negotiated

A soap opera wrapped in royal regalia. The sets and costumes are incredible but at no point did I bond with the actors despite a very decent cast. Small time plots that lead nowhere and writing filled with small screen cliches. I found myself waiting for anything to grip me but 2 seasons later, still no joy. It's a shame but don't waste your time.

Decent cast and acting. Great sets and wardrobes but it was all a bit ... dull. Hard to follow and I didn't really want to after long. There was no aura of power or high stakes politics or regality. It was more of a soap opera about bickering families. A very very watered down "Rome".

I was surprised to so see such a low rating on IMDb. It's clear that those who follow this manga feel it was butchered but for me, it was a really fresh concept and pretty epic by all accounts. Would love to see more ! If you enjoy anime, this is definitely worth watching.