The Manga

Romeo and Juliet's story has even travelled all the way to the continent of Asia. Discover how the original play was adapted into a Japanese manga.

Manga

'Romeo x Juliet' by: Reiko Yoshida

Purpose

In 2007, Japanese artist Reiko Yoshida took inspiration from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and turned it into a manga; it would later be adapted into an anime series, as well. Like the other adaptations of the original play, the storyline and message remain the same. However, the form of manga establishes a more modern sense of the story. This is because the manga version retells the story in the fantasy setting of Neo Verona, allowing wider imaginative interpretations of the story.

The storyline is mostly the same and the family feud between the Montagues and the Capulets remains the central conflict of the story, but the original setting of Verona is altered. The manga version also provides more context for the enmity between the families.

In the manga, Neo Verona is ruled by the Montague family who overthrew the Capulet family long ago, leaving Juliet the last surviving Capulet. And as the original tale follows, the son of the Montagues falls in love with the daughter of the Capulets, wreaking havoc on generations of both families.

Audience

Primary audience: Anime & Manga Fans

The primary audience would most likely target mainstream manga and anime audiences in Japan. As the publication of the story was in Japan, it is safe to assume that the manga was created for those who enjoy reading manga and watching anime, particularly with romance and fantasy themes. It is also highly likely that the manga was targeting a largely female audience considering the vast female fanbase for romance manga in Japan.

Secondary audience: General Comic Fans

The secondary audience can include individuals who are typical fans of comics. Manga is considered to be a version of comic books and graphic novels, and it is quite possible that typical fans of Western comics would be drawn to mangas, as well. It would also be understandable because the manga retells a very well-known story in the Western world. Thus, general fans of graphic novels would be drawn to this manga because it would introduce them to a new culture while also being easy to read and understand due to how popular the original storyline is.

Point of views

Feminism

Unlike the patriarchal perspective that the original play depicts, the manga version represents a lot of feminism in its adaptation. This is because, in the manga, the traditional and stereotypical personalities of men and women are essentially reversed. Romeo is more of an innocent and hopeless romantic compared to Juliet, who is seen as a more hard-headed, strong-willed, and independent woman. Juliet’s character is a vital part of the manga because it demonstrates her standing up for herself instead of hiding away like she is depicted in the original play. Not only does the manga emphasize Juliet’s refusal of her father’s arranged marriage for her, but it also highlights that the plan to fake her own death was entirely her plan and no one else’s, concentrating on her intelligence over her dependence on the other characters (e.g. Friar Lawrence in the play).

This plays an important role in the interpretation of the story among readers as it is more of a modern point of view instead of the primeval one depicted in the original play and the older adaptations such as the ballet, the musical, and the movies in the 1900s.

Codes & Conventions

Panels

In typical graphic novel fashion, mangas are also organized in panels. The use of panel layout helps convey the story through illustrations of either the characters or the environment around them completing an action. In the manga version of Romeo and Juliet, a variety of panels and panel borders are used to help describe the scene in the best way possible. For example, in certain scenes, the borders of the panel are bolder than others, and some panels are much larger than others depending on the importance of the scene to the story.

Speech bubbles

The manga version uses speech bubbles as its main method of language. The narration as well as the words and thoughts of the different characters are found within the speech bubbles in the manga. Depending on whether it is an inside or outspoken thought, the speech bubbles can look different. For example, a round, circular speech bubble is used to express the spoken words of the characters whereas the more cloud-shaped bubbles are used to depict what the characters are thinking and feeling without actually expressing it aloud.

Fantasy Creations

The manga version of Romeo and Juliet toys with more fantasy-esque ideas. For example, the setting of the manga is a floating island called Neo Verona. This draws connections between the original play and the manga but also incorporates Japanese fantasy culture into the storyline.

Furthermore, the Capulet family is described to have lived in a flying ship.

Speed Lines

Speed lines are used to depict more intense scenes, specifically the scene in which a lot of action is taking place. For example, the scene where Romeo and Tybalt fight in the original play would have a lot of speed lines and dark shading in the manga to better convey the message of the fight by emphasizing it.

Sound Effects

Throughout the manga, sound effects are expressed through bold and capitalized texts. This is to draw attention to the drama of certain scenes. Most of the sound effects are described using onomatopoeia in order to help the audience imagine the sounds as if the story was an actual film. Words like “boom” and “crash” are very common in the manga, specifically during the fight and action-filled scenes.

Animation

The biggest difference between the manga version of Romeo and Juliet and the other adaptations is that it is the only version that uses animated illustrations over real humans to portray the characters. Manga and anime are known for their exaggerated facial features such as their large, round eyes, their bright and distinct clothing, their spiky hair, and much more. This manga is no different as the characters are dressed less as if they were in the Elizabethan era and more like the typical manga and anime fashion.

Change in Message

The manga version of Romeo and Juliet is arguably the most distinct adaptation of the original play. This is because it takes what is generally known as a Western story and adjusts it to a completely different culture (Japanese culture). Using the conventions of a typical Japanese manga, character development is highlighted and the illustrations introduce audiences of the original play to a new culture. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge that mangas are written and drawn works. As a result, unlike the other mediums discussed in this presentation, mangas are not limited to a certain time frame. It is clear that this freedom is reflected in the manga as many new characters are introduced in the manga that is not from the original play; this contributes significantly to the elongation of the story compared to the screen adaptations. This medium allows the story of Romeo and Juliet to be conveyed both visually and written in an elaborate and detailed manner, compared to the other versions that depended on either visuals or writing but never both in the precise way that the manga does.

Balcony Scene

This is a rough English translation of the balcony scene of Reiko Yoshida's manga version of Romeo and Juliet. Although this version does take away from the Japanese culture because it is translated into English, it is still helpful to be able to see how the illustrations of traditional Japanese manga adapted to this Western story.

From these couple of scenes, the different clothing, hairstyles, and facial features of the characters are something that has not been seen in other versions, and in the original Japanese version of the manga, the Japanese translations of the scene do play a factor in how the message is conveyed to readers.

Here are a few spreads of the balcony scene from the English version of the manga.

Google Sites

Report abuse