Emma, Vol. 5

Emma (5 books edition) #5

by Kaoru Mori

This collection gathers the stories of those whose lives have touched Emma and William as the two take strides toward a future they can share together. From the daily trials of the Mölders family and staff to the beginning of William's unusual friendship with Hakim, these chapters serve to flesh out the world of Emma. When this volume draws to a close, will the maid and the gentleman have become simply the Joneses? The moment of truth arrives in the final volume of Kaoru Mori's award-winning Emma.

Genres: Manga, Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Graphic Novels, Comics, Seinen

448 pages, Hardcover

First published March 20, 2014

About the author

Kaoru Mori (森 薫) is a Japanese manga author. Her stories tend to be intricately drawn female lead historical dramas set in exotic locations like Britain and along the silk road. Her series include Emma (2002-2008), Shirley (2003-present) and the best known A Bride's Tale (2008-present).

Reviews

[Magrat Ajostiernos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este manga es una auténtica joya (se ha convertido en uno de mis mangas preferidos así que haceros una idea...), es lo que Downton Abbey debería haber sido... y el dibujo de Kaoru Mori por dios, en los últimos tomos ya es insuperable.
Próxima reseña en Otaku Treintañeras :) https://otakustreintaneras.wordpress....

[Myfischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plutôt déçue de ce dernier volume quasi exclusivement composé de chapitres bonus sur des personnages secondaires. Finalement, le sort d'Emma et de William s'est entièrement noué dès le volume précédent et c'est un peu dommage, on ne profite pas de leur happy end.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my March 2021 challenge of only reading books by women writers for Women's History month! You can read more about my experience here!
(This is also probably my last book for the challenge, unless I can get my act together and read all of The Vulcan Academy Murders tomorrow.)

Yes, I cried and I'm not even ashamed to admit it.
So cute, and a really nice way to wrap up the story.

One thing I've noticed fairly consistently throughout these series is the way Mori interacts with the British Empire. It's all a very surface-level, mostly aesthetic investigation. While of course her presentation of maids and household management shows quite a bit of depth, she doesn't interrogate much of the social structure. It's not really surprising nor disappointing, just a thought.
It does make me think of other manga that do converse with social norms - Fullmetal Alchemist (commentary on the world wars, genocide, and ethics of warfare) and Ōoku (commentary on women's roles in feudal Japanese society and government through the lens of an alt-history sci-fi inspired narrative) - but it's just a thought. Those stories and this one serve entirely different purposes!

Emma is absolutely adorable and I'm sure I'll read it again. But it is important to be aware of the flaws in the media you consume, even if it's just an upstairs/downstairs fluffy manga written by a non-British person!

[Alizee · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'histoire est assez "classique" et il y a quelques facilités, notamment dans les derniers tomes mais alors les dessins *_* Ils sont tellement beaux ! C'est un régal !

[DJL · Rating 4 out of 5]

And so with this volume, I have finished Emma: A Victorian Romance, and I was very pleased with the last 3 chapters of this volume! Mori-san perfectly captured the wonderful chaos of a wedding and all the events following it. This was another portion that was vastly different from the anime, but I think I liked the manga much better. While the anime had more acceptance (and thumbing of noses at certain individuals who should be punched *cough*Viscount Campbell*cough*), the manga delivered the grandiose finale I was hoping for in the anime. So it's a little bittersweet to finish this series, but I'm so glad to have enjoyed the ride.

[Mahra · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Confetti all over the page*

1. A moment to appreciate the art which I spent more time admiring it than actual reading!

2. The German couple first meeting (the forest one) is soooo cute!

3. Young Wheliam is smokin' hot

4. BABY WILLIAM AND BABY HAKIM PLAYING TENNIS IS EVERYTHING MY GOD SO ADORABLE!!

5. Wish there were more Emma&William moments, I missed them ! Maybe I'm asking for too much

6. Hans and Adèle oh my oh my I kneeeeeeew it they had little secret feelings for each other ! >u<

7. I really appreciate the side stories about William brother the one where he dealt with Ramsey, we got to know more about his personality.(which justify his actions in the first chapters)

8. AND FINALLY THE WEDDING OH MY! I loved how real (surreal) it was! Signing the papers on the wedding day at church and then party afterwardsssssss!

[The Book Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 9 resumes the short stories pattern of volume 8. The first two are about the Mölders family, one about Teo the squirrel and one about how Wilhelm and Dorothea met. Then there's one about how William and Hakim met and one where Polly and Alma go shopping. Lastly, there's two chapters about a group of opera singers.

Volume 10 picks back up with William and Emma on one of those quiet afternoons when they find time to be together. Then there's a chapter about Adele and when she met Maria and a chapter about Arthur's time a Eton as a Prefect. There's a (very) small chapter wrapping up Eleanor's summer and then it's a bunch of four-panels about various side characters. This is by far my favorite part of this book; Colin is so stinkin' cute!!!

And THEN begins the final three chapters that perfectly wraps up this whole series and I love it so much. Practically everyone is included and it's nothing but fun all around. Great series 11/10.


July 25, 2023
Emma has been kidnapped and forced to immigrate to America. William finally sets his mind to something and goes hunting for her (with the help of Hakim). And they succeed, Emma and William are reunited, return to England, and are determined never to be parted again, society and family be damned. There's a bit more to it, but funnily enough, the story ends with volume 7. Everything after this is extra bonus side stories. (I take it back, it's more of a time skip and the story picks back up in the last 3 chapters of volume 10. Totally worth it.)

So in Volume 8, we have two chapters about Douglas and Kelly Stowner visiting the Crystal Palace; two chapters about Eleanor Campbell's exile vacation to a Health Resort. a chapter that floats from story to story like a newspaper on the wind, and a chapter about Tasha returning home on holiday.

This omnibus contains volumes 9-10.
This series has 10 volumes.

[Doc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rated Teen this series is drawn beautifully but also has a certain element of sensuality such as Chapter 8: On Wings of Song where Dorothea crawls into bed with Wilhelm partially nude (they are married after all even if they sleep in different rooms) so make sure your teens can handle such things before handing this book over to them.

Collecting volume 9 and 10 of the original manga series we continue with short stories about the many characters that have shown up in the Emma series up till now(including thankfully a bit more about Emma and William.) After reading this final Omnibus I can say without hesitation that I am happy by the conclusion of the series as time passes and a new age is visited upon England. This series has been one of the most expensive I have seen so far with each book retailing at $35 but they are each larger than average manga size, have a nice double sided dust jacket, and have a real solid hardcover to contain all of the amazing art and story contained within (you can probably even find the books discounted.)

There are a lot of really interesting and often times fun moments as the loose ends are addressed so choosing favorites can be real doozies. If I had to chose some though I would have to say from volume 9 it would have to be Teo the squirrel off on his own adventure changing the book for a moment from human worries to a simple tale of surviving till his owner returns for him. With volume 10 though I would have to say Tasha singing by popular demand and suddenly the get together suddenly becomes a whole new level of lively. What is the get together for you might ask? You'll have to read the chapters of "A New Age" to find out. :)

[Space Cadette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok I'm glad there was at least some closure but still, feels like there was a huge gap between Emma entering society and Emma and William getting married.

Also, I know the wedding was probably the most anticipated and hoped for event throughout the entire series, but it just felt a bit boring with too much dialogue.
I much prefer Mori's chapters where she lets the drawings tell the story and set the ambiance. It felt like the dialogue just got in the way at times

That being said, although it's very unlikely since the author is working on Bride's Story (A series I love a lot, actually!) but I do hope I get to see more of Emma one day, whether that be expanding on their lives, a continuation of the main plot, a spinoff, etc.

I really liked Emma! I would like to watch the anime adaptation soon too.

[Cassandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

95% didn’t even have Emma and William, the whole book was about everyone else—for no good reason that I see, idk what the point was of the opera ppl??? Literally introduced and no relation whatsoever to anything or anyone. I wish we could’ve gotten a glimpse at least of Emma and Williams lives after they got married. As well as glimpses of what happened to everyone else. Overall the series was no that great, just ok.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this story and the final chapters were absolutely everything I wanted them to be! 💙💙💙💙
Hakim was my absolute favorite character, I would love a series where we see more of his life and see him find someone to romance (since we know Emma would never leave William) I just really love Hakim and want to see more of him! He was utterly fascinating, my favorite type of character! More Hakim, please! 🥰

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm only rating the last 3 chapters about the wedding because that's my reason for reading this. I'm so happy to see everyone else including Emma and William together and celebrating a new age.

The victorian era has ended and london is in a new modern age. Everyone has grown up esp the children. Such a wholesome ending.

[Tiphaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un final satisfaisant mais moins un tome moins prenant et plus brouillon sur les précédents.

On se perd dans des anecdotes qui n'ont pas forcément d'intérêt pour l'intrigue principale... et on ne voit presque pas Emma et Mr Jones dans ce tome !

Une très belle série malgré tout ! Mention spéciale pour les magnifique panoramas qui parsèment les 5 tomes.

[Loz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful send-off to this series. A touchpoint on a the myriad of characters and a raucous party to end. Wonderful stuff.

[Cristina Huelsz · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been many years since I first read the last volume of Emma.
I cried while reading about the wedding. Such a touching moment!

[Rebecca Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and likable, but the format change does not maintain the same soapy elements that made Volumes 1-4 so magical.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unlikely happy ending.

[Shae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This extra omni was still worth it for me! Full thoughts here: https://youtu.be/G4V4cCG6aUE?si=ae_G0...

[Skye (Skye's Scribblings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE OMNIBUS SERIES

Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Content Rating: Adult (some unnecessary nudity, kidnapping)
Format Read: Hardcover

Series/Purchase Note: This physical US edition consists of 5 omnibus volumes. The original Japanese release consisted of 10 volumes. The digital US version appears to be for sale as 10 individual volumes as well.

Author Kaoru Mori's current ongoing series, A Bride's Story, about a traveling Englishman and the local families he meets in 19th-century Central Asia, is one of my favorites. Because of it I consider the author's signature style to be elaborately drawn details and backgrounds, an abundance of interesting historical minutiae, and occasional unnecessary female nudity. Emma was Mori's debut series, and when I was recently able to borrow the complete omnibus set from the library I decided it was time to finally give it a read.

At its heart, Emma is a lord-and-maid forbidden romance set in the late Victorian era. But as is custom with Mori, it's really about so many more people than that. The first 3.5 omnibus volumes mainly center on maid Emma and wealthy William's sweet but fraught romance. Despite a few dramatic turns, the couple was rather plain for me and their relationship a relatively simple one. Because of this, there was a lot of room to introduce and expand a host of colorful side characters who quickly and easily outshone the quiet couple. As the focus on Emma and William's romance faded halfway through volume 4, the lesser cast, with a few new faces, were given time to shine in a collection of short stories exploring everyday life in England. While not as interesting as the exotic culture in Bride's Story, these side narratives proved even more entertaining than the main one, and I learned a few new things about English history and social structure. The last few chapters do return to culminate the quiet couple's romance though, and with most of the characters receiving hopeful resolutions in their lives and loves, the series ends with a sweet and boisterous conclusion.

Conclusion: While not as good as Mori's current series, Emma was an interesting saga of maid love. Entertaining enough to hold my attention through five extremely thick and heavy hardcovers, the detailed artwork and historical tidbits were intriguing, and the side characters and their stories were fun. If you enjoy Mori's A Bride's Story then I do recommend trying this series as well, especially if you have a penchant for English period dramas as I do.

For Fans Of: English period dramas

[Yoda Bor · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai parfois trouvé certaines histoires inintéressantes. La vie de Theo l'écureuil ne m'a pas passionné par exemple, mais les décors de la forêt étaient absolument splendides.
En revanche, j'ai adoré l'instant de tendresse entre Wilhelm et Dorothea, les époux Mölders, qui forment un couple absolument adorable.
J'ai beaucoup aimé également toutes les histoires autour des employés du château. Adèle, Polly, Alma et tous les autres sont des personnages que j'ai toujours appréciés.
On retrouve même, au détour d'une escapade champêtre, Emma et William en train de faire du vélo.
Et puis, dans un très beau triple chapitre final, le mariage tant attendu a enfin lieu.

Emma ne restera pas dans ma mémoire comme le personnage du siècle.
Trop réservée, trop timide, manquant un peu de passion finalement, je lui ai préféré la multitude de personnages secondaires voire tertiaires qui parsèment cette saga.
Je les quitte avec beaucoup de regret, souhaitant à tous de pouvoir trouver le bonheur.

[reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

the side stories were lovely imo. even with characters i wasn't particularly interested in, like erich and teo, mori's composition drew me in every time. my favorite side story has to be about dorothea (god she's so fine) and her husband. so beautifully intimate without there being too much dialogue. and of course, emma and william's wedding was so much fun to read. mori knows how to write characters with immpecable chemistry and personalities, and you can see it all on display when she has them in one setting. this series was a treasure to read, and i don't think i'm going to read something this intimate and personal again in a long while.

[Sarah Schanze · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definite final volume of Emma, full of some great side stories. A couple even made me a bit weepy. I know A Bride's Story is after these but the art here is still so solid and great. A wonderful series.

[Alba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une série vraiment agréable et 'feel good' avec des dessins remarquables ! Même si je n'ai pas aimé autant que Bride Stories, cette histoire d'amour très à la "Downton Abbey" m'a beaucoup satisfaite.