This works great as Albert’s life falls apart we see him become more and more dependant on The Count, but at the same time we become suspicious of his true motivations. The Count himself is of questionable morality, and his motives remain unclear for a large portion of the show. I first watched Gankutsuou before reading Dumas’ book, and actually found much of what made it engaging turned out to be narrative alterations. Occasionally there are some rather surreal CGI elements that seem a little out of place, but other than that I have pretty much no complaints when it comes to how Gankutsuou both looks and sounds. What the futuristic setting does allow for is some stunning visuals. Gankutsuou is one of the best looking anime I’ve ever seen, and its unique texture effects are stunning, and give the show its own distinct feel. The society we are presented with is similar to that in Dumas’ novel, and other than the Count’s ‘space sickness’ there are few major changes. It’s also worth pointing out that Gankutsuou is set in the very distant future, and not the 19th Century, although this isn’t perhaps as significant as you’d think it would be. This results in a fairly uneven opening, and whilst the first couple of episodes aren’t bad, they do focus on both characters and locations that are of little significance later on. Because of this the point at which the anime begins it not the start of the novel, but rather about 200 pages in. Gonzo’s version follows Albert de Morcerf, and we see the book’s events from his perspective rather than that of The Count himself. This is both the greatest strength and weakness of the show. Most of the characters meet the same fate as they do in Dumas’ classic, but along the way Gankutsuou manages to tell a different story.

The result is a visually spectacular anime with the thematic complexities of one of the greatest revenge stories ever told.

Adapted from Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, Gonzo’s 24 episode anime takes some fantastic source material and turns much of it on its head, whilst retaining most of the brilliance found in the French novel. Gankutsuou is a modern retelling of a classic story.

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