If you were to rewrite Innocent or Innocent Rouge, what aspects would you change and why?
Good question! I'd rewrite some unrealistic events that happened in Innocent. Because— who, in 18th century France, would place a grumpy 11 year old girl as the Prévôté de L'hôte of Versailles? That wouldn't be likely at all especially when people during this time were heavily misogynistic. Maybe she'd claim the title realistically as a late adolescent, and was more wiser first.
The backstory of Zero. No way Marie Joseph gave birth to a baby all by herself during a fucking revolution. How the hell did they even survive that? Marie Joseph cut all her connections with her family and abandoned her occupation. Money wouldn't last her long in that kind of economy, and being a vagrant isn't exactly safe for her or her child. Especially since she's a first time mom with no experience with a baby. Like, there are things that even your research books can't answer, Marie.
How was Zero able to participate in society without a gender? Have proper education, and living? It's very modern thinking I admit, but bro how are you even living and breathing surrounded by a bunch of conservative folks? I would wanna shine a bit of light on Zero and Marie Joseph's growing lifestyle together.
Marie Joseph's character is fascinating. She's intelligent and ambitious and driven, but she's a bloody brute. Super fictional and too unreal. I'd rewrite her to be more human. The woman had experienced some trauma, but that was overlooked throughout the manga. Like I wish we have more background on that and how it affected her throughout her life. Strong feminist characters have vulnerable moments too and that's perfectly okay. But apparently not for Shinchi Sakomoto's characters. Just suffering because 'trauma builds character'.
Also, I won't hesitate to rewrite Marie Antoinette's entire character. I feel like Shinchi Sakomoto wrote her in the way Marie Antoinette was portrayed in media propaganda.
Her relationship with her bodyguard is very intriguing and I'm obsessed with it. But what are Marie Joseph's motives with starting an affair with the Dauphine in the first place? To piss off Du Barry for sleeping with her brother?? C'mon. And I'm pretty sure Antoinette would be initially self-conflicted with her romantic feelings for Marie Joseph. As she was a raised Catholic, taught to think "homo = no no". Someone like Antoinette, who's eager to please those around her and make a perfect impression... she'd hesitate before accepting Marie Joseph's hand. But then again, Antoinette thinks the more forbidden it was, the more exciting. I had hoped that Antoinette and Marie were set for on plot-road focused on complex infatuation and frustrating miscommunications. But no.
The ending of Innocent Rouge was also very rushed. Like whyyy?? Shinchi probably just wanted to get it done so he can focus on #DRLC.
