INNOCENT ROUGE

DESCRIPTION

CAST

CHAPTERS

MANGA DramaInnocent
ONE SHOT DramaInnocent Rouge Gaiden: Ouhi Antoinette, Mona Lisa ni Au

REVIEWS

• 

  carcar435867

  90/100
  Innocent Rouge is poetry in motion, playing out on pages rendered in unparalleled lavish detail.

  Enter the Sansons, the executioner family of France for it is through their eyes that the story of Innocent Rouge is framed.

  Those familiar with the French Revolution may think they know what they're in for when reading this series but you would be wrong. Despite adhering to the historical events as they took place in actual fact, the mangaka Sakamoto puts his own spin on things utilizing some of the most creative and imaginative visual metaphors I have ever seen in the medium. By heightening the drama of these already dramatic historical events through the use of over-the-top characters and wildly creative non-linear storytelling sensibilities Sakamoto has created a real page turner as I never once knew what was coming next despite my knowledge of the French Revolution. Personalities and pre-existing character quirks from these historical figures are dialed up to 100 so you know you're in for a wild ride here. Moreover, while these characters are definitely larger than life that isn't to say they are lacking in depth. In fact with some of these characters, Marie-Josèph in particular, there is a remarkable degree of complexity.

  The first thing one will notice about Innocent Rouge is without a doubt the art, which has been so meticulously rendered in loving detail. The sumptuous, gorgeous depictions of the aristocrats juxtapose so well against the abject poverty of the working class. The realistic art inspires both awe and horror as equal effort is put toward depicting the riches of the world of the royals as to the carnage and gore of the world of the executioners. Sakamoto makes use of multiple wildly varied art-styles throughout Innocent Rouge in order to make full use of the capabilities of the manga medium. For example, the main art style used in the series is a hyper-realistic one presumably making use of 3d models and/or photography to achieve, however Sakamoto also uses a moe-fied anime style on some occasions in order to drive home certain points. This clash of styles would likely lead to tonal whiplash in the hands of a less experienced author but in the case of Innocent Rouge the shifting art styles is used to great effect, whether it's seamlessly transitioning into a musical number in the middle of a sword fight or being transported to a Japanese high-school in the midst of a mental breakdown it all just works.

  There's a lot of powerful themes on display in Innocent Rouge, freedom or the lack thereof, injustice, power imbalance, the gap between the rich and poor and also feminism. These themes are primarily told through the lens of the Sanson siblings but the narrative also shifts on occasion to the supporting cast which offers a fresh and often starkly different viewpoint. As mentioned before the art in this series is fantastic and the visual imagery on display does wonders to reinforce these themes that are explored in the series.

  As a whole this manga was an absolute joy to read but if I had to make one critique of it it's that the characters do not appear to age. Charles-Henri looks the same in his 20's as he does in his 40's with not a single wrinkle on his face which detracts from other more realistic parts of the story (I get it, Sakamoto wants to make these characters look beautiful but come on at least give them a couple wrinkles). With gorgeous art and dynamic characters, Innocent Rouge is a feast for the eyes and the mind as it offers up some fascinating commentary on modern society that shine through despite the historical theme. I highly recommend this series for those with even a modicum of interest in the French Revolution or just someone who enjoys reading a serious story told in an unserious way.

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• 

  mudk1p

  90/100
  A brutal, yet engaging walk-through of the horrors of past turning into present.

  First of all, you can read Innocent Rouge without reading the prequel, Innocent. Although the series doesn't give much of a recap, the introductory setting is still strong enough to give you context for what you're in for. And it is a LOT.

  The series centers around the protagonist, Marie-Joseph, who is a walking metaphor for everything the French revolution stood for; women's rights, freedom, brutality, abolishment and the ever-grounded rebellions. She right away is introduced as arrogant, self-serving, determined, selfish and nothing like the readers' would usually like to see in the main character, especially if we have to see things from her perspective. In another commenter's words, "I hate her and how she exacts her corrupt sense of justice, yet I still find myself rooting for her and waiting for her to come save the day." She isn't made to be likeable, and Sakamoto perfectly writes her as what she is meant to be - unapologetically herself, to the point where even the audience can't match up to her and her brutal ways.

  The gore in the series is extreme, graphic and realistic, but it all makes sense. Not once did I feel like the obscene things being shown were just for shock purposes, they all were there for a reason, and they were all rightfully gut-wrenching. Many times, I was scared to turn the page and see what would become of a character, who even if they did some heinous crime, I still did not want to see how they would be punished to death for it.

  It's definitely not for the faint-hearted, it shows rape, torture, disembowelment - whatever fucked up torture method you think of - in super graphic detail that it makes you squirm and even physically flinch at times and that's exactly how you should react to seeing someone get executed, get reasonably or unreasonably tortured - it's not supposed to make you curious and intrigued, it's supposed to make you feel confused and disgusted with how low humanity can stoop. That's the reality of these things.

  Throughout the story, Sakamoto uses metaphors in such intricate ways that you would never have imagined before, and the best thing of all is the satire. One time you would see someone get executed in the most grotesque way, then the next you would see a sick, dying aristocrat saying "Adieu, boobies."

  Everything has a butterfly effect, everything that happens has a purpose, even the smallest plot points. Not once did it divert from its actual storyline, as everything gets stitched together in some way.

  It's so thought-provoking I had to actually lay down and just think after I'd finished the series. I couldn't tell if I was absolutely crushed by it like how Punpun made me depressed for a week or just... enlightened in some way.

  Overall, the few points of criticism I would probably give is how some plot points never got solved or shown again.

  I feel like this series can't really be re-read, the feeling you get when you first read it can't be attained again.

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• 

  Artanis88

  80/100
  What can the human spirit bear without being crushed by the weight of its existence?

  Let us face it, the first thing that strikes you about "Innocent" are the drawings. Exceptionally detailed, so much so that some panels could easily be framed and hung somewhere. They remain unchanged and get even better in "Innocent Rouge", just as the author's crude but effective method of portraying the psychology of his characters does not change. A Charles Henri Sanson is joined by the strong, stubborn and unconventional figure of his younger sister Marie Josèphe, who plays an almost marginal role in the first series.

  

  I approached the two series (first "Innocent" and then "Rouge") more out of curiosity than genuine interest, and the rather obvious references to Versailles No Bara certainly carried their weight, at least as far as I was concerned.

  The similarities with Oscar are numerous - Marie even has an assistant named André and a lost love, a man named Alain, who was murdered by an aristocrat - but she has no balance or sense of justice that Oscar had, and his restless torment is never conditioned by his actions, which Marie pursues to the end and to the extreme, transcending the usual concepts of good and evil and guided only by her instinct.

  

  I was also drawn to the personal and family history of the Sansons, with its concept of guilt, sin, innocence forced to bear a heavy burden passed down from generation to generation, a terrible "fate" that no member of the Sanson family can escape, no matter how much they want to.
  "Innocent Rouge", like the previous series, is not a easy read; it's imbued with so much pain, suffering and horror, it's raw and cruel; it shows the most brutal and violent aspects of human nature, the darkest and bestial side, and the autor shows it to us, through a hyperrealistic style.

  

  There is any flaw in this manga? If I really have to find one, in some cases the author tends to fall into the common, typical Japanese mistake of stereotyping a particular culture to the extreme. For example, some prominent French personalities known for their eccentricity are doubly eccentric in this manga. Very much oriental style. Some may like this, others may not, but that doesn't change the fact that even in these cases they're extremely interesting characters.

  The ending is worthy of the story and its characters and closes this series very well. Reading it undoubtedly makes the reader think about many concepts regarding human nature and its essence: what are good and evil, guilt, sin? What can the human spirit bear without being crushed by the weight of its existence?
  
  Like I said, it is not a read suitable for everyone, but with a little courage you can certainly face a very interesting plot.

  My vote is 4 stars

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