Kaoru Mori: Anything and Something

Calling upon his former governess, William Jones, gentleman, is startled when his knock is answered by an uncommonly beautiful servant, the soft-spoken Emma. Throughout his visit, William’s eyes drift to the maid whenever she enters the room, and he contrives to meet Emma socially as she goes about her errands. But London society is a web of strict codes and divisions. For the son of a wealthy merchant, seeking out a working-class girl is simply not done! William’s father plans for his son to marry into the peerage and elevate the Jones family to greater heights, but although William says and does what is expected of him, he longs only for Emma’s company… *Source: Yen Press, Vol. 1*

Yet another maid-tastic manga from Kaoru Mori, "Shirley" is an evocative glimpse into the daily life of winsome, 13-year-old Shirley, a maid in turn-of-the-century England. **Volume 1 includes two other short stories:** 1. An Afternoon with Nelly and Me 2. Mary Banks "Mary Banks" tells about a maid with a Master who loved playing pranks on his servants. Frogs, spraying them with water, trip ropes and other forms of foolishness were all she could look forward to any day. But when her employer passes away unexpectedly, what will happen to Mary Banks? **Shirley or Shirley Medison/Madison?** Shirley and the oneshots in volume 1 were first published as fanzine (doujinshi) around 2000-2001, at that time the title was "Shirley Medison". In 2003 the first volume was released by Enterbrain publisher as just "Shirley", CMX later translated her name as "Shirley Madison". In 2006, the author decided to continue her work with Shirley and released two chapters under the title "Shirley Medison", these were followed by 2 more in 2010, then another 2 in 2013 and again 2 in 2014. Finally in 2014 all previous "Shirley Medison" chapters were released in "Shirley" volume 2.

*A Bride’s Story* tells the tale of a beautiful young bride in nineteenth-century Asia. At the age of twenty, Amir is sent to a neighboring town to be wed. But her surprise at learning her new husband, Karluk, is eight years younger than her is quickly replaced by a deep affection for the boy and his family. Though she hails from just beyond the mountains, Amir’s clan had very different customs, foods, and clothes from what Karluk is used to. As the two of them learn more about each other through their day-to-day lives, the bond of respect and love grows stronger. (Source: Yen Press) *Note: Won the Prix Intergénérations ("Intergenerational Award") at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2012 and the 7th Manga Taishou award in 2014.*