Anti-colonial history meets fantasy: Why ‘Champion of the Rose’ is your next read

MANILA, Philippines — How do you resist colonization? 

This is one of the central questions posed in Cat Aquino and Dominique Duran’s "Champion of the Rose," a Filipino manga that takes readers into a world where gladiator-style battles can spell the difference between freedom or death.

Aquino, the writer among the duo, earned their Erasmus Mundus International Master’s degree in Children’s Literature, Media and Culture. They currently edit literary works for the UK-based publishing house, Daphne Press. 

Meanwhile, the manga’s artist Duran is an experienced illustrator whose portfolio cuts across different mediums, including video games. Duran served as the senior art director of the ‘Until Then’, a hit interactive visual novel set in the Philippines. 

Philstar.com sat down with the two creators in an exclusive interview, where they shared a glimpse of the world of "Champion of the Rose."

History through queer eyes 

Set in the Kingdom of Sagrada, the manga follows trans swordsman Rey. Rey is chosen by Princess Rosa as her champion in an arena battle where the prize is her own hand; both heroes are vying for their own versions of freedom. 

Aquino explained that the manga draws from the Philippines’ own colonial history, particularly during the Spanish occupation. 

This time however, the story is told primarily through queer characters. 

Aquino admitted that writing a character such as Rey was difficult—after all, there were not very many characters like him, especially in Philippine comics. 

“We were really excited to make a character like him in a Spanish colonial, Philippine history-inspired fantasy world because we rarely see discussions of trans people from that time, even though they definitely existed,” Aquino said. 

Asked for their thoughts on how members of the LGBTQ+ were often portrayed in Philippine media, Duran said that there was a tendency to put queer characters in either comedies or tragedies. It has taken a long time before queer characters were taken more seriously. 

“I think that sometimes people still view queerness as something that needs to be fixed,” Duran said, explaining that such views in society have also prevented queer comic creators from coming out. 

While the graphic novel puts a spotlight on a trans protagonist, Aquino said that “Champion of the Rose” is not a story about coming to terms with one’s queerness. 

There was no shortage of coming out stories in Philippine literature, Aquino said. While the story is told through the perspective of a trans man, Rey’s journey is multifaceted. The manga tackles themes of imperialism, colonialism, religious trauma and more. 

An anti-colonial epic 

Like many other creators, the idea for "Champion of the Rose" came from many places for the two co-creators. 

For Aquino, the story pulled inspiration from a mix of history and fiction, but it ultimately stemmed from the dreams of a 13-year-old kid who had just read Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games. It would eventually determine the story’s arena-style battle setting. 

The story never left them, only maturing alongside Aquino throughout the years. 

Aquino eventually decided on a colonial setting after they traveled to the country that had occupied the Philippines for more than 400 years. The writer was a college student when they traveled to Seville, Spain. There, they saw all the gold and wealth that Spain had stolen from the Philippines and other colonies. 

Filipino anti-colonial literature like Reynaldo Ileto’s  Pasyon and Revolution would also influenced the manga, as well as Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. 

“I found that arena battles, violence and spectacles of death like that are ways to control the population. These are things that empires have always used for thousands of years to make sure the populace is pacified and okay with what they're doing,” Aquino said. 

Both Aquino and Duran cited several Japanese anime and manga as influences. 

In terms of the art style, Duran shared that she has different manga on display when drawing, including The Bugle Call and Vinland Saga—both particularly come in handy when illustrating scenes with soldiers. Gokurakugai was also an inspiration. 

Creating a champion 

Aquino connected with Duran during the COVID-19 pandemic and the two got to work conceptualizing the story. Time management proved to be a challenge for them both while developing the manga. Aquino needed to complete their master’s degree in Scotland, Denmark and Spain. Meanwhile, Duran grappled with ADHD unmedicated, finding it difficult to juggle all her responsibilities. 

Nonetheless, the two of them were able to build a strong rapport. Duran would be inspired by Aquino’s ideas and Aquino was motivated to continue writing upon seeing Duran’s concepts. 

When asked what advice the duo would give to upcoming creatives, Duran said that it was normal to have a lot of ideas that they want to execute perfectly. However, it is the incessant need to be perfect that could become a challenge when bringing those ideas to life.

“Of course, as creatives, we want to make something that's beautiful or that tells the truth in our hearts fully. But sometimes, we don't have the skills yet to fully express that. And that's okay. Just finish one project. It's okay. It doesn't have to be perfect,” Duran said. 

Meanwhile, Aquino said that creativity is an act of self-love. 

“When you make something, you're choosing to stop the world and life around you and just sit down with your thoughts and really, really express yourself, whether it be through art or writing or dance or song. That's you proving to yourself and other people that you have something to say. And I think that's an incredible form of self-love,” Aquino said. 

It took a while, but "Champion of the Rose" found its home in San Francisco-based publisher VIZ Media. It was VIZ Media that suggested that the story could be a manga, allowing it to be adapted in four volumes. It will be released annually, with the manga set to make its debut in 2026. 

"Champion of the Rose" will be launched worldwide on July 14 in North America, August 8 in the Philippines and August 13 in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.