著者

内田 均

出版者

英米文化学会

雑誌

英米文化 (ISSN:09173536)

巻号頁・発行日

no.36, pp.149-167, 2006-03-31

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Victorian Romance Emma, a Japanese anime TV-series adaptation of the manga from Kaoru Mori, has at least two basic backgrounds: One is a cultural preference for traditional occidental fiction such as Nippon Animation's World Masterpiece Theater TV animation series of adaptations of classic children's books, second is a business plan made under the media mix strategy involving game software, comics, light novels and other related products. The anime set in late 19th century London adopts relatively modest directing in visual style, which is in contrast to most of character-centered, action-packed animes in recent years. From the viewpoint of visual media, the chief attraction for this anime is the challenge of recreating the atmosphere, the people and places as authentically as possible. It portrays the barriers of class and wealth, which are enhanced by realistic physical representation, including various kinds of women's clothes like maid servant's outfits, a dirty apron, Victorian ladies dresses, or a tight corset. Gorgeous costumes and upperclass life suggest the conspicuous consumption of Victorian society, while the portrait of a humble heroine and the gentle characters around her might obscure the exploitation of low-wage labor. Its historical accounts or accuracy can be thought-provoking and encourage the viewers to reflect on their own sexual and political repression. However, the recognition that characters represented by anime or manga have a different verisimilitude from ones by live-action films, also leads them to assimilate other types of consuming visual images, especially of women. The effects of Emma will necessarily be complex and indirect, whereas commercial purposes inherent in many visual media would put Emma in another context, far from Victorian society. This paper will examine the aspects of consuming physical representation through Emma and wide range of simulated bodies including maid servants that have been rooted in Japanese pop culture.