Cesare

Description

Cesare is about the life of one of history's most enigmatic figures: Cesare Borgia, an Italian aristocrat, politician, and mercenary leader during the Renaissance. The manga takes an intimate look at Cesare's life during his matriculation at the University of Pisa, at the age of 15, in the years preceding his appointment as a cardinal of the Holy See.

Souryo Fuyumi collaborated with a Dante scholar while creating Cesare, in order to portray Renaissance Italy as accurately as possible.

Note: Nominated for the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2023.

Type

Manga

Canzoniere (Sequel)

Associated Names

CESARE Il Creatore che ha distrutto

Cesare: Hakai no Souzousha

Cesare: The Creator of Destruction

Cheezare

チェーザレ

チェーザレ破壊の創造者

破壊の創造者

Groups Scanlating

Black Cat Scanlations

Etc

Project Vinland

Latest Release(s)

v.13 c.106 (end) by Project Vinland 2 years ago

v.13 c.104-105 by Project Vinland 2 years ago

v.13 c.103 by Project Vinland 2 years ago

Search for all releases of this series

Status in Country of Origin

13 Volumes (Complete)

Completely Scanlated?

Yes

Anime Start/End Chapter

N/A

User Reviews

N/A

Forum

1 topics, 1 posts

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User Rating

Average: 8.6 / 10.0 (273 votes)

Bayesian Average: 8.37 / 10.0

39%

20%

22%

10%

Last Updated

October 7th, 2025 1:38am PDT - 4 days ago

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Genre

Drama Historical Mature Psychological Seinen
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Categories

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Recommendations

Author(s)

Artist(s)

Year

Original Publisher

Kodansha

Serialized In (magazine)

Morning (Kodansha)

Licensed (in English)

English Publisher

N/A

Activity Stats (vs. other series)

Weekly Pos #718

(-1)

Monthly Pos #1917 (No change)

3 Month Pos #2874

(-516)

6 Month Pos #4259

(-452)

Year Pos #5732

(-113)

List Stats

On 995 reading lists

On 1001 wish lists

On 85 completed lists

On 66 unfinished lists

On 362 custom lists

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Forum Posts Click to view the forum

Fuyumi Soryo's Cesare Ends in November After 16 Years

4 years ago

User Comments [ Order by usefulness ]

Quality work

by Cassiopea
13 years ago

Rating: 8.0 / 10.0

I have mixed feelings about the series - though the most part they are positive.

For the good: The art is quite lovely. Detailed, well transitioned and clean. Also, it is great to have a plot that is more mature, suitable for an older audience. It is intellectual-heavy, and the political/court drama that is simmering just around the corner has very high potential.

Additionally, there are some really attractive guys.

For the so-so: Some of the scenes feel a little long (and this is coming from a History graduate!) There are action scenes, but to me they do feel a bit predictable. Nevertheless, though, they are quite well done.

Some things also are a bit one sided, and preachy: As in "Christians are always bad and ignorant" "Everyone else is smart and advanced". History, even at this time, was a lot more complex then this. I'm not really a fan when one culture is dubbed as 100% awful while another seems to be dubbed as 100% perfect. Yes, there is a mention that the Mangaka consulted a scholar, but I do wish she could have consulted more than one. Alot more than one. A rule of thumb when working in/with history is to consult a variety of eligible sources.

Also, if you are French, you might not like that the main image they get is a bunch of proudful dumb brutish bullies who act before they think LOL

I am on the fence about character development. Angelo does start off as a bit too meek and overapologetic, but he does eventually grow a little better. He becomes a bit more assertive, and takes the role of the teacher at some point. I am glad that he is offered more depth, even if it is just a tad of it so far. Hopefully it will grow further, and definitely hope he will become much more than a possible pawn.

Cesare, well, he is quite perfect in many ways. Only a teen, and he is great at horsebackriding, intellectually skilled, reads people well, very good looking, very humble despite his social status, great at leading military style situations, great at any other hobbies. The only current "fault" that seems to occur is the hint of his future playboyism (Afterall, he did father over eleven kids with different women) but I do sense this isn't going to be portrayed as a negative thing, considering it is a titled seinen series. His other supposed fault that is actually mentioned in the series is his outspokenness, but he always gets out of trouble with this one.

He is also shown to have manipulative tendencies, though it seems to be only on the surface so far.

I don't know why, he is a very good character, but I just feel like something is missing? I want more from him. Something more than just being elegantly dark, dashing and wise, all while smoothly taking control of everything. Granted, it is still technically early in the overall story, so I reckon there will be plenty more in the future.

Overall: It is a really good quality series, and likable enough. Definitely try to keep going over the first couple chapters, as things will progress further. It is not the best manga I have ever read, but it is far from the worst.

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I'm so sorry

by jnatsumi
14 years ago

Rating: N/A

I don't usually go for seinen.
This one is historical. I don't usually go for that either.
The art is beautiful. I could understand why the main character was made to be so ignorant--that's because some readers are ignorant about history. Like me. So I'm somewhat grateful for that main character. However, I couldn't stand the fact that he is weak. He has great mind "revolutionary," but I couldn't...stand the fact that the main character is a filler.
So I'm dropping it. Purely personal. I don't think there's really any wrong with the manga at all.

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Epic

by CiellavonNightmare
14 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

Ok, I've been putting this off because it was seinen.
Lately I've been obssessed with Cesare Borgia after seeing The Borgias.
Later, I read Kakan no Madonna.
Now I'm captivated by Cesare
no matter which adaptation, he's always so hot, mesmerizing AHHHHH
anyway, a good read, I love it from the art to the plot to the characters 😀

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A masterpiece

by intemango
15 years ago

Rating: N/A

It's hard to fathom a tale about the history and politics surrounding a character I thought I knew so well would be so engrossing. Every character was distinct and thoroughly developed. Every page was oozing with charisma, exquisite art, meticulous storytelling and an appropriate atmosphere of refinement befitting a story about aristocrats.

I might add, to me, the 'naive male lead' people refer to doesn't seem like the main character at all. Indeed, he probably isn't, this is a story about Cesare, he is the main star and the primary source of charisma, the 'male lead' probably just exists as a foil and an observer . But more than that, this is a story about the Italian Renaissance and the struggles for political power, so if you're mildly interested in a more mature and subtle historical drama of that kind, unlike others that are packed with gore, vengeance, star-crossed lovers... you'll love this.

... Last updated 15 years ago

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Beautiful.

by spikoy
15 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

Comparable to Vinland Sage in its meticulous attention to detail and research, it is an interesting look at the man who is Cesare Borgia. While Angelo is the actual protagonist, the story and plot revolves around the charismatic enigma that is Cesare and thus the manga is rightfully named for the character it centers on.

Angelo is meant to be the character that the viewer relates to, his naive innocence is the perfect tool for Soyryo Fuyumi to endear the viewers to Cesare. It is firstly through Angelo's bedazzled eyes that the viewer becomes attached to the charismatic and noble Cesare. However as the cast expands and more than one character is given a chance to speak their mind, the point of view on Cesare changes.

This manga is about Cesare Borgia and how he becomes the man that he is known to be, through the eyes of the many people that surround him and the many who admire him and those who despise him. It is an analysis of Cesare as a person through the views of the people around him. He is defined by his actions and interactions, by the words of the people who see him and who feel they know him.

An interesting read to say the least, but worthy of being equal to Vinland Saga.

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POSSIBLE SPOILER!!!!

by Lomlom333
16 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

Great Manga! The only down side that I can see is that it uses a real historical character. Cesare Borgia was idealized by the Niccolo Machiavelli(who is also in the manga) as the archetype of what a true Prince/ruler should be. Cesare WAS a Cardinal at the age of 18, but left the office to pursue other goals. Cesare conquered Romagna and he was also very close to conquering all of Italy but unfortunately, his father who was the Pope dies before Cesare can finish what he started. Cesare will make another man a Pope, but unfortunately that guy will also die after a month. The next Pope that will be chosen, will be an enemy of Cesare who will ruin everything for him. Cesare will be arrested, he will run away from prison and move to Spain to his brother-in-law who was the King, where he will die at the siege of Viena at the age of 31. So, if this manga will stay true to history, expect to see a lot of people killed, betrayed, used, and destroyed by Cesare. It is speculated that Cesare had his own brother assassinated.

P.S- on the fun side.. the popular image of Jesus used in Western Art are made in the image of Cesare, because he commissioned a painting of Jesus to be made in his image, and that paiting ende dup inspiring other artists.

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Wondrous

by Alissa
16 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

This is pure art. As for the shounen-ai, I don't feel like Angelo is drawn to Cesare that way, he simply feels his charisma, as many others do. There's absolutely no "love" tension around. Cesare is magnetic, but anyway it's common for teenagers to feel drawn to charismatic peers of the same sex, mentally but not physically. So no shounen-ai in this 🙂

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I hope 4 more

by Akatsubaki
16 years ago

Rating: 8.0 / 10.0

Very artistical indeed.... But the plot were smooth, slow pace growing.
But why the main char have drawn too much with Cesare Borgia?
And this manga is full of men.. Can i classified it into 'almost' shounen-ai?

Right now it's still okay, i would like to know the further development.

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As far as I'm concerned, one of the big 3 Historical works.

by Crenshinibon
16 years ago

Rating: 8.2 / 10.0

When I think of historical manga, I think of three main titles- Historie, Vinland Saga, and, of course, Cesare. All of them maintain a fair amount of research into their subject matter (some more than others), and all of them are both well-written and compelling, albeit in utterly differing ways.

That said, Cesare is thoroughly researched, meticulously crafted masterpiece thus far, and I have a feeling that the political intrigue will be executed with nothing but the utmost excellence. Fuyumi does have a talent for suspense, so even if I found Eternal Sabbath to be largely unnecessary, I do thoroughly respect her ability has a storyteller in that regard.

Recommended to most who can appreciate it when history makes itself into a story on its own merits.

And it's an obligatory, probably unnecessary complaint of a comment, but seriously, Monstar_Maalik, you need to learn to appreciate realism in characters. "badass"-edness is a thoroughly overrated archetype that ultimately doesn't have much of a basis in the real world except for people trying to pass themselves off for something that they aren't.

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Intriguing

by candyloop
17 years ago

Rating: 8.6 / 10.0

Fist of all, to all the people who compaire or ask whenever Cesare is similar to Cantarella. The two manga are as different as day and night are. Cantarella is a fantasy with a shonen ai flavour and has near to nothing to do with historical events, the only thing "historical" about Cantarella is the protagonist's name, while Cesare is a purely historical manga and keeps closer to reality. It's somber to the point where some might find it dry and boring, especially if you are not familiar with pure historical genre. If you liked Historie, you might like Cesare as well. It's much closer to that manga, than say to Vagabond or Shin Angyo Onshi (and definitely very different than Cantarella)

Second, if you are picking this manga in hopes to read a story similar to "Mars", forget about it, this is not a shoujo.

Now regarding Cesare: I've found this to be the best and more mature work of this author. "Mars" was good for what it was, but Cesare takes it on completely different level. The story developing is very solid (the dialogues and plot are quite formidable), it is slow paced, but it allows the reader to pay attention to the details and not jump into conclusion and speculations as it eventually explains all the motives and all the relationships. The art is much more mature, as to be expected and the detail to the costumes and surroundings is admirable. Knowing Cesare Borgia as a historical figure, I hope that the author won't hesitate to show him for what he was: an incredibly ambitious and at times ruthless and manipulative man. The latest chapters of this manga seems to suggest so.

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