Romeo and the Black Brothers

is a Japanese anime series by Nippon Animation. Although "Romeo's Blue Skies" is the literal translation of the Japanese title, the official English name given by Nippon Animation is "Romeo and the Black Brothers". It is known in Arabic as "عهد الأصدقاء" (literally "Friends' Covenant"), in the Philippines as "Mga Munting Pangarap ni Romeo" (literally "Romeo's Simple Dreams"), and in Greece as "Τα Παιδιά των Καπνοδόχων" (literally "The Children of the Chimneys".) It is based on the novel Die schwarzen Brüder ("The Black Brothers") written in 1941 in Switzerland by author Lisa Tetzner. Plot In the second half of the 19th century, in 1875, a young boy named Romeo lives in small Swiss village called Sonogno. The village is suffering due to a long drought, and Romeo's family is hit by it the worst, as they are also under debt. Meanwhile, Luini, a dismal man with the nickname "The God of Death", arrives in the village. Luini has his eyes on Romeo and plans to buy him from his parents to work as a chimney sweeper. Luini asks Romeo's father Roberto to sell him Romeo, but Roberto refused. In order to bind Romeo under a contract, Luini burns the remaining cornfield that belongs to Romeo's family. During this tragedy, Romeo's father receives a head injury which causes blindness. Romeo's family cannot afford to get a doctor for Roberto, as they have lost their livelihood. The doctor's fee is very expensive, as he has to come from a neighbouring village. Romeo decides to sell himself into slavery for 25 francs, and signs a contract to work in Milan for 6 months. Once Roberto has been treated, it is time for Romeo to leave, but just as he leaves he is told that none of the kids ever come back to the village, probably because they succumb to the harsh work conditions. He nonetheless has no choice, and leaves the same day. Along the way he meets a mysterious boy who is unwilling to reveal anything apart from his name, which is Alfredo. They both earn each other's mutual trust and respect after helping each other out. This is also where they meet another boy named Dante. Soon they are taken into a tavern and thrown into the basement where the other kids are kept, Dante included. A few of them try to escape, but in vain. Luini decides that they must be sold as soon as possible before they try to escape again, so he forces the children to cross the lake to Milan by boat in the middle of a storm.