For anime fans, the range of the romance genre shines on Valentine’s Day. Most popular shows go from Kimi ni Todoke all the way to the classic Tenchi Myuo Series. Each romance anime has something to bring to the table with all the hilarious moments as well as the sweet ones that make our heart melt. I have found a romance that tends to be forgotten in the sea of romance anime and that anime is Victorian Romance Emma.
Victorian Romance Emma is a two season anime. The story takes place at the end of 19th-century England. It is about a maid named Emma who works for a woman that was once a governess named Kelly Stowner. One day a old student of her’s, William Jones, came to visit much to his luck when he was at the door about to knock Emma opens it thus having the door whack right into William’s face. It was love at first sight especially for William. The only problem is the Jones family is an upper class family and since Emma is a lowly maid it is very unlikely their love will progress into anything. To make matters worse there is another girl who likes William named Eleanor who is in the same social standing as William.
I feel this is a great anime for Valentines Day because it isn’t a typical. The show does not take the simple moments and push it to a comedic standpoint. It realizes the time period it is in and makes it as lifelike as possible as well as historically accurate, which makes the romance as the more interesting to watch. It’s also a show that gives enough depth into the characters, even the ones you might not like; There are moments where one can feel a character is sadness and feels driven/inspired/invested to root for them to do their best. I hope you enjoyed the review and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
(The Scene when Emma and William first meet)