IMHO. 'Romeo x Juliet' ~ give me back my month

It seemed as if several people were working on this series simultaneously, but in different rooms and without bothering to tell each other what they were working on.

In the end, I cannot even tell you what this series is. I can only say what it isn't.

So, it starts as a story about a tomboy girl fighting to protect poor people, and a boy from a rich, almost royal family. It could be a Shakespeare-inspired story about love that transcends boundaries such as social status and blood relation... but it's not.

And the main dialogue from the original was completely screwed.

Oh, two guys with no hope for reciprocity detected.

For those female viewers who start to get bored, here is a small collection of young handsome men ready to fight for the sake of their princess. Or at least lend her a shoulder to cry upon when she's blue.

It could be a proper reverse harem... but it's not.

Then it turns into a story about big social changes in an imaginary world. To be precise, the boy goes to the country to dig up some potatoes while his sweetheart makes a revolution. And some people fall victims in the process. It could be a historical drama... but it's not.

Or it could be a great story about personal tragedies... which it is not again because the characters' interests and motives are not elaborated upon enough to make me call them anything more than paltry and petty.

Then they wanted to conclude but a supervisor came and said they still had two more episodes to make according to the plan. So they made the final episodes in a completely different manner, which made all the struggle in the previous episodes absolutely meaningless, and my time, spent watching them, too.

If they made something more serious than making boring statements like Captain Obvious they could actually make a very touching story... but it's not.

By the way, people in New Verona know at what angle to bow when addressing elders

 and are very skilled in organising mass evacuation.

Don't be misled by the fact that they live on an island in the sky. I wouldn't be surprised if the sea it fell into in the end was the Sea of Japan.
What warm praise I can give to the series would go to the aspects such as art, with an astonishing design of the Neo Verona city landscape, interiors and elements,

and cute animals

Not all faces were admirable, though

But the only character I'd distinguish for his performance would be Willy and his seiyuu, Kazuhiko Inoue.

I could probably say thanks for introducing a group called 12012, who have maybe 5 or 6 good songs in their discography, but the rest of the contributing performers were bleak and boring again. I never knew I could hate 'You raise me up' so much before I watched this anime.
In the end, I regret spending a whole month on this anime, but I couldn't do faster. It could be a mediocre anime for one evening, but it's not even that. It was so dragged and boring, despite so many things taking place, that I was constantly finding myself distracted by something else.

'Sensual Tales' ~ at least I did not pay for this

'kannou mukashibanashi' (官能昔話) drama CDs are described - by the narrator himself - as 'slightly adult tales'. yeah, slightly

on one hand, the XXX scenes - even if present - are not described in detail, but only mentioned to have happened, so the tales remain relatively decent

on the other hand, scenes which are supposed to be pretty normal turn into something absolutely indescribable

I have only tried to listen to the 8th volume which is princess-themed and contains 'slightly strange' versions of Swan Lake by Morikawa Toshiyuki, Snow White by Masuda Toshiki, Cinderella by Okamo-san and Thumbelina by all the cast. and here is something to think over

why was the prince from 'Cinderella' so eager to assault the poor girl both times they met as if he drank too much viagra?

why did Snow White's stepmother turn into a handsome young guy instead of an old granny selling apples?

why was not Odette replaced with Odile, but Siegfried replaced with Lotbard - who of course did not hesitate to whisper a few hints into what they will do with Odette?

why was the servant sent to kill Snow White in the forest so 'ambiguous' describing his 'sharp knife' with which he was to 'cut her neck'?

why was Cinderella's godmother Fairy made into a male one?

and the last question - can you imagine the Beetle from 'Thumbelina' in the I'm-sexy-and-I-know-it mode?

the first two were tolerable but the Beetle made me laugh so hard I had to cover my mouth with my hand, hide under the blanket and do my best not to utter any sounds since 'twas 4 in the morning

do you understand? a Beetle uttering phrases like 'relax... you do not need to be that tense... can you feel... my vibrations...' 

from what I get by reading different reviews and opinions, the Japanese word 'eroi' (エロい) has already been established firmly in the vocabulary of otome-games and drama CD lovers

so, we have like... eroi prince, eroi evil magician, and... eroi beetle

>_________<

p. s.
these all tales are nothing in comparison with Inoue Kazuhiko explaining how to wear ear/headphones. at least I did not pay any money for this... I am not particularly happy when the process of plugging earphones into my ears is obviously related to... erm... well... check yourself if you are not afraid

p. p. s.
but you know, the last monologue by Inoue-storyteller was a speech of encouragement. 'whatever may happen in your life, if you believe in yourself, then you will be able to become happy...' he said. if you have nobody else to say something like this, maybe even a slightly adult style will do?

p. p. p. s.
there is only one thing about 'Kannou Mukashibanashi' I have no doubts in - certainly I want to find normal audio dramas with tales. recital is a great thing