#franz charming

[r0bitadraws]

Belated Valentine's Day Post~

Sapphire's draft sat in my Krita files for OVER A YEAR. So, I'm very glad I finally finished these two.

Believe it or not, the print on Franz's tunic is not what kept me from finishing these earlier. It was Sapphire's lute...

[r0bita]

Because of Ribon no Kishi's styles (both 1950 and 1960s publications), Franz is drawn rather effeminately, even compared to a lot of the male characters in the story. Tezuka's style changes slightly when he switches between genres but still follow the same rules in terms of drawing men and women (particularly legs and feet, not much but it's noticeable). Because of how Franz is drawn in the mangas, along with his hair style, I keep comparing him to Mitchi, specifically her role as Astro's mom in the Astro Boy mangas.

It's most likely a coincidence, but I cannot get over the idea that Franz is secretly Mitchi in a male role because Princess Knight (along with many other Tezuka mangas and characters) is heavily inspired by Takarazuka, all-women theater tropes.

Bonus: Mitchi's most pivotal role was when they were a gender-fluid cyborg in Metropolis. So it's totally possible for them to play both male and female roles. Mitchi, appears in many early Tezuka works also served as a base for both Sapphire and Astro Boy, making their place in the Tezuka Star System very significant.

[r0bita]

I can understand why people who've read the 1963 version of Princess Knight don't like Franz very much, but looking into the original 1953 version it feels as though the revised version just failed to do him any justice, even after giving him an older brother to worry about (and then deciding to not do anything with it).

I don't know if it was because of the inclusion of newer and more updated characters who got more focus or a lack of planning, but they really did Sapphire and Franz's relationship dirty in the 1963 version.

In the 1953 version, they actually interact with one another, try to one up each other, hang out, go on a mission to save Sapphire's mother, etc. This is what I wanted to see in the 63 version!

I'll admit some stuff in the 53 version is probably a bit "meh" compared to the 63 version, but at least we got good romantic chemistry of it. And that is not something I get to say when referring to Osamu Tezuka's mangas!

[r0bita]

Franz, connecting Sapphire to the Ribbon Knight and the Flaxen haired girl: I hope this doesn't awaken anything in me.

Blood, who's kept a dress in his closet for who know's how long: :)

[r0bita]

Is 1950's Franz the same as 1960's Franz or is he less...gullible?

I would assume the Princess Knight anime is more similar to the 1950's plot with some exceptions?

I'm trying my best to watch some of Tezuka's animes without binge watching (All while comparing episodes to their manga counter parts...wish me luck haha...ah..).