Set in a 19th century boarding school in France, this adaption of Keiko Takemiya's 1976 boys love manga tells the story of Serge Batouille who remembers his turbulent days in school, standing out because of the color of his skin (his mother was a gypsy) and getting shacked up with Gilbert Cocteau, a blonde androgyne boy who sells his body for school papers. Their life in school is filled with conflicts, desire and desperation.
~AnimeNewsNetwork.com
For an old anime, the quality is not too bad and the characters are portrayed in a realistic way. Their age shows through their drifting manners and struggles, the setting reflects the morals and restrictions of the times. Overall I found it beautiful and poetic.
If there was one BL anime to watch, I'd recommend this one. Even a non-BL-initiated audience might find satisfaction in it.
This was so sad but...so beautiful. Being what a Victorian junky I am, I really liked this. The animations was....done in the 80's but once you turn the lights off it gets a bit easier to see ^_^'
I know that no one else who reads this will probably be a Wildean like I am but, if you know anything about hoe homosexuality was regarded in time period, this will make you cry, or almost. It DOES take intelligence to keep up with, this is certainly not light, and although Gilbert IS freakishly pretty, it's not cutsie in the least.
Oh, and is anyone IS a Wilde freak like I am, I SWEAR Gilbert is Boisie, if he were a little french boy
It was beautiful, I love it.
Set in the time of the 19th century, Kaze to Ki no Uta trails Serge Battour upon his return to Laconblade Academy set in Provene, France. The story shifts to Serge's recollected memories of his roommate, Gilbert Cocteau. Gilbert, Serge realizes, is known by the faculty and students to be stripped of any morality as the gorgeous Gilbert often ditches classes to engage in lewd behavior with older students.
Upon their first meeting, Serge and Gilbert clash due to Gilbert's pompous attitude. However, Gilbert is revealed as a tragic character who is sexually abused by his own uncle, Auguste Beau, who has an enormous influence on Gilbert. Convinced that he and his uncle are in love, Gilbert is in a constant struggle with his demons and the kind hearted Serge offers friendship despite understanding Gilbert's problems.
Though at first he rudely rejects Serge's offer, a relationship blooms between the two boys that ultimately suggests something beyond friendship. Gilbert's tragedies manifest in his engagement with Serge and as the ending suggests, the audience is not guaranteed any happy endings. Rather, it is heart-breaking.
The OVA is beautifully done with older albeit wonderful art and invigorating plot that engages the important themes of prostitution, abuse, and homosexuality. There is nothing graphic but you don't need to see the details to sympathize and feel the agony of the story.
A top choice for anybody, regardless of their interest in boy/boy fandoms.
A beautiful anime that portrays a boy (Gilbert) being the all boys-schools whore and (Serge) being the roommate of Gilbert. Serge tries desperately to change Gilbert's prostituting ways and in the end they sleep together. The fact that this anime is old and wrinkly really surprises me how beautiful the shounen-ai love between the two is really complex and cool. wish they had more details on Gilbert though, since it is inferred that the uncle made him promiscuous.
Disjointed, incoherent mess. Info on the film says it was the first yaoi anime. If so, I am glad that it has evolved. If this had been the first yaoi I had seen I would have been put off.