A liquid crystal apparatus includes: a liquid crystal panel having a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer arranged between the pair of substrates and driven by an electric field having a component parallel to the substrates; a first polarizing plate and a second polarizing plate arranged with the liquid crystal panel interposed therebetween; and a retardation film arranged between the first polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel or between the second polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel, in which the first polarizing plate and the second polarizing plate each include a polarizer and translucent protection films which interpose the polarizer, an in-plane phase difference Re1 of the protection film satisfies 0 nm≦Re1≦5 nm, a thickness direction phase difference Rth of the protection film satisfies 0 nm≦Rth≦20 nm, an in-plane phase difference Re2 of the retardation film satisfies 200 nm≦Re2≦300 nm, an Nz value of the retardation film satisfies 0.4