Romeo's Blue Skies

Romeo and the Black Brothers
Cover of the first DVD
ロミオの青い空 (Romeo's Blue Skies)
Genre	Drama
Anime television series
Directed by	Kôzô Kuzuha
Studio	Nippon Animation
Network	TV Tokyo
Original run	January 15, 1995 – December 17, 1995
Episodes	33

Romeo's Blue Skies (ロミオの青い空, Romio no aoi sora, "Romeo's Blue Skies") is a Japanese anime series by Nippon Animation. Although "Romeo's Blue Skies" is the literal translation of the Japanese title, the official English name given by Nippon Animation is "Romeo and the Black Brothers". It is known in the Philippines as "Mga Munting Pangarap ni Romeo" (literally "Romeo's Simple Dreams").

It is based on the novel Die schwarzen Brüder ("The Black Brothers") written in 1941 in Switzerland by the Jewish author Kurt Held but published under the name of his wife Lisa Tetzner.

Characters

Romeo

Voiced by Ai Orikasa (Japanese) Louie Paraboles (Tagalog)

Young optimistic boy, who often courageously helps those around him without self-regard. He offers himself to Luini for sale as a chimney sweep when his sick father cannot pay for a doctor. He is sent to Milan where he quickly learns the trade while always maintaining a positive attitude.

The Black Brothers

A group of young chimney sweeps formed by Alfredo and Romeo, they consider each other as family and work together to solve conflict.

Piccolo

Romeo's pet ermine, who strangely retains its winter coat throughout the series.

Alfredo

Voiced by Toshiko Fujita

Romeo's best friend, and in the anime series the heir to a large fortune. He and his sister Bianca were orphaned by their evil uncle Mauritio and aunt Graziella, who coveted the family wealth for themselves and therefore murdered Alfredo's parents by fire. In order to support Bianca, Alfredo sold his services as a chimney sweep to Luini. Drawing upon an old favor the King owed Alfredo's father, Alfredo and Bianca, with the help of Romeo and their friends, manage to thwart the villains, but Alfredo dies near the end of the series from a terminal disease.

Luini, the God of Death

Voiced by Tetsuo Komura

A cruel man who visits towns to buy children, he goes as far as destroying the livelihood of Romeo's family in order to bind him under a contract. He later sells them as chimney sweeps making large sums of profit.

Bianca

Voiced by Akemi Okamura

Alfredo's sister. Captured by her evil uncle and aunt, she was rescued by the efforts of Romeo, Alfredo and the Black Brothers. At the end of the series, as an adult, she marries Romeo after his term of service in Milan is over.

Rossi

Voiced by Masahiro Anzai

Romeo's boss, who bought him.

Angeletta

Voiced by Maria Kawamura

Beautiful girl who lives with Rossi. Struck down with a lingering illness, she is unable to leave her bed, left alone in her room.

Giovanni

Voiced by Nobuyuki Hiyama

The leader of a juvenile street gang named the Wolves who consider themselves rivals of the Black Brothers.

Nikita

Voiced by Aya Ishizu

A tough, red-haired girl who is a member of Giovanni's gang. Although starting off as an enemy of the Black Brothers, she gradually adopts a more friendly attitude towards them, largely because she develops a crush on Alfredo.

Episodes

1. A Happening In A Village Of The Alps
2. The Beginning Of The Destiny
3. Farewell To My Village
4. The Boy In The Portrait
5. A Night In A Bar
6. The Boat Is Sinking
7. The House Of Angel
8. The Present From The Angel
9. A Love Letter In The Moonlight
10. The Sketchbook
11. Let's Become Friends
12. Gone With The Fog
13. The Meet In The Sewer
14. Let's Get Away!
15. Oath Of Eleven
16. Alfredo is My Rival!
17. The Duel At Saint Bavila Church
18. The Song Of Unity
19. The Grandmother Is A Witch
20. The Puppet Of Teo
21. The Secret Of Angeletta
22. I Sae My Grandmother!
23. Goodbye, My Angel
24. Bianca
25. The Brother And The Sister Meet Again
26. The Proud Soul
27. A Long Day
28. The Young Noble Alfred
29. Alfred Forever
30. The Last Salute
31. The Real Treasure
32. A Lovely Christmas Eve
33. To The Sky, On The Wing Of Freedom!

Other media

Artbook

• Romeo no Aoi Sora Megu Extra ISBN 4-88271-410-8

CDs

• Romeo no Aoi Sora Drama and Soundtrack Vol 1 WPC6-8128
• Romeo no Aoi Sora Original Soundtrack Vol 2 WPC6-8138
• Sora E... (Opening song) Hiroko Kasahara WPD6-9037

External links

• Romeo's Blue Skies (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia