# Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gankutsuou-the-count-of-monte-cristo/477144 "2008-12-14T19:33:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gankutsuou-the-count-of-monte-cristo/477144/1 "2008-12-14T19:33:54Z")
Has anyone else seen this? I just saw the first episode and it was awesome. The art is simply gorgeous (if a little much at times) The best way to describe it briefly is that it’s the Count of Monte Cristo set in the far future. However, it starts in the middle of the Count’s journey after he acquires his wealth and status. It also isn’t told for the Count’s point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gankutsuou-the-count-of-monte-cristo/477144/2 "2008-12-14T21:33:46Z")
Hmm my brain is trying to reconcile the fact that I **hate** anime but **love** the Count of Monte Cristo in deciding whether to give this title a shot… well looks like it’s available to stream instantly on Netflix, so what the hell. Give me a couple hours (or 10 minutes if I don’t like it) and I’ll get back to you. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gankutsuou-the-count-of-monte-cristo/477144/3 "2008-12-14T22:26:35Z")
Hmmm…I’m not sure I see how you could tell the story without the beginning section. The story has three pretty clear acts to me (imprisonment, vengeance, remorse/redemption/forgiveness), and all three are vital to the story’s awesomeness. Without the imprisonment, the vengeance won’t be so rich, and the third act won’t be so powerful. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gankutsuou-the-count-of-monte-cristo/477144/4 "2008-12-14T22:39:06Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Hmmm…I’m not sure I see how you could tell the story without the beginning section. The story has three pretty clear acts to me (imprisonment, vengeance, remorse/redemption/forgiveness), and all three are vital to the story’s awesomeness. Without the imprisonment, the vengeance won’t be so rich, and the third act won’t be so powerful. > > Daniel I’m pretty sure they tell that part but not right off. Besides, the Count is the villain in this story. The story is told from the perspective of Vicomte Albert de Morcerf. ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gankutsuou-the-count-of-monte-cristo/477144/5 "2008-12-14T22:40:33Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Hmmm…I’m not sure I see how you could tell the story without the beginning section. The story has three pretty clear acts to me (imprisonment, vengeance, remorse/redemption/forgiveness), and all three are vital to the story’s awesomeness. Without the imprisonment, the vengeance won’t be so rich, and the third act won’t be so powerful. > > Daniel Well, if it’s not from the Count’s POV, I could see it working. First, you’ve got this absurdly rich, vengeance-mad maniac wandering about. Then, you slowly find out that, oh crap, no wonder he’s pissed. I think if done well, it could be pretty cool. Of course, this being anime, there’s always the danger of bizarre, nonsensical philosophical treatment as well… I might have to take a look, though. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gankutsuou-the-count-of-monte-cristo/477144/6 "2008-12-15T06:48:22Z")
OK I got about 7 minutes in when The Count of Monte Cristo flew off in a **spaceship** and gave up. Sorry, I tried but I just can’t do anime. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gankutsuou-the-count-of-monte-cristo/477144/7 "2008-12-15T18:34:33Z")
I love this anime, although you can’t approach it as a faithful adaptation of the Count of Monte Cristo - more like an AU version. I thought the art style would turn me off, but I got used to it and I can’t imagine the episode with Haydee’s dress being done in any different way. That was absolutely gorgeous. Although I did headdesk at the mechs. Seriously? I’m an anime fan, and I can take a lot of weird shit, but that was a level of mindfuckery usually reserved for Evangelion. **Rigamarole** , I don’t know what kind of genres you like, but if you want to see something that is more…um…normal, look into Record of Lodoss War. It’s basically a D&D campaign that’s animated. No out of place elements, just something familiar to any fantasy fan. If you want to ramp it up to something not quite so derivative and simplistic in the fantasy genre, I’m quite fond of Berserk.