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is a Japanese seinen manga by Kaoru Mori. The manga was also adapted into a TV-anime series, entitled . Set in Victorian London at the end of the 19th century, the story is about a maid who falls in love with a member of the gentry. However, the latter's family disapproves of him associating with people of the lower classes.
Overview Both the manga and anime versions of Emma are unique for being set in a setting seldom visited by either medium without some fantasy or speculative element. The author and illustrator of the manga, Kaoru Mori, is a self-professed anglophile, and attempted to recreate 1885 London with meticulous detail. The manga has a cult following in Japan, Europe and North America, even going as far as opening an Emma-inspired and themed maid café in Shibuya. Its popularity has sparked an interest in English maid cosplay, even going as far as having the official Emma anime website selling Emma's "costume" for ¥45 000. • Manga Emma is drawn in a meticulously crosshatched pen and ink style, and Mori is noted for the depth and accuracy of her research in creating the characters and settings. A companion reference called the Emma Victorian Guide has been published to explain many of the unfamiliar and obscure historical references. From volume 3 of the manga on, Kaoru Mori hired a historical consultant, Rico Murakami, to ensure the historical accuracy of the manga. Murakami also became the historical consultant for the anime series as well. Emma has been awarded an Excellence Prize at the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival, along with the Tezuka/Urasawa manga, Pluto. • Emma's serialization run in Enterbrain's Monthly Comic Beam ended on 12 April, 2006, at 52 chapters. The author has since been creating further stories in the same setting, but focusing on characters beyond Emma and William. These "Further adventures" are also published in Comic Beam. Anime
Episode titles and airdates Opening and closing themes Opening: "Silhouette of a Breeze" by Kunihiko Ryo Closing: "Menuet for EMMA" by the Tokyo Recorder Orchestra Broadcasts Characters Emma is the main protagonist of the story. She falls in love with William Jones from the first time they meet. Originally from a poor seaside Yorkshire village, she was kidnapped as a young girl to be sold to a London brothel. She managed to escape, but became lost in London. She managed to work odd jobs for food, until she was taken under the wing of Kelly Stowner, as her maid. Under Mrs. Stowner, Emma was taught to read, write, and a variety of other subjects. William Jones is the male protagonist of the story. He is the eldest son of the "House of Jones", a very wealthy merchant middle class (or gentry) family. As the eldest son of the family, he is under tremendous stress to not only take over the family business but also marry into another wealthy family, preferably into the peerage. He developed feelings for Emma after their first meeting. He often intercepts her coming from Covent Garden on Regent Street. Kelly Stowner is Emma's employer and William Jones' former governess. She married at the age of 18, but lost her husband two years into the marriage, and did not have any children. Young and educated, Mrs. Stowner decided to become a governess, and tutored William and his siblings with an iron fist. Right before retiring, she met Emma, and took her in as her maid. Prince Hakim Atawari is William Jones' best friend, who is a prince from India, and acts as a foil for William. He and William both attended Eton College. Somewhat of a womanizer, Hakim's straightforwardness and outgoingness is a clear departure from William's reservedness and dislike for social events. Hakim usually has his servant harem accompanying him and travels with a full complement of servants and elephants. Like William, Hakim was captivated with Emma the first time he saw her. Eleanor Campbell is the young daughter of a viscount who falls in love with William. Her feelings for William are often re-inforced by misunderstandings from William's courtesy and accommodation. Though her family is of the peerage, her family's financial situation is deteriorating. Due to this, her father very much wants Eleanor to marry into the wealthier, but lower class, Jones family. Al is a local Jack of all Trades who knew Kelly Stowner's husband, Doug, when they were children. She often calls upon him to fix things around her house and shares her concerns about Emma with him. His relationship to Kelly is ambiguous. Most times, their banter makes them seem like siblings. Sarah is a minor character and the clerk at Leyton's, a shop in London often frequented by the characters of Emma. Like Emma, Sarah has come to the attention of many a young gentleman in local society. Unlike Emma, Sarah is less reserved and often puts her foot in her mouth during her scenes. This does not, however, detract from her charm. Oftentimes, her comments serve to spur the various characters of Emma to make decisions and take action. Stephens is the Jones family butler. He is often a gobetween for William and his father, and his duty to the head of the house, Mr.Jones, often forces Stephens to seem uncaring of William's difficulties concerning his courtship of Emma. Several times, during the course of the series, Stephens has been at the sharp end of some gentleman's displeasure through no fault of his own, but his tact and devotion to the Jones family resolves every situation in a face saving gesture of servility. Trivia Bibliography Graphic Novels Novelisations The novelisations are written by Saori Kumi, and based upon the original graphic novels. Other Books: Official websites | ||||||||||
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