Right Stuf will release their first installment of the anime classic Rose of Versailles on May 7, 2013. The series, which will be released under the company’s Nozomi Entertainment label, marks the first wide-scale American release of the show.

We were fortunate enough to receive a review screener for the show a few days ago. And, because we received the entire product, I felt that we should perform a full tear-down on the release. (Click images for larger versions)

Packaging

The package itself is made of sturdy chipboard, which houses four thinpack cases. The front features an attractive watercolor-styled illustration featuring Oscar in her full regalia and Marie Antoinette flanked by white roses. The back of the box is plain in comparison, with a stark white background styled to have the appearance of faded marble. A red heading is used to highlight a quote from Otaku USA writer Daryl Surat, while a general description of the show is provided in black Times Roman text.

Each of the four cases uses the following format:

  • The front of the case features a watercolor-styled illustration. These are in a similar format to the artwork used on the outer box.
  • The back of the case features the same stark background that the outer case uses. Episode titles and descriptions are set on the right side of the case, with black Times Roman text.

The discs themselves contain a red stripe, bordered by the “aged marble” pattern, to give the appearance of a red carpet. The show’s logo sits near the top of the disc, while publisher information is placed below the hole in the center of the disc.

Rose of Versailles Teardown 006 Rose of Versailles Teardown 007 Rose of Versailles Teardown 008
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Menu Structure

Note: Since the release has a consistent look & feel across the discs, I will only be covering the first disc. Further dissections would be redundant.

The front menu features a shot of the artwork on the left half of the screen, and a red background with a rose motif on the right. The core menu options are set in the center of the right half of the display, with the show’s logo set below the options.

The Episode menu uses the same “two frame” setup, with a screen from the episode occupying the left half of the screen, and the “Red Rose” background on the right. Episode and scene selections are set in the red section.

Rose of Versailles Menu001Rose of Versailles Menu002Rose of Versailles Menu003
 Rose of Versailles Menu004

Video Presentation

Rose of Versailles Screen 001Rose of Versailles Screen 002Rose of Versailles Screen 003
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 Rose of Versailles Screen 007 Rose of Versailles Screen 008

Overall

While the presentation is simple and the extras are non-existent, the release’s high episode count and fantastic video quality are a fair trade-off. The gorgeous cover art has the potential to attract many at first glance, while the subtle marble effects in the background are a welcome detail.