Gankutsuou

Gankutsou is a hidden gem in the world of anime. Its mature themes and lack of fan service are probably some of the reasons why it is so criminally underappreciated. Common criticisms being that the plot is too "slow" or "boring" are clear evidence that most viewers are simply not mature enough to appreciate its hyper realistic depictions love, friendship, betrayal and revenge. Sure, you could argue that there are other hyper realistic anime out there with large fanbases, but they always have fan service, quips and epic music to draw in large audiences. Sadly, Gankutsou has neither and is dead seriously mature from the start to finish which will most likely alienate younger audiences. Story 10/10 Without question this is probably the best adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo" I have seen to date. There are a lot of movies out there, but this anime just blows them all out of the water. The setting is set thousands of years in the future so it has a very interesting sci-fi feel to it. Even if you are aware of the plot of "The Count of Monte Cristo" I would still highly recommend watching Gankutsou. The twists and surprises to the plot itself are what makes this show truely unique on its own. Animation 9/10 I don't understand how some people are put off by the 3D holographic art style because I found it to be absolutely stunning. For a 2004 anime, it is remarkably beautifully animated. Only a minor criticism, and that is I felt the fight and space battle sequences looked a bit clumsy in 3D. Other than that, the way the animation makes certain characters and scenes shine and sparkle is like eye candy. Especially the holographic waifus. ;^) Sound 6/10 This is perhaps the biggest disappointment for me. The opening and ending songs were hardly memorable and I found myself skipping them right after the first episode. The underlying soundtrack however is very good and fits the scenes well, especially during tense and emotional sequences. Nothing too memorable however... :/ Character 10/10 Each and every character is extremely well developed and written. I found myself becoming attached and really moved by their stories and experiences through the show. Heck, even the acting was so hyper realistic that at times I questioned whether I was watching an anime or a mature drama serial performed by real actors! Final score 9/10. Honestly, if the music weren't so uninspiring, I would be giving this show 10/10 right now.

I've been an anime fan for almost 20 years, with my heyday being in the "anime bubble" of the early to mid 2000s. Those were fun times to be an anime fan, with con culture really blowing up, anime being licensed like crazy, fansubs still being fun and clandestine and shelves at Best Buy overflowing with anime. One of those shows I always saw at Best Buy was "Gankutsou", and I always thought "Huh, that looks cool, maybe I'll buy it" but I never did. So after saying "huh, I should watch that show" after 12 years, I finally did, and boy was it worth it. I don't think I've ever seen another show like it, at least in terms of the art style. Much has been made of the art in this show, so I won't go into that, but suffice to say it is truly unique. What I really loved in this show were the characters and plot. I'm vaguely familiar with the Count of Monte Cristo story, and this version adapts the story into a far future setting where space travel and aliens exist, but for some reason the world is full of abstract Baroque decor and trappings. The Count of Monte Cristo is getting revenge on those that wrongly imprisoned him 25 years ago, and through the course of the show, we're treated to sparks that ignite into a full on uncontrolled wildfire by the series end. The Count is vampiric in nature, seemingly possessed by some sort of demonic alien deity that gives him his powers. Us viewers see most of this world through the character of Albert, the son of the primary "antagonist" of the series. The show deals with him as he grows from an idealistic youth to a world-weary adult as he witnesses the Count's roaring rampage of revenge. The characters are all developed incredibly well and you care about them all to where you genuinely feel sad when characters die. The plot is addicting to the revenge nature of the show, and you'll marathon 6 episodes in a row without realizing it. I think that this show deserves to be rediscovered. I don't ever hear anyone talking about it and it really deserves some TLC to restore it to a 1080p format- the art is too beautiful and I really think it would pop in full HD. This is also one of the few anime you can introduce to "laypeople" and they would get into it. 10/10-watch it.

YES if you like: unique and memorable art styles, adaptations, conflict and intrigue, multi-layered plots, large casts with interconnected characters, and clear endings. NO if you dislike: soap opera-esque intrigue, bright and garish colours/patterns, classical stories and concepts, sporadic secondary characters, and the suspension of disbelief. PERSONALLY: This is one of the best anime series I've ever watched. I was constantly entertained by the story and all its connections to the original text by Dumas. Although some people may find the visual style abrasive and distracting I thought it only served to emphasise the extravagance of the story. The characters are abundant and have their roles to play. This reminded me of the relationships in Baccano (another favourite). And I quite like the opening song even though it did take me a while to get used to it.

I have read the Alexander Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo before I was interested in anime. Thusly I was curious to see how anime would tackle the characters and themes that are present in the book. The setting is a futuristic Paris and takes the perspective of Albert, the son of a notable general. This point of view is not found in the Dumas' novel, and thus a different perspective on the story as a whole. What really stands out for me is the stunning animation that was used to tell the story. However, sometimes the visuals would be distracting from the overall story. Though it did give it a grand feeling, which is essential when telling this story. The music was also beautiful and writing was very well done. If you are a fan of the book or even if you are unfamiliar with the story, this is a great anime to watch and enjoy.

Ah yes, an anime where you can feel classy while watching. An anime based on the famous french novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, a story of love, revenge, greedy, the aristocracy, with aliens, mech fights, spaceships, and demonic spirits........okay. Before anyone thinks that this sounds like of a sci-fi nerd stoner who wanted to sound classy wrote this anime, I must say that this is probably the most faithful adaptation to the original story I've ever seen, not based on story but rather on theme. All of the themes from Monte Cristo are presented in the anime 10 fold. It treats it's audience with respect, and allows a true exploration of how revenge can affect everyone around you, as well as yourself. Also, the visuals are truly amazing, done in a unique, computerized style with strong symbolism and gravitas (and I saw this anime on an LSD TV and I almost went blind). At 24 episodes, it may take a day or two to finish it, but if you want to watch an anime where you can brag about your elegance and sophistication, then grab a cup of tea, an expensive looking robe, and enjoy the Count of Monte Cristo.

Rather rare to hear this show being talked about nowadays (after gigguk talked about it in his 2019 video, it kinda just faded into obscurity) The greatest revenge story in this medium ( some would say.) This anime is an adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo novel although not a faithful one as this is written from one of the side character's POV instead of Monte Cristo himself. Even though it is very easy to predict the plot twists and style of writing, I believe that most people should give it a watch , like watch the entire series. (yes, it's that good) Story (9/10): Set in a futuristic world and mainly in France. The core themes of betrayal, vengeance, and class disparity are timeless. With 0 filler episodes, each episode develops the plot and thickens it by adding layers to every character introduced. As the story proceed, you begin to see the cracks and corruption/ true personalities of characters while also getting to observe the main character and his friends' development. The story meticulously documents its collateral damage: innocent lives, friendships, and loves are shattered in the Count's revenge. While being a revenge plot, the show is a scathing critique of aristocracy. The upper crust of Paris is portrayed as a beautiful, decadent, and deeply corrupt world built on lies, greed, and past sins. The Count doesn't bring corruption; he simply exposes it, holding up a mirror to the elite and watching them destroy themselves with their own guilt and ambition. (and u get to see it unfold bit by bit as he orchestrate the internal relationships between aristocrats) Albert's development in the story is a pleasure to watch as he begins the story full of idealism and youth, and is systematically stripped of everything he holds dear—his family, his social standing, his trust in his friends, and his own naivete. Overall , the story has aged well and is a captivating piece of work. Art/ANIMATION (7.5/10) : For its time, it was definitely one of the best animation quality wise, and even now, I believe the animation still upholds good standards to be considered decent. The style of animation has aged well too considering this was released in 2004. Of course, the CGI used to animate some city landscapes and mech fights were terrible but these only happen later on in the show and aren't too glaring to the eyes. (Gonzo animations were pretty good in the 2000s not gantz though) This anime looks like if someone took LSD and animated the show high as shit but still looked pretty. Enjoyment is a 8/10 -> Character dynamics are fun (albeit generic) and the revenge scheme is done very well Go give it a watch and tell me what u think. I would rate it an overall 9/10.

When researching indie or obscure anime, Gankutsuou can often be found. As such, I was excited to watch the show; a sci-fi adaptation of the Count of Monte Cristo sounded intriguing enough, but the style of the anime was also eye-catching. Upon watching the show, however, I was met with some of the worst animation and character writing I have seen to date. To add a disclaimer: I have not read The Count of Monte Cristo. This review is based purely on my experience watching the anime. To start us off on this train wreck of a show, let’s touch upon the subject which gets many people intrigued about the show in the first place: the animation. The animation which is used in Gankutsuou is called “unmoving plaid” (or, to be specific “perspective incorrect texturing”). This style is essentially when patterns act as the coloring for characters, clothing, and surroundings instead of actual colors, as seen in shows like Chowder. At first, I enjoyed this artistic choice. It was fresh and added a new dimension to the show I had never seen in anime before. About a quarter of the way through the show, I realized that the use of unmoving plaid was likely not an “artistic choice” but an act of laziness. With everything in the show being animated as a pattern, the style lost any effect it had. Seeing a vase with an outline of flowers and a picture of roses simply pasted into it, I lost all faith I had in the animators. Unmoving plaid is simply a way to get out of fully animating something, and making that the basis for your entire show highlights an obvious lack of care. Had only the clothing of the characters been unmoving plaid, an effect of wealthy, textureful cloth could have been given to the characters, accentuating their luxurious lifestyles and adding to the ambiance. Additionally, anything that was not unmoving plaid was horribly done CGI. All trees, buildings, statues, and literally any moving object was animated to be CGI. The poorly done CGI on top of an already overly saturated unmoving plaid screen created an effect that was honestly horrendous. The other prominent issue with Gankutsuou is the character writing. Nearly all the characters show a lack of motivation, and well they do it is poorly thought out or changes at the drop of a hat. The dynamic between the Count and Albert was intriguing, but was hardly flushed out and therefore made their interactions ambiguous, and not in a way where the ambiguity was planned. Albert and his love interest Eugenie are supposed to enter an arranged marriage but neither wanted it. Until about halfway through the show, that is, when they suddenly decide that they are madly in love and need to be together. Of course, there were some aspects of the writing and characters that were conceptually well done. Over the course of the show, Albert realizes that the abstract values which he held to be vitally important were untrue, and that everyone around him was deceiving him. I found it especially intriguing how the level of betrayal slowly seeped down, from the general universe, to his planet, to his country, to his close community, to his own family. Additionally, being tricked by the Count, someone he looked up to an unhealthy amount, was essentially damaging. I really did enjoy that part of the plot. That aspect, unfortunately, was so underdeveloped it did not get nearly as much focus as it deserved, and the entire show suffered because of it. My final issue with this show is the amount of sci-fi forced down the throats of the viewers. Throughout the show, the amount of sci-fi content continues to increase, until it feels so forced and disconnected from the main plot of the show. This should have been a concern on the creators’ minds from the very beginning, as recreating a novel from 1844 with a sci-fi spin is not something that can not easily be done. After all, plots about space prisons and alien sicknesses don’t exactly fit with themes of familiar betrayal. Overall, this show is very frustrating to me. Not only because it actually has some good concepts that are completely wasted, but because so many people deem this to be an “underrated gem”. As Gankutsuou was utterly disappointing from the point of view of it only being an anime, if I was a fan of Alexandre Dumas’s original story, I would likely be disgusted by this retelling.

Gankutsuou is a loose anime adaptation of the classic French novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, written by Alexandre Dumas. Set in the far future, the series focuses on a young French aristocrat named Albert de Morcerf who befriends a mysterious self-made nobleman called the Count of Monte Cristo, and acquaints him with members of Paris’ high society. Unbeknownst to Albert though, the Count has ulterior motives for wanting to befriend the young man that stem from wrongdoings and corruption committed against him years earlier by three influential aristocrats that Albert is close to. Before I dabble into this review, I do want to concede that I have yet to read the original source material of this series thus I don’t have intimate details on what’s been changed or removed in adapting the Count of Monte Cristo. At least from what I gather, it seems that the plot of the novel was streamlined to a good degree so it could better fit into the anime’s 24-episode runtime and the anime is more focused on Albert’s perspective of the events that transpire while the novel was more focused on the Count’s point-of-view. In spite of the changes, I’d at least say Gankutsuou stands on its own merits as an adaptation and that it is at least accessible to anyone lacking knowledge on the novel. That matter aside, Gankutsuou mainly dabbles into Albert’s character during his interactions with the Count. His character is clearly shown to undergo a good deal of development throughout the show’s run as he is at first naive to signs of the Count’s ambiguous moral nature while befriending him. As Albert starts to learn more about the Count’s machinations though, the boy finds himself wondering what is the truth concerning his aristocratic life and how true to his feelings should he be in defiance of the Count’s manipulations. I’ve heard of some not being a fan of Albert’s character due to his naive nature from earlier episodes. But I’d argue this is a flaw to his character due to his youth and aristocratic upbringing that he finds himself having to grow from as he learns more about the Count’s past. The Count is another character worth mentioning due to the complexity of his character explored throughout Gankutsuou. He is depicted to have an otherworldly feeling to his character shown from his unique physical features and morally ambiguous nature in his interactions with other characters. There is a clear difference in how he conducts conversation with Albert, his servants, and those among Paris’ elite to show how he regards each of them. All this helps add layers to the Count’s character as the series gradually drops hints of his past connections to the mentioned aristocrats and shows some of the inner conflict he goes through with going through with his plans and gradually coming to care for Albert. Outside of the two lead characters, Gankutsuou also offers a solid amount of exploration on a number of other major characters throughout its run. Some characters throughout the series close to Albert find themselves either victim to the Count’s plans in some form or are attempting to learn more about the history of the Count’s true identity and the mentioned aristocrats. Plus, some have their roles with shaping the developments of Albert and the Count with the inner conflicts both face throughout the series. Said characters lack the heavy focus and complexity found with Albert and the Count, but a number of them are still affected by their developments throughout Gankutsuou’s run. Outside of characters, the story of Gankutsuou is one focused on revenge and the pitfalls of obtaining power and wealth. The revenge element is mainly explored through the Count’s character. While he has justifiable reasons at wanting to go after the three aristocrats in question, his plans have the consequence of affecting members of the aristocrats’ families who are innocent of any wrongdoings and he does gradually become conflicted with whether or not to advance with his plans as he befriends Albert and becoming consumed by his feelings of vengeance on those who wronged him in the past. The power and wealth angle plays out with the three aristocrats that the Count is conspiring against. Limiting spoilers, two of the three are depicted to be irredeemable characters who are fanatically devoted to maintaining their power and wealth by any means, even at the expense of their family relationships. This results in the audience not feeling any sympathy for them when they eventually get their comeuppance. The last aristocrat is depicted in a more sympathetic light with how he treats his family and why he chose to go through with his acts, even coming to regret what he has done in later episodes as he realizes how far gone he becomes when his corruption becomes exposed. As far as presentation goes, Gankutsuou is a unique beast as far as anime goes. Visually, the series employs a 2D-cel animation style with designing its scenery and characters, yet chooses to get quite elaborate with it. Scenery is quite detailed and elaborate with depicting its settings, most notably the secret underground apartment and spaceship owned by the Count that are quite spectacular to see in their splendor. My thoughts on character designs are a bit more mixed as character hair and clothing is often depicted with a texture-like pattern that remains stationary, even when characters are moving around. Overall, Gankutsuou offers up a strong story with its focus on the Count’s plans for revenge and exploring how those caught in them are negatively affected, making for a rather unique adaptation of Alexander Dumas’ classic revenge novel with the sci-fi elements implemented into the series. The visual presentation is likely to be divisive among fans though due to how strongly it sticks out throughout the series, as I’ve heard of some dropping the series due to it. But if you don’t mind the aesthetics, you are likely to be entertained and engrossed into this unique take on the Count of Monte Cristo.

Mesdames, messieurs, bonsoir. The Count of Monte Cristo is a story that has been part of my repertoire since I was a child. From the Blye Migicovsky 1997 animated movie, to the Brazilian soap opera Do Outro Lado do Paraíso (“On the Other Side of Paradise”), without forgetting my young reader version of the novel — all battered and beaten from my reading it so many times —, this tale of revenge and its characters have more than earned this place in my literary folklore. To say I’m still interested in the forms the story takes in our modern is to put it mildly. So one can guess how excited I was when I heard of an anime that adapted Edmond Dantès’ story — especially because it transferred the action to outer space (which I kinda love). I had great expectations when I went looking for the first episode… and I’ve found out that there’s a lot more to this series than the summary implies. Gankutsuou (literally, “The King of the Cavern”) takes mid-19th century Parisian society and puts it on the year of 5053. The Champs-Élysées are still on the same place, but other countries became other planets; Italy is now a city on the moon and Haydée’s Turkey is populated by half-elvish, half-octopus aliens. However, that’s far from Gankutsuou’s strangest choice. The anime turns the classic story on its axis by showing the events from the point-of-view of Albert de Morcerf — the son of Edmond’s ex-fiancée, Mercédès, with his rival, Fernand Mondego. It doesn’t seem to be such a dramatic decision, but this little shift shines a new light on many of the Count’s actions. While the book shows the motivation and the planning that goes into the revenge, here the Count becomes a mysterious shadow of misfortune hanging over Albert and his loved ones. Add to it that, in the anime, the Count has some supernatural characteristics, and what is usually portrayed as a straightforward swashbuckling tale grows into something of a horror story, filled with tension from the first to the last episode. The aesthetic choices make the series even more exotic. The animators behind Gankutsuou decided to fill almost every surface with what is known as the unmoving plaid, which makes it seem like we’re watching a moving collage. The Count’s hair looks like it was taken off a block of granite; we can see the kinship between Fernand and Albert because of the pattern in their hair; the clothes seem like a patchwork of weird patterns. I myself thought it a very interesting choice, as it gives the series a very unique visual identity when compared to the other works of the time — even if it causes some bizarre effects at times (*cough* episode five *cough*). But it is mainly a question of taste; some people will dislike it. I believe that the reason why Gankutsuou works as an adaptation and as an anime by itself is how the characters are developed, especially when it comes to those that weren’t as relevant in the novel. Albert, for example, goes from supporting to main character — and in the process acquires some shounen protagonist traits that make him able to move the plot in a different way. The anime doesn’t turn him into a naïve saintly victim of the Count like other adaptations of the novel; he has flaws, struggles with them throughout the episodes, and leads the viewer to sympathize with him. Regarding the antagonists, the treatment given to Fernand Mondego is also really interesting. Generally, Fernand is portrayed as the most irredeemable among Edmond’s enemies, and it’s hard to even understand why Mercédès decided to marry him; in the 2002 movie, for example, Guy Pearce might as well have been wearing a neon sign blinking “EVIL” atop his head. All strikingly different from the cheerful and kind man who shows up in the first episodes; unlike Danglars and Villefort, Fernand is portrayed as a loving husband and a good father, not only in reputation but in deeds. Seeing him happy with Mercédès, one might even feel sorry for the man, knowing what awaits. The anime seems bent on exploring all sides of Fernand, and the viewer that gets to the end without feeling at least a smidge of pity for him is a very hard person indeed. I think it’s also relevant to mention the homoerotic subtext in the anime. In the novel, it’s relatively implicit that Eugénie Danglars is a lesbian — it’s hinted at by her hatred of men, her independence and her escape with her piano teacher, Louise D’Armilly. In the anime, the teacher disappears, and, with her, the implications; Eugénie is Albert’s love interest, with tsundere tendencies and the whole package. I don’t usually like this kind of erasure, but here it is balanced out by two other choices. The first is an increase of Eugénie’s importance in the story (she goes from a background character to an outstanding supporting role, and a lot of attention is given to her necessity of freeing herself from the Danglars’ household). The second is the sheer amount of subtext created solely for the show. The love that Franz d’Epinay feels for his best friend Albert is all but stated; the relationship between Albert and the Count is also filled with homoeroticism, without resorting to actual queerbaiting. There are some aspects which the anime doesn’t develop that well. The pace is a little slow, especially for those who are used to contemporary shounen series, and the hamminess, though adequate to a 19th century novel, sometimes results in unintentional hilarity. However, the voice acting is superb (congratulations to Jun Fukuyama in his first outstanding part), the themes are well-explored, and the scenery, used remarkably to the story’s benefit. I believe that the fans of the Count of Monte Cristo will find in this anime a new way to look at the novel — I know I did — and the fans of anime in general will find a series that is well-planned, with no trace of the sloppiness and the clichés that make so many current titles generic and boring. Attendre, et espérer!

At first , i came to here to check out the reviews written by people. Surprisingly all the reviews were rated 10. The fact that so many people gave 10 for rating i knew it has to be good. I do not know anything about the book or the story before watching this anime so i really have no idea how it is going to be like. The first few episodes were normal and to me is not very interesting ... But as i continued on , it just got me more curious and the urge to wanting to watch more and before i realized i was on the last episode...The story is basically about revenge . The entire series is just about how the revenge is being carried out and how is desires is being fulfilled. It has many sad and touching moments. The best thing i like about this anime is that we can actually try to relate to the feelings of both parties , main character (Albert) and the one carrying out the revenge (Count of monte Cristo). To be honest , this is the saddest anime i ever seen.

I have to admit, it's been a coupla years since I've seen this, so I'm going to be fairly vague about it. It has an amazingly unique art style, where the texture of various clothes stay in place as the characters animate across them. It makes it all feel trippy and magical. The characters are fairly creepy, and I was riveted while watching it. The setting was distinct in an early 20th century feel with a heavy military history, but off to the side of the real events, out in the country-side. For the life of me I can't recall the plot, but I remember there was a cool old-school motorbike and that should be enough for you. I do remember the end including a very out of place mech battle, which kinda put me off, so that dings it a star, but most anime watchers (who are used to that kinda thing) will just take it in stride. Plus kudos for putting mechs in an old-school 10-paces pistol-duel setting. Enjoy!

Review: Gankutsuou Story: 10/10 The anime is a adaption of the 2nd half of Count of Monte Cristo set with many sci-fi elements. However, the way it is written one element does not overshadow the other. The events of the anime play pretty close to original book and what is added or changed either does not effect the value of the story and in a few cases improves it. Making the story Albert's perspectives offers a unique view of the story which very few consider. Normally I would dock a point for not following the entire the story but those who know the story won't mind and enjoy the new perspective. If you like the original Count of Monte Cristo you are going to love this anime. Art: 9/10 The characters, and setting are all well designed and beautifully drawn. However, there is a bit of what I would like to call curve getting used to the visual effects the show uses, but after 2 or 3 episodes you should get used to it and not notice it. Sound: 9/10 The sounds is very good but has some minimal issues depending on the dub you watch. The original Japanese is very good but can sound grainy in some places and some characters can sound similar. The english dub has outstanding voice work but fails to match the mouth movements of characters in several spot. Characters: 10/10 The character strongly follow their book counter parts. I don't know whether to credit the writers of the anime or Alexandre Dumas for how easy it is to become interested in these characters but they are complex you want to see how each of their problems ends. Enjoyment: 10/10 Personally, I am a big fan of the Count of Monte Cristo and enjoyed seeing one of my favorite books adapted so well into an anime that followed the book so well Overall 9/10 - Must Watch With 10s in story, characters, and enjoyment and 9s in art and sound this anime is a MUST WATCH and I highly recommend it. It is only a 1 or 2 missteps here and there keeping it from being what I would call a masterpiece. A better adaption of the Count of Monte Cristo is going to be hard to find.

So Gankutsuou have been giving me polarizing opinions ever since the very first episode. On one hand it is one of the most visually unique pieces that I've ever seen. But on the other hand are most the character designs very standard and border line ugly. The story put me at the edge of my seat at times, but I would sometimes be bored out of my mind and the end of the episode couldn't come fast enough. Some characters are great on every single level (read: Haidee), while I would care an absolute minimal amount about others. When Gankutsuou is good it is Good with a capital G, and when it's bad it is the epitome of "meh". I often found myself wishing that it would have gone further; every so often they would show the cool town with huge Greek statues everywhere and psychedelic roads in multitudes of colors and those moments are great. I am a sucker for whatever type of modernism this anime tries to portray. The surroindings are gorgeous, the soundtrack is gorgeous and even though I complained about the character designs, many of them are great! But this is a character driven drama, and most of the characters in this drama are super dull looking. The count himself is the only one who is often on screen, and also the most visually interesting. The rest of the cast (unless they're part of the counts posse) look like your average slice of life high school drama kids, but with a weird filter. They're obviously trying to mimic some kind of french modernist art style, but they would have benefited so much from something as simple as emotional coloring or subjective coloring. Make characters whom the main character feels close to have vibrant colors on their skin, hair and clothes, and the ones he felt distant to could be less saturated. Visual metaphors are usually quite pretentious but I really think it would have worked great with this show in particular. As far as the story goes, I don't have much to say. It is "The Count of Monte Cristo". In the future. In space. I think you can figure it out for yourself if you'd like it or not.

There are anime out there that many people miss because they just can't stop wanking to the same show they've watched two trillion times, and sensely saying that any show other than that show is utter crap because they're living on their own hype train. I can't sit here in good conscience however and say that I have never done that cause i would be a liar, hell, we all would. But when you do this, you become ignorant to other masterpieces that exists. And this show, while not perfect, is something I feel it is so underrated, and hopefully my review will get you to watch it. The story of Gankutsuo is very compelling, and also confusing as balls. However watching the show, it does all get resolved in the end for the most part. Basically you have your main characeters Viscount Albert de Morcerf, or, albert, a aristocrat's son living it up as rich as can be along with his best friend Franz, and eventually Albert and Franz meets up with this Count of Monty Cristo guy while attending an opera of sorts, and from that point on the show truly revolves around the count because i can't think of a moment when he was on screen that he didn't steal the screen at all, his presence is even amazing. Albert however, while you can't blame him all the time because he is a teenager, can be a complete idiot, or a very intriguing character. The setting in the show is set in France, and very well in the future, as there involves frequent travels to space, and there is a very futuristic fantasy setting here that looks very awesome. The best part of this story is you are trying to figure out who or what this count of monty cristo is. He always seems polite and gentlemen like then seems like an obvious psychopath the next. It is undoubtedly what makes this show so damn entertaining. The animation is what this how is known for because my god the show looks either one, weird as all hell as it is a very "weird" animation in and of itself, or two looks absolutely stunning. The show looks like it's a trippy rave party half the time, but it's a style that is very different, and if i had anything to give this show credit for, it definitely unique. As far as sound goes, not much to say here. The opening is skipable but not bad at all. While the ending credits song is amazing, it really makes you pumped for the next episode, at least it did for me. As for dub vs sub, take your pic, both are good, but the dub while casted good, has it's fair share of problems. Mouth syncing, not so good sometimes. The sub however, has accents in it and nice feeling for the show. Now if i were to pick, dub just cause Jamieson Price portayed an amazing count, so good, that there's no one i could see doing it better. And the infamous Johnny Young Bosch does a pretty decent yet annoying Albert. Characters I normally would go into all of them, but the cast is so big I could sit here and write about ten million paragraphs, so just stick to what I've told you about the count and albert. As far as the others are concerned I would say you should just take them as they go because there isn't a bad character in the show. The parents are as good as they are twisted, and the side characters keep stuff interesting and help push the plot along. Overall this show's very entertaining, but it's biggest strengths are plot and characters and animation. The plot can be extremely confusing but as long as you pay attention you should be good. Show is fun in both sub and dub, so that's a pretty sweet plus. Now it's faults are not many but they are something to bring up. You have an annoying main character who makes stupid decisions and the animation can stray your eyes as gonzo seemed to wanna test how much you can handle with this style. And the ending, while very good, does have a few faults, and the last episode has a few questions unanswered, everything up to that point was very good, so i feel an 8/10 is worthy, but most importantly this anime needs more exposure as it is highly underrated.

Gankutsuou is the sci-fi adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo". It's a pretty damn good anime. So this was recommended to me as a secret santa thing, but sadly I did not have the time to watch it until recently. As for the adaptation part, I have not read the book so I can't say if it's very faithful or not, though it did make me way more interested in the book than I was, but I digress. So, a sci-fi adaptation, might sound like a risky move, but it works really well, the universe is interesting and the sci-fi technology allows for some cool scenes and so on and so forth. The Story is great, it's tragic at times, there are all kinds of emotions getting thrown at you, there is joy, there is sadness, there is anger and so on. It's well crafted and exciting to watch it unfold. It's mainly a story about revenge, friendship and a bit of betrayal. Now the art is probably what deserves the most praise, the style is absolutely fantastic, it's very unique and the anime is all the better for it, and placing the story in a sci-fi setting allows for some really cool scenes. So if you're a sucker for good artwork this anime should be on the top of your list. It has a style that really stands out and every scene is an absolutely beautiful masterpiece in that regard. Sound? I don't have any complains, the soundwork is good and all the parts are well acted. The characters are fantastic, they feel very real, they are all very well defined, with strengths and weaknesses, and as a viewer you are able to empathise with about everyone. They all have likable traits and dislikable and you're often not sure if you love them, hate them or just simply pity them. All in all it's an anime that I really enjoyed and I think most people will find something to like about it, wether you like a good story, good art etc. Well, if you're only into the violent gory stuff you might want to give it a pass, there is a bit of violence, but it's not a main part of the anime. But I do believe that most people will find some enjoyment here, and I do think people owe it to themselves to check it out.

I must admit my review of this series will more than likely be extremely biased based on one simple fact, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is one of if not my favorite novels of all time. That being said to any fan of the book going in expecting a story that follows the book entirely will be appointed and it was hard for me to go in with an open mind, or at the very least that is what I thought before I watched the first episode. Though inspired by the novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo' this anime is it's own modern masterpiece, is what I wish I could say but I'm getting ahead of myself. The story for the series had me invested from the beginning to the very end and the art and music for the series was a pleasure to the sensors. The anime however does fall short in one aspect and that is it's characters. The main characters are brilliant but the rest of the cast were borderline bland and I found myself finding it hard to get invested in many of the side stories. It didn't get to the point where these stories felt like filler because the side stories were important to the overall plot of the series. The main characters for the series were brilliant especially the Count and I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for something different.

Gankutsuou is loosely based off of the classic novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas. That being said, the plot and character designs have a good basis to begin with. There are instances in which final product pales in comparison with the original work. Thankfully, for Gankutsuou, this is not the case. In this adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo, it follows a young Albert de Morcerf and his friends that contend with the crimes of their parents. Initially, the artistic style may be off putting or even considered distracting. The bright colors and patterns may be nauseating for some viewers. Simultaneously, the story is equally as gripping, if not moreso, that you may be willing to accommodate the art. I believe that the color palette used here is to convey the excessive nature of the societal elite. In the end, I feel that the style does not take away from the content and has that certain "je ne sais quoi" to make the show memorable. The soundtrack is can be described similarly. The inclusion of opera, classical and piano music may not appeal to everyone's tastes but adds to the atmosphere. Gankutsuou is, ultimately, a coming-of-age story of Albert de Morcerf who must overcome his naivety and accept a world filled with deceit, greed, jealousy, adultery and corruption. His development as a character is well portrayed through his conversations with his friends, parents and acquaintances under the social constraints of nobility. Though at times, I found him to be caricature of foolishness, it is what youth can be like, stubborn and brash. Not too much can be said against Gankutsuou, however. If anything, the futuristic setting does not seem cohesive when spaceships are paired with cars and paper technology that seem like relics. This easily can be overlooked in light of the more important elements of the series. To those familiar with the original work, Gankutsuou is no different. It is a tale of love, loss, betrayal and vengeance... all the ingredients of a good story. Juxtaposed with fantastic style, the work is undoubtedly fictional, yet, the small moments that are met almost seem real. For those unfamiliar, this series can be a great gateway into classical literature for those searching for more depth in their tastes.

Gankutsuou: The count of Monte Cristo now this is truly one of the most beautifully well made and good written anime that has ever been released Based on the novel written by Alexander Dumas a Story of betrayal,Revenge true love and friendship. I must admit This if anything is one anime that i recommend any anime fan must see, i have never watched an anime that has touched me so deeply, make u connect with the characters and always keep u in aw with each passing episode as much as i did The Art: 10 I think the one thing that really makes this anime unique is the artistic style that it implements, The studio Gonzo who were responsible for this were always know for the use of unique CGI sequences they use for there anime back in the day and this one i found is truly unique the art is made to feel like your seeing a dreamlike sequence with the colors of the characters and the background mixing together that i found inspiring although at first confusing even first might find it strange until u get used to it. Sound: 9 I probably would have rated the music a perfect 10 if it had any of the music unique for the show rather it used classical music to mix most from the 17th and 18th era but the music played out evenly well with each score really suit the characters and the situations they are in especially the one that they use for a dramatic,sad and plot twisting situation that will keep u on edge and i aw. Characters : 8 This is probably in my opinion the show's weakest point not because any of the characters were bad i thought all of them were needed and there background and contributions really helped make this a truly wonderful show to see but rather some seemed a bit to Orthodox especially the main character Albert who's extreme obsession with the count and his nativity can push your patience to the breaking point but in all in all each character was played out well and everyone of them at the end u can see yourself really connect with Story :10 I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum the story is basically the same as the original novel except with a few modifications mostly that instead of being set in the early 19th century is set in the far future in the 51st century and the inclusion of the space demon Gankutsuou as well as some character changes but the principal is the same the story of a Man ( The Count ) seeking vengeance on the ones who betrayed him and sent him to rot in prison until he returns to exact his revenge on his return one by one using carefully planned out plots and deceptiveness on each of those responsible, A Tale of revenge at its finest a story that i found is truly well balanced and made that with each passing episode will leave u craving for more until u see its climax ;) Overall : 10 A True Masterpiece that any Anime fan must see at least once in his or her life :D

What an amazingly strange show. Truly, it's strange, take a gander at it and simply look at the art. When I saw the first ten minutes I was extremely put off by the art. Although I found it beautiful, the art was distracting and I couldn't even focus on what the characters were saying because I was looking at their clothing. However, after a while you truly get used to it, I did after one episode. You later start to appreciate the art, and it really helps tell the story, and damn what a story. I have never read The Count of Monte Cristo but I know that it is a classic and supposedly a must read. Having never read it, and being a fan of classic literature, I was worried about watching this show(I thought it would be dull). I put it on my "to watch" list for at least 4 months and finally got around to watching it because I needed a show with more...substance... then my last couple of choices. Anyways, I hated the first ten minutes, and I put off the show for another week, but then finished through it and instantly fell in love with it. It's a show that you can't help but love. The art is astounding, the sound...well let's talk about the sound. It's a full on orchestra each episode, you feel like you are watching a play(which is the point) and I was completely immersed. COMPLETELY. You lose yourself in this show and become part of the story, you're there with all the characters as they go through their crazy lives. Each character is important to the story, make sure to never forget one character, each person is dazzling in their own way. The Count, wow, what an incredible character, probably my favorite villain of all time. He embodied the word "badass" and made looking evil look totally "cool." I randomly watched the show dubbed(usually a fan of subbed) and it's worth to watch it dub simply to listen to his truly magical, sensual, gorgeous voice. Whoever is the voice actor(too lazy to look it up) is a GENUIS. Anyways, I'm simply ranting right now, the show has very little mistakes. Although it may SOUND boring(I thought it did), every second is filled with chaos, drama, and action. Now, there is a certain part near the end where the art becomes 3D and it's literally cringe-worthy how awful it is, but that scene lasts for ten minutes so just power through it. I did not want to watch this show, I had no interest, I thought I would hate it, and I was COMPLETELY wrong. Watch this show, be dazzled, be amazed, be swept away as you watch how the Count of Monte Cristo takes control of one man's life in such a beautiful way. P.S = Sorry for bad grammar :)

Ready for a classic story..... IN SPACE?!?!?!?! Well.... Not quite entirely in space..... But it is in space a little bit. Gankutsuou is a 24 episode Drama/Science Fiction anime loosely based on Alexandre Dumas classic novel Le Comte de Monte-Cristo. Studio Gonzo gave us the anime while Geneon originally held the rights and was released in 2006. Then in 2008, after Geneon went under, FUNimation announced they had required the license for the series and it was rereleased in 2009. It originally ran from October 2004 to March 2005, and a manga version published by Kodansha and licensed by Del Rey was released that May and is currently ongoing. The story takes place in the far future of the 51st Century, during the year 5053. While visiting Luna for the festival, Viscount Albert de Morcerf and Baron Franz d'Épinay make the acquaintance of the Count of Monte Cristo, a self-made nobleman. When they part, the Count promises to visit Albert in Paris. After he arrives, he introduces himself to the most powerful families in France (the Morcerfs, the Danglars, and the Villeforts). The general plot of Gankutsuou, while broadly the same as the novel on which it is based, changes many aspects of the source material. In the novel, the narrative arc follows the Count chronologically; in the anime, the story begins with Albert and Franz meeting the Count on Luna (which occurs, in Rome, many hundreds of pages into the book), and the Count's back story is pieced together throughout the series. The anime's plot includes supernatural elements, talking about space travel, computer systems and robots, different fates for some characters, the disposal of several side-plots, and an altogether different ending. The look of the series is certainly a unique one. It layers Photoshop textures into digital animation with backgrounds often rendered in 3D. A similar anime that uses the Photoshop texture technique is Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. It takes a good amount of time to get used to this style, especially in the first episode because of all the bright colors that are used, but after a short while, you can’t help but marvel at the design! The animation doesn’t seem to have any major problems in it either, so Gankutsuou was created with great care in the hopes it would be well received visually, and, for me, it was. The music for the series, uses some classical pieces of music very often, including: Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony, the Donizetti opera Lucia di Lammermoor, and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Conerto No. 2. Not only is this series amazing visually, the story is great as well. It took two episodes and then I was really hooked. Granted, there were a few parts where the story kind of died down a bit and would become boring. However, the main plot and the execution of it is simply to die for! A lot of the events in the anime are taken from the original story, but still with many changes to make it capable of having a SciFi/Fantasy genre. Plus, the story follows Albert and his relationship with the Count of Monte Cristo and the torment he goes through as the Count is taking his revenge on the three powerful families of France. What also is different from the novel, is the being Gankutsuou himself. He is the driving force behind the Count’s revenge plot throughout the series; a demonic presence that dwells within The Count of Monte Cristo. I don’t want to give much away about the relationship between the two, but there is a way you can tell which is the real Count and which is the real Gankutsuou. The Count in the Japanese version speaks Japanese, while Gankutsuou speaks French. Though the series is 24 episodes long, the main plot finishes at episodes 23. The final episode takes place 5 years after the events of the series. Why am I mentioning this? Because I thought the episode count was wrong and that it was 23 episodes. I just want to make sure readers know, there are 24 episodes. There are a lot of characters in the series, and you would think that development would be hard to come by; however, that’s not the case here. A lot of the major characters have development when it’s needed. Even the major adult characters Morcerf, Danglers, and Villefort have a good amount of development; the males anyway. The only adult female with development is Albert’s mother Mercedes. With the males, it mostly entails them becoming crazy or angered from being ruined by The Count. With Mercedes, it’s her mysterious connection to The Count. Honestly it’s more fun to watch The Count and the other male adults throughout the story, rather then the children. That’s probably why parts of the story were boring, cause I wasn’t watching The Count or the male adults becoming destroyed. As for Albert, he is such a whiney little idiot it kind of drives me nuts. He won’t listen to what anyone else says and is set on what he sees right in front of him. The only person he will listen to is The Count because he has a strange admiration for him, that can sometimes become borderline obsession once in a while. While I won’t judge anyone on their personal lives, I will profane this one: Gay. I’m not going to go in depth with the Japanese and English dubs because I have only seen clips of the dub. But, based on those clips, I will say that the Japanese is superior based on the dubbing of Albert and The Count. Although Johny Yong Bosch (Bleach) and Jamieson Price (Code Geass) were decent choices for dubbing, Jun Fukuyama and Joji Nakata make it sound a lot better. Plus, I have heard the same voice from Johny Bosch in Bleach and Code Geass and..... *sigh* I keep thinking of Ichigo in all three anime. So, again, watch the Japanese version. It has better voice actors; even for whiney little Albert. As an end result, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo takes a classic story and gives it a modern twist, making it a visual wonder and a fun story to get hooked on. Admittedly, the visuals can be a little hard on the eyes sometimes, but if you power through it then you won’t be disappointed. I can personally say that Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite anime of all time, securing a spot at my top 10, despite whiney Albert. I highly HIGHLY recommend this anime for your viewing pleasure, and hope you will be just as amazed and hooked as I was.