Romeo's Blue Skies - ROMEO NO AOISORA is based on the novel FRATELLI NERI (THE BLACK BROTHERS) by Lisa Tetzner. Nippon Animation used the German translation, DIE SCHWARZEN BRUDER as the basis for the story; the novel has not been translated into English. Nippon Animation's official English title of ROMEO NO AOISORA is 'ROMEO AND THE BLACK BROTHERS.' The story begins in the Alps. Romeo and his family are poor, but they are happy, for they have each other. And, as corny as that sounds, that's enough for them. The family is prone to hardship, though, and all but one of its cornfields has withered and died under the drought. Their neighbors, unable to help because of their own impoverished positions, can only offer their condolences as they realize that Romeo's family is indeed the hardest hit by this run of bad weather and bad luck. For the most part, however, Romeo's family is happy, and content to subsist and survive as best they can. Their joy at being together makes all things bearable. Romeo has a decent life — a loving family, a would-be girlfriend, and a constant companion in Piccolo, his pet weasel. As if drought and crop failures weren't enough, the town is further plagued by the arrival of Luini, 'the God of Death.' He is a child broker, offering to buy children off of destitute families to go work as chimney sweeps in Milan. A parasite who makes his living at the expense of others' misfortunes, his presence makes the townspeople anxious. In the first several episodes, tragedy after tragedy befalls Romeo's family, and slowly their hope starts to erode. Romeo's father loses his temper with him at one point and Romeo runs away. After overhearing some women gossiping about the possibility of his family actually selling him, a heartbroken Romeo wanders the streets aimlessly. When his mother, a quiet and kind woman, finds him she reassures him that she would never sell any of her children. But Romeo's father is injured, and they have no money to pay for a doctor. Neither do any of the townspeople, Romeo discovers, as he offers to do odd jobs for them to earn the money necessary to restore his father's health. Romeo realizes that his father could very well die if he doesn't get medical attention. And of course, if his father dies, what will happen to his family? So, in true Romantic style, Romeo sells himself to the God of Death for 25 francs. Having sold himself to this strange and cruel man, what will become of him as he leaves his family and everything he loves behind and moves to a strange town to do a dirty, dangerous job? - http://www.ex.org/2.3/04-romeo1.html