Shakespeare, The Yakuza Manga Series

Check out London publishing house Metro Media's new Shakespeare manga series. The company collected some of the best manga artists in town and collaborated their efforts into the release of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, both adapted to take place in modern-day Tokyo.

Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare's most famous love story, unfurls in a dramatic manga setting, in which Verona becomes a street in the highly fashionable Shibuya district of Tokyo. The star-crossed lovers, touching in their youth and innocence, are caught up in a bitter feud between two Yakuza families (Japan's 'mafia') whose rivalry erupts into violence and killing on the streets. Romeo, a rock star, is a Montague who falls in love with Juliet, a Capulet. They defy their parents and consummate their passion in secret. This is a story of love, revenge, violence and tragedy.

Pretty awesome, huh? It's part of an effort to teach kids about classic literature so they actually enjoy it. Just released this month.