Emma

Emma #1

by Kaoru Mori

An upstairs gentleman and a downstairs servant share a secret love. The saga begins. In Victorian England, a young girl named Emma is rescued from a life of destitution and raised to become a proper British maid. When she meets William, the eldest son of a wealthy family, their love seems destined. But in this world, even matters of the heart are ruled by class distinctions.

Genres: Manga, Historical Fiction, Romance, Graphic Novels, Historical, Comics, Young Adult

Unknown Binding

First published August 30, 2002

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

[Aisyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for the whole series



I love this manga, definitely wasn't what I was expecting at all.

It's set in London during the Victorian Era, Kaoru Mori-sensei did an excellent job of creating a believable atmosphere with beautiful drawings of Big Ben, Crystal Palace, quaint coffee shops etc. Not to mention the horse-drawn carriages, ballroom dancing and beautiful Victorian dresses.


The main focus is the romance between William, an upstart noble, and Emma, a maid with a dark past. Their relationship is filled with turbulence, especially in a world where social class is everything. It is very plot heavy with mentions of social classes, business, and culture, therefore readers who are specifically looking forward to pure romance-plot might be a tad disappointed, but the special moments between Emma and William makes it worth it.


The portrayal of how the upper middle-class (the crème de la crème of society so to speak) live and interact with each other is very interesting to read, and Mori-sensei also include the daily lives of maids and butler and how they spend their free time dancing and mingling with each other too.



All in all, highly recommended. Emma is a well written romance manga, beautifully drawn with story-rich atmosphere.

[Aliki (semi hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

HISTORICAL ROMANCE WITH FORBIDDEN AFFAIR? SIGN ME UP RN!!!!!

[Maria Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/ Realmente me ha sorprendido! Me gusta como se ajusta a las normas victorianas, aun cuando me faltó romance.

[7jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I've decided to keep only this volume here, to save space - and will use this one to review the whole series, which I will do when it's a right moment for it. I can alread say that this series is very much worth owning and you get a great sense of the world of that time from it. :) )

[Seth T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

[[This is a review of all seven volumes:]]

I am officially on-board for any of Kaoru Mori's future projects.

The author's zeal for the era of her focus is blindingly evident and her rendering of its particulars exhibit such attention and joy that it's hard not to get swept up by the objects of her affections. Let's be clear. In real life, I have no interest in late-19th-century Britain's class disparity or in maids. Yet due to Mori's work here, I was absolutely engaged for the whole seven volumes, finishing them over the course of a day. If she decides to write something furhter on the matter, I'm certain to be drawn in again.

Mori's storytelling is impressive. The line of her art perfectly suits her subject matter; it's crisp and confident. She includes any number of silent scenes that allow the reader to pause and take in the full scope of what is occurring within the more introspective parts of her characters. Keeping the reader involved, Mori uses a number of visual devises, requiring one to pay attention to camera angles and character details. The storytelling occurs as much through visual relief as it does through verbal narrative and dialogue.

Emma is chiefly the story of Emma and William. This is a romance and we see them meet-cute, fall for each other in that stereotypically understated Victorian way, encounter difficulties due their class distinctions, and finally resolve their relationship. It's a lovely little story.

As mentioned, Emma is the story of Emma and William. And as such, Mori leaves every other story untold. It's easy to see how one could be frustrated with as many loose ends as Mori leaves untied for her supporting characters' part, but for me that just added to the wonder of the story. Because of Mori's reluctance to end all stories with the conclusion of Emma and William's story, she keeps Emma from being yet one more example of a horribly contrived romance.

That said, I am thirsty to know more of the lives of the other characters. Eleanor. Hans and Adele. All of the Jones family. More, more, more. Please.

[rae ✿ · Rating 3 out of 5]

will write the full review later when i finish the whole series!

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buddy reading this with my love Aliki💖

[Marquise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stilted and stiff dialogue, disconnected and fractured narrative continuity, and overall very tedious characterisation, with many a coincidence that's merely for convenience.

This story is marketed for the setting, Victorian England at the end of the 19th century, which is depicted well enough through the art, which is of decent quality although not great, and for the romance between the protagonist and an aristocratic gentleman. And a not very plausible romance it is, for which it's not easy to see a comprehensible reason; so this girl who's a shy and unassuming maid attracts more than one high-ranking man, why exactly? She never does anything but stand there and be coy, so it seems like they just fall for her without her lifting a finger or batting an eyelash, because plot. Not very well executed, if you ask me.

[✧Hessa✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two words: Victorian London

[Rowina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este es uno de los mejores mangas de romance y ficción histórica. Qué bonito dibujo. Kaoru Mori es mi mangaka favorita.

[Hot Mess Sommelière ~ Caro · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Emma" is basically the original Downton Abbey, before that was even a thing.

It is often mis-characterized as a romance, because there is a forbidden love going on between the very reserved protagonist, maid Emma, and the heir to the very wealthy Jones fortune, William.

It's not. This is a slow-moving, slice-of-life upstairs/downstairs story about society in late Victorian London and how they navigate the huge chasms between classes.

Author Kaoru Mori is obsessed with maids and maid uniforms, which is why we see so many different maids in her stories. Because Emma gets a lot of flack for being a boring, agency-less paperback of a woman, with not even her facial expressions giving away what is going on inside of her, readers are disappointed when the story does not unfold the way they hoped.

At the center of the beginning of Emma is very much the relationship between Emma and the former governess who took her in from the street and educated her, Miss Kelly Stoner. I found that relationship (as well as later interactions that Emma had with other maids, and also the fabulous Mrs. Trollope) very rewarding to read about.

There is a lot of focus on side characters and their everyday lives, much of which is not very dramatic or exciting, but oddly charming simply because the characters (minus Emma) are so expressive. Emma also has her moments where she actually displays emotion, and while they are few and far between, I appreciated them.

I do think that this would not have been half as good if the art hadn't been there. This first volume is miles away from the stunning detail of later volumes that make you just want to bite those Edwardian dresses because they are so pretty!

I really enjoy Mori's work because her eye for beauty is chef's kiss and I love looking at her spreads all day long.

[K. Martin · Rating 1 out of 5]

The short review [of the whole series]:

I’d read this series years ago initially when it was published by CMX, and thought it was a wonderful read (4 – 4.5 starts). Years later, I’ve read through it again - this time the Yen Press editions (which has a different translation job) - and sadly I’d have to give Kaoru Mori’s “Emma” series 1 – 1.5 stars.

It’s the standard problem of someone from one culture (Japan) writing about another culture (England): the author likes the imagery and “idea” of the culture, but not understanding the complexity of the culture or society itself. It’s noted Mori hired a historical editor (Rico Murakami) after volume 3 and it shows. It’s a Japanese manga aimed at a Japanese audience through and through. This also might be why some readers who are new to manga have mixed feelings about this series. If you are very new to manga (or comics in general) and you are not a teenager, I’d suggest reading manga's that are memoirs/slice-of-life, or even something based on Japanese history/set in Japan.

Unfortunately, "Emma" is rather weak: there are a lot of strange details (or lack of) that hinder the storytelling, a lot of cliches, underdeveloped characters, and the pacing of the first few volumes is uneven. If that's enough of a review for you, stop here, but if you want the details (with some spoilers for omnibus 1) read on.

The longer review:

Yes this is very long. Again, I've read the series before and was giving it a second read. On the second read, I’ve finished Emma omnibus 3 and won't keep reading - I just can't. But I do remember how it ends from my first read through years ago.

First. Well, how do I put this? I’ve noticed that no other reviews really mention this, but it’s clear that Mori is has a fetish for maids, corsets and bunny girls (which is fine). She makes this clear in the afterwords (but doesn't necessarily state it outright per-se). In some later volumes there are a few unnecessary panels of maids with pulled up skirts & lacy stockings (and in some of her other maid related materials). She also mentions that, in her rush to buy research material, she wound up with a number of books that were just about corsets. And honestly, again, that’s all fine. I almost wonder if she would have preferred to write a yuri genre manga. But it also explains why there is something superficial about the writing & illustrations. She even admits in an author note that she doesn't think much of the romantic male lead (William). And while the street scenes are nice, and she researched companies and services that existed back then, the characters themselves are flat. Their personalities are rather lacking and one-note. And the depiction of the class system (the main aspect of the story) is possibly the most under researched and mishandled. That is bad. I mean, it’s truly bad.

What do I mean by this? Well, here are a few examples (spoilers ahead):

> There is a chapter where William (male lead/love interest/ very wealthy merchant) offers to pay for a new pair of glasses for Emma (female lead/love interest/maid). It’s made clear that Emma needs a new pair as she scarcely recognized William from across the street, even while wearing her glasses. She says she needs to think about it, then proceeds to think about his offer overnight (with an unnecessary flashback to how she obtained her glasses from her employer). The next day, for sentimental reasons (?), she declines his offer of new glasses. William then desperately insists that he must give Emma a gift of some kind, dropping all polite pretenses, and asks what she would like. Emma, in turn, without much hesitation, asks for a lace handkerchief and mentions that she has always wanted one (!).

There has been no mention of her wanting a lace handkerchief at all prior to this (either visually or in writing). That Emma has chosen to forgo something that would improve her quality of life, and requests a lace handkerchief (that she never takes out of its box) is just baffling and bizarre. But also, it comes across as very inappropriate.

Realistically, she should turn down the offer of any gift because of the implications attached to the gesture: that it really just falls in line with the idea of William pursuing a purely sexual relationship. Does Mori know that many married wealthy men boffed the maids on the side (and that those men felt entitled to do so)? It doesn't seem like it. And William looks worse off by insisting on giving her something, anything at all, and refusing to back down. It’s chapter that really highlights how naïve the writing is. Mori seems to like writing moments like the flashback with the glasses, but doesn’t actually know how to craft a whole story or weave the moments together very well.

> In a later chapter (still omnibus 1 of the Yen Press edition) Emma shows up outside of Williams family home, unannounced, trying to find him (how did she know where he lives? Who knows). They were suppose to meet in a park and talk, but somehow have missed each other (despite arranging a place and time to meet). The head butler that serves William’s family spots her outside, invites Emma in and he says she can wait for William in one of the lush drawing rooms. Again, this would never happen. The butler has never met Emma or seen her before, he didn’t know that Emma and William were going to meet, has never even heard her name mentioned, and she is clearly working class, so why would he just invite her in? The butler would never invite this person into the home, into a drawing room, and would never do it without first consulting his employer first (which would be William's father). The only circumstances that might make sense would be if she was injured or if there was an emergency, but in this case she is just loitering outside of the property gates. (In case you are wondering, in this chapter, William's younger siblings see Emma for themselves, and try to spy on her... from within their own home... and then one of them gets so upset that she bursts into the room saying that Emma is low class and William would never marry her. Barely anything has happened in this manga and yet this scene is forced in. How does this whole scene come to pass at all? Because the butler invited Emma inside.)

> Another detail that just seemed sloppy would be that Williams oldest sister Grace tutors their youngest brother. Why would this happen? It’s mentioned that the family has a staff of 100 people and it’s made very clear William himself had a governess when he was young. Why would the eldest sister (who apparently is “spoken for” ie. engaged) be wrapped up in tutoring their youngest brother? Their father would have hired staff to tutor all his young children and would be keen for her to carry on with mingling in higher social circles, attending events, becoming more acquainted with her future family and possibly prepare for the wedding.

> This next one is going to sound like an odd complaint and nit-picky, but having talked to several friends, they agreed with me on it, so here it is. The story opens with William walking up the front steps of the home where his former governess lives (Emma's employer). William is about to knock on the front door which, for some reason, are double doors. Before he can, Emma opens one of the doors and hits him squarely in the face. It’s an obnoxious introduction to the two characters, but also: this would never happen. Why?

Because doors designed for residences/homes open inwards, not outwards (even on double doors). Also, there are front steps. No one would design a front door that, when opened, would cover the entire front step and hit someone in the face. How could someone even enter the home without having it hit them in the face? Do they stand to one side and open one of the narrow doors? I’m sure there are people reading this part of the review and rolling their eyes, but it’s an example of Mori & their editor not thinking through the details, and really forcing a situation for the sake of comedy. It’s intended to be a cliché comedic manga moment, but it comes at the expense of believably (which is important if you are trying to recreate a historically accurate tale) and honestly it’s a lazy, boring cliché.

> And Hakim. Hakim is a Prince with a harem of women who don’t say or do anything. For the reader who is more aware of the history of the British Empire and India, along with the concept of Orientalism, it’s awkward. Ironically, Hakim is one of the more interesting characters out of everyone. Again though, there’s an oddness to her writing. No one addresses or treats him formally as a Prince (which they should do even if they are friends). And Hakim doesn’t actually serve much purpose to the main story. He is a friend of William (through business?). He meets Emma once and then goes to see her a second time with the proposal of marriage. She declines his proposal (of course), he's fine with that and then he proceeds to just sort of sit around Williams family home looking on at the antics of the wealthy white English family. He announces at the end he is going to leave and go home (although it's not the last we hear of him). This is all within omnibus 1 by the way. It's very odd and doesn’t really build up anything meaningful in the story. As for the harem of women…. well. Mori admits in an afterword that she didn’t really intend to do anything with those characters, she just liked the idea of them. Which really seems to be the real recurring theme of this manga.

> As for Emma herself she is… dull. She’s suppose to be a woman who men adore: literally, she is sent endless of love letters by numerous suitors. In one instance, while William is sitting among other elite wealthy young men at some engagement or event, he overhears the men talking about Emma and how she is a beauty. How do they even know who she is? She works for a retired governess and Emma only ever seems to run minor errands that are walk-able. Yet apparently she a notorious beauty and quite the woman. Why all these men are falling over for her is rather baffling. Her character is dull in that way that severely underwritten characters are, one with no real personality or distinguishing features. I suspect that “Emma” is sort of Mori’s ideal type, and that she has built up a much more interesting idea of Emma in her head, than what we are reading on paper. Or, perhaps, she is purposely written in such a bland way that young women reading it are able to project themselves onto the protagonist more easily (not to mention that Emma has brown hair & brown eyes, whereas the other "British" characters are blond & blue eyed: it's very telling choice).

There are characters that are later introduced who are more developed and intriguing than earlier characters (ex. the German family) but its just not enough to sustain interest for the remainder of the series.

And yes, the artwork is lovely, but at the same time, the artwork also suffers from same-face syndrome. Another downside is that while manga is generally well known for allowing breathing room and establishing a sense of feeling & atmosphere in a way that most comics don't (aspect to aspect & non-sequitur panel sequences etc), there were sequences and pages that felt unnecessary or could have been shortened, and the pacing felt off as a result of it.

I had fun reading this as a teenager, and I’d say it’s definitely a YA-target manga. It is beautifully illustrated, and chances are that's what I was paying attention to the most when I first read it. It may just be one of those scenarios where you like it the first time you read it (when it's fresh), and you should avoid reading it a second time. If you do try and read it a second time you might be cursed like me and feel compelled to write a really long review.

[Vishakha ~ ReadingSpren ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating this manga was very difficult for me. I liked it, definitely. Its so refreshing to read a slow, refined romance like this after all the recent YA instalurve. And its set in Vicotorian London! Such a romantic era.

This manga's namesake, Emma, is a nice, hardworking and diligent maid to widow, Mrs. Kelly Stower, who was also the governess of William Jones. Now William here, belongs to a rich merchant family trying to rise in the gentry. They fall in love. And the main Plot of the series, for now, revolves around this:


This could have been a very boring manga but Kaoru Mori somehow pulls it off. The plot progression and writing style is flawless. And Kaoru Mori has really done her research about 19th century Britain. Be it the language, the clothes, traditions, houses, cars, roads, everything! And her drawing is so clear-cut and clean. Wikipedia says, "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." And I agree. Her drawings are absolutely beautiful.



And we all know, No romance is complete without a little love triangle. So we have Hakim: Indian prince, who is eccentric, exotic and totally hot! >.< Although there is not much of a triangle because Emma is totally into William.


Now why I didn't give this a 5-star (which it clearly deserved) was this:

I understand the fascination with dark skinned, scantly clad women from a distant country who worship blue gods with a third eye and everything but come on! The author has done so much research on Britain, she could've spared a couple of hours on India! Apparently, Hakim is always tailed with a mini-harem. And these girls/maids whatever never show any emotion! How is it that English maids are capable of love and education and feeling hurt and Indian maids are just props to a prince ?!! They literally have no other expression except this! And while we are at it, what the hell is this?!


Aaarrgh!! Am I reading into it too much? Maybe. But I didn't like the undertone of this stereotyping.
Its a mix of sexism AND racism. bah! I am still a fair person so I'll give it a 4-star because the rest of it was perfect (~._.)~

[Anya · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a manga binge presently, CAN'T STOP WON'T STOP.

EDIT As a child, I loved the anime of Emma and since I missed quite a few number of episodes, reading the seven volumes filled all the story holes I had. I love how the manga is set in Victorian England (graphic novel and historical romance-two of my favourite things combined kyaaaaaa). I love how along with being a romance, it explores the difference between the social classes of that time. The art is exquisite. Also, lesbian housemaids! I wish they were given more screen space. :(

[Tintaglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complete serie.

A masterpiece.

[Cyndi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but the characters lacked any depth. The art was good, though.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art is beautiful but the insta love is way too much for me. I wish there was more development.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for complete series

2025 Reread and a buddy read with Frauline_gratzy_

Emma, and truly anything by Kaoru Mori, is a gem of a manga. At the same time, I don't think it's going to be for everything. During my first year nearing 20 years ago, I thought it more reminiscent of works such as Jane Austen, but going over it again now, I think Downton Abbey is a much better comparison.

Kaoru Mori's works are always heavily on the slice of life side and I think Emma is probably the one work with the most driving plot. We have the housemaid Emma as a main character who falls in love with Mr Jones, a gentleman from higher society. Given the setting, naturally drama follows as society does not accept their difference in status. If you are purely looking for a romance read, this is probably not for you - Mori often works with little dialogue and offers quiet scenes often covering entire pages with just a panel or two. For a love story, there is comparatively little interaction between Emma and Mr Jones as the story does wander and drift a bit.

Rather than just focus on Emma, Mori shows snippets of various characters' lives and not always within chronological order. Personally, I love the way Mori works and, while I do on occasion wish there were more interactions between characters across the board, I appreciate the nostalgic and atmospheric setting she creates. Being able to have characters express themselves with little words or simply not letting the reader be privy to words spoken is also an art of its own.

I think my view on this series has changed which I suppose is natural given the large gap between my original and my reread. But what hasn't changed is that I thoroughly enjoyed it and while it may have a few flaws and certainly won't be the right series for everyone, it is nonetheless one I value very highly.

[alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the victorian drawing room romance you could hope for, with all the contrived class dynamic drama that entails. Characters attend balls, take tea in parlors, write letters back and forth, and are generally torn apart by circumstances. The male love interest and the romance in general were both a little bland for me, but if you’re a Jane Austen Historical Romance Girlie you might have a higher tolerance. I DO have a lot of respect for the author’s barely-repressed lesbian Anglophile passion for maids, though. There’s no nudity until volume four, at which point you know exACTly what her precise deal is lol. It’s a great example of an artist clearly driven to become better because of their niche interest.

By volume 7, I considered the art genuinely beautiful, and Kaoru Mori really shines in slowed down sequences of minutiae - someone getting dressed in six layers of clothing, learning how to ride a bike, or even two people holding hands. My favorite part of the series is the stretch where Emma is dressed and styled exactly like Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle.

[Ilana (illi69) · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Japanese manga set in late 19th century England, in which a rich gentleman falls in love with the young maid of an aging woman who used to be his governess when he drops in to call on her. I liked the Upstairs, Downstairs theme (a British television programme which used to be my favourite when I watched it in the 80s), but the drawings were just ok, and I found the dialogue of poor quality and completely lacking in historical verisimilitude. Not quite my cup of tea, as the English say. —May 2011

[apple · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a touching love story ♥ it made me smile and giggle and almost cry. Emma is a character that defies all odds, William the male lead sort of pales in comparison (dude, man up a little!). The artwork is gorgeous especially the detailed scenery and costumes. I also love the chapter when William's parents first meet each other

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un premier tome très sympathique qui manque tout de même d'un petit quelque chose qui me ferait tomber à la renverse !

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read this series for a while. After I finished Downton Abbey, I thought this series might feel the void I felt after that. Now, I'm not so sure.

Emma works as a maid for an elderly woman named Kelly Stownar. She seems to be this polite, quiet young girl. The story is centered around Emma and this man named William and how they seemed destined to be lovers.

I had a few problems with this story. One, there was no way to really get to know the characters. A few traits may have popped out, but overall they felt flat. There was nothing to allow you to really get to know them even a tiny bit. As the first volume, I'm allowing to set this aside in hopes of getting more information in the next volumes.

Also, everyone seemed to fawn over Emma. They wanted to be with her and eagerly waited for her reply. Now, maybe this is some future development or something, but I feel like this time focusing on everyone fawning after her could have been focused on developing her or other characters more.

Emma may improve, but to do so there needs to be more focus on the characters and not the fact that they are star-crossed lovers.

[B Sai Sushma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical Slice-of-life in Industrial Britain? Sign me up.

[Ana O. ⭐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

(ATY-25): 42. A book set in a manor, mansion, or estate
(Popsugar-25): 11 A book mentioned in another book

[Gus · Rating 4 out of 5]

--- Emma 1-10 ---
Plot: Historical Roman Ok.
Penokohan: Tidak ini, tidak itu, tidak ada yang mary-gary-sue.
Gambar: Ok.

Emma cantik dan santun, tetapi ia seorang pelayan.
William penerus keluarga Jones, tetapi ia jatuh hati pada Emma.
Meski keduanya saling menyukai, tetapi keduanya terikat oleh tanggung jawab, moral dan pandangan masyarakat.

"Pandangan?"
..........Memangnya seberapa penting hal itu jika dibandingkan perasaan?

........Saat menuliskan reviewnya, saya jadi teringat debat mengenai pandangan masyarakat, dampaknya, dan kenaifan soal perasaan yang diutarakan antara Ayah William dan William. Saya suka debatnya. Harusnya sensei memperbanyak bagian ini ^^.

AHOY!! \(≧∇≦)/
Mari mulai review kali ini! Ini adalah karya yang menaikkan nama Kaoru Mori sensei di Dunia dan Indonesia!! *plok plok plok* Dan karya yang membuat saya kaget setengah mati karena mengira tokoh utamanya adalah Nyonya Stowner (yang bercerita di sinopsis vol 1) dan wajahnya adalah si kover vol 1.
Berkat itu, saya sudah lama berpikir: Wah! Komik ini tentang pengasuh yang sayang dengan anak asuhnya ya! Hebat! Nanny McPhee!! //bukanwoi!



Pada buku 1-7, memuat kisah Emma dan William. Buku 8 dan 9 adalah kisah lepas yang tetap menyenggol kejadian dalam buku. Sedangkan buku terakhir... ya namanya saja buku terakhir. Fokus ceritanya adalah gabungan kisah lepas dan kisah epilog Emma.

Kisah di Emma dibawakan dengan perlahan, kadang cepat, tetapi semua dalam tempo yang benar-benar damai. Seakan; semuanya tidak perlu dilebih-lebihkan. Ada suasana tenang dan determinasi yang kuat di dalam kisah ini.
....Eh tapi tidak berarti ada bagian yang tidak terasa kasar dan agak aneh sih. Tapi kurasa itu memang kemauan dari sananya, hmmm.

Gambar sensei dari dulu nge-khas sekali ya. Juga humornya yang terasa gak di komedisasikan. Perkembangan gambar dari buku pertama Emma hingga terakhir benar-benar pelan dan pasti. Tidak mengherankan; untuk sepuluh buku ini sensei habiskan sekitaran empat--atau enam tahun sih (kalau tidak salah) XD.

Anyhow.
Kakak saya merasa kisahnya Emma biasa saja.
Sahabat saya (yang kuceritakan di komik TBS itu) merasa terlalu...cepat mencair.
Ibu dari sahabat yang diatas merasa komiknya bagus sekali!

Nah; pertanyaannya::
Apakah selera saya termasuk selera anak muda; atau selera mak-mak? ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ
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Kalian yang baru menjawab selera anak muda atau selera mak-mak itu... SALAH!  ( ╯ ͡ ͡°; ͜ ʖ ͡ ͡°;)╯ ┻━━┻ //asamkalian! XD

Saya ini lumayan netral kok! ^^ //tapibohong❤
Satu sisi; saya mengerti kenapa ada yang bilang kalau masalahnya terasa selesai begitu saja. Nyaris seperti tidak diselesaikan baik-baik. Disisi lain... bagi saya ini sudah bagus. Ada sesuatu yang benar-benar sukses digambarkan Kaoru sensei disini. Misalnya seperti beberapa macam keluarga; maupun kejahatan yang toh tak pernah dibongkar. Dsb dsb dsb.

Ngomong-ngomong tokoh favorit saya...
....TASHAAAAAAA ///////// duh, sungguh. Kesungguhan, kebaikan, kecerobohannya, keceriwisannya--- apalagi saat dia menggenggam tangan Emma seperti di Wedding Eve...
Duh, saya selalu tidak tahan dengan situasi dan tokoh yang menghargai orang lain seperti ini.
Lalu couple favorit tentu saja di pasangan Jerman itu. Bwahahaha! XD
[8.8/10]

[Tom Ewing · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up Emma on the strength of Mori's A Bride's Story, and you can see that manga's approach in prototype here: an unconventional romance where the gently advancing plot is really an excuse to linger on the details of the exotic setting. But here the British reader is at a disadvantage. 19th century England is very familiar, and Mori's diligent research only makes it feel more so. Her themes are the same - how the ritualised labour of women stitches whole societies together - but while wordless scenes of Georgian embroidery circles become fascinating in A Bride's Story, in Emma the story dwells on the opening and shutting of drawers, the lighting of lamps, the arrangement of napkins. There's value in seeing oneself exoticised like this, of course, but not really on a page-by-page level.

It's also probably just that Mori is still learning how to pace a story and where to linger - Emma is her first manga and she's learning quickly on the job, with the three part story that closes this volume miles further on in ambition and execution than the somewhat stilted opening chapters. Corny romance manga elements are toned down as Mori starts opening the story's scope out to Emma's wider society. Not everything works - the visiting Indian prince seems to come from a completely different story tradition than the rest (and one which feels a bit squirmy to a modem British reader) - but the shaky start doesn't last, and by the end fans of A Bride's Story will start to recognise the precision and technique they've come to love.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

She's a good storyteller, and a fine artist, a cut above standard manga, for sure, and I like her other work...she's more complex than most..but I am not yet fully engaged...

[Aravena · Rating 4 out of 5]

(*ulasan untuk vol. 1-10 tamat)

Kisah dengan tema klasik kegemaran emak-emak seantero penjuru dunia: asmara class gap antara seorang gadis pelayan dengan tuan muda bangsawan yang langsung kesengsem saat pertama bertemu. Murni dari konsep cerita, tidak jauh bedanya antara Emma ini dengan yang sebangsa FTV Pembantuku Cantik Sekali atau telenovela yang sering nongol di layar TV kira-kira satu-dua dasawarsa lalu.

Namun, saat bicara Kaoru Mori, kita bicara eksekusi. Kita bicara soal mangaka dengan ciri gambar khas, sarat nuansa latar super detail dan indah. Kita bicara soal pengarang yang piawai menampilkan keseharian hubungan antarmanusia secara hangat dan ‘nakal’. Kita bicara tentang otaku budaya Inggris (sebut saja teaboo :v) yang bisa menghabiskan berlembar-lembar halaman ekstra untuk ngoceh tentang seragam pelayan di Inggris, perabotan, korset, dll.



Titik awal kisah Emma dan William terjadi saat si tuan muda sedang bertamu ke rumah mantan tutornya, dan berjumpa dengan pelayan anggun berkacamata yang bekerja di situ. Gejolak Kawula Muda™ pun bangkit, menghasilkan momen-momen lucu dan manis sebelum konflik drama menyerang seperti berikut:



Tentunya, perkembangan plot khas roman class gap juga bermunculan: keluarga yang menentang, perasaan “memangnya aku pantas dengan dia”, ‘pisah dulu sekarang nanti juga ketemu lagi’ (*saya langsung teringat seorang sobat yang anti trope ini, hahaha), dll. Sekali lagi, kalau plotnya si Emma ini hanya diceritakan/diringkas ke saya, saya akan merasa ogah membaca komiknya, apalagi sampai dikoleksi. Yang membuat betah adalah latarnya yang relatif unik untuk manga roman (baca: bukan di sekolahan), gambarnya yang penuh momen bagus non-verbal (dan kelihatan semakin bagus perkembangannya sepanjang 10 volume), dan karakternya yang jenaka.



Plot boleh menjurus ‘sinetron’, tapi jika karakternya nggak ‘sinetron’, cerita tetap akan bisa dinikmati pembaca aromantik macam saya sekalipun. Emma mungkin terlalu pasif/reaktif untuk standar protagonis cewek masa kini, sedangkan William juga sempat mengambil tindakan goblok/plintat-plintut… tapi tidak sulit rasanya memberi doa restu semoga langgeng pada kedua sejoli ini dari awal sampai akhir.

Emma ini juga… aneh, biasanya saya biasa saja sama tokoh maid atau tokoh berkacamata, tapi paket combo maid berkacamata ini oke juga ternyata… posenya di cover volume 5 khususnya, manis sekali lho. Sebelum baca komik ini, saya duluan nonton anime-nya… coba-coba pakai dubbing bahasa Inggris (UK) soalnya latarnya kan di Inggris dan katanya memang bagus… Eileen Montgomery bagus sekali memainkan Emma, suaranya lembut dan anggun, jadi saya selalu membayangkan suara dia sewaktu baca dialognya Emma di sini… sebentar, kenapa saya jadi kayak ketularan Mori-sensei dan ngoceh nggak karuan macam otaku lepas kendali begini!? Balik ke review!



Yang turut mendongkrak penilaian saya juga adalah konten yang tak hanya soal EmmaxWilliam. Secara agak mengagetkan, plot utama sudah kelar di volume 7, sedangkan tiga jilid sisanya dipakai untuk cerita-cerita tambahan berbagai tokoh di masa lalu, masa depan, dan masa kini. Ini jelas akan memuaskan tipe pembaca yang gampang kepo dengan berbagai tokoh figuran; mulai dari kisah berbagai pelayan yang bekerja bersama Emma dengan keunikannya masing-masing, petualangan seekor tupai peliharaan yang hilang di hutan, drama para pelakon teater dari pertunjukan yang sempat dihadiri tokoh-tokoh utamanya, hingga adegan pasutri yang mutlak digambar Mori-sensei terutama untuk menampilkan momen erotis pagi hari di ranjang, haha.



Dari semua bumbu penyedap tersebut, yang paling ingin saya sorot adalah kisahnya Kelly Stoner, mantan tutor William dan majikan Emma. Di awal-awal baca komik ini, saya memang sempat kecewa karena bagiannya beliau tidak sebanyak di versi anime (Kelly ini karakter favorit saya dan hubungannya dengan Emma amat mengocok emosi). Ternyata, justru ada porsi ekstra di volume 8 tentang masa lalunya saat kita melihat Kelly, almarhum suaminya, dan Al (kawan mereka yang juga nongol di plot utama) sewaktu muda. Gambaran keseharian mereka yang bahagia meski hidup pas-pasan, serta momen kencan di Crystal Palace setelah lama menabung, menjadikan kisah ini yang paling favorit bagi saya tak hanya di antara kisah-kisah tambahan, melainkan dari keseluruhan cerita.



Akhir kata, saya jadi terinspirasi (sebagai teaboo selain juga weaboo), untuk rajin menabung dan napak tilas ke tanahnya si Emma dkk. suatu saat nanti. Khususnya Crystal Palace, tempat berbagai kenangan indah terjalin…  

[Enia · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW UNTUK VOLUME 1 - 10

Ok.

Jadi, saya banyak membaca reviu bagus tentang manga satu ini. Saya akui gambar Kaoru Mori sensei luar biasa indah dan detail. Sungguh menyenangkan melihat garisan gambar luar biasa dari manga ini apalagi karena latar waktu dan lokasi yang merupakan jaman dulu sehingga sangat sarat dengan lokasi-lokasi dan pengalaman historis.

Namun, untuk gambar maupun penokohan dalam manga ini menurut saya masih tergolong biasa saja justru agak menjurus pada jalan cerita yang umumnya ada pada kisah-kisah historical romance. Di sisi lain memang ada beberapa tokoh yang saya sukai yaitu pasangan Molders yang sangat romantis.

Anyway, sepertinya ini casenya lebih ke saya yang memiliki ekspektasi berlebih karena terlalu banyak membaca review-review memukau tentang manga ini NAMUN jangan dikira manga ini biasa saja ya, karena manga ini tetap sangat worth it untuk dibaca.

[Abc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simpatico questo manga, l'ideale per una lettura leggera e distensiva. I personaggi sono Delle macchiette, a partire da Karim, l'amico del protagonista. Ricco sfondato e senza un minimo rapporto con la realtà. Pensa solo a divertirsi e prende la vita con gran leggerezza.
Altro personaggio particolare è la maestra, sempre pronta a sfruttare le occasioni e le persone, ma in modo buono. Non le manca mai una frecciatina nei confronti del protagonista, suo ex allievo, giudicato distratto e poco maturo.
E poi ci sono i due protagonisti: William e Emma. Questi, almeno in questo primo volume, non godono di una gran caratterizzazione. Sì capisce solo che sono timidi e faticano ad esprimere i loro sentimenti.
Vedremo come si evolverà la situazione...