Requiem of the Rose King, Vol. 17

薔薇王の葬列 [Baraō no Sōretsu] #17

by Aya Kanno

Richard, mourning his loved ones, tumbles in a wave of grief. Still, he finds the strength to stand again and hold up his sword with a mighty righteousness as the showdown with Richmond begins. See how the the series ends when the curtain finally rises on the Battle of Bosworth, and the story of King Richard and the War of the Roses comes full circle.

Genres: Manga, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Historical, Shojo, Fantasy, Comics

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 16, 2022

About the author

Aya Kanno (菅野文; Kanno Aya) is a Japanese shōjo manga artist.

Former assistant of mangaka Masashi Asaki of Psychometrer Eiji fame, she made her debut in the January 2001 issue of Hakusensha's magazine "Hana to Yume" with Soul Rescue. Her works include Otomen.

Reviews

[Deyanira C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im not sure about the numbers, but I finished the manga and call me crazy if you want but I Like it .

Ok so to be based in the play " Richard III" by William Shakespeare, this is a very decent story (consider that this is a manga not a novel).
I already review the first volumes and now I'm going to do all the last volumes.

*SPOILERS*

What we read in this late volumes is how Richard take the crown and well in this version of the events he is having an affair with Buckingham, this is something that has been done in another novels but to be fair and to my surprise here is far better done, Richard is half female so his feelings towards Buckingham aren't a surprise they have things in common like unhappy marriages and ambition , but more than affair they have an obsessive, and passional relationship, impossible of course because in front of everyone they are two man living in medieval England, Buckingham is Richard's kingmaker but he truly loves Richard and wants him for himself and he knows that as long as Richard is the king they will never be together, they have a huge discussion when Richard III confess that Edward of Middleham is not his son and Buckingham insist that he should be put aside , Richard then says that he loves little Edward and that in his heart is his son and that he will fight with his life for that boy if is necessary, then when Buckingham gives an ultimatum Richard realizes he can't chose Buckingham over Anne Neville because both of them matter, so Buckingham's rebellion here is basically because Buckingham wants to pretend he and Richard die and run away together, but that will not happen, just when he has the opportunity to be with Buckingham far from court from war and all the pain Richard realizes that he can't leave everything, for many years he thought that he just wanted to be accepted and loved and he found that in Buckingham ( Anne gave him that first but silly Richard didn't realize ) but is at this moment when he understands that it was not ambition what took him to become king was duty and his father's wish but overall he can't leave because he doesn't only want love yes it's important but more importan is the loyalty he feels towards England, Anne and Edward. He gives Buckingham the opportunity to go but Buckingham prefers to die in Richard's hands because he doesn't want to be an obstacle for Richard and that's the end of this love story, that as I said is pretty well done to be honest I found myself enjoying the forbidden thing, the passion and obsession and the romantic dialogues .....
Now going to the last volumes, Anne is very very sick, and she tries to spend some time with Richard and Edward, so they go to the forest where Richard and Anne used to enjoy their teenage, but Richard is too busy missing Buckingham to even notice his family , despite Anne's efforts ( seriously Richard the man is death move on).
Meanwhile Tudor is getting stronger and people is blaming Richard for all the crimes in the world , Richard knows that and he still wants and thinks that can hold the crown then he sees a very sweet scene where Edward is taking care of a death bird and he realizes that the boy is more important in his affection more than he ever thought ( is impossible don't love that boy) but suddenly Anne is about to die and in a beautiful scenes like the queen she is, she uses her last strength to take her son, and they go out of the palace, because she knows that as Richard's heir Edward will never be happy and he might even be killed, so she rides away with him but Richard follows her, and stopped them, Anne pushes him away talking about his lack of love and all what hurted her the last years, he conforts her and apologize being completely honest, there is when he realizes that he loves them not as he loved Buckingham or Henry VI , but he loves them and care for them even for Edward despite that he is not his son and finally Richard agrees to let him go far from court, to live a happy and secret life, ( at least here I can be happy for that boy ) Richard knows well that if he has no heir he will be weaker but he loves Edward more than the crown or power so even knowing that this might be his end he still sends Edward away in a very emotional scene, of course that he says that his son died so Edward can be happy and safe. Anne is leaving the world happy for her son and despite the danger Richard goes to her, actually he has been very nice on her, carrying her and being sweet and even with the risk of get the sickness he takes care of her during her last days, Richard truly expects that she will recover even planning a party for her, but she won't and they say goodbye to each other, for her will Richard gives a expensive dress to elizabeth of York who is in love with him but of course there is nothing between them just Anne's sweetness. Elizabeth Woodville who is mean and ambitious is thankful with him for let them be free but inside she is thinking just in get power and destroy Richard what she will do with Margaret Beaufort ( ungrateful bitch).
Anyway Anne passed away in very sad way, Richard leaves her flowers and says goodbye.
Then he goes to battle, he knows that he will die but he still goes and that's it, we see him finally accepting himself and being in peace, but to be honest the end is kind of difficult to understand better say it's open, Richard III didn't die, actually there is a plan to save him using Henry VI ( yes he is still alive ) as a lure while Richard goes but he is too sick that is almost sure he will die eve if we don't see it.

If I like something about this Richard was how he connected with Edward of Middleham, the sweetest child in the world who taught Richard what love truly is, honest, pure, uninterested, unconditional, strong and constant, Richard loved him as his son despite the fact that was a Lancaster and not his blood, and in many ways the love that Richard felt for him was his cause of death.

Another interesting turn is that Catesby is loyal to Richard is his biggest friend and support their relationship is actually very sweet, and to me he represented that people who loved and supported the real Richard.
So what can I say? to be a manga this is not that poorly researched as I expected and actually this could give a lesson to some novels, as you can read in this version against what Shakespeare wrote Richard didn't kill Henry VI, didn't kill Anne, didn't seduced his niece, didn't kill his nephews and wasn't the biggest monster yes he wasn't perfect he had his demons, but despite the female body and the relationship with Buckingham this portrait is decent not accurate not the best but isn't bad, for me there is something poetic about how Richard spent his whole life trying to be loved and accepted, I know is not the same but I can't stop thinking that perhaps and just perhaps for the real Richard III was also difficult to accept himself with the scoliosis and the confusion, also I found interesting that the author chose to make this Richard brave enough to go to the battle knowing that he was going to die, and the best thing is that yes Richard isn't a saint but at the end almost always he chose to do the right thing and that was exactly what costed his life, to me that's another very factual thing.
To be completely honest Im even a bit happy that the author didn't follow the tradition, she took the time to do research, and that shows how people who has been working hard to destroy old ideas is making a great job, and even if the intention behind this wasn't to make an accurate story this isn't biased and what is better the author never claimed to try to redeem him.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thus ends this tragic tale of ambition, court intrigue, love, and loss. Rose King stays true to the Shakespearean spirit of the two plays it derives from. As I feared, the ending felt a bit rushed, especially considering how long it took previous plot points to develop across a few chapters, sometimes volumes even. The theme of learning to love and forgive oneself in the end was satisfactorily tied together like a healing salve upon the deep, somber wounds of Richard's past and present. As in any tragic Shakespeare play, not everyone has a happy ending... quite the opposite in fact. Richard's fate does make one ponder what it means to be loved and to accept that love and make it your "own" (radical self love). I plan to reread this series in the future, as it has that unique blend of dark existential themes and historical drama.

[Flapjack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kto zapłaci mi za terapię? 🥲

Edit: Już nieważne. Mam nowy kolor włosów i tatuaż 😙✨ (nie bierzcie ze mnie przykładu)

[May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, first off... 10/10 story
This series has been a wild ride, and I loved being tortured for every minute. No one will ever convince me that Henry wasn’t the perfect man, but I guess I can be persuaded that Buckingham wasn’t entirely evil.
And let me just say that Aya Kanno reminds me once again why I write my own stories; to create the happy endings I want and have certain relationships resolve the way I think they should be. But seriously, I don't think this could've ended any other way, and my love-hate relationship with the author rests in a peaceful surrender.

How I Read It:
I think it's important to note that I read Requiem of the Rose King wrong. I read this through the lens of a love story, where someone ends up with someone else to be happy. And that being with someone else was what a 'happy ending' should ultimately look like. That is not this story, and I don't know how I looked over that--actually, I do it's because I was so profoundly in love with Henry, but that's beside the point. I will admit that I was a bit too caught up in the Henry, Tyrell/Buckingham/Richard dynamic but nevertheless, here are my ultimate thoughts on this incredible story.

Aya Kanno really did deliver when she said ‘full circle’, because wow! There are scenes, poses, and dialogue, with Richard and Henry that are so similar to volumes 1-7. The emotions this made me feel.
However, this time, Richard understands what it means to bear the weight-of-the-crown, and he understands Henry in a way that he couldn’t have grasped when he was younger. It was really beautiful how in the end, it was Henry's spirit(?) look-alike(?) that gave Richard the final push.
This was truly not a love story, but it was at the same time. It was an internal love, and that payoff, I can see now, was never going to be external or by someone else’s hand, it had to be Richard being able to love himself, and free himself from his own hell.
I honestly think it’s rare for a story in this format to have this much heart to it, to have these types of themes, drama, and sadness. We climbed the hill with him until it was never about him ending up with someone, it was about finding his true self, and true desire, and being set free. And for that, I can truly appreciate this story and its ending, even if it was fun to ship characters together along the way. Buckingham and Henry live on two separate fields I think, and they weren’t meant to end with Richard, they were meant to push him forward into the true light.
Also the ending with Beth and Richmond, honestly, I wish her well.

My incoherent-right after I finished reading it-thoughts below:
...And when Henry says he can “finally kill him,” in the end he became Richard, helping him love himself, and killing King Richard the Third in battle. It makes sense and I hate that it does! Henry finally does die, on-screen this time in one of the final panels so there's no doubt about it this time. Truth be told I don’t know whether I can’t stop thinking about it/it doesn’t sit right because I love Henry too much, or because it was a bit anti-climatic in a way. I don’t know, all of that foreshadowing led me to believe there could've been more done with that arc, maybe a little bit of both. But in the end, it did make sense. Richard it is implied would live to see another day, based on his promise to Catesby (who did get a semi-happy ending!!!) but wow, just blown away by this ending. I love full-circle moments and will forever hold this series near and dear to my heart.

10/10 would recommend it if you’re down for some heartbreak.

[Shun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ma review globale de la série (je préviens en cas de spoiler).

J’ai trouvé dans ce manga des personnages profondément humains, ni tout noirs ni tout blancs, mis en scène de façon bouleversante et tragique. Le dessin à la plume d’Aya Kanno est magnifique, lyrique, gothique, sombre, allant à merveille avec l’histoire. Tout ça m’a fait pleurer bien plus d’une fois.

En plus d’avoir adoré cette tragédie humaine et politique, j’ai vraiment retrouvé dans le personnage de Richard une représentation de ce que peuvent être les vécus des personnes trans et intersexes. Le mal-être dans son propre corps causé par les dires des autres et l’image qui nous en est renvoyée, la peur du rejet des personnes qu’on aime une fois qu’elles connaissent la vérité sur qui on est, l’espèce de double réalité qu’on peut rencontrer aussi, entre les gens qui pensent que ces corps sont monstrueux et ceux qui les trouvent superbes.

En revanche, si j’ai absolument adoré la première partie de la série, j’ai moins aimé la seconde. Ça ne m’empêche pas de recommander chaudement ce manga, qui est pour moi un chef-d’œuvre et qui fait partie de mes lectures préférées !

[SPOILER à partir d’ici]

Buckingham est un personnage odieux et je n’imaginais pas qu’il prendrait une place si importante dans le récit. C’est un manipulateur et un vi*leur qui ne rechigne pas à utiliser tous les moyens possibles pour obtenir ce qu’il veut ou qui il veut. Richard est tombé sous son emprise car il pensait qu’il ne méritait pas mieux et qu’il finirait ainsi par obtenir la couronne pour y trouver enfin le bonheur. Je comprends aussi qu’il finisse par developper une dépendance à Buckingham, car même s’il est son agresseur, c’est la seule personne (ou c’est en tout cas ce que croit Richard) à pouvoir désirer son corps et rester auprès de lui. Richard n’était pas en mesure de faire d’autres choix que ceux qu’il a faits, et je trouve son personnage incroyablement bien construit.
En revanche, que Richard continue d’aimer sincèrement Buckingham, alors que ce dernier a tenté de le séquestrer, l’a forcé à abandonner son rêve, à se faire passer pour une femme et accoucher de leur potentiel enfant ? Que Richard le considère jusqu’à la fin comme une des personnes les plus chères à son cœur alors que Buckingham veut littéralement le posséder comme une chose ? Ça m’a terriblement frustré•e. J’aurais voulu voir Richard réaliser que ce n’était pas un amour pur mais un attachement uniquement attribuable aux traumatismes subis pendant sa vie, comme il s’est défait de la « malédiction » de sa mère lors de leur dernière rencontre. Car, en plus, Buckingham n’a absolument rien d’appréciable ; Richard ne pouvait aimer que l’idée d’être aimé et non la personne même de Buckingham. Je le hais du plus profond de mon être et j’étais bien soulagé•e de le voir enfin mourir :) Je pense que je n’ai jamais autant haï un personnage, et je me demande ce qu’en pense l’autrice. Il n’a tellement rien d’aimable que je ne peux pas l’imaginer l’apprécier…
Là où cette seconde partie, plus longue et lente que la première, m’a déçu•e, c’est dans le fait que Buckingham a pris TELLEMENT de place et de temps dans le récit que je ne lisais qu’en espérant que ça change. Depuis qu’Henry VI est revenu sous le nom de Tyrell, j’étais persuadé•e que Richard et lui se retrouveraient par hasard comme ils l’avaient fait tant de fois au début. Je pensais bien que ni l’un ni l’autre n’aurait de happy ending, mais je m’attendais vraiment à ce que Tyrell revienne au centre du récit avec Richard. À ce que Richard comprenne que c’était bien Henry VI et non juste un homme qui lui ressemble. Mais je trouve sa fin très belle, et je ne l’ai pas vue venir. Son sacrifice reste une belle façon de conclure leur histoire à tous lea deux, même si j’aurais voulu qu’une autre chance leur soit donnée entre temps.

J’ai aussi énormément de peine pour
Catesby, cet homme bon qui a assisté à tout, soutenant Richard indéfectiblement, et que Richard n’a pas su voir. Je lui souhaite de vivre une vie paisible et ordinaire, celle que ni Richard ni Henry VI n’ont pu avoir, et ce, qu’il réussisse à sauver Richard ou non. Catesby mérite tout le bonheur du monde.

J’aurais bien voulu voir plus de femmes ayant moins l’air de sorcières manipulatrices… Anne m’a touché•e un peu comme Catesby et son sort est d’autant plus tragique qu’elle meurt jeune sans connaître le bonheur, après avoir été manipulée par son père et par Richard, mariée de force, etc.
La dernière entrevue de Richard et sa mère était vraiment la bienvenue. Je trouve que l’explication de son obsession monomaniaque à traiter Richard comme un démon prend tout son sens à cet instant. Elle n’est pas juste une mère horrible qui n’a pas su accepter son enfant, mais aussi une femme ayant subi un vi*l, qui se reproche ce dernier et qui a dû en garder la trace permanente qu’est Richard. Si ça n’excuse aucunement son comportement envers RIchard, on comprend sa douleur et le poids des traumatismes intergénérationnels.

En conclusion, malgré sa seconde partie pour moi plus faible, ce manga est un chef-d’œuvre qui fera partie de mes titres préférés. J’ai pleuré de tristesse, de frustration et de douleur, j’ai trouvé un grand nombre de ses personnages tellement réalistes, j’y ai vu des messages sur la religion, les violences sexuelles et les relations d’emprise, et plus encore. J’ai mis un temps fou à finir ce manga à cause du trop plein d’émotions qu’il me causait, et maintenant que c’est fait, je suis bouleversé•e par cette fin et par la frustration de n’avoir pas pu donner aux personnages ce que j’espérais pour eux.

[Paola (Minpao)]

No te doy puntuación hasta leerte en español ya que eso puede influir mucho en mi opinión final.

[Manon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une série incroyable qui mériterait d’être plus connue 🥀

[Nea Poulain · Rating 5 out of 5]

kjfdhjfdhjfd no puedo creerlo aya kanno aaaaaaaa

pinche señora la amo ya entendi por que tyrell tenia que matar a richard ya lo entendi todo al final lo que importaba era aceptarse a uno mismo aaaaaaaaaa

señora la amo probablemente escribio una de las mejores versiones falsas de la guerra de las dos rosas y le hizo un tributo increible a shakespeare y jkfdjhfdhj LA AMO MUCHO OK?

su inclusion de juana de arco (el papa de richard y pedos con la corona de henry vi tienen que ver con ella por si se preguntan WHY HER) uffa

dios mio la amooooooooooo

ya no se que decir solo que catesby QUIERE BIEN A RICHARD, al final de todo, se lo merece :')

[Takunoshi Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this by looking at raws, others reviews, summaries, and fan translations. I really loved the beginning of this series and was excited to see where it was going, but around volume 9 or 10 I didn’t like how the plot had progressed and probably wouldn’t have continued if I hadn’t read that far already. This final volume didn’t quite give me much of an ending or plot climax that I wanted or even expected. I’m not even 100% sure I understand the ending, it seems that Richard is alive, but it’s too open to be exact. I think Henry died? And Richard learned to love himself or accept himself?? It was very confusing for me. So I’m giving it 2/5 stars as I just don’t know… I enjoyed the beginning but as it kept going, the more I was bored with it and confused in aspects.

[Emi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy buen final para la serie. Ahora estoy deseando leer el spin-off the Margaret

[lizz · Rating 4 out of 5]

მთლიანობაში კარგი მანგაა, განსხვავებული...
ბოლოში ცოტა ფანტაზია მოაკლდა ავტორს მაგრამ ცუდი არაა :დ

[Gocrope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Increíble. Es la primera serie de manga que me leo y creo haber escogido la mejor que me voy a leer nunca. Es perfecta de principio a fin. Este último tomo mezcla el drama, la tragedia, la epicidad y la esperanza. Hay un toque onírico durante el desarrollo de la historia que aquí llega a su máximo esplendor, cerrando la historia de una manera sublime.

[Marie Fabre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je pars en depression, c’est bon, cette saga m’acheve à chaque fois 🫡💔😭

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uf no sé qué pensar de ese final...
En líneas generales me ha gustado y me lo venía venir pero... Muy abierto, precipitado y no del todo lo que esperaba

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm crying, you're crying, everyone's crying, what an amazing ride from beginning to end.

[Loz · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an epic gorgeous problematic fave. I could not quit this series. I cannot actually recommend it, esp with some real dicey gender stuff, but I devoured every volume and am happy I did.

[crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came into this series knowing it was based on a tragedy and it wasn’t going to end well for Richard. Still, despite everything he’s been through at least he got peace in the end.

[sofi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finito lo yaoi tra re Riccardo III e re Enrico VI di Inghilterra 👍🏻
Congratulazioni alla miglior intersex rep. of all medias, il bacio in bocca alla testa mozzata di suo padre rimarrà iconico sempre e comunque.

[Milenrrama · Rating 5 out of 5]

100/10

Me ha encantado. De mis mangas favoritos de este año (y menuda seguidilla de calidad llevo con Pluto y Banana Fish antes que este). Me lo he pasado pipa. A ver, algunas cosas a destacar (con spoilers trufados con discreción):

Shakespeare. Inunda toda la serie. Parece obvio, porque al fin y al cabo esto se inspira no en los sucesos reales, sino en la visión shakesperiana de Enrique VI y Ricardo III. Pero a la vez no lo es tanto, porque se nota que hay un trabajo brutal de documentación por parte de la autora para asegurarse de que su ficción encaja perfectamente en la historia y sea plausible (creo que el único elemento donde se ha tomado una libertad, y está justificada, pues el dato real no está claro, es la edad de Edward Plantagenet de Middleham). Pero eso, no es solo que tome la deformidad de Ricardo III shakesperiano y la convierta en una suerte de intersexualidad contextualizada en un momento histórico donde lo dibuja como una maldición/signo del diablo, sino la manera en la que referencia a multitud de obras: El mercader de Venecia, Romeo y Julieta, Hamlet, Macbeth, Noche de reyes, Sueño de una noche de verano, La tempestad... Todas estan presentes en diferentes momentos de la trama. Las reflexiones, los momentos de tensión, las resoluciones, los juegos de disfraces, las reiteraciones, las profecías ominosas... forman parte esencial de la trama.

El harem. Es obvio, desde el principio, que aquí todo el mundo va a ser guapo, joven y bello, aunque tengan 60 años, jajaja. Forma parte del encanto de la obra. Busca ser estética, no histórica, aunque curiosamente sea más fidedigna que muchas otras adaptaciones de esta obra y este periodo hechas por señores muy fieles a la historia (vuelvo sobre esto en el siguiente punto). Y funciona como un tiro. Richard tiene su propio harén de hombres y mujeres que lo admiran y caen encandilados por él... SIN LLEGAR A SER UN GARY STU. Richard es un hombre atormentado, que carga con el peso de algo que no comprende y le cuesta aceptar, que es una sentencia de muerte si sale a la luz. Pero paradójicamente, está rodeado de personas que lo aman por ser quien es, que son capaces de ver más allá de su maldición. Anne Neville, Edward Lancaster, Henry Sttaford, Henry VI, Catesby... El plantel de secundarios es MAGNÍFICO y a cada cual mejor. Leñe, hasta yo he caído rendido a los pies del "deforme y demoníaco" Ricardo III. Si ni siquiera Edward IV se libra de ese encandilamiento, vamos a ver xD. Y es su hermano!

Los personajes femeninos. Torcí un poco el morro al principio, porque me parecía que habían simplificado mucho personajes como Margarita de Anjou, PERO QUÉ VA. Hay multitud de personajes femeninos en lo que, a priori, es la trama de un hombre relacionándose con otros hombres y cada una de esas mujeres tiene una personalidad diferente, motivaciones, impulsos, defectos, virtudes. Margerite de Anjou comandando las tropas de Henry VI y su fiereza, el desprecio hacia su marido, su comprensión sobre las motivaciones de este una vez viuda, aun así mantener sus principios y argumentos porque son razonables... Me puede pisar la cabeza. Jeanne D'Arc, representando esa faceta concreta de Richard. Anne Neville, que podría parecer la doncella enamorada del hombre ad nauseam, que acaba teniendo un desarrollo tan triste como dulce, qué inteligente es. Jane, por supuesto. La bruja. También la puta. Pero ojo, qué dignidad, qué maravilloso remate tiene el personaje. Su conversación final con Richard es de lo mejorcito de la serie sin duda alguna. Cecily, a quien entiendes al final, pero no por eso deja de ser odiosa y no es malo que lo sea, porque estás en el PoV de Richard siempre. Elizabeth, una estratega política fuerte, que comienza movida por la venganza y que acaba consiguiendo salvar a sus hijas y colocarlas en el trono. Aya Akano parte de los arquetipos básicos históricos asignados a personajes femeninos (la histérica, la puta, la bruja, la madre, la esposa...) y les da a todos su razón de ser, su pequeño giro, su paso de uno a otro (Anne Neville mismo es la doncella, pero también la madre, pasando por estratega política entre medias). Sin salirse de sus "papeles clásicos", todas tienen relevancia, tanta, en algunos casos, como Buckingham, Henry o Catesby.

Y eso. Buckingham. Henry VI. Eduardo de Westminster. Catesby. Los cuatro hombres de la vida de Richard. Su gran amor. Su primer amor. El que nunca lo vio como el hombre que era. El único que siempre lo quiso bien. James Tyrrel. El hombre que debía matar a Richard III. ES QUE UFFF. LOS PELOS COMO ESCARPIAS. Qué bien manejada toda esta trama. Qué estrujado el corazón con cada uno de los personajes, empezando y acabando siempre, en un círculo, con Richard. He acabado yo enamorado de todos ellos a través de la mirada de Richard, que los quiere mucho.

Y ah... el amor. El gran tema troncal de este manga. Que parece que no, que es el desprecio que RIchard siente hacia sí mismo, la maldición que él mismo se labra a base de creer que está maldito. Pero no. Richard cree ser un demonio, alguien oscuro que no merece nada. Pero todo lo que hace, TODO, incluso lo más oscuro, lo hace por amor. Por amor a su familia, a su casa, a su reino, a la corona. Y es, de hecho, cuando empieza a enfocar ese amor de forma no despiadada, a no cometer crímenes en nombre de ese amor, cuando deja de triunfar. El arco de personaje de Richard, de la oscuridad a la luz, del triunfo a la pérdida, es maravilloso. Es su amor por Buckingham, Catesby, Edward de Middleham, Anne Neville... el que le aboca a su propia muerte.

Brutal.

Especialmente recomendado: si gustas del angst suave, te gusta Canción de Hielo y Fuego/Juego de tronos, las tragedias de Shakespeare o corte shakesperiano o eres fan de la historia de Reino Unido/la guerra de las rosas/guerras entre realeza por el poder del trono.

[Yunebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigo sin asimilar que haya acabado esta obra. Después de 4 años solo puedo estar feliz de haberle dado una oportunidad y de hacer relectura para leerla del tirón.

Una obra de 10. De mis obras favoritas, aunque haya sufrido lo más grande hahajajja

[kerrycat · Rating 5 out of 5]

noooo I don't want it to be over
seriously one of the most stunning manga ever

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

With this final volume, we close out the last moments of Richard III's life. It is important to remember that this series was begun before Richard IIIs body was found and also that this is based on the Shakespeare plays, not history. Kanno had a fun time twisting the story but still trying to keep as much of the inspiration intact as possible.

Story: As Richard leaves for the battle of Bosworth Field, he is intercepted by his mother. She decries the 'demon' she gave birth to and prays for Henry Tudor's victory. In this action, Richard comes to realize that the voice that haunted him his whole life, tearing him down and making him hate himself, was always his mother's. And even as a disease wracks his body from within, he can find peace in the coming battle through this new understanding.

It's no spoiler really to know that this is Richard's last battle. Kanno weaves in the mystical as well as playing with facts, making Richard a far more sympathetic character while Henry Tudor is much more maligned. Shakespeare wrote his plays to favor the contemporary Tudor court and so Richard would be vilified and Henry Rudor deified. Kanno does a neat job in turning that on its head at the end.

There is plenty of pathos and not much time is spent on the betrayals that led to Richard's defeat. The ending is fairly abrupt and other than a throwaway line about needing a horse, there aren't as many Shakespeare references here. Instead, the focus is on the pathos and psychology of Richard as the losses mounted in his life (wife, son, friends, lovers all dead) and the realization that he has accomplished what he set out to do and can face the battle calmly.

The illustration work continues to be beautiful and consistent throughout. In all, a great ending to a fun historical series. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot believe how even in its final volume, and even with knowing the well-worn tale of Richard III, Aya Kanno still manages to surprise me at every turn. I'm both impressed, heartsick and also at peace all at once by this final volume and ending to Richard's story. This character is truly one for the ages. I salute Aya Kanno for never ever dropping the ball on Richard right up to the end, but even with all the other supporting characters. And when I mean 'surprised', I mean that it is very much in line with the character and breathtakingly compelling. The story concludes in such a fitting way about a character that has struggled with body dysmoprhia, self-hatred, feeling isolated, neglected and rejected his entire life, and yet constantly reaches for something.

Richard's choice at the end to keep on struggling and somewhat be at peace with all the choices he has made hurling him towards all the losses in his life is very moving and compelling and strangely life-affirming (I am aware I am a weirdo that sees this as life-affirming as opposed to tragic). A major theme of this series is how the crown and power is an illusion, and is the tragedy and downfall of the entire cast of characters, especially Richard.

But the final scenes showing that Richard chooses to continue the struggle (especially in contrast with all the people that died around him who had that choice of life or action taken away from them directly or indirectly) and choosing to accept and perhaps even love himself, and the somewhat open ending on glorious, beautiful imagery the only way Aya Kanno knows how, is really powerful. Yes, power and glory is an illusion and tragic as an overarching theme, but for Richard, his final message is of self-love and acceptance.

And that's really goddamn beautiful, especially as an ultimately extremely queer story.

[Printia_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Una rosa puede marchitarse si nadie cuida del jardín en el que vive. Si está sola, no podrá soportar tempestades ni ventiscas. Por muy fuerte que sea, al final quedará a merced de las garras de una muerte inminente."

Durísimo final para esta obra que tanto me ha cautivado y que tanto he amado. Se ha ganado un gran puesto en las mejores lecturas de este año, y voy a echar mucho de menos a todos los personajes de esta obra.

El tomo en general presenta un ritmo frenético, en el cual Richard se ve sumido en una vorágine de sentimientos que nunca antes había sentido. Esto ha hecho que la evolución de su personaje llegase a su punto final de forma correcta y concisa.

Aunque él no ha sido el único, ya que todos los secundarios han tenido su momento para brillar y redimirse por sus pecados y acciones, pudiendo ver como cada una de ellas ha repercutido en el tiempo hasta los eventos presentes.

Me gusta tambien que no se haya recurrido a ningún cliché raro, tipo era todo un sueño, para enturbiar ese final que, aunque algo predecible, te deja bastante tocada por como se muestra.

Aunque este final no solo se centra en el destino de Richard y los secundarios, sino que tambien deja entrever cuál será el destino de esa corona que quiere todo el mundo y del país que ha maldecido a tantas cabezas con ese obsequio.

Por tanto, considero que su final, por haber cerrado todos los frentes y aportar una breve vista al futuro, es bastante bueno, estando a la altura de la historia que se ha contado en el resto de sus páginas y tomos.

[kindofgirlyoulike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le requiem du roi des roses enchaîne les larmes les complots et les trahisons, tout en faisant graviter par la thématique même de l’œuvre, le prix d’une couronne. Ici sur Terre, notre véritable but, quelles sont nos ambitions et quel prix que sommes nous enclins à payer pour obtenir ce qu’on veut, mais aussi, ce qu’on souhaite est-il vraiment le seul but de notre vie ? Est-ce que nous sommes condamnés à survivre aux ambitions mortes de nos pairs ?
Que ce soit par les liens tissés complexes et remarquables des personnages, la beauté des dessins, le Requiem du Roi des Roses met en lumière tout ce qu’implique pour Richard III, de suivre sa lumière, et de quitter les ténèbres dans lesquelles on l’a plongé dès sa naissance. Est-ce qu’on devient démon par nos actions ou est-ce que parfois, nous naissons démons ?
J’aimerais avoir plus de mots pour décrire la beauté de l’œuvre, la symbolique de chaque action de nos personnages, mais je pense qu’il me faudra une deuxième lecture pour appréhender avec un peu plus de recul tous les éléments de la série.
Pour autant, je peux conclure cet avis sur cela : j’ai beaucoup aimé ma lecture, bien que je ne connaissais pas l’œuvre originelle, et je ne peux que vous la recommander.

[Vee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire series has been such a ride! The journey about goals, dreams, loved ones, and learning to accept yourself as you are is one that many of us can relate to. The ending is open, and while that might seem good for Richard, we must remember that even if he survived his injuries, he was sick. Any historical buff that picked this up knowing the story of Richard the Third needs a medal of honor. I assumed there would be some changes made, but at the end of the day, I can’t bring myself to fantasize that Richard and Catesby are living together happily elsewhere. But that’s what they deserved. Catesby was the only person who truly loved Richard as he was, and I wish Richard could have seen that from the beginning. That could have spared him (and me!) a lot of pain. This was wonderfully written, and the art was beautiful. This series is not for everyone, but it will speak to certain people, especially those of us who have never felt like we fit in.

[Ester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si bien no sé cómo sentirme y tampoco creo que sea un final perfecto, le doy la màxima puntuación por la grandísima obra que es Réquiem en su conjunto. El final no sé si me gusta o no, pero es el que debía y es una mezcla perfecta entre la historia real del final de la Guerra de las dos rosas y la caída de la casa Plantagenet y el auge de los Tudor como también es coherente por esta versión tan personal realizada por Aya Kanno.

Me alegra que Richar encuentre una forma de libertarse de su maldición, de terminar con el daño que le hizo su madre y que se reconcilie consigo mismo. Creo que me quedo con estas dos cosas que valen más que lo precipitado del final.

Con todo, Réquiem por el rey de la rosa es una obra monumental, una maravilla y será siempre mi Shôjo favorito junto a La Rosa de Versailles.

[gumis.divine.dogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Requiem of the Rose King is one of my favorite mangas. I loved everything that happened in it : it was painful, sad, heartbreaking but Aya Kanno knows how to write realistic characters who will make you reflect on certain topics. I wouldn't know how to describe the story : it's a vicious game of politics, the journey of a person who's never man nor woman, who suffered immensely because of it and who slowly learns to love himself but not as much as his soulmate who ends up regretting helping get the throne because it gets in the way of their love, the same man who had sworn he would never love anyone. My heart broke reading this but it's so rare to read such a well-crafted story that's openly queer, I love it so much. And the art is gorgeous.

[Sam Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

La historia, todo lo que ha avanzado, como ha concurrido, los giros, el drama, todo... Maravilloso. NO puedo darle 5, le daría 1000 a todo en conjunto de esta reimaginación que ha creado Aya Kanno de la guerra de las Dos Rosas. Ese final me ha dolido... No creo que sea el que yo quería, pero tampoco creo que fuera malo. Simplemente... Me costaba aceptarlo y son cosas que eventualmente pasaría.

"Ahora, aunque sea un instante... Déjame tener dulces sueños."

Flipando con los personajes, con Catesby siendo mi imperio romano. Con como cambió todo desde el tomo 13 hasta este final.

Para toda la historia en conjunto: 1000000⭐
Para este tomo: 4⭐, ya que me ha encantado, pero de verdad que me duele el final.

[Taylor Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Richard is Joan of Arc reincarnated?…sick.

I was worried the ending would feel rushed, and while that is slightly the case, I felt like everything was wrapped up nicely. I do, however, wish we knew what happened to the other characters. I especially want to know what happens with Catsby as he’s my favorite.

I really loved this series!! It’s definitely one of my favorite mangas. The first act was my favorite but I still greatly enjoyed the rest. I love a tragic romance and one that is inspired by Shakespeare promises for A LOT of tragedy. The biggest tragedy, though, is Richard and Henry VI never sharing a kiss again (let alone never having sex) and growing old as gay shepherds together.