Emma (manga)

Infobox animanga/Header
name = Emma


caption = "Emma" manga volume 1
ja_name = エマ
ja_name_trans = Ema
genre = Drama, Historical, RomanceInfobox animanga/Manga
title =
author = Kaoru Mori
publisher = flagicon|Japan Enterbrain
publisher_en = flagicon|United States CMX manga
publisher_other = flagicon|ROC Kadokawa Media flagicon|KOR Bookbox flagicon|France flagicon|Quebec flagicon|Switzerland Kurokawa flagicon|Germany TOKYOPOP flagicon|Sweden Bonnier Carlsen flagicon|Spain Planeta de Agostini flagicon|Finland Sangatsu Manga flagicon|Italy Dynit
demographic = Seinen [cite web | url=http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/data_001/man_6.html | title=JMPAマガジンデータ | language=Japanese | accessdate=2008-01-25]
magazine = flagicon|Japan Monthly Comic Beam
first = 30 August, 2002
last = May 2006
volumes = 7Infobox animanga/Manga
title = Emma (Side Story) エマ 番外編
author = Kaoru Mori
publisher = flagicon|Japan Enterbrain
demographic = Seinen [cite web | url=http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/data_001/man_6.html | title=JMPAマガジンデータ | language=Japanese | accessdate=2008-01-25]
magazine = flagicon|Japan Monthly Comic Beam
first = September 2006
last = March 2008
volumes = 3 (8-10 continuing the main series)Infobox animanga/Anime
title = Emma - A Victorian Romance
director = Tsuneo Kobayashi
writer = Mamiko Ikeda
studio = Studio Pierrot
network = flagicon|Japan Animax, BS-i, Various UHF Stations
network_other = flagicon|Singapore flagicon|India flagicon|Indonesia flagicon|Philippines flagicon|Thailand flagicon|Malaysia flagicon|ROC Animax
flagicon|KOR Tooniverse
licensor = Nozomi Entertainment
first = 2 April 2005
last = 18 June 2005
episodes = 12
episode_list = List of Emma episodes#Emma - A Victorian RomanceInfobox animanga/Anime
title = Emma - A Victorian Romance: Second Act
director = Tsuneo Kobayashi
studio = Ajia-do Animation Works
network = flagicon|Japan Animax, Chiba TV, NBN, SUN-TV, Tokyo MX TV, TV Kanagawa, TV Saitama
licensor = Nozomi Entertainment
first = April 16, 2007
last = July 2, 2007
episodes = 12
episode_list = List of Emma episodes#Emma - A Victorian Romance: Second Act

nihongo|"Emma"|エマ|Ema is a historical romance manga by Kaoru Mori. It was published by Enterbrain in the magazine "Monthly Comic Beam" and collected in 10 tankōbon volumes. The series has been adapted as a anime television series, entitled nihongo|"Emma - A Victorian Romance"|英國戀物語エマ|Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma. The manga is licensed in English in North America by CMX and the anime is licensed in English by Nozomi Entertainment.

Set in Victorian London at the end of the 19th century, "Emma" is the story of a maid who falls in love with a member of the gentry. However, the young man'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, [ Author's afterword, Volume 1] and attempted to recreate 1895 London with meticulous detail. The manga has a cult following in Japan, even going as far as opening an "Emma"-inspired and themed maid café in Shinjuku. [ [http://victoriancafe-emily.com/ Victorian Cafe Emily] ] 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. [ cite web | title=Emma Victorian Romance Store | work= | url=http://www.emma-victorian.com/emma1/goods_other.html | accessdate=2006-04-14 ]

Characters

;nihongo|Emma|エマ|Ema|"Seiyū": Yumi Touma :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. In later chapters of the manga, it was revealed that Emma could also read a bit of French.

:After the death of Mrs. Stowner, Emma flees from London, intending to go back to her village, but she ended meeting with a maid who worked for the Mölders family, a German immigrant, who live in a mansion in York, and Emma is hired as a servant in the Molders' household. There, she becomes a favorite because of her fluency in English, for which her mistress always brings Emma on distant trips, e.g. the trip to Aurelia Jones' house and also the trip to London alongside a few menservants who could also speak English.

;nihongo|William Jones|ウィリアム・ジョーンズ|Uiriamu Jōnzu|"Seiyū": Tokuyoshi Kawashima :The male protagonist of the story. He is the eldest son of the "House of Jones", a very wealthy merchant middle class family that is attempting to rise into the gentry. As his father's heir, he is under tremendous stress to not only take over the family business but also marry a girl from 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. In the manga, William had told his father about Emma but his father had never seen Emma (different with the anime).

:After Emma's departure, William changed drastically. He began to work very hard, attending social meetings and took care of his family's business. In his own perspectives, he never stopped regretting losing Emma, but he would live his life in the 'upper class side' as his father expected him to be. His change affected everyone around him, including Hakim.

;nihongo|Kelly Stowner|ケリー・ストウナー|Kerī Sutōnā|"Seiyū": Taeko Nakanishi :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.

:Kelly was the one who taught Emma to do the household chores, to read, and to write. It was also Kelly who acted as a 'bridge' between Emma and William, although she realized that the relationship between Emma and William would never work out smoothly.;nihongo|Hakim Atawari|ハキム・アタワーリ|Hakimu Atawāri|"Seiyū": Yuji Ueda: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.

:His stay in England was prolonged simply because he wanted to see how the relationship between Emma and William progressed. Once he found out that Emma was in love with William, he tried to encourage their relationship into something further, but he let go Emma when she said that she would go back to her hometown, and made no efforts to prevent her from leaving. When William finally proposed to Eleanor, Hakim finally said that he would go back home. To him, there was no more excitement seeing William surrender to the pressure of the society.

: According to Mori, Hakim was originally intended to be a pure rival to William, but his role in the story changed as it progressed.web cite | url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2006-09-01/6 | title=Interview: Kaoru Mori | author=Chih-Chieh Chang | publisher=Anime News Network | date=2006-09-01 | accessdate=2007-12-30] ;nihongo|Eleanor Campbell|エレノア・キャンベル|Erenoa Kyanberu|"Seiyū": Sanae Kobayashi:The young daughter of a viscount who falls in love with William. Her feelings for William are often reinforced 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.

:Eleanor is a very shy girl, yet in the same time she always tries to catch William's attention, for example by inviting him into a tea-party in her mansion, and visiting to William's mansion for 'seeing the rose blooming'. She is very shy whenever William is around, yet finally she was able to tell him her feelings when they were watching opera. She is (almost) always accompanied by her faithful servant Annie, who takes care of her since she was a child (in the 4th volume of the manga, it was shown that since Eleanor was still a child Annie has been serving her.)

;nihongo|Al|アル|Aru|"Seiyū": Tomomichi Nishimura: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.

;nihongo|Sarah|サラ|Sara|"Seiyū": Yōko Honna: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. Often, her comments serve to spur the various characters of Emma to make decisions and take action.

;nihongo|Stevens|スティーブンス|Sutībunsu|"Seiyū": Yūji Mikimoto:The Jones family butler. He is often a go-between for William and his father, and his duty to the head of the house, Mr. Jones, often forces Stevens to seem uncaring of William's difficulties concerning his courtship of Emma. Several times, during the course of the series, Stevens 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.

;nihongo|Hans|ハーンス|Hānsu|"Seiyū": Hiroki Touchi:A sullen young footman in the employment of the Mölders household. His father was a wandering clockmaker who passed on his mechanical skills to his son. His taciturn behaviour may be as a result of his regretting his father's rebellious nature, which eventually lead to a nomadic and impoverished lifestyle. The unstable lifestyle of his childhood leads him to appreciate the quiet security of his current profession. He respects Emma for her strong, quiet spirit and grows protective of her as and when he notices her in her vulnerable moments.

Reception

The manga of "Emma" was awarded an Excellence Prize at the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival. [cite web | title=2005 (9th) Japan Media Arts Festival - Excellence Prize | work= | url=http://plaza.bunka.go.jp/english/festival/backnumber/17/sakuhin/sakuhin/manga03.html | accessdate=2007-05-30] The English translation was listed by "Library Journal" as one of the best graphic novels of 2007cite web | url=http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6541462.html?industryid=47115 | title=The Best Graphic Novels of 2007 | publisher=Library Journal | date=2008-03-15 | accessdate=2008-08-26] and was named by the Young Adult Library Services Association as among the 10 best graphic novels for teens for 2007.cite web | url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-01-16/manga-named-to-librarians-great-graphic-novels-list | title=Manga Named to Librarians' Great Graphic Novels List | publisher=Anime News Network | date=2008-01-16 | accessdate=2008-08-26]

Media

Manga

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. Emma appears on all the cover of the volumes of the manga series.

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.

The main story of "Emma"'s serialization run in Enterbrain's "Monthly Comic Beam" ended on 12 April, 2006, at 52 chapters, corresponding to the end of the 7th collected volume. The author has since been creating additional stories in the same setting, focusing on characters beyond Emma and William. These stories are serialized in "Comic Beam" as nihongo|"Emma: Further Tales"|エマ 番外編|Emma Bangaihen and collected as additional volumes of "Emma".

Graphic novel list/header
Language = Japancite web | url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=4763 | title=Emma (manga) | publisher=Anime News Network | accessdate=2008-02-21]
SecondLanguage = North AmericaGraphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 1
OriginalRelDate = 30 August 2002
OriginalISBN = 4-7577-0972-2
LicensedRelDate = 2006-09-20
LicensedISBN = 978-1-4012-1132-5
Summary = Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 2
OriginalRelDate = 24 February 2003
OriginalISBN = 4-7577-1312-6
LicensedRelDate = 2006-12-20
LicensedISBN = 978-1-4012-1133-2
Summary = Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 3
OriginalRelDate = 25 November 2003
OriginalISBN = 4-7577-1642-7
LicensedRelDate = 2007-03-31
LicensedISBN = 978-1-4012-1134-9
Summary = Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 4
OriginalRelDate = 26 June 2004
OriginalISBN = 4-7577-1887-X
LicensedRelDate = 2007-06-20
LicensedISBN = 978-1-4012-1135-6
Summary = Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 5
OriginalRelDate = 31 March 2005
OriginalISBN = 4-7577-2168-4
LicensedRelDate = 2007-09-30
LicensedISBN = 978-1-4012-1136-3
Summary = Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 6
OriginalRelDate = 31 August 2005
OriginalISBN = 4-7577-2403-9
LicensedRelDate = 2007-12-31
LicensedISBN = 978-1-4012-1137-0
Summary = Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 7
OriginalRelDate = 25 May 2006
OriginalISBN = 4-7577-2787-9
LicensedRelDate = 2008-03-31
LicensedISBN = 978-1-4012-1737-2
Summary = Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 8
OriginalRelDate = 26 March 2007
OriginalISBN = 4-7577-3449-2
LicensedRelDate = —
LicensedISBN =
Summary = Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 9
OriginalRelDate = 25 September 2007
OriginalISBN = 4-7577-3726-2
LicensedRelDate = —
LicensedISBN =
Summary = Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 10
OriginalRelDate = 25 April 2008
OriginalISBN = 978-4757741782
LicensedRelDate = —
LicensedISBN =
Summary =

In addition, in Japan volume 8 was also released in a Special Edition that included a DVD (ISBN 4-7577-3450-6).

Other books

;NovelizationsThe novelisations are written by Saori Kumi, and based upon the original manga.
#"Volume 1" (22 March 2005) ISBN 4-7577-2209-5
#"Volume 2" (29 October 2005) ISBN 4-7577-2490-X;Victorian Guide
#"Emma Victorian Guide" by Kaoru Mori and Rico Murakami (25 November 2003) ISBN 4-7577-1643-5;Animation guides
#"Emma Animation Guide Vol. 1" by Kaoru Mori and Rico Murakami (4 November 2005) ISBN 4-7577-2446-2
#"Emma Animation Guide Vol. 2" by Kaoru Mori and Rico Murakami (10 February 2006) ISBN 4-7577-2597-3
#"Emma Animation Guide Vol. 3" by Kaoru Mori and Rico Murakami (6 June 2006) ISBN 4-7577-2788-7

Anime

The manga was adapted into a TV anime series, entitled nihongo|"Emma - A Victorian Romance"|英國戀物語エマ|Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma, directed by Tsuneo Kobayashi and scripted by Mamiko Ikeda, and produced by Studio Pierrot and Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS). The first season of the anime series premiered between 2 April, 2005 and 18 June, 2005 across Japan on several UHF TV stations, BS-i and the CS TV network Animax, who have also later aired the series across its respective networks worldwide, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, also translating and dubbing the series into English for its English language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia, and other regions.

The Japanese title of the anime is written using a couple of kanji from before the adoption of simplified characters after the end of World War II, which reflects the usage of kanji in the time period the story is set in. In modern Japanese 英國戀物語 (Eikoku Koi Monogatari, lit. "English Lovestory" or "Lovestory in England") would be written as 英国恋物語, the characters for country and love being replaced by their modern variants. The series' official English title is "Emma - A Victorian Romance". [ [http://pierrot.jp/english/title/emma.html Pierrot's official English website] ]

The series' depiction of Victorian England was accurate, with locations such as London's King's Cross Station, The Crystal Palace, Covent Garden, Mudie's Lending Library and such vehicles and applications of the era, such as Henson's Aerial Steam Carriage, recreated in meticulous detail.

The anime series was continued in a second season, nihongo|"Emma - A Victorian Romance: Second Act"|英國戀物語エマ 第二幕|Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma Dai Ni Maku, which premiered in Japan on numerous television stations from April 16 2007. Animated by Ajia-do Animation Works and directed by Tsuneo Kobayashi and written by Mamiko Ikeda, the second season was first announced by the anime's official website in August 2006 and the September 2006 issue of manga publisher Enterbrain's "Comic Beam" magazine, in which the original manga has been serialized. [ [http://www.emma-victorian.com/ "Emma Victorian Romance" official website] , August 2006. ja icon]

Both seasons have been licensed in English by Nozomi Entertainment, with a box set of the first season released June 24, 2008. [cite web | url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2008-01-10/right-stuf's-nozomi-entertainment-sets-date-for-emma-a-victorian-romance-season-1-on-dvd | title=Right Stuf's Nozomi Entertainment Sets Date for Emma: A Victorian Romance - Season 1 on DVD | publisher=Anime News Network | date=2008-01-10 | accessdate=2008-02-14]

First season

The opening theme is "Silhouette of a Breeze" composed and arranged Kunihiko Ryō, and the closing theme is "Menuet for EMMA" composed by Kunihiko Ryō, arranged by Kenji Kaneko, and performed by the Tokyo Recorder Orchestra.

;Staff
*Executive Producers: Kaoru Saitō (TBS), Michiyuki Honma (Pierrot), Hisato Usui (Toshiba Entertainment), Yōko Furukawa (Pony Canyon), Yukio Sonobe (Fuji Creative Corporation)
*Series Composition: Mamiko Ikeda
*Character Design: Yūko Kusumoto, Keiko Shimizu
*Prop Design: Haruo Miyagawa
*Historical Consultant: Rico Murakami
*Layout Supervisor: Hirato Tanaka, Junichi Takaoka
*Art Director: Junko Sakurai, Yūko Yano (Studio Easter)
*Art Settings: Chie Minakami
*Color Design: Yūko Satō
*Director of Photography: Atsuho Matsumoto
*Editing: Seiji Morita
*Music: Kunihiko Ryō
*Sound Director: Hiromi Kikuta
*Sound Effects:Eiko Morikawa (Sound Garden)
*Audio Production: Gakuonsha
*Producers: Tetsuo Gensho (TBS), Kei Fukura (Pierrot), Naofumi Morishita (Toshiba Entertainment), Takashi Watanabe (Pony Canyon), Keiko Nakayama (Fuji Creative Corporation)
*Director: Tsuneo Kobayashi
*Production: TBS, Pierrot, Toshiba Entertainment, Pony Canyon, Fuji Creative Corporation

econd season

References

External links

Official websites
* [http://www.emma-victorian.com Official Website for the Anime]
* [http://pierrot.jp/english/title/emma.html Pierrot's official English website]
* [http://www.animax.co.jp/program/program.php3?naiyo=m_eikokukoimonogatari_ema Animax's official website] jp icon
* [http://www.animax-asia.com/synopsis/default.asp?pid=181 Animax East Asia's official website] en icon
* [http://www.animax-sa.com/synopsis/default.asp?pid=181 Animax South Asia's official website] en icon
* [http://emma.rightstuf.com/ Right Stuf's Emma Anime/Manga English Official Website] en icon

Other
*ann manga|id=4763|title=Emma
*ann anime|id=4506|title=Emma - A Victorian Romance
*ann anime|id=7489|title=Emma - A Victorian Romance Second Act