Mixed feelings when you hear 'Emma, Victorian romance' soundtrack, composed to be a traditional English melody, in 'Dining with the chef', a program dedicated to Japanese cuisine...

the truth about myself I was not even aware of ~ analysing my own blog

incoming search terms and websites that refer to my blog are sometimes so funny I cannot resist making a post like this. if you think your search queries are private, you are mistaken. I can see them. and I can troll them ^____^

who else wants emma to end up with hans a victorian romance

oops. obviously I do not. I was absolutely satisfied with the ending in both the anime and the manga. however, there is one thing I would like to mention. there was no proposal to Emma from Hans in the original manga. moreover, there was another woman whom Hans could 'end up with'. haha, discover it yourself if you want

anime ecchi tit, etc

watching only a few anime series with ecchi led to a huge number of people directed here. as if 'ecchi' is the most frequent word of this blog. I do not even have a label like this. and meseems, I have just contributed to this process by mentioning the word 'ecchi' several times. what a pity! there is not actually anything about ecchi here, since I only mentioned it in regard to the anime I watched, which is not something to occur in the future regularly

ashita no nadja why does nadja choose francis

yeah. I would like to know that, too. especially when in the manga Francis and Keith-Black-Rose were one person. and especially when Nadja changes her mind in the last episodes of the anime and never decides anything, following her mother's idea - 'is it he who you need? or the other one? or no one of them?'

"rurouni kenshin sad" wallpaper

wow. not only I sell wallpapers here, I even sort them according to their 'mood' haha ^.^

boku wa kowai lyrics romeo and juliet

the only thing I cannot understand why this query led to my blog, since I have never even mentioned 'boku wa kawaii kowai'. have I?

sad flute in letter bee background music free download
well, not only there is nothing to download here concerning Letter Bee, but I also wonder what that 'sad flute' means. first of all, there were a lot of melodies with flute, and a lot of sad melodies in Tegamibachi. secondly, if you are eager to listen to it, you just download the OST album and search for it. am I wrong?

tegami bachi letter bee porn pics
this is the most hilarious thing I have ever heard of! ahaha......
well, ok. there are hentai doujinshi based on popular anime/manga. I have seen some RuroKen hentai manga. what comes to my mind when I read something like this is my friend's exclamation of grief - 'I can understand hentai with some guys, but Full Metal Alchemist! how dare they create hentai based on such a pure thing?'
Tegamibachi, from my point of view, never gave any hints on possible hentai. I tried very hard to think up who may be the possible couples for an activity like this. actually I could not find a single one. however, while discussing this with my friend, I noticed something. 'tis not 'hentai', 'tis not even 'yaoi' or something... 'tis 'porn'. so, this is what I am doing in my blog! I am uploading porn live action with people cosplaying Letter Bee characters! >____<
ahahaaaaaa, this query will make me die laughing...

saiga mitsuki, mitsuki saiga

there are 4 queries 'saiga mitsuki' and 4 'mitsuki saiga'. haha, since they are separate, it means that the total number of times was 8. too bad there is not anything really helpful in my blog about Saiga-sama

upd. 01.05.13
ashita ni nadja porno hentai
this is kind of a comprehensive phrase including all of the tags there are in my 'list of strange tags'. Nadja, porno and hentai in one line... just... wonderful... wonderful, because I am wondering who and how would want to see a Nadja-based hentai?

upd. 07.05.13
emma manga ecchi ? this is another surprise. ecchi in Emma. I wonder who would need it?
but everything else is beaten by...

 

erotic photo of letter bee

yeah. erotic PHOTO. you see? 

my humble opinion on 'Emma' manga ~ Victorian romance again

though I expressed my anger with 'Ashita no Nadja' and poured a lot of bad words on it, I wasn't that frustrated all this time. I've been reading 'Emily Fox-Seton' by Frances Burnett. I can't say I loved the book very much, but reading it was such a comforting thing. every little detail was so nicely described...

and suddenly I understood how 'Emma' had the very same aura about it. I came to understand that from the historical point of view 'Emma' was perfectly neat, if I can use the word here

at first I had no intention to read the manga as I thought the story didn't touch me that much... but there appeared two facts that made me change my mind. first, the story was very good in comparison with some other stories I've seen/read, even though I cannot say that the characters in 'Emma' were of my favourite type. and the second thing - the properly created atmosphere redeems for all possible sins. 'Emma' is able to make you see those times, feel the epoch, almost LIVE in it

10 volumes is considerable amount, certainly not a short at least, but I swallowed all in 3 evenings. what's also important - the weather is still good, still warm though already the first sings of Autumn can be noticed, so I can still continue my 'Victorian Summer' - only for a while. I turned on the anime OSTs and they almost made me cry

plot and characters

from the beginning the plot and characters look pretty the same as in the anime, but this time I was... well, not disappointed, but the manga seems to tell the story in a more rushing way... I felt like... deprived of something. several important episodes were not described as fully as in the anime, and they were the case when the anime version wins. such was Mrs Stowner's death, first of all, but also the other things about her. her character and attitude to Emma were the same, but the anime version was... warmer? deeper? how shall I call it... touching, probably. there were a lot of other cases like that, for example the manga version of parting of Emma and William without them meeting in front of his house and at the station. those meetings made the story more dramatic of course. or the two scenes I particularly liked most in the anime were when Emma took down the little guy's pet from the tree - that was much more dangerous than when in the manga she had only to climb on a chair and take the squirrel down from the baldachin, and the episode with Nanette. also, the part when William told Emma about him visiting the Crystal Palace with his mother, and then Mrs Trollope tells the same story so that the spectators are able to guess something... or when Tasha explains that lily-of-the-valley stands for 'hope will come again' in a flower language, or... all those small and nice delights were 'lost'...

however, if I forget about the anime, I cannot blame the manga too much. probably 'tis partly my fault that I read the beginning in a hurry because I've already seen the story, and also because I wanted to read more and more... instead of scenes shown in the anime, manga managed to convey another things. I can say, it managed to portray the society of those days - the dinner at the house of Eleanor's parents showed the higher classes typical meeting, the picnic and riding in boats showed the types of girls there existed, worried about their future husbands being both handsome and rich, constantly chatting, frivolous and light-headed (did I get it right that they were introduced not in the least for the readers to see how Emma and a few other heroines were standing out?), or Viscount Campbell having an affair with 'a woman who's gone astray'
there were also a lot of moments never used in the anime, such as William actually coming officially to the Molders, or relationship between Emma and Hans, and of course, the fact that the story takes an unexpected turn after that, but more that anything - a lot of secrets revealed in 'Bangaihen' and first of all in the last 2 chapters of it

they say when a person loses one of his senses, the other ones become more acute. a blind person can often hear well, and becomes good and feeling the objects with his fingers. this is not a good comparison, but in comparison with anime (in general), manga is 'bereaved' of sound and smooth movements. this is no offence to manga, but 'tis incontestable truth that there are no such things. and since there are no, manga has to convey the story in a different way, this is only obvious. the static pictures have to convey movements, the small frames have to express all the huge picture that mangaka has in his/her mind. this is, I suppose, why manga gives so much stress to details. while still telling a story, it underlines moments rather than general flow of events, or events that take only a short time, rather than global, long ones. what's really noticeable and commendable here are the many beautiful moments captured when not a single word was pronounced. the characters were only assumed to talk or to think of something, but depicted was only the environment

surely the mangaka managed to convey the feelings of Emma so that not to flinch at the sight of the cold dark lonely night was impossible - at least for me
I also loved how allegories were used - if only I got them right. can two creatures who belong to different species be together?

'Bangaihen' part was not used in the anime, so reading it was a lot of fun. Mori-sensei payed attention to smallest details and portrayed an adorable picture of Victorian England. all the stories had a very sweet touch to them and made me understand why I love this period so much. those times were already far from the Middle Ages - dull grey they seem to me - but far from the modern period as well. life became more convenient and filled with lots of new things in comparison with the past, but at the same time the choice was not as great as 'tis now. probably because of this people were able to spot tinier things than we do now, and were able to cherish them more, because they were not that easy reachable. no one says the life of the working class or the poor was easy, but the utmost happiness of one could consist in only buying a few yards of handmade lace or...

all the stories of 'Bangaihen' were inexpressibly lovely. the first chapters about young Mrs Stownar and her husband almost made me cry
the other touching story was the one about Theo of course - I didn't know Mori-sensei is able to draw even animals in such a cute way

inanimate objects can also have their history and... a soul probably. the author is not trying to simply tell us the story of two lovers who got across some obstacles, Mori-sensei is portraying the epoch. one can easily see how she loves the epoch and every single item that existed. note how she gently introduces several images of how different were the ways of using the newspaper dedicating the whole chapter to The Times

graphics
there are no words I could use to describe how I loved this side of manga. the anime graphics was made apparently to resemble the manga one, but this principle is not always working. in case of 'Emma' what was looking a bit awkward in the anime at first, stroke me with its beauty in the manga. the level of details is highly laudable, but also faces and general silhouettes were simply astonishing. facial expressions were beyond the reach of many average mangakas, starting with the fact that all the faces were actually different, not just the same shape with a special hairstyle for each person to make him/her recognisable, and finishing with absolutely realistic postures and 'angles of viewing'
sometimes I wasn't sure whether I see a manga page or a true 19th century illustration for a book

conclusion

I could say that the anime ending seems a bit more logical and 'finished' to me. William's family accept his decision, William's father even says he's proud of his son, Emma is living in peace with her husband and 4 children and pronounces words of gratitude to her former mistress, even the other characters weren't forgotten and are shown to have at least a hope for a brighter future
the manga ending is not going as far, but its ending leaves a perfect sense of satisfaction for me. the balance that I always long for was properly established. I couldn't ask for more
no, I even got more than I expected. note the perfect sense of humor of Mori-sensei, very subtle and clever
Tasha in her usual manner

 the strange Molders family

 and my favourite characters, the Indian girls, and drunk Arthur

no 'happily-ever-after' is presented to our eyes in 'Emma'. and though I tend to dislike stories that end in 'and what will the next day bring to him/her/them?', 'Emma' is different. perhaps the developments will be the same as in the anime, this is only what's likely to happen, we are simply not shown how it happens. this however doesn't bereave us of the opportunity to look into William's face together with Emma and find the same hopeful look in it. William is certain, though he said nothing, so must be we
there are people on this Earth who are able to create beautiful worlds, decorate them with beautiful pictures and add soft sounds to make them even more perfect. Mori Kaoru-san managed to do this, and studio Pierrot can do beautiful things once in a while, too. call it escaping from reality or whatever, I love this world named 'Emma', even though this is the same studio which did 'Naruto', 'Bleach', or 'Fushigi Yuugi' and 'Ayashi no Ceres'
now that I read 'Emma' I feel as if once more I adjusted my taste of what real art is. I wonder if I can call 'Emma' a manga that no one can dislike. I mean, people either are fascinated with it, or never have the intention to read it
recommended for those who are tired of cheap artworks full of fanservice, with no serious basis

p. s. if one ever needs any advice on what books to pick up to know more about the period, Mori-sensei recommends some in the end of 'Victorian Guide' book. well, not only that, but also lots of other things are explained there

My humble opinion on 'Victorian Romance Emma' ~ almost 21 years old me

many recent shoujo works I saw/read are all too sweet and... false? imposters? I almost forgot that the genre is not guilty for this fact. 'twas Izumi-san's 'Himegimi no Tsukurikata' described when someone said - 'this is a shoujo manga, but there is no romance in the traditional understanding'. there was no romantic relationship at all in that manga, and this time we do have a romance, but again - not a traditional one. it has all the attributes of a usual shoujo romance - characters loving each other have obstacles, doubt themselves, sacrifice themselves, and so on and so on, but after many days of constant thinking of how to call this work I finally found a good word. 'Emma' is straightforward. sincere and straightforward. yes.

Plot and characters
There are two seasons in this work. And there is a reason why there are two seasons, not one long series. The first one has a bit different feeling from the second one. The first is SLOW, as 'twas created for admiration - of the scenery, of London, of Englishmen of the late 19th century. And one should be prepared before he starts watching it. Well, not he - she, of course. I highly doubt any guy would be happy to watch this work. Still, this is not a shoujo.
The second season is much faster and portrays much more personalities, deepening the ones who were already present in season 1 and introducing new ones. One should be aware of this change. She, not he - and still this is not a shoujo.
If I am in any position to compare, then I know what I want to describe.
Fortunately I was brought up in a family where reading was encouraged. My parents had nice bookshelves full of nice books. Still those were not enough. They purchased a series of books entitled - 'collection for young princesses' or something like this. Among them are books you have hardly ever heard of, but some world-famous masterpieces also - such as 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott, 'A Little Princess' and 'The Secret Garden' by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and many others. Well, I could recall reading 'Jane Eyre' as well. The same historical period means the same setting, but also - the same type of the story. 'Emma', being close to the books I mentioned and the likes, is not a 'romance novel for women', 'tis for much younger girls. Why? Well, for me - novels for women contain more of an emphasis on the characters' inner feelings in terms of doubting, mistrust, constant quarrels between the lovers or endless row of misfortunes, and usually the plot never sways from the main 2 characters, as their romance is the most important thing, if not the only reason for the novel to exist. 'Emma' is different, as the other books I mentioned are, it describes the epoch, it describes people and places, and it never crosses the line between the subtle and the vulgar. In the end, I was almost unhappy with the fact that 'Emma' resembles Western books more than a Japanese anime. however, there is no point for been upset. there is a very Japanese idea in it - as long as you do whatever you can, as long as you do your best, with all your might, until the end - there will be people who believe in you, help you and even save you, and those who doubted you can change their mind, and those who wish you evil will be defeated. look how William's brother gave him the list of people to appeal to, how Hakim persuaded a rich gentleman to participate in the project, look how Mrs Molders who had nothing else to wish for in her life listened to Emma when she was too straightforward, notice how the maids and other servants who first disliked Emma finally understood her feelings - 'you have to go, don't you?' says Mrs Wieck, the strict house keeper in the last episode and Nanette adds 'we will cope here, go'
oh, since I mentioned Nanette, there is another important thing. look how everyone is brilliantly portrayed - the servants in Molders estate, every one of them having his special features of character - caring Hans, having an unrequited love Nanette, feeling suspicion and being a bit egoistic Polly, loving Emma with no doubts clumsy Tasha, cold blooded and experienced Adele, young and free boys
Eleanor - an example of a usual 'maiden in love' who dedicates herself completely to the man she chose but who is mistaken in her feeling - she is not forgotten in the end and is hinted to have a chance of finding a person who would truly love her in the future. her maid, who understands everything and understands as well that she cannot do anything but to serve faithfully as before. and Monica, a character with typical features of a comic role, but so very real. her love for her sister never seems hypocritical, and at the same time she is a wayward capricious woman - momentarily fascinated by Hakim's look and starts wearing Indian clothes and smoking hookah. notice how her husband comes to get her home during the last row of images in the last episode - I LOLed
Hakim himself - though not the main character, the story would never be the same without him, combining serious moments with entertaining ones. and of course, his 4 companions - they 'made my day' every day I watched 'Emma' ^.^ I loved them, even though they never uttered a word

remember Al, so supporting and understanding. and of course, Mrs Stownar, strict but caring about Emma and William almost as if they were her own children
William was also an example of combining English with Japanese. while he was a true English gentleman - hard-working, determined and considerate about his nearest and dearest, he didn't fail to reveal what so special there was about him - a thing that most shoujo really lack, where the main heroine's love interest often goes no farther than being attractive and strong. Emma answers properly why she prefers him to anyone else - 'He is not asking me simply 'yes' or 'no' like others do, he only enjoys talking to me'. William is, on the other hand, not a fragile young guy, he never hesitated to take the basket with vegetables out of Emma's hands and walk her home. he never hesitated to stand in front of Emma to protect her when his father approached them hugging and then try to follow her when she run away. his problem was that he stopped every time in the last moment - and that is what Hakim blamed him for, absolutely fair thing. another noticeable thing is that instead of a shy sullen guy with a 'childhood trauma' William is a positive and nice young man, though a bit straightforward. 'I will buy you new spectacles! because, birds are flying, flowers are blooming... and children are falling, isn't that so!'
Emma herself - reserved and emotionless outwardly but sensitive inside, able to have deep feelings, loyal to people who are kind to her, helping and understanding. when she spoke for Nanette asking Mrs Molders to let her stay I was not surprised, but when she rushed after Nanette and saved her I was deeply moved. not that the others didn't care about Nanette, but only Emma was able to feel that Nanette was capable of committing suicide

seiyuus
I don't want to make this post even longer. the seiyuus are all brilliant. this is the case when the seiyuus work not only suits the anime perfectly, but also enchants you so that you cannot tear yourself off the screen and want to hear more lines of that character, and that, and that one too...
probably the middle of 00s was such a wonderful period when the 'elder' seiyuus were still active and the young ones were less simple and more hard-working (than they seem to me nowadays) to make this anime superb

music
the main themes like 'Emma', 'Menuet for Emma', 'Silhouette of a Breeze', 'Rondo of Lilybell' which were used as OPEDs and insert instrumentals are unforgettable, of course, but even minor melodies that weren't constantly repeated are of astonishing good quality. my favourites are 'love at first sight', 'Separation', 'Repose' and 'Purity'. all the melodies are both English and 19-century-ish. a perfect OST which I can name an example of what an anime OST should be. not only it suits the anime itself, 'tis also great to listen separately. one can hardly imagine what it feels like - sitting near the sea and listening to the sounds composed by Kunihiko Ryou-san while looking onto the blue waves and blue summer sky, or sitting near the country house inhaling fresh air and drinking hot tea

graphics
let me be honest, I am not really fond of the way the faces are drawn. on the other hand, I got used to this eventually. the setting is pretty good, buildings and streets are all admirable. the creators really loved what they were doing
my favourite place was, of course, the Crystal Palace. I really admired it, and who wouldn't? not only we see William and Emma enjoying their 'date', but also get to know pretty much about the place, as William tells Emma about it

conclusion
only a week and a half have passed since I finished watching the anime, but it has already stable and 'unerasable' image in my mind. this summer became memorable, not without several animes I watched, and 'Emma' is an essential part of it