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Richard (III) Character Analysis;

Richard (III) is the main character of Baraou No Souretsu (Requiem of the Rose King) and its really well written manga and has deep characters. I started this manga cause of main character’s similarity with Sohma Akito from Fruits Basket. Lonely character who wants to be loved, hatred of their mother, unhealthy admiration and legacy of father, gender issues and unhealthy relationships, basically a tragedy. Manga has its own plot and some strategy for the sake of throne fights but story also focus on relationship between characters. Now, i wanna talk about Richard and everythings/somethings i wanna say about him.

Family;

The most tragic and ironic thing about Richard is that all he wants is just to be loved but at the same time, he keeps pushing people who loved him.

Which actually accurate reaction cause of his trauma. Since the day he was born, his mother hated him cause he is intersex. That mother's hatred, the fact that he has to live his life while hiding something about his identify lead him to be cold and closed towards other people. This is why even though he had people who treat nice towards him or even his brothers, he is still cold. Cause they DONT know ALL of him, that there is still a side he has to hide from them.

This is why only person who accepts him (except their servant Catesby), despite knowing his "secret" is his father. Which is why his father become light for Richard, that he is equal to god for him. Because to Richard, he is "demon" and "Real god" is no exist for him. Except his father. This is why his life purpose become his father. That his father, his light deserves the best. Even becoming a king. After all, his father said "there is heaven in that crown", didnt he?

That fairy tale type of logic, something his father told to Richard, he still believes in him. Thats why he wanted his father to become king. And later he killed an innocent man to reach out to him. Thats why again later he was so obsessed with killing the King Henry for the sake of revenge of his father's death.

There is also a scene that we saw Richard kissing his father's death body. Well, for every child, their parents are their first love in a way. Richard's messed up admiration of his father, cause he is everything to him, including his complicated "sexual identify" issues, they all combined in here.

Richard also probably felt envy towards his brothers cause they are ‘normal’ and he is ‘not’ and probably cause of loyal family thing, there was probably a distance between siblings.

Its also weird that Richard betrayed his second old brother and let him die but he tried to protect his oldest big brother. The reason might be because his oldest one looked similar to his father.

The Pygmalion effect, or Rosenthal effect, is a psychological phenomenon in which high expectations lead to improved performance in a given area. (Source).

And we also see how much his mother's words affected him during the story. That he is demon, he doesnt deserves and cant be loved. Because of some foolish witch curse, his mother basically ruins Richard’s life. If you constantly say a thing, then you eventually turn it into a reality. Self-fulfilling prophecy. Which is what his mother did with Richard. Turning hım to "demon" in a way. Its no concidence Richard later betrayed his brothers, just like his mother said he will. Richard just became what other people expected from him.

Though, Richard is actually just really kind, pure, innocent kid in deep, thats who he really is.

Henry;

Henry who has very weak mentality and is a lot older than Richard, they meet and having a "romeo-Julliet" type of relationship. Someone just naturally treats kind towards Richard and of course, Richard run away. He doesnt let his guard easiely. He does his best to stay away from him. Even though, he was affected by Henry's kindness. He craves for that affection. Its similar to crush and father figure. But Richard doesnt öpen himself and his priority is of course his father. They met more than once and Richard ran away from Henry over and over. After all, he never imagined normal life, he is convinced the fact that he cant be loved with his "true identify".

Though, eventually his cold hearth melts and he slowly opens up to him. He promises to meet him again. Even after he learnt that Henry is the enemy. He still come to him and show his "true identify". He was ready to let go of all revenge, pain, everything but Henry wasnt, i guess. He even says the thing he desired the most. "Love me, please". Showing his weakest side at first time. But it doesnt end well. It ends with the worst way as possible. Because of his mother's manipulations. And that moment, Richard "dies" and "kills" Henry.

Its ironic that they both die in a way and they reborn with New personalities. Henry lost his memory and become assasin. Richard become "demon", everything that his mother told. He actually being destruction, even betraying his brothers.

He wants to become king. As much as the reason seems like his brothers arent fit that role, he fits, thats not the Real reason. There is nothing left for Richard in this world except the fairy tale story his father told, that there is heaven in that crown. Also, as person who carries the name of the king Richard, his father's legacy, Richard goes after the crown and does anything to reach out to that, hoping to find happiness but he doesnt.

(Ironic part of Henry is that maybe things wouldnt happenned, if he didnt ignore the pain of people around him which is related to tragedy between him and Richard. One try to run away from legacy, pain and other try to run away from love, happiness.)

And later after meeting with Henry, Richard never opens up to him and ignore him during the story. Though, we cant blame him since Henry lost his memories was his way of escaping from reality. And at the end of the story, Henry sacrifices himself to help/save Richard. He makes enemy thinks he is Richard by wearing his ring and clothes or something and well, Henry dies.

Anne;

Next, Anne. Only female character Richard had some romantic feelings at some point. He even called her as his first love which also imply that he saw Henry more as father figure rather than as lover.

Actually those two could really work well cause of how stable and healthy their relationship is. That they could be really good partners in any way.

Anne also loved him too but they both separated cause of annoying misunderstandings. They both thought other one used them. Richard who was already closed and scared of that Anne wont accept his "true identify", he leaves. Lack of communication is the main issue between Richard and Anne, that they never opened each others. This is why Richard leaves and Anne agrees with marriage with Edward and later sleping with him cause she thinks Richard will never love him anyway.

Even after later, after Anne married with Edward and Richard killed Edward with "mercy killing", even though he didnt kill her father (it was Buckingham who killed her father), he never try to fix the misunderstandings and lead her to not see his feelings, pain. (Note;Anne and Edward also never tried to fix misunderstandings eithr and let Richard to think that they betrayed him so.)

This is why their marriage becomes the cold one, they still have respects but lack the emotional connection. Because Richard closed his hearth again after his trauma with Henry's rejection.

If only he talks and open himself, they could be amazing couple. Yes, Anne had feelings for Edward at some point but still, she was still have feelings for Richard and that feelings could easiely turn into love again. Anne could eventually accept his "true identify" too. Cause later in story, she learns, yes her first reaction is running away but eventually she accepts him.

Richard spends most of his times with being king issues instead of connecting with Anne and her son. Anne becomes lonely and really exhausted cause of loneliness. They only opened each others after it becomes too late. Anne dies cause of some illness.

Edward;

Unexpectedly, he acts really brave for his love, especially compared to other characters. Yeah, he does love Richard cause he think Richard is woman (not knowing that he is intersex) but still, high possibility, Edward still would accept Richard and love him with his all or at least would stay as friends with him.

Their moments are entertaining and funny. He constantly flirts with hRichard but of course, Richard ignores it. 1- Edward is enemy 2- He thinks Edward wont accept his intersex body. Again, Richard ignores all of it, pushing people/Edward away and focusing his father’s legacy.

After learning that Edward is enemy, he also assumes that his enemies (Henry, Anne, Edward) are constantly playing with his hearth. That they are using him. Hurting him. He doesnt even think the possibility of being loved by them.

And later, Edwards gets killed by second brother of Richard. He never have a chance to tell his true feelings towards Richard, sadly. And Richard gives him a mercy killing in the end.

Another case of Richard misunderstanding (Its not Richard’s fault though) and pushing people who loves him. He learns Edward’s love until its too late. Its really a tragedy.

Buckingham;

Unlike others, the things Richard and Buckingham come together is for the sake of crown. As much as Buckingham has taken interest in him since the start, Richard accepts him when he lost his ‘soul’ and accepts to becoming a demon. They work together for crown. Buckingham becomes his kingmaker. Its parallel to king Richard’s relationship with Warwick/king’s kingmaker who is also killed by Buckingham.

Though, later Buckingham finds Richard’s secret and they start a sexual relationship. (He is also cheating his wife in a way). For Richard, first person who accepts this body. He view it as sin but still eventually accept it.

Richard has no self worth after all, this is why he dehumanize himself constantly in the story, using himself as weapon/tool to live in this world, otherwise it would be too painfull for hım. After this, we see Richard’s being more peacefull with his ‘woman identify’ too.

Richard also start developing feelings towards him and even comparing him with Henry. Confusing two Henry’s with each others. (After all, they have same names). They both opened up to each others, Richard even gets pregnant from Buckingham but later apperantly, king issues becomes more important than it.

Buckingham betrays and he sentences to death. Richard becomes the one who kill him, its also a present and goodbye in a way, i guess.

After becoming king and especially after the death of Buckingham, Richard starts to questioning his desire to become a king.

Realising that there is not a heaven in this crown. He is missing his wife Anne, his son Edward, Buckingham’s hugging him. He misses the affection he felt by people who loved him. He realised that he lost them. And its killing him inside.

Catesby;

Last one and also the most loyal person in Richard’s life. He knows Richard’s secret and accepts him since the beginning but he never opens his true feelings towards him until its too late, he just silently stays by his side because he thinks he can never be his light even though he could be, if he just opened himself to Richard. And Richard also never think the possibility of Catesby could accept him that way, even though Catesby proved his royalty towards him many times. In the end, Catesby always stays by Richard’s side, even in the end of story. (Personally, i wish those two to become together despite age difference since he was loyal to the most and yknow, boy needs happiness and love but well, this is all we got.)

Edward and Beth;

Not just those people but also Richard connected with some other characters. His non-biological son Edward and his oldest brother’s daugher Beth. They clearly fond of Richard very much.

Edward even say that Richard is his light, its a parallel scene to Richard’s relationship with father.

Beth also chose her uncle Richard over even her own mother.

But during the story, Richard hardly ever interacts and spend times with them. And even at the end of story, Richard is not together with them.

And;

Another interesting and tragic fact is little thing Richard did in story has high effect on plot. He simply motivates his father to becoming a king but his father dies. He kills innocent man while rushing to save his father and the wife of that man he killed came back for revenge and cause trouble for kingdom. Etc etc. Richard is also parallel with witches in story in a way cause they are not accepted by this world. (I loved the scene where Witch Joan hugged Richard.)

Richard also most likely dies at the end but i would like to think that thats not what happen. Its really a tragedy. Richard and those people deserves better.

There might be things that i forgot to say but for now thats it. I also might edit things later. Its painfull cause Richard and all those characters desevred better. Ending raws arent translated yet but this is what happens anyway. I just wanted to share and unfortunately it was really hard to finding pictures i mentioned/i wanted to show so this is all we have. Well, for now thats it. This is really painfull and tragic. I usually hate shoujo but i really enjoyed the kind of harem part of story, lol, tragedy part was really painfull though.

Richard and all those character deserves better. And i will imagine an ending where they find happiness together.

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