Being very faithful to the manga, the anime follows the same beginnings. We are introduced to Emma, a beautiful and polite maid to the retired governess Kelly Stownar. Her introduction is slightly expanded upon in the anime, setting the mood and atmosphere of Emma's surroundings and lifestyle with Mrs. Stownar. Her first fated meeting with the enthusiastic yet naive William Jones is extremely charming and romantic, their subsequent interactions are also far better represented in the anime with some additional scenes and dialogue. With awkward yet heartwarming interactions, William's infatuation with Emma is very endearing.
The side characters, namely William's father, siblings and prince Hakim, are also given additional scenes and dialogue. Their peculiar personalities and character, especially of the eccentric Hakim, make the characters and their interactions with William fun and interesting. Their divergent opinions about Emma and William's romance also communicate the themes of classicism and social disparity that the main couple will start to encounter.
Eleanor, a young woman of aristocratic lineage who's romantically interested in William, is also introduced during the first half of the series and a key character to the main conflict in the relationship. Given that William's family hopes he will establish a relationship with Eleanor to upgrade their societal status, his love for Emma is immediately frowned upon. Unlike in other series and dramas with similar premises, Eleanor is portrayed as a sheltered and fragile woman with pure feelings, making her character and unrequited feelings relatable.
While Emma's and William's relationship is very charming, Emma's introverted personality and mysterious past makes her character and personality feel underdeveloped at times. The relationship doesn't feel forced but if Emma's personality was less dull, it might have been easier to understand William's strong feelings for her.
Regarding the technical aspects of the anime, Kaoru Mori's artstyle is faithfully reproduced, her attention for detail and historical accuracy of the era's aspect (clothes, transportation, technology) are represented within the animation. While sometimes the characters may look off model, the details are polished enough to convey the feeling and atmosphere of the original work. The wonderful English dub, with a cast of British voice actors, is full with brilliant performances with accurate accents and dialogue corresponding to Victorian England, immersing the viewer completely into the setting and plot. The music is also extremely fitting, with beautiful instrumental tracks according to the mood and scene.
The first half of Emma, A Victorian Romance is definitely a great watch for fans of period dramas and classic romantic stories alike. While the story is nothing groundbreaking, the endearing characters and great atmosphere will definitely pull the viewer to the story. Definitely recommend watching the English dub version if possible!
