In the Middle Ages, the English Crown has been hotly contested in a civil war, dubbed the War of the Roses. The Duke of York seeks to unseat King Henry VI in order to take the crown for himself. Among this, the Duke of York’s third son, Richard, has become reviled by his mother and even by himself for his body that possesses the characteristics of both sexes. Furthermore, he is plagued by visions of England’s old enemy, Joan of Arc who taunts that he will bring only ruin to his family.
This series is so edgy and hammy, and I kind of loved it, to be perfectly honest. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Requiem of the Rose King, then head on down below.
Anime Like Requiem of the Rose King
For Fans of Inspired By Shakespeare
Romeo X Juliet
On the floating continent of Neo Verona, the Montague family murdered every member of the Capulet family to seize control, with the exception of their daughter who was hidden away. Fourteen years later, Juliet has a fateful encounter with the young Romeo Montague that sets off a whirlwind of star-crossed love.
Both series pull strongly from very obvious Shakespeare plays, then they both take the stories in their own direction. Romeo X Juliet kind of dwells in the mediocre, however. It doesn’t quite have the daring to push things to strange places like Requiem of the Rose King did. Regardless, it is still a fine fantasy romance.
Blast of Tempest
Hakaze Kusaribe is a sorceress tasked with protecting the Tree of Origins. However, when a rival member of her family seeking to revive the Tree of World’s End catches her, she is stuffed into a barrel and banished to an island. From there Hakaze sends a message out to sea, one received by Mahiro Fuwa. In agreement to help Hakaze off the island, he asks that she use her magic to help find his sister’s killer.
Like Requiem of the Rose King did with Richard III, Blast of Tempest takes elements from The Tempest and Hamlet, then kind of free styles things. The core themes are there in both, but they are definitely not adaptations of the work. Blast of Tempest also makes itself much more Japanese compared to Requiem of the Rose King which stays firmly European.
For Fans of The Intrigues of Nobility
Le Chevalier D’Eon
In 18th century Paris, Lia de Beaumont, spy for Louis XV, has been pulled out of the river. Her recently knighted brother Charles d’Eon connects this to several disappearances around the city. Hoping to find her killer, he joins a secret police force. When a suspect turns into a murderous gargoyle, d’Eon discovers that he can now become possessed by his sisters vengeful soul.
Most notable about both series is that you could say the main character is technically both genders. Alongside that, they are both inspired by works of literature, involve a character that seeks vengeance for their lost family member, and surrounded by intrigue.
The Rose of Versailles
This is the tale of two women, a young Marie Antoinette that is forced to leave her home and marry the crown prince of France, and Oscar, a girl born to the family of the Commander of the Royal Guards that is raised as a man to serve as her father’s heir. As these paths intersect, you see how each influences the life of the other.
While Requiem of the Rose King is dark and edgy, The Rose of Versailles is glittering and noble. They are both historical and literary inspired stories that follow the trials of nobility and those around them. They also have gender-bending main characters.
Shadows House
The Shadows are a family of nobles who live in their massive mansion. They are pitch black in appearance and emit soot that will linger on everything they touch. In order to effectively display their emotions, each Shadow is given a Living Doll to be their attendant and their face. This is the tale of cheerful and curious Emilico, a newly created doll, who was given to her more soft-spoken young Shadow, Kate. While it is promoted that Living Dolls be loyal and unconcerned about trivial matters, Emilico is constantly intrigued by the massive mansion and those that live within.
Both shows follow characters and the noble houses in which they live. While Shadows House definitely has a different tone in that it is often more wholesome, it also has this sinister air about it as you wonder why the shadows exist and what they are really used for. In both shows you also watch how a family and their servants manipulate and betray each other for power.
Les Miserables – Shoujo Cosette
After being abandoned by her mother, Cosette endures forced servitude for the Thernadier family. One night, while doing errands, she is assisted by the honorable stranger Jean Valjean, and ends up being rescued from her situation by him. Under his guidance, Cosette vows to help others and heal the nation of the tragedies left by the French Revolution.
While Les Miserables isn’t about nobility, it is a good adaptation of the story it is based on. It even gives a littler better nuance to Cosette. What it shares in common with Requiem for the Rose King is that it really builds a depth to the characters and the intrigues that are happening around them.
For Fans of Tragic Villain Main Characters.
Moriarty the Patriot
William Moriarty is the second son of the noble Moriarty family. During the day, he is a mathematics professor, but at night he uses his keen mind in order to work as a consultant for individuals with a particular need for his intellect. He has dedicated himself to revenge against nobility in order to crumble the crushing social hierarchy that oppresses much of England.
While they both share being spins of literary characters, they both also share the fact that their main characters are the villains of their stories. Yet, they are not necessarily portrayed as such. Furthermore, though in different settings, each show is about manipulating nobility.
Terror in Resonance
After a terrorist attack on a Japanese nuclear facility, the country was paralyzed to act. After six months of searching for the perpetrators, the public is shown a video of two boys known as Sphinx who take credit for a recent bomb attack. The pair are soon linked to the terrorist attack on the nuclear facility by police. Threatening more mayhem to come, it is up to the police to catch these terrorists. However, Sphinx has been very careful to never kill anyone with their attacks. Instead, they hope to use them to expose a secret government experiment and its cruelty.
While wildly different in setting and quality, both series set themselves up as intriguing series following the schemes of what seem to be villains. As they unravel, you gain a deeper understanding of what they are doing and why they are trying to do it, and that makes you more sympathetic to them.
Gankutsuou – The Count of Monte Cristo
In the year 5053, French aristocrats Viscount Albert de Morcerf and Baron Franz d’Epinay attend Carnivale on the moon. While Franz wants to have fun, Albert is looking for something more fulfilling. However, after catching the eye of the Count of Monte Cristo at the opera, he finds more than he bargains for. Albert introduces him into French society, but the Count has vengeance on his mind as he seeks to ruin those who wronged him.
Both series are inspired by classic piece of literature, then take their large chunk of artistic liberties with them. Both series tell tales of a villain of varying degrees who is masterful at manipulation. They also like to play with colorful visual splendor as well. Finally, they both dash in a bit of queerness to certain character interactions.
Hell Girl
It is said that those who hold a powerful grudge can access a particular website at midnight. By entering a name here, that person can be ferried straight to hell. This is the tale of Ai Enma, the Hell Girl that carries out those orders.
As Hell Girl is a series of short stories about revenge carried out by a main character that is meant to be a mouthpiece for the stories of others rather than a main character herself, Hell Girl is a bit different from Requiem of the Rose King. However, both series tell tales of betrayal, manipulation, madness, and even innocence. They showcase how awful humanity can be, essentially.
Do you have more anime recommendations like Requiem of the Rose King? Let fans know in the comments section below.
