Japan's Common Test for University Admissions kicked off last weekend on the 17th, with countless students diving into one of the most crucial exams of their lives.
But here’s a curveball: the "History Comprehensive / World History Inquiry" section actually featured a question referencing the classic manga, "The Rose of Versailles," which depicts the French Revolution. As soon as the question dropped, social media exploded, with many students expressing their utter surprise. The question used protagonist Oscar, raised as a male, to prompt students to consider the social status of women and the patriarchal system of the era.
"The Rose of Versailles" (ベルサイユのばら) was serialized from 1972 to 1973 in Shueisha's shojo manga magazine, *Margaret*. The beautiful story is set in the late 18th century at the Palace of Versailles, a symbol of prosperity for the Bourbon dynasty in France. It follows a young noblewoman who cross-dresses to serve as a palace guard and her encounter with a princess from the royal family.
With over 20 million copies in circulation, the series garnered immense support from readers since its serialization. It was later adapted into a stage play by the Takarazuka Revue and an animated TV series, sparking a phenomenal craze across society. A "completely new" animated theatrical film is also slated for 2025, cementing its status as a legendary work in the shojo manga world.
The "Rose of Versailles" question appeared in a section related to the French Revolution. It quoted a scene where Oscar, despite being a noblewoman, was raised as a boy by her general father. She questions him, "If I were an ordinary girl, wouldn't I have been married off around 15?"
Additionally, the question included the iconic scene where Oscar stands with the citizens, shouting "To the Bastille!!" and leading the charge. Students were asked to evaluate these plot points and arrange them chronologically with other events of the French Revolution. The question stem also explicitly stated: "At that time in France, noblewomen were mostly in a position where they had to obey their fathers or husbands, who were the patriarchs of the family," guiding students to understand history from a gender perspective.
On X (formerly Twitter), accounts believed to belong to students posted comments like: "My score just soared because of 'The Rose of Versailles,' that's insane!!!" and "Seriously regret not finishing 'The Rose of Versailles' sooner."
Some mentioned that as long-time readers, they felt a stronger connection while answering. Others joked that "The Rose of Versailles" and manga adaptations of "The Tale of Genji" are already considered "basic Japanese education," so their appearance on the exam wasn't surprising. One netizen even quipped, "At this rate, it wouldn't be impossible for isekai (fantasy world reincarnation) themes to appear on the exam someday."
However, there was an unexpected side note. The focus wasn't on the exam content itself, but on the disparity between "media being allowed to report on exam questions, while regular test-takers are asked not to post related content on social media," raising questions about the fairness of such regulations.
Japanese exam questions typically request students not to share them on social media, so media reports caused some confusion. While not legally prohibited, this request is based on maintaining exam fairness and "does not actually have enforcement power."
With "The Rose of Versailles" making the leap from classic shojo manga to official exam material, perhaps we'll see more similar works featured in these tests in the future.
via： togetter