Um… this time, I’d like to ask you some questions about André, if that’s okay with you… what size is he?

O: (stammering) T-there is no way I could possibly know that...t-that came out wrong, t-there is no way I would know! Please make your own judgment based on issue 38!

I: Hehhe, you’re blushing. Um…. what are his hobbies?

O: Heheh....

(The General appears!)

*"Now you listen here, he says his hobby is to give his all and devote himself completely to Oscar!"*

Father! Please don’t say things like that without permission.

I: If he were to attend a masquerade ball, what kind of costume or theme would he go with?”

O: Well... I would like to try going as someone like Julius Caesar. I would take André along, of course, as Cleopatra... I’m sure it would really suit him.

(Suddenly, Emily appears!)

*"How about something like Romeo and Juliet? Of course, ‘Romeo’ would be O, and Juliet would obviously be A… I mean, O-sama and A-sama. Umm, yes… Another idea could be Carmen and Don José that would be pretty good too. What? You’re asking if Don 'José' would be O? Well of course, obviously!”*

O: Emily, you were pestering me with all sorts of ideas just the other day too, and your ideas are good. Though Carmen, you know is a story from the 1830s.

I: Excuse me. If you had to go alone to a uninhabited island and you were allowed to take only one thing with you, what would it be?

O: That’s completely out of the question! I would take André, of course.

*Who is Emily?

Emily is the editor of the Oscar fan club newsletter. You will see her popping up from time to time to interview the characters. She even has a cameo in chapter 50 of the manga.

OFC, Oscar fan club was active during The Rose of Versailles' original run in Margaret magazine, 1972-1973

"It had been decided that the series would end ten weeks after Oscar’s death, so there were a lot of things I didn’t get to draw. I thought, while my body was still capable, I’d like to get them down on paper."

After the completion of the episodes in 2018 where you able to cover everything you had to leave out?

"Not really, (laughs) I think I can say I depicted the French Revolution by covering the events leading up to Napoleon’s appearance… For example, I had also planned to cover Robespierre and Saint-Just. I was thinking those two might have been lovers or something."

"What do you think of Oscar?”

Madame de Jarjayes: “Well, it may be improper to praise my own child, but she is dependable and is considerate of her mother.”

General Jarjayes: “Oscar has grown into a fine heir for me. I am proud of her”

Nanny: "Oh, Oscar is so splendid, you will never find anyone else in the world like her. Of all the young ladies I have raised, she is the most beautiful and dignified of them all...If only she could be a bit more ladylike, then all my hard efforts in raising her will have been worth it. Since I have finally been allowed to see her in a dress just this once, I can now die with no regrets left in my heart."

Louis XVI: “She is indispensable to France. But… how can she do everything? Hunting, swordsmanship, horseback riding, she is better than me at everything. Her figure is better too. I’m such a hopeless man. But if it comes to making locks, there’s no way I’ll lose! Hahaha…”

Madame de Polignac: "What?! You want me to talk about Oscar? It can't possibly be anything good. That one and Fersen are always getting in my way and interfering with everything I do. Yes! If I don't do something, I won't be able to calm myself!"

Rosalie: “As for me… talking about her makes me cry. I’ve secretly suffered a broken heart. That person is a woman, after all. Oscar is so beautiful and dignified…Ah, even now, I still love her.”

Fersen: “You want me to talk about Oscar? It’s unfortunate for the fans, I am sure they will be upset, but my mind is made up heheh... However, I like Oscar in another way, we trust and respect each other."

Robespierre: “Hmm… if she weren’t an aristocrat, it is a shame she is a woman. In France there are no decent nobles, so she is truly a rare gem"

Antoinette: “Hoho… She’s always looking out for my private affairs and is one of my few friends who is truly devoted to me. I am very grateful to Oscar.”

André: “For my beloved Oscar, even if it means walking through fire!!
If anything were to happen to her, I am prepared to take her place without hesitation. How dazzlingly Oscar looked in her dress, shining before my eyes.”

Noble ladies and fans (together):
“Of course, at the words ‘Oh! My Oscar…,’ we all respond decisively! No matter how we try to put it into words, it always ends up like this, isn’t she simply wonderful?”

Oscar: “Thank you for your kind thoughts about me. I really understand how everyone feels. Knowing that all of you care for me like this, nothing could make me happier. No matter the whirlpool of fate I may get caught up in, I will get through it with everyone’s feelings as support. Merci!
By the way, I hear that everyone is eager to know my measurements. Riyoko -sensei draws me with a very slender, elegant figure, but for a French woman, I’m actually quite tall.
Though I hear that André called me a ‘tall scarecrow.’
I'll remember that! I am embarrassed, but I’ll reveal it on the next page.”

OFC, Oscar fan club was active during The Rose of Versailles' original run in Margaret magazine, 1972-1973

OFC, Oscar fan club was active during The Rose of Versailles' original run in Margaret magazine, 1972-1973

Hello Everyone, I am Emily, editor at the OFC Headquarters

I'm going to talk to my beloved Oscar-sama.

I really enjoy listening to your story.

I can't help but feel numb when I hear Oscar's voice.

First off, good afternoon...

Q: Hmm… you usually dress in casual attire, wearing only a blouse in your daily life. Why don't you usually wear a jacket like Andre?

O: I am a soldier. In case of emergency, I keep myself ready so I can put my uniform on quickly.

Q: About that blouse, it's really stylish. Who designed it?

O: Hmm… I have about 20 outfits. I usually leave it to Nanny, but when I feel like it, I think about it myself… It's quite fun. Ah for some reason, the one I'm wearing now is Andre's, he designed it. Not only is he handsome, he also has a good sense of style, truly.

Q: Oh, I see. We always thought that it was something that Ikeda decided. And then, you say that you like music, what kind of music do you like?

O: I like the works of Mozart. In particular his piano concertos. At the moment I have been listening to the final movement of Sonata No. 331 and Symphony No. 40. Oh and Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. I think they are wonderful.

Q: (Isn’t she incredibly intelligent? Maybe too much so, I really should to study more!) Um, I'm going to change the topic, what's your favorite food?

O: As you know I can handle my alcohol. My father trained me and now I am bottomless! Don't worry though, I wont let myself go. I also like ice cream and whiskey bon-bons. I really like candies and rose jellies, things like that...

Q: You seem to be getting into this now. Do you have anything you collect? What sort of things do you collect?

O: Yes. Naturally I've collected swords because of my job, I like Italian swords. Miniature alcohol bottles (I know...) and matchbooks in all kinds of different shapes.

*Suddenly, Andre's voice is heard

"Oscar also collects flower-patterned handkerchiefs!" *

Well, that's about it.

Q: What is your favorite flower?

O: Roses. Especially pure white roses. In the flower language they mean "purity". Red roses are nice too, they mean "passionate love". Violets as well, they are elegant don't you think? Others include freesias, and horse chestnuts.

Q: What's your favorite color?

O: I like pure white. It makes me feel like my body and mind are focused and disciplined. I also like deep blue, and purple.

Q: Has your Nanny been taking care of you since you were born?

O: Yes. She is very attentive and affectionate, she notices everything. She is lenient but strict and firm to Andre, yet gentle with me, she is like a grandmother. However, just the other day, she collapsed. Thinking about how Andre must be feeling, I hope she will be better soon.

Q: When the Queen came to France to marry, Lord Oscar was already a lieutenant at the age of 14. When did you start honing your sword skills?

O: Oh, you bring up an old stories… I followed my father's educational guidance plan and started school at 10 years old. I entered the military school and went diligently with lunch prepared by my grandmother everyday. Later, I joined the Royal Guard at the King's command.

*Thank you. Hey, everyone, she was playing with her hair… it was wonderful!

After The Rose of Versailles film came out, little girls who couldn't read subtitles were saying "please make it into an anime..."

AM: I’d like to start off by asking about the process that led up to The Rose of Versailles being made into an anime.

Ikeda: Last year, I thought I’d like to make The Rose of Versailles into a movie, so I entrusted everything to producer Mataichiro Yamamoto. However at the time, I wasn't considering an anime. I had also turned down all the previous offers.

AM: Why was that?

Ikeda: There was a fierce amount of opposition saying, “Don’t make it into a movie or anime, it would ruin the readers’ image”

AM: So despite opposition you went ahead with the anime?

Ikeda: It ended up being made into a movie, didn’t it? After that, requests for an anime increased, little girls around kindergarten age couldn’t read my original work or the movie subtitles. So I began to feel that I wanted younger children to be able to watch it.

AM: So you consider the main audience of the anime The Rose of Versailles to be children from around kindergarten age to around third grade in elementary school?

Ikeda: Yes. I believe so, due to the time slot. If you look at the sponsor’s advertised products they’re things like little purses and dolls, you can tell by that.

AM: I see. Once the anime was decided and production began, how were you involved during that time?

Ikeda: I was not involved at all. I was not involved in the planning stage, they sent me the scripts but I didn’t really read them. I think an anime means that a completely new work is being born. So I think it’s best just to look forward to that.

My work is becoming an anime. This is not something that happens often in one's life. I think I am very fortunate...

AM: I'd like to ask what your impression of the anime is, based on what you've watched...

Ikeda: Every week I record it and watch it with my assistants. If I am working, I will take a short break. So, I am just jumping on the bandwagon and watching for the fun of it.

AM: Just following the trends?

Ikeda: Yes. For instance, the anime version of Girodelle is very cool and handsome. In the first episode he duels Oscar for the position of commander, right!?! That scene was very intense. I thought "Wow, he looks so grown up! He looks so cool, with his hair’s blowing in the wind…He looks much cooler the the original (laughs)"

AM: Was there anything else that stood out like "Wow!"?

Ikeda: So far, more than any specific scene, it is the gorgeous backgrounds that leave the greatest impression on me. Things like the buildings in the background.

Back when I was drawing The Rose of Versailles, I had not been to the Palace of Versailles. I was drawing by looking at photographs...and even those reference materials were not sufficient...This time they also have the film The Rose of Versailles to refer to, and I think the backgrounds are very well developed.

AM: It is indeed very detailed.

Ikeda: It really is. My grandmother watches it too but she thinks the backgrounds are real. Like the Palace of Versailles. She is getting old, her eyesight probably isn't what it used to be (laughs).

AM: In episode 8 there is a scene at the Jarjayes mansion with the sunrise, it was very beautiful, the colors changing to show the passage of time...

Ikeda: Yes, it was. I don't really understand the technical aspects, but I was moved and thought "very beautiful!!"

AM: I see. So, there are some differences in the story and setting, between the original work and the anime.

Ikeda: The introduction of episode 1 was different, wasn't it? As for myself, I thought I had put equal effort into all four of them. Antoinette, Fersen, Oscar, and André. However originally what I wanted to depict the most was Marie Antoinette’s life.

AM: Oh, is that so?

Ikeda: Correct. That is why the beginning of the original story is about Antoinette. I had intended for Oscar to be a supporting character. The thing is, historical figures are surprisingly hard to move around a story. So inevitably, I became more invested in and favored the fictional character, Oscar.

AM: And for creating interesting drama too...

Ikeda: That's right. Besides with anime, the audience consists of younger children, it is much easier for them to follow the story if you establish early on who the protagonist and heroine is. So I think Episode 1 was fine. It was very straightforward...

AM: Is there anything else that stood out to you that is different from the original, what have you noticed?

Ikeda: The Duke of Orleans appearing as a villain from the beginning. In my version he was more the type of person who schemes behind the scenes...I think, because of the same reason as before, the viewers' ages being much younger, It is better this way. It helps make the story simple and clear, if we know that the Duke of Orleans is a bad or good person.

AM: So you and the production staff have a mutual understanding.

Ikeda: That's right. It's not as though I put in any specific requests.

AM: How do you think the main themes are being handled?

Ikeda: As I said before, one of the things I wanted to portray in this work was the life of Marie Antoinette. And then there is Oscar's way of life. The story of a woman who is forced to live as a man, she lives a life no one else can, and in the end accepts it and chooses that way of life for herself....

AM: Is this depicted in the anime?

Ikeda: Not yet, it is still a work in progress....Though, as long as Mr. Yamamoto is the producer, I think it will be fine.

AM: Are you worried that "Oscar's way of life as a woman" may be too difficult for kindergarten and elementary-school children?

Ikeda: I think there can be certain limits due to age, but it is all dependent on the way it is portrayed. When I was in middle school, I heard an interview with an unmarried twenty year old female professor. At the end they asked her "do you have plans to get married" and she said "Huh? Well no". She answered "I had forgotten about that".

I was moved at that moment, to think that there are careers for women out there that are fulfilling enough to make them forget about marriage. I thought that, even though I was still a child.

They have reproduced my clumsy characters from early serialization, in great detail. It is very embarrassing.

AM: What do you think of the character design?

Ikeda: I think they are quite close to the original. Personally, I really don't like the drawings I did right after serialization began. I was not very good. These too have been reproduced to look like my originals, and it is very embarrassing, I don't like it....

AM: Not good?

Ikeda: Yes, how Oscar and Andre look chubby when they are young. And as they get older their cheeks start to hollow out. You know, that was not something I did intentionally. Even the early round faced Oscar, I was trying to draw her as cool and mature looking as she is just before her death. But my drawing skills were poor....and I don't want to see those old drawings again...

I have known of Tarō Shigaki since he was young, but I didn't know he was so talented.

AM: What do you think of the voice cast?

Ikeda: Fersen is voiced by Nachi Nozawa, right? His character is supposed to be 18 years old, just like Oscar, his voice really makes you feel the age difference. He sounds more like someone who is around 32 or 33. But I think his personality suits the role very well. I feel that he talks a little fast though.

AM: What do you think of Reiko Tajima in the role of Oscar?

Ikeda: Right now she is ok, but I am worried about what will happen down the road. Same with Antoinette. Miyuki Ueda's voice suits the young Antoinette. But I don't know how her voice will work for her when she is in her 30s, I am a little concerned about that.

AM: I understand.

Ikeda: I knew that Taro Shigaki, who plays André, had been on TV since he was young, but I had no idea he was so talented. I had thought of him as the type of actor who was known for his looks rather than his acting. So I thought of acting with dialogue only....but I ended up being surprised at how good he was (laughs).

AM: What about the narrator?

Ikeda: First of all, it really makes an impact. For younger children, I wonder if that voice will be a little scary though.

AM: I see.

Osamu Tezuka said, “Animation is great.” He said "you should make one". Maybe I should become an apprentice at Tezuka Productions…

AM: From what you have told us so far, it seems that you are quite satisfied with The Rose of Versailles anime.

Ikeda: Yes, I'd say so. Or rather, there isn't anything I have to compare it to, I am the type of person who is generally pleased with things. People say all sorts of things, but I just want to tell them, “think about it for a second.” Just seeing something I worked so hard on end up on TV, and with famous voice actors voicing it, that’s not something that happens every day.

AM: Pretty lucky?

Ikeda: I think so. I am really lucky, aren't I? So, I don't really think in that way of “I didn't like this part” or “I didn't like that part.”

AM: And, if there were an offer to adapt any of your other works...?

Ikeda: Yes, if there was someone who understood what I wanted to express in my work and who my characters are, I suppose I would let them. I myself created The Rose of Versailles using the book Marie Antoinette by Zweig as inspiration. If Zweig had said, "I would be bothered if my work were made into a girls manga," then I would be bothered too. (laughs)

AM: The readers would also be bothered.

Ikeda: I choose to see Zweig respecting my autonomy as a creator and saying "Well then, why don't you try drawing it?”. Besides, Zweig was no longer alive....so I drew it.

AM: The same can be said about the anime.

Ikeda: Right.

AM: But it took you a long time to give permission for an anime adaptation.

Ikeda: There was very strong opposition from the fans, and I was afraid of that. Personally, I thought it could be interesting to do.

AM: Interesting?

Ikeda: Yes. I mean, in the sense that I could see the characters I created actually move. Is that not the dream of every artist who draws?

AM: I would like to ask you some questions about anime other than The Rose of Versailles.

Ikeda: This is a problem. Because I am a novice anime fan (lol).

AM: Do you watch anime often?

Ikeda: No. I haven't even seen Space Battleship Yamato or Galaxy Express 999.

AM: Is there anything you are looking forward to watching?

Ikeda: Well, I would like to see Phoenix, the series Osamu Tezuka is currently working on. Oh, that reminds me, I just saw a Soviet animated short film that was about 10 minutes long, it was at an independent film screening. It didn't have much of a story, just an animated film about a butterfly flying around. But I really liked it.

AM: So you are interested in anime.

Ikeda: Yes, I just arrived late. Osamu Tezuka said, “Animation is great.” He said "you should make one. It wouldn't be something that makes you money like The Rose of Versailles, but something about 10 minutes long, drawn all on your own. For example, a boy and girl meet in a park, exchange a tender glance, and then quietly go their separate ways." He told me "that sort of thing, a really good 10 minutes long, you could draw it in about a year and a half"

AM: That's a wonderful idea.

Ikeda: I think it would be great just to draw something like this for fun!!!

AM: Do you know anything about the technical aspects of animation?

Ikeda: I don't know anything. I told them, Maybe one day I'll apprentice at Mushi Productions (laughs).

AM: Finally, could you give us a few words on anime as a medium.

Ikeda: As you know, I studied philosophy in college. My junior high school teacher was very pleased with that, to have a former student go on to pursue academic scholarship. When I told them I was leaving university to become a manga artist, I got a letter saying "“If you have time to draw something so foolish, you could at least learn one word in German" I thought "do not underestimate me". Really.

A girls manga, something that has been looked down upon, has finally become an anime! This is how I see anime.

Q: Who is your favorite character in The Rose of Versailles?

A: It’s impossible to narrow it down to just one. I love them all. All the characters are lovable to me. Of course I love Oscar and Andre, but I also love Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. The reason I wanted to write The Rose of Versailles in the first place was because I was inspired by Marie Antoinette. I was intrigued with how much people can grow and change depending on their environment, and that’s what started this work.

Louis XVI was also criticized for being indecisive and not being fit to be a king, but I think he was a good man with a big heart.

So it’s really difficult for me to pick just one.

Q: What’s your favorite line?

A: There are too many to choose from.

Q: I understand that the serialization ended 10 weeks after Oscar’s death. What would the story have been like without those constraints?

A: If there hadn’t been any constraints, I would have liked to depict more of the exploits of Saint-Just and Robespierre. I would also have liked to have depicted what happened to Fersen and Antoinette’s children. And I would have liked to have depicted the emergence of Napoleon, who is said to have truly ended the revolution. I depicted the exploits of Bernard and Alain in “Eroica.”

Q: What should we think about the “class differences” in France at that time?

A: I’d like everyone to think about it themselves.

It’s a heavy topic. You might think that class differences are old-fashioned now, but when you think about human relationships, it doesn’t seem that way. If you think deeply about it, you might discover something new about the relationship between Oscar and Andre.

Q: When Oscar was thinking about Fersen, how did she feel about Andre?

A: More than a best friend. A brother perhaps.

Q: Did Oscar ever feel jealous of Antoinette?

A: Absolutely not. To Oscar, a military aristocrat, Antoinette was, so to speak, “a person above the clouds,” a queen to whom she had to serve, and her existence was absolute to Oscar. That is why Oscar was powerless to do anything and ended her love for Fersen.

Q: Why didn’t Oscar tell Andre that she had vomited blood?

A: When Oscar decided to have her portrait painted, she had already resigned herself to death. And then she coughed up blood. Even if she didn’t die in the battle, she knew she would surely die in the near future, so she decided not to tell Andre.

Q: Is Andre’s grandmother paternal or maternal?

A: His maternal grandmother. So, when Andre’s mother died, he was taken in by Maron Glacé.

Q: Andre seems surprised when he is told, “After this battle, we will have our wedding.” What was he thinking? 

A: Andre did not expect to marry Oscar, and of course he thought it was impossible. Like Oscar, Andre was prepared to die. He had gained Oscar’s love and was united with her, he thought what more could he wish for. So he had no fear of death and followed Oscar with a calm mind. Then, when Oscar said “wedding,” he looked surprised. Since Oscar was prepared to die, there was nothing after this. She deliberately said “wedding” as a word of love, “Andre, I love you with all my heart,” and by saying these words, Oscar’s feelings were fully concluded.

Q: What did Andre think about liberal thought?

A: Of course Andre would have sympathized with liberal thought.

When Andre was in danger of losing his right eye, and his grandmother Maron Glacée told him that he should not cause trouble to his master (meaning that even if there was a possibility that his eye could be cured by treatment, he should give up on it), Andre did not resist her, but muttered, “We are the same human beings…”

This way of thinking is the basis of liberalism.

However, although Andre sympathized with liberalism, what he risked his life for was “living with Oscar and dying for Oscar.”

Q: How old is Girodelle? What is the age difference between him and Oscar?

A: Girodelle was born in 1757, two years younger than Oscar.