One glance into history - Victorian Romance Emma

Awarded by the ministry of culture for its accurate portrayal of Victorian England, this anime/manga features next to no violence. So feel free to watch it with your family and children. And because the era depicted, everything, even scenes of debauchery are only hinted at, so you don't have to worry about covering children's eyes at inappropriate scenes.

It started like a typical Cinderella story, William, the eldest son of a prestigious trading company's owner fell in love with Emma, the maid of his ex-governess's house. As William's visits to the house becomes more frequent, Emma becomes more aware of him, his affections and intentions, which eventually leads to their confession at the Crystal Palace.

However, everything went down hill when the elder governess died. Losing her home and shelter, the gap between the working class and the gentry became deeper than ever to both Emma and William.

While the main branch of the story is about William and Emma's struggles along their relationship, the details and the delicate human relationship between the classes and families make this a wonderfully rich series.

Emma is available in two seasons, the first season is available as a box set, the second a series of six DVDs.

Given title's subject matter, the story won't be as fast paced as a mecha flying across space, therefore some people may be put off by the slow tempo. But it's precisely because of its rhythm, you can enjoy the details more, from the way Emma used tea leaves to clean carpets (as was the way Victorians do it in those days) to the flower girl's empty eyes as they hawk their wares.

Another aspect of the series is its almost complete lack of villains. Even the biggest obstacles in the hero and heroine's relationship has their kind sides. Eleanor, the naive daughter of a nobleman, William's one time fiancee is doubtlessly a sweet girl and his father, one of the greatest forces of opposition has suffered under the weight of the society and his reason for not wanting his son to walk the same path as his is perfectly understandable.

Every character gets their lime light in the last few volumes. From the story about the little boy and his squirrel to the cooks whom Emma worked with. For anyone who wants to take a peek at Victorian England but does not want to open a wordy book, this series is a good start.