Post by crowhats on Oct 12, 2011 16:38:06 GMT -5
Most fans of anime are at least familiar with Gonzo’s adaption of Alexander Dumas’s masterpiece The Count of Monticristo, which is entitled Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (if you are not familiar with this title I highly encourage you to view it). Very few people, however have read or are even aware that Gankustou was also adapted into a manga series by it’s director Mahiro Maeda. It is sad that this work goes so un-noticed since the manga for Gankustou is actually an excellent work. In fact it is the first manga adaption of an anime that I would actually consider a worthy adaption. What is really interest though about this book is that it is both a re-adaption of it’s source material, and a supplement that adds further details to the anime series. These two purposes allow this book to stand on it’s own as a original work, and also add to interesting details for fans of the anime series. This title, however has a single but major flaw to it which can greatly hurt it’s reading experience, and possibly detract from interest in reading this work (more on this later). Despite this problem it is well worth reading this manga, and it doesn’t disappoint unlike most adapted manga series.
One of the most challenging elements for this manga was probably the adapting of the originals art style. The anime uses an extremely unique style of art that incorporate bright colors, and elaborate fabric cut out designs into the animation. Thankfully, instead of attempting the impossible task of trying to copy this design, this work instead presents a equally detailed and unique style of artwork. The character design is especially interestingly done, typically using drawing style that employing a minimal and creative use of line work. My only real complaint with this art style is that it’s use of this character design can occasionally be used more as shortcut, despite it’s generally creative employment. Where this work really is outstanding though is in it’s detailed and lively background work, and the angles it employs, which have clearly have been influenced by Tezuka works such as MW. The shading work and use of dramatic cityscape's combined with surrealist image imagery is also truly remarkable. While the art of this manga has in general great character designs, it is incredible the backgrounds and cinematic angles used that really are the most impressive.
While very similar to the anime, the Gankutsuou manga has a number of important differences that sets it apart. The plot of this book centers around the mysterious Count of Monticristo, a man formally known to most as Edmond Dantes. This tale takes place in futuristic space setting, and upon a planet that somewhat mimics the Dumas setting of 19th century France. Much like in the Dumas text Edmond is betrayed on the day of his wedding by his friends, and a crooked judge. He is then placed upon him on a prison ship where he is tortured, and endures great suffering, while his former friends prosper. After accepting the help of a demon named Gankutsuou his body transforms so as to look like a alien and is freed from his bonds. He then manages to escape the prison before it crashes. Next he begins plotting his revenge upon those who wronged him, while using a newly acquired fortune to help this endeavor. I loved how the story for the manga was made more direct and dark then the anime series was. These changes worked well with the length and format of this manga. Sometimes, however I felt that the plot-details were over-explained, when the work could have been more subtle or waited longer before revealing secrets. The element that really impresses me the most about this work’s plot is that it isn’t a simple revenge story with a good vs evil theme. Although, the Count could be seen as less evil then the men who betrayed him, his actions are still extremely cruel and place him far from a typical heroic and/or good protagonist. This theme makes this book more ambiguous then most work based upon revenge where it is easy to distinguish good and evil.
The major difference between this work’s story, and that of the anime is that most of the focus of the three volumes is centered around the Count and to explaining his back story. While first segment of the story still focuses upon the two young nobles Albert and Franz, and the first encounter they have with the Count, the story quickly shifts to focusing on the Count and to those who he is plotting against. This point sadly leads me into the work’s really major weakness, which is that it is was never completed. Though the Count’s first plot of revenge against the crooked prosecutor was finished, I was left extremely disappointed that the story never even got close to the final conclusion. This created another major problem, because many of the details used set up the traits of rest of the cast ended up seeming pointless to the overall progression of the plot. Still I felt it was better to include these details, rather then leave them out since it was still interesting to see the development of the largely unused cast members. As it is the story is short with these details included, so they actually helped create a thoughtful pacing. While this lack of an ending really is disappointing, I still greatly enjoyed what was presented in this tale despite it’s lack of closure.
The manga for the Count of Monticristo does away with a vast majority of the more minor characters found within the anime, and relegates many members of the cast to much more minor roles. The one character who is definitely developed even more in this manga though is the Count. The Count’s portrayal is one of the main elements that makes this story so effective. Outwardly the Count is generally charismatic, mysterious and seems kind, but within he is a conflicted, calculating, vengeful and cold figure. The manga does a great job expressing the Count’s thoughts through internal monologues, back-story and most interestingly surreal looking visual representations. Lastly I was extremely impressed by the eccentric details and charisma given to his character.
The rest of the cast likewise are extremely detailed personality wise, even if they didn’t end up being used much in the story. The three villainous betrayers all behave properly wickedly so as to lessen any sympathy one might have for them. They are also given obvious and logical reasons for why they betrayed Edmond. The banker Danglars is greedy and self interested man, who sets up the plan to do away with Edmond. Fernand Mondego is a prominent general, and is Albert’s father. Fernand gets rid Edmond so he can marry Edmond’s bride Mercédès, whom he jealously was is in love with (though this detail was only hinted towards within the manga).
The most important and detailed though of the villains in this work is the power hungry judge Gérard de Villefort. In this work it is revealed that to protect his family name, and for political gain that he sends Edmond to a floating prison in space without a proper trail. He does this after lying to Edmond that he will help clear Edmond’s name, adding insult to the injury. Villefort is portrayed as a power hungry man, who is driven to a lust for power after overhearing his grandfather’s lack of belief in him as a child. He marries an aristocrat after his first wife dies so as to enhance his family name, and is in all aspects shown to purely be concerned with his career. He is willing to sell out anything for this power, including selling out his friend’s, and even his own family. His daughter from his first marriage, Valentine is portrayed as a victim of her father’s cruelty, and a lack of love from her stepmother. She relies on her un-speaking paralyzed grandfather for comfort as she is often alone. Valentine is suppose to marry Albert’s friend Franz, and they do initially seem to get along well. Later in the story, however it is made clear she isn’t pleased about this forced arrangement and doesn’t feel close to Franz. The most interesting member though of the Villefort family other then Gérard is his second wife, Héloïse de Villefort. Héloïse is a jealous botanist who initially seeks to poison Valentine (getting the idea from hints dropped by the Count). She is infuriated that Valentine has been made the sole heir to her grandfather’s huge fortune, and his huge house. Gérard father’s will leaves out the rest of Villefort family, including Héloïse own son Edouard (who is actually a nice character in this adaptation). Héloïse is just as cunning and wicked as her husband, and uses her talents maliciously to try to plot and manipulate others. This complex family conflict and dis-function eventually becomes the demise of Villefort household.
There are a few other important characters worth talking about, despite their lesser roles in the story. Albert is especially interesting to talk about since his role is so much smaller then in the anime, despite that he is very important initially to the plot. I feel Albert’s character is often misunderstood by viewers, and actually is very well designed. His actions are at times extremely foolish and overly trusting, but there are good reasons behind why he is so rash, besides just plot contrivance. Despite clearly being good hearted he is also a naive and sheltered character child of aristocrat, and is easily swayed by the charismatic nature of the Count. His inner dialogue in these early chapters, much like the Count later dialogue is very interesting to hear and well written. Franz is a much more conventional character in this interpretation. He seems to get along much better with Valentine, and is more accepting of his arranged marriage to her. His role is relatively small again in comparison to the anime remediation. He mostly acts as a outsider to the events surrounding the Villefort family later in the work, and earlier acts as the voice of reason for Albert (despite the fact that Albert frequently ignores him). While these two only really play a important role in the beginning of the story, each are well developed and easy to relate to. The other two important cast member’s are the Counts stylish butlers Giovanni Bertuccio and Baptistin. Their main purpose is to be impressive looking and to discuss the Count’s plot using conversational dialogue. The whole cast including the minor characters are all fleshed out in a way that makes each one interesting to learn about. It is real a shame that the story ended before many of them had their chance to play a major roles in the story.
This is an excellent manga, and is definitely on par with immense quality of the anime series. The artwork is generally amazing, the story and cast are well adapted in this version, as well as carefully detailed and easy to follow on it’s own. While this work is hurt by it’s incomplete nature, if for no other reason this work is worth picking up as a supplement to the amazing anime series it is based on. The quality of this book makes it definitely the best anime to manga adaptations I can remember reading. If you are a fan of either the original Dumas story, the anime series or this manga just sounds interesting to you then this is well worth purchasing.
