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Emma #9
艾瑪 9
本集為本篇故事中登場人物的番外篇故事第二彈，
莫爾德斯家族的當家與女主人將有精采演出，
家裡的僕役、小主人甚至連寵物也要粉墨登場，
故事還要帶你一窺威廉與哈基姆如何建立起彼此的友情！
莫爾德斯家族的當家與女主人將有精采演出，
家裡的僕役、小主人甚至連寵物也要粉墨登場，
故事還要帶你一窺威廉與哈基姆如何建立起彼此的友情！
211 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2007
2 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
Kaoru Mori
98 books851 followersKaoru 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).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
August 1, 2009
This volume continues to present side stories of the peripheral characters of Emma, among them Erich and his squirrel, the Merediths and their maids, and a trio of opera singers, as well as the story of how William met Hakim.
I almost rated this a 4, simply because it's harder to absolutely love a series of side stories instead of the orig. chronicles of Emma. But the fact is, I love this world. Kaoru Mori is so attuned to her characters and the details. She can tell a story with no words for many panels (sometimes pages) and still keep it clear and entertaining. Her attention to detail amazes me, and her ability to inject subtle humor and outright cuteness. She could manga-up the phonebook and make it intricate and fun for me. And of course, her silly afterword manga is perfect as always. Sometimes I think, as much as I love the books, I love her afterword manga more.
I was very disappointed to find out that there is only one more volume and then she's done with Emma. Don't know what I'll do with myself. Think I'm going to have to move on to Shirley Volume 1.
I almost rated this a 4, simply because it's harder to absolutely love a series of side stories instead of the orig. chronicles of Emma. But the fact is, I love this world. Kaoru Mori is so attuned to her characters and the details. She can tell a story with no words for many panels (sometimes pages) and still keep it clear and entertaining. Her attention to detail amazes me, and her ability to inject subtle humor and outright cuteness. She could manga-up the phonebook and make it intricate and fun for me. And of course, her silly afterword manga is perfect as always. Sometimes I think, as much as I love the books, I love her afterword manga more.
I was very disappointed to find out that there is only one more volume and then she's done with Emma. Don't know what I'll do with myself. Think I'm going to have to move on to Shirley Volume 1.
February 2, 2018
This volume was like the previous one, filled with short stories not relating to the main characters. I enjoyed the last volume with little short stories about the side characters, but I didn't care for this one as much. Some of them were nice and the one about the Merediths was cute, but overall it didn't impress me. It had left me yearning for more about Emma and William whereas with the last volume I thought I wouldn't mind more stories about the side characters.
June 23, 2023
Compared to the previous volume, I didn’t care too much for this set of short stories. I really enjoyed seeing the start of William and Hakim’s friendship, as well as seeing a brief flashback to the Mölders’ romance. However, I didn’t care to learn about the 3 opera singers and feel like those chapters could’ve been used for other characters.
July 20, 2016
A little disappointed, since a lot of the main characters didn't appear in this one, but it still had its charm.
July 13, 2017
Downton Abbey meets manga... I started this one after getting it from the library today, hoping for more closure from vol. 7. But no, I was disappointed. Vol. 9, like vol. 8 was another collection of short stories (one completely unrelated to the main story line, others were back stories or side stories for some supporting characters and one main character). Overall, it wasn't bad, it just didn't provide the ending I've been wanting. I'm really hoping I can find vol. 10 in one of the libraries near me sometime soon. Apparently, according to the teaser, we finally get to see Emma and William's wedding, which will be fun.
Vol. 9 opens with a story about the Merediths son and his pet squirrel. It is followed by a story mixed with present and past scenes about the Merediths. (Warning--there is some nudity in this chapter (a husband and wife are in bed, and the wife is not fully clothed), so this book would need to be censored for young children, or suitable only for a mature audience.) Compared to other relationships in this book, the Merediths are the only couple who seem to truly be in love and completely devoted to each other. Many of the other families have dysfunctional relationships of some sort. I believe it might have been the author's intent to show their devoted relationship by revealing it at a more intimate level. The Merediths are casually comfortable with each other in their relationship, even in intimacy. They don't seem to follow the strict conventions of their day. The portrayal of their relationship was fine, but it's my personal opinion that the intimate relationship between husband and wife should at least stay under covers.
The following chapter shows how William and Hakim first met when they were young boys. They bonded over competitive games of tennis. Then there is a chapter about maid going shopping on their day off, and some commentary over the newness of shopping without a specific purpose in mind (window shopping, which, according to the afterward, was just becoming an amusing pastime). The final two chapters are a more detailed short story (completely unrelated to the Emma series) about three opera singers/performers. It was okay.
Vol. 9 opens with a story about the Merediths son and his pet squirrel. It is followed by a story mixed with present and past scenes about the Merediths. (Warning--there is some nudity in this chapter (a husband and wife are in bed, and the wife is not fully clothed), so this book would need to be censored for young children, or suitable only for a mature audience.) Compared to other relationships in this book, the Merediths are the only couple who seem to truly be in love and completely devoted to each other. Many of the other families have dysfunctional relationships of some sort. I believe it might have been the author's intent to show their devoted relationship by revealing it at a more intimate level. The Merediths are casually comfortable with each other in their relationship, even in intimacy. They don't seem to follow the strict conventions of their day. The portrayal of their relationship was fine, but it's my personal opinion that the intimate relationship between husband and wife should at least stay under covers.
The following chapter shows how William and Hakim first met when they were young boys. They bonded over competitive games of tennis. Then there is a chapter about maid going shopping on their day off, and some commentary over the newness of shopping without a specific purpose in mind (window shopping, which, according to the afterward, was just becoming an amusing pastime). The final two chapters are a more detailed short story (completely unrelated to the Emma series) about three opera singers/performers. It was okay.
October 8, 2025
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.
August 9, 2024
My least favourite volume. The bulk of it was taken up by a story about some Opera singers that had no connection to any previous volumes. I know Kaoru Moro brought this up in the Afterword herself (probably expecting this criticism) and that she made it just because she wanted to but if we’re done to very few volumes I don’t want to see new characters, I want details and resolutions for ones I already know.
On that note, I enjoyed the stories about Theo, Mr and Mrs Meredith (though I don’t think she needs to always put nudity in but I guess she just enjoys drawing naked women?) and - my favourite - the one about William & Hakim becoming friends through playing tennis.
The one about the maids shopping was okay, but a bit long so got a little boring.
Overall, not the best, especially knowing there’s only one left!
Side note: I am assuming the German couple’s last name was just translated onto Meredith because that doesn’t, at all, seem like a German name. I wonder what the name actually is!
On that note, I enjoyed the stories about Theo, Mr and Mrs Meredith (though I don’t think she needs to always put nudity in but I guess she just enjoys drawing naked women?) and - my favourite - the one about William & Hakim becoming friends through playing tennis.
The one about the maids shopping was okay, but a bit long so got a little boring.
Overall, not the best, especially knowing there’s only one left!
Side note: I am assuming the German couple’s last name was just translated onto Meredith because that doesn’t, at all, seem like a German name. I wonder what the name actually is!
March 23, 2025
More short stories, even more unrelated to the main plot. There's a few chapters on some singers who I couldn't even recall from the main storyline. Turns out, according to the (admittedly charming) author endnotes, they are completely new characters.
Another thing from the endnotes, apparently people were writing complaining (?) about the "sensual" scenes with female nudity and I forgot I have wanted to comment on that in the disparate volumes where it's come up, but I kept forgetting to. Now, I have no problem with those scenes, but I wish it was more equal opportunity nudity. Female gaze and all that!
So APPARENTLY, the 10th volume, while ostensibly being short stories in the Emma-verse along the lines of volumes 8 and 9, actually includes a kind of conclusion to the William—Emma storyline! HOWEVER, absolutely no libraries in my area appear to carry it, despite this being a relatively old series, so it's not like it just hasn't come out yet. Now I have to hunt.
Another thing from the endnotes, apparently people were writing complaining (?) about the "sensual" scenes with female nudity and I forgot I have wanted to comment on that in the disparate volumes where it's come up, but I kept forgetting to. Now, I have no problem with those scenes, but I wish it was more equal opportunity nudity. Female gaze and all that!
So APPARENTLY, the 10th volume, while ostensibly being short stories in the Emma-verse along the lines of volumes 8 and 9, actually includes a kind of conclusion to the William—Emma storyline! HOWEVER, absolutely no libraries in my area appear to carry it, despite this being a relatively old series, so it's not like it just hasn't come out yet. Now I have to hunt.
August 17, 2019
Short stories set in the 'Emma' universe
I adored the story of Erich and his pet squirrel Theo who accidentally gets left behind during a picnic. The majority of the story is from Theo's view and I admit my eyes teared up.
The second story is how the German couple, the Merediths, met. I enjoy their relationship - they seem like a couple truly in love.
The third story was how William and Hakim met as kids and became friends with games of tennis. It helps a bit with filling in why the two of them were such good friends in the series.
The fourth story was a couple of maids going shopping on their day off. And even this was very good!
The last stories were of a trio of opera singers, who had not been seen in the previous volumes. This one left me cold. If I was rating just the first four stories, this would be a solid five stars. The author is amazing!
I adored the story of Erich and his pet squirrel Theo who accidentally gets left behind during a picnic. The majority of the story is from Theo's view and I admit my eyes teared up.
The second story is how the German couple, the Merediths, met. I enjoy their relationship - they seem like a couple truly in love.
The third story was how William and Hakim met as kids and became friends with games of tennis. It helps a bit with filling in why the two of them were such good friends in the series.
The fourth story was a couple of maids going shopping on their day off. And even this was very good!
The last stories were of a trio of opera singers, who had not been seen in the previous volumes. This one left me cold. If I was rating just the first four stories, this would be a solid five stars. The author is amazing!
March 7, 2025
3,5
Secondo volume di short stories - ho apprezzato molto quelle relative alla famiglia Molders e quella sul primo incontro tra William e Hakim. Non male anche quella dedicata ai tre cantanti, anche se mi ha lasciato addosso una vaga sensazione di tristezza.
Il decimo volume sarà l'ultimo e scopriremo anche cosa ne è stato di Emma e William.
Secondo volume di short stories - ho apprezzato molto quelle relative alla famiglia Molders e quella sul primo incontro tra William e Hakim. Non male anche quella dedicata ai tre cantanti, anche se mi ha lasciato addosso una vaga sensazione di tristezza.
Il decimo volume sarà l'ultimo e scopriremo anche cosa ne è stato di Emma e William.
April 15, 2025
I loved the one about Dorothea and Wilhelm because they’re both beautifully drawn characters lmao. I also loved the story about the three singers. I was excited that there was a story about how hakim and William became friends but I didn’t really find it that interesting. Over all, these are fun side stories but they don’t really hold much weight or stir the emotions lol.
November 6, 2024
Squirrel chapter on top
Also Dorothea and Wilhelm 😭😭😭 cuties
And I loved the last story with the opera singers. All of these stories are extraneous and honestly don't contribute to the story of Emma except for the sake of developing the world a bit more. But I still enjoyed them!
Also Dorothea and Wilhelm 😭😭😭 cuties
And I loved the last story with the opera singers. All of these stories are extraneous and honestly don't contribute to the story of Emma except for the sake of developing the world a bit more. But I still enjoyed them!
May 23, 2017
Interesting stories and beautiful illustrations. Nudity was annoying but showed the relationship between the two characters. I enjoyed especially the back story of William and Hakim.
July 30, 2018
Pasangan di sampul depan ini luar biasa. xD9
June 5, 2020
Really great manga, Really great art and good adorable story! Really loved this manga 😁😻❤️
October 27, 2021
So sad that I'm almost done with the series :( It's been so good
May 7, 2023
the last story...why...
Read
August 11, 2023Okay, well one of my fave couple in the manga. There's 10 volumes and 5 other volumes for the sidestories, I only included 4 vols. on here out of the 15.
January 14, 2024
More cute side stories of our favorite cast of characters.
September 11, 2024
Interesting choice to wrap up various side/background stories. Meh.
Library copy.
Library copy.
January 14, 2025
dorothea and wilhelm meredith are the best looking couple in the series
September 9, 2024
Incluso 4.5⭐...
Me gusta mucho todo lo relacionado con la casa de los alemanes. Y el capítulo del tenis ha sido genial.
También la ultima historia me ha gustado, ojalá hubiera acabado de otra manera...💔
Me gusta mucho todo lo relacionado con la casa de los alemanes. Y el capítulo del tenis ha sido genial.
También la ultima historia me ha gustado, ojalá hubiera acabado de otra manera...💔
November 5, 2013
Mori Kaoru's Emma, Vol.08-10 act as a fun and heartwarming set of short-story denouement to the main series plot. Acting as an ex post-facto story arc, many of the minor characters we come to know from the main series are given treated to one of the following: a much deserved and fleshed out ending (as in the case of Eleanor *swoon*), an exposition that leads up to where we met them in the main series (as in Aurelia), a side-story that follows immediately after we we left off with them but doesn't act as an ending (as in Tasha). Discordant? Perhaps but the non-linear disjointed accounts fit together nonlinearly in much the same way as an any good set of Monogatari.
Specific to Vol.09: We get an omake story having nothing at all do with any character introduced in Emma but feels like it belongs here somehow by virtue of its art style and setting... and it's cute so whatever--I liked it.
Dorothea is Dorothea yet again.
Mori-sensei becomes too lazy to write dialogue and each short story has an extended sequence of voiceless panels.
Also, Theo the Chipmunk (I bet you didn't realize he was a real character! Like any good manga, if they have a name, they're a character) goes off on an adventure to be free and live in the wild as a chipmunk should once more! *cue the Vivaldi* Except... Theo is domesticated kitten (see earlier scene: Theo Takes a Bath?) who manages to narrowly escape a horrific death. Beautiful.
Specific to Vol.09: We get an omake story having nothing at all do with any character introduced in Emma but feels like it belongs here somehow by virtue of its art style and setting... and it's cute so whatever--I liked it.
Dorothea is Dorothea yet again.
Mori-sensei becomes too lazy to write dialogue and each short story has an extended sequence of voiceless panels.
Also, Theo the Chipmunk (I bet you didn't realize he was a real character! Like any good manga, if they have a name, they're a character) goes off on an adventure to be free and live in the wild as a chipmunk should once more! *cue the Vivaldi* Except... Theo is domesticated kitten (see earlier scene: Theo Takes a Bath?) who manages to narrowly escape a horrific death. Beautiful.
August 6, 2010
Kaoru Mori, Emma, vol. 9 (CMX, 2009)
Volume 9, the second of the side-story volumes after the end of the main story arc, is a high-water mark for the series. The first few stories, including the volume's highlight, “Erich and Theo”, focus on the Merediths, the German family for whom Emma worked. There's also (finally!) the story of how William and Hakim first met, as well as a two-parter called “Three Singers”, which details a piece of Alan's theatre years. All excellently-done, though “Erich and Theo” still stands out (the story details a night spent alone in the forest by Theo, Erich Meredith's pet squirrel, after he is inadvertently left behind following a family outing). Wonderful, wonderful stuff. ****
Volume 9, the second of the side-story volumes after the end of the main story arc, is a high-water mark for the series. The first few stories, including the volume's highlight, “Erich and Theo”, focus on the Merediths, the German family for whom Emma worked. There's also (finally!) the story of how William and Hakim first met, as well as a two-parter called “Three Singers”, which details a piece of Alan's theatre years. All excellently-done, though “Erich and Theo” still stands out (the story details a night spent alone in the forest by Theo, Erich Meredith's pet squirrel, after he is inadvertently left behind following a family outing). Wonderful, wonderful stuff. ****
September 24, 2013
The art work is once again phenomenal. Mori has a wonderful talent. Although the side stories for the Emma series are interesting, they don't seem to grab me as much as the other books in this series. Also, a large portion of this book is a story of 3 characters that I don't seem to remember from the original stories. They are interesting but stray a bit from the original story enough to confuse the reader a bit. Mori does mention this dilemma a bit in her afterward. I was left with a feeling of this book was OK when I was done reading it but seemed to fall a little short my feelings towards the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2009
Wow... another beautiful, fun, thoughtful collection of short stories from the world of Emma. There's a strong focus on Dorothea and Wilhelm's family/household in this collection, but we also find out how Hakim and William became friends, and we get a two-chapter story about a love triangle featuring some very minor side characters. The art work is absolutely amazing, and my only complaint was I wanted some resolution with the actors' story. I can't wait for the next volume! What a great series!
November 12, 2010
Another volume of side stories. So Theo may be cute, but honestly? He got a story? And the 3 singers may have been an interesting story, but it had nothing to do with the original. Why put that in? Expand upon that and make it its own graphic novel. And the Merediths? I am happy that they are very in love and have a strong marriage. But for me some things should be kept in private--especially when it is depicted in pictures.
Where are Emma and William? *sniff*
Where are Emma and William? *sniff*
October 11, 2009
I liked this Emma best. It fluctuated between past and present. There was a "Gift of the Magi" feel to part of the book I enjoyed...the saving up to go to the Crystal Palace at the World's Fair...very nice ending. I'm glad Eleanor isn't stuck in a depression either.
More benign female nudity like in Mori's other Emma episodes...but some parents may balk at it.
More benign female nudity like in Mori's other Emma episodes...but some parents may balk at it.
April 23, 2010
the only thing wrong with this was Not Enough Hans. i think it's in the end note in vol 10 that Mori mentions she wanted to write a Hans story but didn't manage it. wah! that aside, the stories continue to be delightful but the star is Mori's beautiful clear seinen line, which makes every panel something to linger over.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews