Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
The Manga Edition
Written by William Shakespeare
Adapted by Adam Sexton
Art by Yali Lin
Cliff Notes/Wiley
Release date: February 11, 2008

Of late I have recently taken what some would call a mature step in to the world of Japanese animation and graphic novels. Anime and Manga, as they are (I think) respectively called, have grown massively in popularity over the past decade, going from often being viewed as childish to acquiring a great level of respect.

So when the good folks here at Geeks of Doom asked me to review Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – The Manga Edition, I was excited.

Upon seeing the book lying around my lounge room this past night, my roommate quizzed me about the book. She, correctly I would suggest, identified the book as a way to bring Shakespeare to a new generation and a different demographic of people.

This graphic novel adaptation of one of William Shakespeare‘s most famous and celebrated works has not come at the expense of the original work. In the introduction, writer (or is it collaborator, editor, adapter?) Adam Sexton notes that in the creation of the book they “”¦never paraphrased the playwright’s language “¦ nor have we summarized action.”

I won’t spend time in this review summarizing the story, because it has already been done so many times. This story is, in all respects, the classic “star crossed lovers” story, if not for the fact that it spawned the term “star crossed lovers.” If however you haven’t gotten around to studying the play in school (which you really should have”¦ ask your teachers!), then Wikipedia has this to say:

Romeo and Juliet is an early tragedy by William Shakespeare about two teenage “star-cross’d lovers” whose “untimely deaths” ultimately unite their feuding households. The play has been highly praised by literary critics for its language and dramatic effect. It was among Shakespeare’s most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Its influence is still seen today, with the two main characters being widely represented as archetypal young lovers.

Yali Lin, the artist for this “Manga Edition” (there are more Shakespeare turned manga, including Hamlet, seen reviewed here), does a superb job of bringing this timeless piece of art to life.

This book is her first foray into the world of published literature, having graduated from the BFA Cartooning program just prior to working on the book. Her depiction of Juliet, for me, was the highlight, as Juliet Capulet is drawn in a sort of cross between archetypal beauty and Link, from The Legend of Zelda games (why this is a good thing, can be found here!).

I’m not sure if she purposefully drew Romeo to look like a punce, but maybe that is a good thing; teenage boys rarely take on the god-like proportions and beauty that are so often used to depict them in the movies.

If you are a hardcore Shakespeare fan, a total newbie to his work, or someone who just wants an interesting read, then this graphic novel is for you. I give it 7 out of 10, the original score I gave Romeo and Juliet when I first read it back in high school, those many years ago.