, but for those who haven’t (which includes me) the show has a gripping plot that is guaranteed to make you think and feel. The animation and artwork deserves special mention, because the story, as good as it was, cannot be fairly credited to GONZO. Gankutsuou utilises a visual style never used before in anime (as far as I know), and while it may be slightly jarring at first, the use of a palette of textures rather than solid colours ultimately elevates the aesthetics to a whole new level. Rather than just being a gimmick, the animation technique gives the show a distinct appearance that is fitting for its flamboyantly French-aristocratic setting. It would not be suitable for any anime, in fact very few, but Gankutsuou couldn’t have looked better, with its loosely poetic story complimented by the extravagant artwork. Other than this texture factor, the animation is actually rather basic, but that is never a concern. The cel animation lacks no flaws, but is not as detailed as it could have been (in fact, without the use of textures, they would look terribly simplistic), and the use of CG is a mixed bag, sometimes looking fantastic, other times a bit too pronounced. Ultimately, these are not problems at all, and you’d be hard-pressed to find another anime that looks this good. The music is excellent, although there is surprisingly little of it. The BGM is used sparingly to great effect, and although there are really only a few key BGM tracks, they have an amazingly powerful sound every time they are used, and they do not get old. It is a very mature score, with no obtrusive pop sounds, but it is not a conventional dreary stringed score either. The characters are memorable, and over the course of its 26 episodes, the show manages to build a great depth to each one, deriving sympathy and empathy in a tale infused with tragedy. When I referred to the show as a melodrama, I don’t mean Mai HiME 17-25 melodrama, I mean one that is intelligently manifested and stunningly executed. Rather than melodrama under the pretext of ‘someone does > causes grief’, each event, almost as a depiction of fate, contributes to the very core of the story, and each moment of loss or joy has a thoughtful cause and effect behind it as a part of the intricate plot. There was not one character I did not like, and there was not one character that lacked sufficient characterisation. One of the few anime that almost made me cry a number of times, the drama is remarkably poignant amidst a background of murder and betrayal. To top it all off, the end is basically perfect, although I felt the epilogue was slightly longer than it needed to be. If GONZO have to use a novel as reference in order to make a good anime and pace it out well, then I hope they acquire more novels! I have nearly run short of adjectives of praise, so I’ll wrap up my review now by suggesting that everyone watch (and buy) Gankutsuou as soon as humanly possible. A show that is practically without flaw, masterfully written and produced, and with a style you’ve never seen before, it deserves to be seen. If it wasn’t for my fetish for the sociologically inquisitiveness in Gits SAC, this would be my second favourite anime of all-time. Alas, it is my third.

The story of "The Count of Monte Cristo" has always been one of my favorites. So, I went into this anime with just a little bit of trepidation. I wondered if I should watch it, because I had heard that it veered so much from the original story. But, because of my love for the story, I had to try. And I was very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. Story: Yes, it is an "adaptation." It strays way, far away from the original work. But the basic premises remains the same. Friendship. Love.Betrayal. Revenge. Hope. Everything you loved about the original Count of Monte Cristo is still there; but with a futuristic twist. In my opinion, they left in the best of the best. Art: For me, this was the only thing that brought my score down. As someone else had mentioned, the character designs were dull. The over-the-top backgrounds and unique way of animating the clothing and hair of the characters really took a lot of getting used to. Half-way through the series, it was still uncomfortable for me, but it did grow on me. The only reason, for me, that it brings the anime down at all, is because it is so distracting. I found myself concentrating on the patterns of the clothing and sometimes forgot to listen to what the characters were saying. Sound: Beautiful OP. Absolutely gorgeous. Among my favorites. The ED was good, but for me, nothing mind-blowing. Overall with the opening, the beautiful operatic scenes as well as Eugenia's piano playing made the sound of this series "pop" to me and capture me more, I think than any other series. Character: The character development in this series, for me, was outstanding. To watch Albert grow from the sniveling naive young boy at the beginning of the series, to the mature young man by the end (although he was still sniveling) made the series worthwhile. I also loved how they advanced his realization of his feelings for Eugenie. And Franz, probably my favorite character, gave me probably some of my favorite moments of the series. His love (whether it be a friendship type love or the romantic love that was hinted at through the entire series) for Albert pulled at my heartstrings every time. Enjoyment: As a fan of the original work, I surprisingly found myself really enjoying this adaptation. And I couldn't wait, episode to episode, to see how they were going to "change" or "keep" certain aspects of the story. It was difficult for me to take breaks between episodes. Overall: Almost a masterpiece. This part probably would have rated a perfect 10 from me, as would have the series, if I wasn't so uncomfortable with the art style. Fair? Maybe not. But this is my review and my opinion. I honestly do think I would have enjoyed it more, if they would have concentrated more on the character design and less on the flashy animation of the backgrounds and the clothing. But it was not enough of a let-down or a distraction from enjoying the truly unique telling of this story and the fantastic character development. So overall, this series gets a 9/10 from me.