Review of Emma: A Victorian Romance

*This review includes both seasons. Spoilers shall be avoided! English is not my native language - mistakes in grammar shall be made!* I love history - especially the European, and Victorian history! I love romance - presumed it's done with passion, care and interest! That being said, Monogatari Emma should've been almost perfect watch for me, but sadly... the ever-so short twelve-episodes seasons are just the tip of the iceberg, in what this anime seemingly refused to do right for me! Story (4) The story is... well, it's not good! It is actually so bland, unimaginative and uninspired, that I could easily call it the Twilight-level of horribleness,and wouldn't blink an eye, while saying so! If I would give some random 15-year-old girl a book about Victorian era, told her to read it, then write a love story that takes place on that said era, Monogatari Emma would be exactly what I would get! And what saddens me even more is that... this is almost exactly the same story, that I would've writen myself... with the atmost miserable ending, of course!

The romances taking place in Victorian era were all pretty much all the same - triangle-dramas, deceat, debauchery, strickt laws an norms of class society between those who got it all, and those who have nothing are all the traits that are just as common now, as they were back then, thus very little room or space to develope is been given. It's all put in line with one of the most restricted formulas for a romance that you could ever think of, because the choises according to such stories, are always the same - either skip the historical accurasies (Pocahontas II) and give people what they want, or keep the facts, and... suck at romance, because God knows Victorians were bland as paint with that!

Monogatari Emma has nothing in it's story, that stands out from any other romance or love story, that takes place in this certain era, or that handles such themes like class society, "we who are all, and those who are nothing"- consept, prejudice and accepting the norms and expectations of the sociaty, that pretty much tells you everyday, how to live your live accordingly. It's a cute little window to the world that's - mostly! - already long gone, both in cultural and social sence, but other than that... it's not worth of my interest. I've seen better Victorian romances from... anywhere, and if Monogatari Emma's story is what I should use as a comparison, I shall continue doing so in the future as well.

Art (7)

The artstyle of Monogatari Emma is cute... it's pretty, and it's... well, not the most liveliest, but it does it's job, looking like a old photo, or an oil-painting, almost, in some parts. It holds little to no splashes of color, which makes it really monotonous and bland... much like the story and the characters. It's still somewhat nice to look at, but sadly... evenn though being it's saving grace, it's just not enough to "save" this anime.

In romance, I need something to feel - not something to look at!

Sound (6)

The voice actors do decent job while playing their characters, but none of them truly standed out for me. They're all pretty generic - easy to listen, and easy to forget - and the less I'll be saying about the music, the better! This is just... the most awful Victorian music, right here! It has no life nor soul in it... nothing, that would hold my interest over a bland story, and even blander characters... and it really pisses me off, because Victorian music is not this... bland! It shouldn't be!

Characters (4)

...or the lack of the characters, more likely.

Let's keep it short and sweet, shall we. These characters... are cut-outs! Bland and boring cut-outs, every single one of them! We have our idiot-boy-in-love, his quirky best friend... with a indian harem, and an elephant... and our leading lady is a blander-than-blander twat, that somehow charms the Indian prince to courtship her... and she barely says a freaking word to anyone!

Ironically, main heroine Emma, is my biggest gripe against this anime, and for a good reason, might I say! She's supposed to be this "poor, unfortunate but sweet soul", picked and raised from the utmost poverty and misery, that falls in love with a handsome nobleman, but... despite of what I just told about her, she's really not that interesting as a character! Much like the art style, she's just a decent painting, with no color - no shades, no shadows, and seemingly no flaws to speak of! She never speaks, she never shares her emotions to anyone, neither does she show them - I'm starting to doubt that she even has any of those! - and even when she's being separated from her love, only to find herself a new one - because, apparently, glasses and stone-like expressions are sooo attractive! - she just seems to think herself "Duuuu...." and move along with the story, like a mindless puppet... not wanting anything, not saying anything... doing nothing!

I hate heroines like Emma, and when this whole story is pretty much about just her and her "struggles" with forbidden love... I just can't believe that I didn't drop this anime all together, thanks to her!

Enjoyment (5)

The best word to describe Monogatari Emma, is generic... or mediocre, if you like. It has nothing look at, nothing to feel for, and nothing to remember right after the first watching. Anyone who knows anything about romances knows, how this story's gonna end, and even without the historical accurasies, it was pretty ludicrous to look at, even for me!

This is the basic of the basics - the absolute bare-boned sceleton of a standard romance-formula, that was blooming even in the earliest Victorian era's novels, poetry, arts and writings. Monogatari Emmas' consept may've been new and innovative... maybe even naughty and dangerous for those times, but after seeing so many other better love stories than this, I really can't see the overall appeal. It wasn't enjoyable to watch, and I shall not waste my time with it anymore, ever again.

Overall (5)

Monogatari Emma, is just some sweet, innocent, rose-tinted but never too deep or dirty fluff, that's trying to imitate an actual, well-developed and memorable romace-story... while failing miserably.

It's not something that I would recommend to anyone, but... if you like romances, are a fan of the Victorian era, or if you just happen to have some time to kill, and don't really care, what you're going to see... I guess I can't stop you for pick this up and see it yourself. I'm just saying, that... you really shouldn't!