Malay Anime Community

“Every era has its own forbidden love” (Prince Hakim) – and the Victorian Age of England was no different. William Jones is the eldest son of the wealthy family Jones, and a member of the upper class gentry. Emma is a simple maid working for Kelly Stowner, a former governess. A fateful meeting between Emma and William while William visits Mrs. Stowner, throws their worlds into chaos as they begin to fall in love. In times where the barriers of social class and wealth are strong enough to create two divided worlds, William and Emma’s love seems an absolute impossibility. Emma: A Victorian Romance follows the story of Emma and William’s love and the devastating consequences it brings to the families around it as the characters are torn between society and love.

Given the fan-service-oriented depiction that maids have in the world of anime, it is a real pleasure to watch a serious and emotionally compelling anime with a maid as one of its driving characters. Emma is a far cry from the ridiculous storylines and exaggerated body image that dominate the maid genre. Despite being a well-trodden classic love story about an impossible romance, Emma offers much more in its characters, its depiction of Victorian England, social barriers, and above all, the various layers of dilemmas that dominate the circumstances. The story unfolds encompassing a wide range of characters including William’s younger siblings who are negatively affected by his romance.

Of particular note here is the accuracy of depiction and attention to detail throughout the anime. I found this not only in the character development of William, Prince Hakim (his best friend), Emma, Eleanor Campbell and others – but also in things like a 2 minute scene where Monica’s (Eleanor’s sister) sari is correctly worn. The interplay between the characters themselves is the driving force behind the success of this piece of storytelling. I found Prince Hakim’s role to be interesting as he seemed to be the re-assuring voice, the one to challenge William thoughts, and his support in times of need – at the right times. Hakim’s sensibility on love sometimes contrasted starkly with William’s concern for society and his family’s reputation, resulting in William being tempted to surrender his love to the rules of his time.

I can write about this endlessly for such is the nature of a good story – but it is time to stop. In closing all I have to say is that perhaps Emma’s true significance lies in that the story rings true even in today’s world. Love deemed unacceptable by society always follows the lives of characters who did not expect themselves to be faced with the trials, contradictions, choices and emotional havoc they are left with. The author of Emma (Mori-sensei) succeeded in bringing this message through the story of Emma: A Victorian Romance. Afterall, ‘Every Era Has Its Forbidden Love’.