Requiem of the Rose King

Requiem of the Rose King
Company type	Manga series
Industry	Manga, Anime, Drama CDs, Stage production
Founded	October 2013; 13 years ago
Founder	Aya Kanno
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Area served	Japan, International (English, French, German, Polish, Spanish, Italian, Chinese)
Key people	Aya Kanno (creator), Kentarō Suzuki (anime director)
Products	Manga volumes, Drama CDs, Anime series, Stage plays, Spin-off manga, Novel
Parent	Akita Shoten (publisher)

' is a Japanese manga created by Aya Kanno, drawing inspiration from Shakespeare's plays Henry VI, Part 3 and Richard III. The story centers on an intersex incarnation of Richard III set amid the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). It was serialized in Akita Shoten's Monthly Princess from October 2013 until January 2022, culminating in 17 volumes by December 2021. The English license is held by Viz Media, with the franchise expanding to include three drama CDs, two spin-off manga, an original novel, a stage production, and an anime adaptation produced by J.C.Staff, which aired between January and June 2022.

Plot

During the turbulent period when the Kingdom of England is split between the rival claims of the House of York and the House of Lancaster, both asserting their leader as the legitimate monarch, the narrative follows young Richard III, an intersex offspring of the Duke of York. Richard endures rejection from his mother, paternal favor, social isolation, and is plagued by disturbing visions. His journey involves navigating unstable alliances with foes and pursuing his aspiration to seize the throne.

Characters

Richard III: As the third son of Richard Duke of York and younger sibling to Edward IV and George, Richard III becomes the last Yorkist king of England. His status as intersex leads to his alienation.
Henry VI: Leader of the Lancaster faction and reigning King of England.
Queen Margaret: Spouse to Henry VI and Queen consort.
Prince Edward of Lancaster: Heir apparent, son to Henry VI and Queen Margaret.
Catesby: Devoted retainer to Richard III.
Warwick: Dubbed the "Kingmaker," initially supports York but later shifts allegiance to Lancaster.
Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York: Patriarch of the York family; father to Edward IV, George, and Richard III.
Cecily Neville, Duchess of York: Wife to Richard Plantagenet who regards her intersex son Richard with disdain.
Edward IV of York: Eldest son of Richard Duke of York and second Yorkist monarch.
George, Duke of Clarence: Second-born son in the York lineage.
Joan of Arc: French heroine viewed as a witch by English forces; appears in visions that haunt Richard III.
Anne Neville: Daughter to Warwick; wed first to Prince Edward then to Richard III.
Isabelle Neville: Warwick’s daughter and spouse to George, Duke of Clarence.
Queen Elizabeth: Wife to Edward IV who covertly plots vengeance for her initial husband's demise.
Edward V: Eldest child of Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth who briefly reigns as second Yorkist king.
Richard, Duke of York: Second son born to Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth.
Beth: Daughter to Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth.
Richard Grey: Offspring of Queen Elizabeth and Sir John Grey; half-sibling to Edward V, Richard Duke of York, and Beth.
Earl Rivers: Sibling to Queen Elizabeth.
Buckingham: Loyal supporter allied with Richard III.
Jane Shore: Mistress involved with Edward IV and Lord Hastings.
Lord Hastings: Initially allied with Richard III before siding with the Woodville family.
James Tyrell: Responsible for murdering the Princes in the Tower.
Albany: Brother to King James III of Scotland and ally to Richard III.
Thomas Stanley: Earl allied with Queen Elizabeth.
Margaret Pole: Daughter born to George Duke of Clarence and Isabelle Neville.
Edward Plantagenet: Son to George Duke of Clarence and Isabelle Neville.
Edward of Middleham: Purported offspring from Richard III and Anne Neville.
Richmond: Nephew to Henry VI and stepson to Thomas Stanley who emerges as Richard III’s ultimate contender for England’s throne.

Media

Manga

Requiem of the Rose King, both written and illustrated by Aya Kanno, was serialized in Akita Shoten's shōjo manga publication Monthly Princess from November 2013 through January 2022. Kanno finalized the storyboard for the concluding chapter in June 2021, and the series wrapped up with four chapters by January 2022. Akita Shoten compiled the story into 17 tankōbon volumes under their Princess Comics label, releasing the last volume in June 2022.

On the international front, Requiem of the Rose King is available in English through Viz Media's Shojo Beat imprint. Additionally, it holds licenses in French by Éditions Ki-oon, German via Carlsen Comics, Polish through Waneko, Spanish by Ediciones Tomodomo, Italian with Edizioni Star Comics, and Chinese by Tong Li Publishing.

Volumes

Spin-offs

King of Idol

A spin-off manga titled King of Idol: started serialization in Monthly Princess’s February 2021 issue, which was released on 6 January 2021. This series is authored and illustrated by , with Aya Kanno credited as the original creator. The serialization concluded in the October 2023 issue, published on 6 September 2023. Its chapters have been compiled into two tankōbon volumes. The narrative reimagines characters from Requiem of the Rose King as high school students aspiring to become "idols" or performers.

Bara-Ō no Sōretsu: Gaiden

Another spin-off, Bara-Ō no Sōretsu: Gaiden ("Requiem of the Rose King: Side Stories"), began appearing in the April 2022 issue of Monthly Princess, released on 4 March 2022. Created by Kanno as both writer and illustrator, this series finished its run in the October 2023 issue dated 6 September 2023. The collected chapters are available across three tankōbon volumes. This spin-off delves into events outside the main plotline, focusing on everyday moments of characters and exploring Queen Margaret’s history.

Drama CDs

Three drama CDs inspired by Requiem of the Rose King were produced by Akita Shoten. The first CD, adapting content from volume three, was included with the February 2016 issue of Monthly Princess (released on 6 January 2016). The second CD covered material from volumes four and five and accompanied a limited edition of volume seven (released on 16 January 2017). The third drama CD, based on volumes five and six, was bundled with the March 2017 issue of Monthly Princess (released on 6 February 2017). Mitsuki Saiga voiced Richard III, while Daisuke Namikawa portrayed Henry VI in all three productions.

Anime

On 16 September 2020, Akita Shoten revealed plans for an anime adaptation of Requiem of the Rose King, produced by J.C.Staff. Kentarō Suzuki directed the project, with Hiroki Uchida overseeing script supervision, Tsutomu Hashizume handling character design, and Kow Otani composing the soundtrack. Originally slated for an October 2021 premiere, the broadcast was postponed due to production delays. The anime eventually aired from 9 January to 26 June 2022 on Tokyo MX and other Japanese networks across two continuous cours.

The initial opening theme was "Ware, Bara ni Hitasu" performed by Makoto Furukawa; its corresponding ending theme was "Akumu" by Zaq. For the second cour, "Bara Rinbukyoku" by Makoto Furukawa served as opening theme while "Rasen" performed by Nowlu was featured as ending theme. Funimation obtained licensing rights for a Winter 2022 simulcast across North America and multiple other territories. Meanwhile, Medialink secured distribution rights covering Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand.

Episodes

| LineColor       ={ {small |B60200}}  
}}  
 
| Title           ={ {small |Part One Digest: Encounters and Farewells}}  
| TranslitTitle   ={ {small |Dai Ichi Kūru Daijesuto～Deai to Betsuri～}}  
| NativeTitle     ={ {small |第1クールダイジェスト～出逢いと別離～}}  
| NativeTitleLangCode ={ {small |ja}}   
| DirectedBy      ={ {small |Shinsei Kuramoto}}   
| Aux2            ={ {small |N/A}}   
| OriginalAirDate ={ {small |\{\{Start date\|\}2022\|\}04\|\}03\|\}df=y}}   
| ShortSummary    ={ {small |\{\{As memories of conflict recede, Edward IV marks his reign; unrest grows due to the king’s consort and George's discontent, leading Richard to intervene.\}\}}}   
| LineColor       ={ {small |\#B60200}}   
}}

{{Episode list

 ... [Subsequent episodes continue in a similar abbreviated format]

}}

Stage plays

A theatrical adaptation was performed at Tokyo's Nippon Seinenkan from June 10 to 19, 2022. Under the direction of Fumiya Matsuzaki and scripted by Hiroki Uchida, who also wrote for the Requiem of the Rose King anime, Yumi Wakatsuki and Sayato Arima took on the role of the intersex Richard III. The ensemble featured Takuma Wada as Henry VI, Yūki Kimisawa portraying Edward IV of York, Gaku Takamoto as George, Duke of Clarence, among others.

An independent musical rendition is planned for April 19–27, 2025, at Tokyo’s Kokumin Kyosai Co-Op Hall/Space Zero. This production will be helmed by director Akiko Kodama, with Ryū Hizuki providing the script, Masato Kamato composing the music, and choreography by Shinji Rachi. The lead role of Richard III will be played by Tsukasa Hiryū, a former member of the Takarazuka Revue.

Other media

A supplementary manga chapter titled Bara-Ō Ryokō-ki ("The Rose King's Travel Report") appeared in the July 2015 edition of Monthly Princess, illustrating Kanno’s journey to England for the reinterment of King Richard III.

The art compilation Requiem of the Rose King Illustration Collection: Coffin of Thorns was published by Akita Shoten on June 15, 2018.

A spin-off novel named Requiem of the Rose King Original Novel: Five Interludes, authored by Yō Makusu with cover artwork by Kanno, was released on December 15, 2021.

Akita Shoten issued a fanbook on March 16, 2022, containing character profiles, tribute artworks, and previously unpublished manga content.

Reception

In Takarajimasha’s 2015 guidebook ranking female-targeted manga, Requiem of the Rose King placed seventeenth, sharing this position with Tanaka-kun is Always Listless. Japanese actor Kenji Urai, who portrayed Henry VI in a Shakespearean production at Tokyo’s New National Theatre, expressed high regard for the series. Esteemed manga creator Moto Hagio, recognized as a trailblazer in shōjo manga, commended its innovative portrayal of Richard III as "more compelling than Shakespeare!" Her endorsement was featured on promotional materials for volume three, underscoring the series’ significant creative influence within its genre.

External links