Product Details

• Directors: Tsuneo Kobayashi
• Format: Animated, Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: Japanese
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Nozomi Entertainment
• Run Time: 500 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0012K53K4
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #35,884 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A historical drama set in late 19th-century London, the series chronicles the love story and the complications that result when Emma, an honest and hardworking young maid, and William, an earnest suitor and member of the gentry class, fall for each other. Spanning a total of 24 episodes between the two seasons, this anime adaptation of Kaoru Mori s manga features direction by Tsuneo Kobayashi (The Twelve Kingdoms, Glass Mask OAV, Super GALS!) and scripting by Mamiko Ikeda (Sgt. Frog, Fruits Basket, Princess Tutu). The original manga was honored with an Excellence Prize at the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival and is available to North American readers via DC Comics CMX Manga imprint. As previously announced, EMMA will be released as two season box sets with Japanese audio and English-language subtitles: The initial box set release, scheduled for June 24, 2008, will contain the 12-episode first season in its entirety and include a 96-page Victorian Gazette, featuring background information and illustrations that explore the Victorian era depicted in the series, from period fashions and travel in England to architecture and day-to-day life. This book also includes a full glossary, with in-depth, historical explanations, plus comments and comics by Kaoru Mori, the creator of the EMMA manga. This exclusive extra is a compilation of the booklets that were previously available with the Japanese limited-edition DVD releases of EMMA. About EMMA: A VICTORIAN ROMANCE Season 1: In 19th-century London, class lines are sharply drawn, and the social standing to which one is born dictates the path his or her life will likely follow. But when Emma, an honest and hardworking young maid, and William, an earnest member of the gentry, fall for each other... Can love truly conquer all? Contains the complete 12-episode first season. DVD Features: Scene access, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo audio for Japanese dialogue, English subtitles and English on-screen translations. PLUS: A 96-page Victorian Gazette, featuring background information and illustrations that explore the Victorian era depicted in the series, from period fashions and travel in England to architecture and day-to-day life. This book also includes a full glossary, with in-depth, historical explanations, plus comments and comics by Kaoru Mori, the creator of the EMMA manga. This exclusive extra is a compilation of the booklets that were previously available with the Japanese limited-edition DVD releases of EMMA.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The chicken soup of anime., August 2, 2008

By	Kellyannl (Bronx, NY USA) - See all my reviews

If the typical shounen series is the equivalent of a summer blockbuster, Emma is the equivalent of a good Masterpiece Theatre entry, perfect for disabusing people with the impression that anime consists only of mecha and fanservice and warming the soul on a cold winter's day.

The basic formula is nothing special. William Jones, a member of a relatively newly rich family, pays a visit to his aging former governess Kelly Stowner, now a retired member of the middle class. In the process he promptly falls for her personal maid Emma, hired as she's getting on in years and needs help with the usual household chores, in spite of his father increasingly pressing him to pay suit to Eleanor Campbell, the daughter of a family he would like to combine with. The fun really starts when William's outrageous, self-assured, hookah addicted friend Prince Hakim Atawari arrives from India for a visit. When Hakim starts crushing on Emma and makes a move, William finally starts to realize that he can't be happy without Emma. But with their class differences, the road to true love won't be an easy one. They do have two things going for them, however - Mrs. Stowner, who wants to secure the happiness of the two young people she loves as her health declines, and Hakim, who quickly recovers from being shot down by Emma once he becomes aware of his buddy's interest and sets himself to ensuring that they wind up together...

The two major strengths of the series are it's amazing detail (Victorian London is a character in itself) and the avoidance of having the characters become cardboard cutouts. Although basically a good guy, William isn't a saint, and his refusal to cut things off with Eleanor in his attempts to appease his father is borderline cruel. Hakim could have been a first-class jerk but becomes much more as the series progresses, giving William verbal smackdowns as the audience's surrogate, and repeating as necessary. Things always liven up when he's around. Eleanor, who could have been written as a money-grubbing she-devil, is extremely sympathetic and has genuinely fallen in love with William, trying desperately to figure out what she's doing wrong when she's not at fault and William won't be honest with her. It's even possible to be slightly sympathetic towards William's father, who knows that a relationship between William and Emma would likely completely undo all his hard work to get the family where it is.

For romance fans in general and fans of Victorian England and Jane Austinish novels in particular. Just note that there are only subtitles and no English dub (we're lucky a chance was taken on distributing it at all), you'll want to avoid the spoilish Gazette booklet until after watching it through, and this is only Season 1 of 2 - which means, of course, that it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommend highly!, August 5, 2008

By	Jonathan D. Parshall (Brevard, NC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A lovely little series that really grows on you. The story of William and Emma is not fast-paced, but it's probably one of the more true-to-life deceptions of romance you'll ever see. The setting of Victorian London is almost the third main character, it's realism giving you an educational view of another world.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Series, November 20, 2009

By	Ashley Dell "Koshakee" (Brisbane, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I was very pleased with this product. The series is so beautiful and has wonderful characters and a charming story. The box is covered in beautiful artwork from the series. Each disc is in it's own thin DVD case featuring more beautiful, large colour pictures from the series.

It also comes with a fascinating little book called Emma: Victorian Gazette. It is completely in black and white and is designed to be similar to a magazine, including little advertisements in between the articles. It is full of information about England and Victorian life including many illustrations taken from the series. There are even real life photos comparing Kaoru Mori's illustrations to the real locations in England.

I highly recommend this box set. It is high quality.