Lady Victorian
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| Lady Victorian | |
 Bluebell Everrose (right), Argent Gray (left), and Argent as Lady Ethel (middle). | |
| レディー・ヴィクトリアン (Redī Vikutorian) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Historical romance[1] |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Naoko Moto |
| Published by | Akita Shoten |
| Imprint | Princess Comics |
| Magazine | Princess |
| Demographic | Shōjo |
| Original run | 1998 – January 6, 2007 |
| Volumes | 20 |
Lady Victorian (Japanese: レディー・ヴィクトリアン, Hepburn: Redī Vikutorian) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Moto. It was serialized in Princess magazine from 1998[2] to January 2007[3] and published as 20 tankōbon volumes by Akita Shoten.[2][4] Set during the Victorian era, the story follows the adventures of Bluebell Lily Everrose, nicknamed Bell, a young girl who travels to London to find a job as a governess.[1]
Synopsis
[edit]When Bell comes to London, she hopes for a bright future. But fate plays a trick on her. While she is working for an unpleasant family, a dead body is found in her bag and she is arrested. Fortunately, she is rescued by the kind Mr. Noel Scott and Lady Ethel, whom she discovers later to be a man. After the incident, she comes across numerous events, which are either hilarious, dramatic, or romantic.
Characters
[edit]- Bluebell Lily Everrose (ブルーベル・リリー・エヴァローズ)
- Also known as Bell, she is from a rural area of England. Her father was a missionary. After he died, she travels to London to seek a job as a governess. She is lively, optimistic, and romantic.
- Lady Ethel Constantia (レディー・エセル・コンスタンシア) / Argent Gray (アージェント・グレイ)
- When a marquis's daughter was about to die, the marquis thought of her wife who would be heartbroken and died if she knew this. He tried not to let her know this. He found an orphan boy Argent in East End, trained the young boy as a lady and replaced their daughter with him. With grace and beauty, Argent becomes the society's top lady. But he has another facet. Every now and then, he dresses as a man and goes by the name Argent Gray, which is also his pen name as a novelist for Noel's magazine. When he is in this mode, he acts as an uncouth man who grew up in a slum. That does not hide his exceptional beauty, however, since he has long, noticeable silver hair and a pretty face.
- Noel Scott (ノエル・スコット)
- He runs a publishing house and a magazine for ladies. He tried to propose to Bell but he got rejected.
- Lord Martin (マーティン卿)
- Heir of the marquis. Lady Ethel's elder brother. After three years of studying outside of the country, Lord Martin came back to London. He first encountered Bell while she and her student went on a walk. Bell accidentally stomped on him.
- Marquis of Leicesterberry (レスターベリー侯爵)
- Father of Lady Ethel and Lord Martin. He found Argent and made him Lady Ethel. But he is also thinking how the situation concludes. He supports that Argent grows his talent as a novelist.
- Silverthief (シルヴァーシーフ)
- Mysterious person. He tries to thieve silver accessories or silver related things, thus tries to kidnap Lady Ethel because Ethel is called "Silver Lady". He is a member of some royal family, therefore a certain nobleman calls him "Your Highness".
Publication and story nodes
[edit]Lady Victorian was published for 20 volume tankōbon in Princess comics. The manga work contains several story motives or nodes. The motives are:
- The future of Bluebell Everrose. What ending will be brought to her career as a governess.
- In addition, does Bluebell marry. With whom does she marry, if she marries.
- The future of Argent Gray. He surely cannot continue to be Lady Ethel. How does this situation conclude.
- Does Argent continue to be a novelist.
- Why was he an orphan, if he wasn't abandoned by his parents. And then, who are his real parents.
- Where will the tale which Bluebell's father told to Argent in a workhouse reach to. (Her father taught him the magic spell "Blue bell, lily, ever rose". Argent is aware that the spell is his daughter's name, after he tells his young days in a workhouse to Bluebell.)
- The future of Noel Scott and his publishing house.
The manga story goes on through various episodes and human relations, along with these story nodes and questions, till the last, 20th volume.
Reception
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b レディー・ヴィクトリアン [Lady Victorian]. Mangapedia (in Japanese). Heibonsha, Shogakukan, et al. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- ^ a b レディー・ヴィクトリアン 第1巻 [Lady Victorian Vol. 1]. Akita Shoten (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- ^ プリンセス 2007年2月号 [Princess February 2007 issue]. Akita Shoten (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- ^ レディー・ヴィクトリアン 第20巻 [Lady Victorian Vol. 20]. Akita Shoten (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 October 2020.
Further reading
[edit]- Jones, Anna Maria (December 2016). "Picturing 'Girls Who Read': Victorian Governesses and Neo-Victorian Shōjo Manga". In Jones, Anna Maria; Mitchell, Rebecca N. (eds.). Drawing on the Victorians: The Palimpsest of Victorian and Neo-Victorian Graphic Texts. Ohio University Press. pp. 300–330. ISBN 978-0-8214-2247-2. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
External links
[edit]- Lady Victorian at Akita Shoten (in Japanese)
- Lady Victorian at the Media Arts Database (in Japanese)
- Moto Naoko Official Site (in Japanese)
- List of Works created by Moto Naoko (in Japanese)
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