So, for our first project we unanimously chose one of Kaori’s newest masterpieces to share with all of you. Enjoy! 
Name: Ludwig Kakumei ( alternative title, Ludwig Revolution )
Year: 1999-2007 (completed)
Author: Kaori Yuki
Volumes: 4
Genre: gothic romance, comedy, horror, fantasy, shoujo
Summary: Not your everyday average soothing fairytale that you used to hear as a bedtime story, full of charming princes, beautiful, pure hearted princesses that live in spectacular palaces, that always ends in a sickeningly sweet, romantic manner.
This plot is very appealing by its way of combining the character of an everyday individual, with that of a royal or magical one; thus, the horrible and dreadful sins, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride are passed on by, to a seemingly flawless being. Although the story seems a little bit gloomy, it doesn’t lack one moment without a humorous situation inflicted by a comedy relief character. When the mood becomes suddenly too serious or awkward, it is frequently saved by drawing the attention to another funny detail, or by the short side notes left by Kaori.
Characters:
Prince ‘Necrophile’ Ludwig: The main character of this whole ordeal, and even the initiator due to his odd tastes in ’silent’ women. He is the prototype of an arrogant blue blooded son, full of himself, with a constant need to be pampered and taken care of by any servant, which in this situation is his most trusted and most pitied Wilhelm. At first the ‘bonding’ with his father is presented to us and proves to be very different to that of any normal fairytale, Lui’s behavior being one of an ungrateful bastard with no respect for the ‘old fart’ 
. We find out from the start every detail of Ludwig’s type of women, this whole detail resuming only to their breast measurements. As a character, you can be fooled at first by his casanova like behavior, the person that knows exactly how good looking he is, and uses that to obtain anything he wants, especially from unsuspecting young ladies; but even from the first chapter, near the end, he reveals his extreme cunningness and wits, followed by the rare talent of guessing what a person, with an impeccable exterior, hides beneath.
His relationship with Wilhelm is, as we normally call it, an abusive one, but underneath all of this maltreatment, the prince genuinely cares about his loyal servant and likewise loyal friend; this fact can be easily proved by following the events that take part in the past, as well as the ones in the present.
We will follow this character as he shows his caring side, more and more often as the story unfolds 
Dorothea: At first the woman was a part of the secondary character list, but after awhile and some failed journeys later, she joined the jolly group that consists of the arrogant prince Lui and his servant, Wilhelm. She makes her debut as the evil witch that has cast a sleeping spell upon the beautiful princess Idike; You’d think that after one or two chapters that’s the end of her, but here you’re wrong. The cold hearted treatment that Ludwig bestows upon her makes Dorothea just want to come back for more. This is the main reason why she joined the travelers, to accentuate the one-sided love, and unfold in front of us her masochistic choices 
and need to be dominated every moment. Her funny way of acting, constant references to sold potions and money, relationship with the prince, even the gothic clothing ensemble, make her the more agreeable. Towards the end of the saga, she willingly sacrifices herself and shows the true love hiding behind all of the comedic acts. After being saved by her new companions, in spite of only having one true life left, she goes back to the ‘old’ masochist Dorothea we all know and love so much.
~more to come soon~
