Very nice detail on the drawings of Victorian England and the story was sweet, as well. The artist/author really did her homework on this time period. ( )

I must say that I loved this story - it's beautifully drawn without the huge exclamations I've seen in other Manga, the pacing is very even and calm with a story-arc like a regular period novel, and, so far (I've only read the first two in the series yet), there are no peculiar supernatural events. The characters are easy to sympathize with and the period is presented with loving detail - it's obvious that Kaoru Mori has done her homework! Admittedly, I probably enjoyed this more than other Manga because it's similar to Western graphic novels, but I that's only to be expected, I think. I will definitely read the whole series (at this time, nine have been released and number 10 will be released next month). ( )

I decided to read Emma because it combines an old love of mine (English period novels – I love Jane Austen’s Emma) with an intriguing format I had not yet explored (Manga). I was drawn into this story of forbidden love through Kaoru Mori's beautiful drawings, which bring 19th century England to life. On the first page the reader is dropped into this setting as the view descends in each panel from a map of England, map of London, bird’s eye view of the city, and onto the city street that bustles with horse drawn carriages. Mori's depiction of Victorian architecture and clothing show her careful attention to detail. Even when the text moves along slowly, the art keeps it ever interesting. Telling this period romance in Manga format makes it fresh, and readers who might quickly reject Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte might actually give this one a shot. They might even enjoy it; I certainly did. ( )

The story takes place in London during the 19th Century. Emma is a maid for an old widow who used to work as a governess. The widow appears somewhat classless in the story, which allows her to encourage Emma's interest in her old student, William Jones. William Jones is a member of the gentry whose father is set on him marrying a higher class woman, but William wants to marry for love and he loves Emma. It's a little cheesy, love at first sight, but the rest of the story is so great that I didn't think much about it.

Willliam Jones is very extreme in how much he cares for Emma, which I feel is more characteristic of a manga than of a Victorian romance novel. He will do anything to please her and buys her glasses because she cannot see out of hers. When he is walking in London he is always looking out for Emma, and since it is a manga he always sees her.

What I love most about this graphic novel is not the romance story though, it is the attention to traits of the Victorian society. In chapter three William Jones has a friend visit. His name is Hakim and he is Indian royalty. His entrance is a little eccentric, he arrives with a herd of elephants and belly dancers, later taking William on an elephant ride. While I felt that was a little extreme I did like how much it showed the interest of British people in the East. I think Mori made Hakim's entrance so extreme to show how the Victorian people had exotic ideas of the East.

In another scene Hakim and William are at the library and they find a book with photographs of scantily clad women. Hakim is not impressed and William makes a comment about the people in India not wearing clothes. Things like this made it interesting for me, it is very different from a Victorian novel but deals with a lot of the same issues. If I had to compare it to a none graphic novel, it kind of reminded me of Leonard Woolf.

To William's surprise, Hakim is also falling in love with Emma. Actually, everyone is falling in love with Emma (because it's manga). William goes to get a note to send to her and the girl at the counter says that several people have come to send a note to the exact same girl. Since it is a series there was no resolution left at the end, so if I want to find out more about the Hakim, William, Emma love triangle I suppose I will have to snag the second volume! Overall a good read if you're interested in Victorian history but are looking for something different. There is also a television show called Emma - A Victorian Romance Season 1 based on the manga.

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William is the eldest son of a wealthy family. Emma is a former street urchin raised to be a proper British maid in Victorian England. Will they find a way to bridge the gap of class distinctions and recognize their true love?

The plot of Emma vol. 1 (CMX, $9.99) by Kaoru Mori sounds like the typical setting for yet another shojo manga. Except it's not; Emma is seinen, manga intended to appeal to young men. I find it interesting that there's an entire subgenre of manga that are essentially romance comics for boys & young men, and Emma is a stellar representation of that genre.

Mori's art and storytelling in Emma are astounding, the attention to detail, lush background, and sense of place and space all contribute to making Emma a winning reading experience.

I won't say any more of the plot so as not to spoil your enjoyment, except to mention that there are elephants...

Of course we know that William and Emma will somehow end up together when the manga finally ends; it's the journey that makes all the difference, and in Kaoru Mori's Emma it's a journey well worth making.

Rating: 4 (of 5). ( )