Emma
Author |
MORI Kaoru |
Artist |
MORI Kaoru |
Primary Genre |
|
Sub Genres |
Romance |
Volumes |
N/A |
Licensed |
Yes |
| Publication History | |
Japanese Publisher |
|
Serialized in |
|
Serialization Start |
0000 |
Serialization End |
0000 |
US Publisher |
DC Comics/CMX |
| Series Summary |
To be honest I have two pet peeves: My first is for the Victorian period, with it’s over embellished gowns, stuffy imperialism, insufferable housing conditions for the poor and its general…. snootiness. My second is for animé style maids – you know the ones, the clumsy, half a brain variety, whose only purpose in life is to either look cute, get chased by the male lead, or trip and reveal various parts of her underwear in as many ways as possible every episode. As such most manga and animé about either period or subjects never really caught my attention……. That is, until the day I was introduced to Emma. Emma (or, to use her Japanese title, "Victorian Romance Emma”) is a series by the new and upcoming artist Kaoru Mori, with this being her first self - created series to be published by a mainstream manga company. It was originally serialized by the Japanese publisher Enterbrain in their magazine Comic Beam, is being translated and released in the west by DC comics’ CMX, and has also been adapted into 2 12 – part animated series The series, set in late 19th century London, follows the life and times of Emma, a girl who, since childhood, has served as a maid in the service of a retired governess. Yet her seemingly quiet, organized world is turned upside-down by the arrival of William Jones, the son of a rich industrialist, and the stirrings of love begin to blossom between the two of them. However, in an era where a still rigid social order bars their way, can these two lovers, separated by tradition and birth, find true happiness? Or are they doomed to be forever apart, either through circumstance or the scheming of Richard Jones, William's father, who plans for William lie more in him improving his own standing in society than the feelings of his son? The first thing that made this series stand out for me was the absolute attention to detail about Victorian life. It serves as a testament to the research Kaoru Mori has done on this series and sets a standard that many artists and writers should aspire to. From clothing to mundane pieces of furniture - even to Emma's ways of cleaning carpets - the research is exhaustive and extensive. The artwork also shows the hallmarks of this diligence, with attention to the detail of the buildings, clothing – even the backgrounds - presented in ways that make the series seem almost cinematic in its storytelling. But it’s the scriptwriting, often the deciding factor of many manga, which compliments - and, like two halves of a circle - completes the experience. With every character, from the lowliest bit part to the main characters themselves, well thought out and realized, their personalities and thoughts so realistic that it's as if they are living breathing real people, rather than simple drawn characters on a piece of paper. The result is a series which, from start to finish, will pull you in, wring emotion form even the hardest of hearts, and leave you gasping for more.
Discuses this review on our forum! Information last updated on Dec 22, 2009 |
