Akita Shoten’s Monthly Princess magazine revealed that Aya Kanno’s manga spinoff, “Requiem of the Rose King: The Queen and the Rose Knight” (Bara-Ō no Sōretsu: Ōhi to Bara no Kishi), along with Kineko Abekawa’s “King of Idol Bara-Ō no Gakuen” (King of Idol Rose King Academy), will both conclude in the magazine’s upcoming September issue.
These spinoffs are derived from Kanno’s original work, “Requiem of the Rose King” (Bara-Ō no Sōretsu), which birthed an anime series that premiered in January 2022. With a continuous run of two cours (quarters of a year), this anime was available in Japanese and English-dubbed versions on Funimation.
Set in medieval Europe, “Requiem of the Rose King” portrays a twisted reimagining of Shakespeare’s iconic “Henry VI” and “Richard III.” Imagine the courtly intrigues of yore, now infused with a dark and magical twist. The manga’s creator, Aya Kanno, writes a story that’s as much about identity as it is about destiny and the heart’s desires as it is about the battles on the field.
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All About Requiem of the Rose King
Requiem of the Rose King is a manga series created by Aya Kanno. Drawing inspiration from Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part 3 and Richard III, the manga dives into the rocky Wars of the Roses era, portraying an intersex version of Richard III. The series was serialized in Akita Shoten’s Monthly Princess magazine from 2013 to 2022.
Its 16 volumes, compiled by December 2021, consist of a narrative that dances between history and fantasy. The series’ popularity gave rise to drama CDs, multiple spin-off manga, a novel, a stage play, and an anime adaptation produced by J.C.Staff, airing from January to June 2022.
In January 2021, Abekawa debuted “King of Idol Bara-Ō no Gakuen” in Monthly Princess, with the manga’s initial volume released by Akita Shoten in June 2022. Meanwhile, Aya Kanno kicked off “Requiem of the Rose King: The Queen and the Rose Knight” in March 2022, initially planning for only two volumes. However, the story has since extended beyond the second volume.
The Plot
In the heart of a divided England, the fight between the House of York and the House of Lancaster on goes, both battling to claim the throne. Richard III, the intersex offspring of the Duke of York, finds himself in an unending struggle. Caught between a mother’s hatred and a father’s love, Richard has to battle not only external foes but also inner demons that torment him.
Now, he must navigate dangerous alliances, some born of necessity, others of unexpected encounters. Amidst the tension, a burning desire for the throne stays lit within him.
The Staff & Cast for the Anime
The anime adaptation of Requiem of the Rose King is directed by Kentarō Suzuki and produced by J.C Staff. The scripts are written and supervised by Hiroki Uchida, character design is handled by Tsutomu Hashizume, and Kow Otani composes the music.
The main cast includes Mitsuki Saiga voicing Richard III, Daisuke Namikawa voicing Henry VI, Sayaka Ohara voicing Queen Margaret, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka voicing Prince Edward of Lancaster, Takehito Koyasu voicing Warwick, Show Hayami voicing Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York and Aya Hisakawa voicing Cecily Neville, Duchess of York.
From swordfights that will leave you craving more to characters who’ll crawl under your skin and into your soul, Requiem of the Rose King has become a harmony of emotions that’ll have you flipping pages faster than you can say the title of the series.
