The September 6th announcement that ベルサイユのばら berusaiyu no bara | The Rose of Versailles), the milestone in the genre of shōjo manga (manga for girls) penned by Riyoko Ikeda, will be adapted into a feature-length animated film, has been attracting a great deal of attention. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the manga, it will be the second anime film adaptation since 『ベルサイユのばら 生命あるかぎり愛して』 (berusaiyu no bara seimei aru kagiri aishite | The Rose of Versailles: I'll Love You As Long As I Live) in 1990.

Combining historical facts with fictional characters, the original manga The Rose of Versailles is set in the time before and during the French Revolution. The story is initially centered on Marie Antoinette but then shifts focus to Oscar François de Jarjayes, a beautiful woman who was raised like a son by her military general father to become commander of the Royal Guard. She is the love interest of several characters including Marie Antoinette, for whom she bodyguards, and her servants André Grandier and Rosalie Lamorlière.

Along with the announcement of the decision to make a new animated film version of the story, a website has also been opened to the public.

In addition, a special video has been released, showing not only famous scenes from the original manga, but also visuals of the new Oscar and Marie Antoinette, who have been "revived" for the Reiwa Era.

"I am filled with surprise and joy," commented Ikeda, in a statement.

Since "The Rose of Versailles" is widely recognized as a masterpiece that has withstood the test of time, many fans have been asking for a new anime adaptation.

The announcement of the long-awaited animated film adaptation was met with a flurry of excited comments by fans online, testifying to the work's ongoing popularity:

Expectations for the new The Rose of Versailles seem to be high. Fans are surely waiting with bated breath to learn all the details of the story, voice actors, music, staff, and of course, the release date. Let's hope they won't be kept waiting for too long...