A liquid crystal display device including first and second substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal layer of positive dielectric anisotropy; a first polarizer adjacent the first substrate, with a first gap between the first polarizer and the first substrate; and a second polarizer adjacent the second substrate, with a second gap between the second polarizer and the second substrate. At least one of the first and second gaps includes an optically biaxial retardation film. The first and second polarizers are disposed such that optical absorption axes of the two polarizers cross each other perpendicularly. An in-plane retardation axis of the retardation film is oriented generally perpendicular with the optical absorption axis of the polarizer that is disposed at the same side of the retardation film with regard to the liquid crystal layer.