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78 chapters total

Requiem of the Rose King

薔薇王の葬列

8.12(4K votes)

Ranked #639Popularity #994

chapters

volumes

Status

Finished

Published

Oct 4, 2013 to Jan 6, 2022

Authors:Kanno, Aya

ActionDrama

Worth Reading? — Global Verdict

9.3/10

Average Review Score

75%

Recommend It

Reviews Worldwide

International Reviews

Version3

Mixed Feelings

Firstly - I don't understand why so many of these reviews are calling Richard a trans man. It is made VERY clear from the beginning that Richard is (visibly) intersex at birth, there are many references to Richard being born with/having "both sexes" throughout the series, on occasion the confused "what are you?" reaction to seeing his body, and even references by Richard himself regarding having ambiguous organs. Richards father decides to raise him as a man, and he identifies as such for the entire series. Richard is not a girl, or a trans man, he is just a(n intersex) man. I found the storyto be quite interesting from a psychological standpoint - it covers a lot of different perspectives and characters, so I quite liked seeing all of the different reactions and character developments throughout. I'm not particularly into history so can't comment on how accurate the story is, but overall thought it was worth reading, particularly if you're interested in a lot of war and power struggles. I initially only really read this manga specifically because it had an intersex character - as someone with a likely similar intersex variation to Richard I wanted to read it out of curiosity more than anything (which is partially why it's a little frustrating seeing everyone else erase his intersex identity) but I would probably suggest that this isn't suitable for other intersex people who are sensitive about the topic - Richard is not exactly treated kindly because of it so it may be a trigger for some people.

23 found helpfulSep 1, 2023

Community Discussion

Innocent Rouge

Kuroshitsuji

Innocent

Synopsis

The crown of England has been hotly contested throughout history, and in the Middle Ages, a series of great civil wars becomes known as the War of the Roses. Claiming a right to the throne, the Duke of York seeks to unseat King Henry VI and his heir in order to become king himself. On a dark day filled with many ill omens, the Duke gains a son: Richard Plantagenet, third of his name. Neither male nor female, but instead possessing characteristics of both sexes, Richard III is immediately reviled by his mother. Her hatred defines his childhood, leading to a deep disgust toward his own body and an adverse reaction to being called a demon. Richard grows up troubled by visions of England's former foe, Joan of Arc, who taunts that he will bring ruin to all who know him. He believes that he can attain salvation by helping his father achieve his destiny of becoming the king. However, cursed by the expectations of both his mother and Joan, will Richard's actions instead drag his family down into darkness? [Written by MAL Rewrite]

this won't be the most coherent review but i absolutely adore baraou no souretsu! i read the whole thing so far in about four sittings because i was so intrigued. Richard is a tragic and cool character and observing how each character treats him is very interesting. his internal struggles are unlike any characters i've ever seen before. we get to see the evolution of how he feels about his body, and about gender itself, like how it determines so much of your life, especially in the 1400s or whatever. it isn't a spoiler to say it is a tragic story so far, but i can'thelp but want him to have a happy ending or as happy as it can get being in a royal family during turbulent times. personally, i wasn't confused on the family tree or the names/heritage of other characters. i thought the pacing was good, and the art was beautiful. the story has a way of pulling you in and making you feel completely present while reading it, which i really liked. also love the queerness!! i want to buy all the books so bad but my wallet </3 best shoujo i've ever read lol, i'd love to read more stories like this. and i hope manga and anime continue to include intersex characters, they deserve to be seen.

Nebby524

Recommended

If you like Shakespeare or medieval fantasy this is a great manga to read. Requiem of the Rose King is based off of (or at least heavily inspired by) the story of the Wars of the Roses. The characters are interesting, the story is sad but compelling and the art is top notch. Richard especially is interesting because intersex representation has little to nothing at all and I'm glad it's put on to a character that really grows throughout the series. Some would call it BL but it's a lot more then that. It's hard to put down the book and each val ends onthe best spots (and when I say best I mean worst because I really want to know what happens next). My only big complaint is that the story can get extremely confusing at times and the age gap between Richard and //spoiler// is pretty big and it can get kind of uncomfortable. There are also some panels where you do not want people looking over your shoulder. But besides that it's an amazing read and Def would recommend. TLDR: great manga with beautiful art but be ready for heartbreak

8 found helpfulApr 27, 2022

pineconesssss

Recommended

This is a story not for the weak hearted, because as I read this it felt as if my heart was being stabbed again and again... There are many conflicting things in this story, and knowing the tale of the war between cousins, Lancaster and York, I am not ensured of a happy ending. However, I still have hope that this story will end beautifully and with a twist at the end. If you like somewhat tragic fantasy tales where when all seems lost, the protagonists are still able to overcome it (such as Code Geass, Kuroshitsuji, etc.) then this may be a story for you. What Iloved so much about Baraou no Souretsu was how sad it felt to read it. I still have some hope that the ending is not as I think it would be, as it is based off the story of York and Lancaster, but not the same tale. The story of Aya Kanno's version of Richard III has really touched my heart, it's beautifully sad and it's very interesting to see figures of history be interpreted differently through her perspective and creativity. p.s. so far Margaret Beaufort (Henry Tudor's mother & Stanley's wife) wasn't adapted in here which is kinda sad since to me she was the most interesting figure in the wars of the roses imo but oh well

3 found helpfulMay 27, 2022