Manga Shakespeare

[patgund]

Shakespeare gets comic treatment (BBC News)

"The appetite of publishers for comic book - or graphic novel - versions of Shakespeare plays seems undimmed. But is this a valid way of introducing the Bard to new readers?

One new UK publishing house, Self Made Hero, is offering "Manga Shakespeare" - cut-down versions of some of the plays, in a Japanese cartoon style.

They are drawn by established manga artists, the characters acquiring the typical big bright eyes and cute little noses of the form.

Its first productions are Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, with Richard III and The Tempest coming this autumn and others to follow.

Romeo and Juliet, the blurb explains, is set in modern-day Japan.

Can the youngsters' forbidden love survive "as violence, betrayal and tragedy explode on the streets of Tokyo?"

Comments

Not terribly surprised

[morgan-gw.livejournal.com]

D's in the midst of watching the RomeoxJuliet anime (on wikipedia), which obviously departs from the Bard's story (Romeo's mount is a pegasus, and Verona is a flying city). Personally, I find it easier to swallow when something is clearly "inspired by" rather than pretending to be the original and then taking liberties.

The anime "Les Mis" wasn't bad from what I saw, just not my cuppa. D's also looking into Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, though it's been licensed so he can't get fansubs.

Hey, I'm all for anything that keeps these classics alive :-).