The Rose of Versailles

The Rose of Versailles, also known as Lady Oscar and La Rose de Versailles, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Riyoko Ikeda. It was originally serialized in Shueisha's shōjo manga magazine Margaret from 1972 to 1973, while a revival of the series was published in the magazine from 2013 to 2018. The series is a historical drama set in 18th century France before and during the French Revolution. Using a combination of historical personages and original characters, The Rose of Versailles focuses primarily on the lives of two women: the Queen of France Marie Antoinette, and Oscar François de Jarjayes, who serves as commander of the Royal Guard.

The creation of The Rose of Versailles as a story about revolution and populist uprising arose from Ikeda's involvement in the Democratic Youth League of Japan – the youth wing of the Japanese Communist Party – and from an interest in the French Revolution she developed after reading Stefan Zweig's biography of Marie Antoinette in high school. The series was developed during a significant transitional period for shōjo manga as a medium, characterized by the emergence of stories with complex narratives focused on politics and sexuality. The Rose of Versailles was a significant critical and commercial success, and by 2022 had sold over 23 million copies worldwide. The series contributed significantly to the development of shōjo manga, and was one of the primary works responsible for its shift from a genre aimed at children to a genre aimed at adolescents and young adults.