11/2/2022
There are two type of Rose of Versailles Doll out there. The first is The Rose of Versailles Doll by Asahi Toys from the 70s. The rest are every other type of Rose of Versailles doll made later on after the Anime Series had ended. I have only found a few types of doll made by these other companies. I think I found Tomy and Takara and then there is a very expensive Volks Super Dollfie which is a ball jointed doll. But all of these do not interest me because I love the 70s version.
I was able to collect both the smaller sized pink dress Marie and the larger sized stuffed Marie in the pink dress. I like the pink dress and not the red one. The Marie comes in both style pink or red dresses and you can find these variations if you do a Google Image search.
They made Lady Oscar and Marie Antoinette in both smaller sized more like a Barbie Doll and larger soft bodies stuffed dolls. I only collected Marie Antoinette because she was the one I liked better. These dolls can be very expensive because they are vintage and were not even sold in the USA when the anime show was popular. The Rose of Versailles Doll Anime was not shown in the USA and has only recently been shown on Crunchy Roll. I wish they would also show Super Pig which is an even harder Shōjo series. They never made dolls for Tonde Burin (Super Pig) because it was a satire and I still have not been able to see more then small excerpts from this series. I have been looking for the large doll for 20 years. I was able to get the smaller doll in 2016. I just got the larger pink dress doll in 2022.
The dress on the smaller doll is not a pretty because it lacks the lace of the large sized doll. I really prefer the larger doll with her better looking face, but the small one is a pretty good second choice doll.
About the anime series
Spoilers for the anime show: The plot of The Rose of Versailles was that Lady Oscar was raised as a boy by her father who wanted a son. She proved to be good at sword fighting and she was therefore hired to protect Marie Antoinette as a bodyguard. Marie Antoinette and Lady Oscar do not fall in love, although Marie Antoinette does not love her husband King Louis. Marie Antoinette falls in love with Hans Axel von Fersen who is meant to be the real person Axel de Fersen who tried to save Marie’s Life. Lady Oscar falls in love with Andre who was a servant whom she had known since childhood and was her companion. One of the problems with their romance is that Lady Oscar does not want to be a female and she wants to live as male. The series was written in a way that allowed fan input to shape the story. The fans asked for more about Lady Oscar so Lady Oscar became the main character for a time. Later both Oscar and Andre die. This caused the series to decline in popularity so the author Riyoko Ikeda decided to end the series by going back to Marie and her execution.
Revolutionary Girl Utena
People wanted a more connection in between Marie and Oscar so later another series Revolutionary Girl Utena was created. Instead of the French Court the series is set at a private school in which one girl is named the Rose Bride according to school trandition. Whomever can wins a contest wins the Rose Bride. Anthy is the Rose Bride and Utema who is the girl who can fight with swords must win her to save her from the male students.
New Movie for Rose of Versailles
A new movie is coming soon based on Rose of Versailles which will hopefully focus more on the relationship between Oscar and Marie and less on the side characters.
In September Crunchy Roll announced a new Rose of Versailles animated movie.
“A new theatrical anime movie has been announced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Rose of Versailles historical fiction manga authored by Riyoko Ikeda. The announcement of the new movie was announced alongside the opening of its official site and Twitter account.”
Unfortunately the information was removed from Crunchy Roll without explanation. Click here for the Nerdstash Article which has the same information as the Crunchy Roll Article. Click here for a saved look a the Crunchy Roll Article. Click here for the Japanese page to promote the movie. Link to the Twitter account for the Movie Link to the You Tube for the Movie
Below is the information from the Japanese website listed above which I translated with Google Translate
Riyoko Ikeda’s manga “The Rose of Versailles” vividly depicts the love and life of people living hard in revolutionary France.
This work, which has attracted enthusiastic support from readers since it was serialized, has created a social phenomenon in various fields , such as the stage and TV animation by the Takarazuka Revue Company, and has established a monumental achievement in the girls’ manga world.
And after 50 years since the start of serialization in 1972, a completely new theatrical animation production has been decided.
The story revolves around Oscar François de Jarger, the heir to a shogun family who was raised as a “son”, a beautiful man dressed as a man, and Marie Antoinette, an innocent queen who married from the neighboring country of Austria.
The two meet in Versailles, France in the latter half of the 18th century, which boasts of prosperity, and while being tossed by the times, they live their destinies beautifully.
The Art Show
50th Anniversary Rose of Versailles Exhibition-Belle Rose Forever-” from Saturday, September 17, 2022 to Sunday, November 20, 2022 at Tokyo City View (52nd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower) Link to the information page about the Art Exhibit If you missed the art show this You Tube Video takes a look at it.
Updated: 11/18/2022 The size of my doll is 18 inches, but I have found a large 21 inch doll on eBay, but it’s only Oscar. I don’t know if they made Marie in 21 inches or if maybe Oscar is supposed to be taller? Click here to save a saved archive today look at the 21 inch Oscar. If a 21 inch Marie shows up on eBay, I will try to buy her.
Updated on 1/17/2023 I found another doll on ebay. The listing did not look credible. The photo was too small and it was sideways as if the seller did not want one to get a closer look. The listing did not sell and it was removed very soon after being listed. Here is the saved listing.
Updated 2/26/2023 The removed doll was replaced at relisted at a higher price using the same poor low quality sideways photo which makes me feel that is scam listing.
There are two listings using the same photo. One of them must be fake or else the seller created two auctions due to forgetting they had an auction up already for the same doll. The prices are different so the seller has no idea what price they will accept. I would make them an offer for a lower value. The date is 2/25/2023. When a doll is vintage its complete different from being dead. There are doll that are (in fact) dead. I would never trust this seller who is confused or mistaken. Worse of all, by the time the doll sells its likely the seller will have misplaced the doll.
Macy Makes Magic 