Kaze no Shoujo Emily is based on the novel, Emily of New Moon, by the Canadian writer L. M. Montgomery. It centres on the life of Emily Starr, an imaginative and precocious child, who is an avid writer. After her beloved father dies, Emily is orphaned. For the first in her life she meets her mother’s family, the Murrays. This is the same family that refused to give her mother permission to marry her father. Emily feels far from welcomed by her newly discovered relatives. Further, it appears that she is, in fact, unwanted when it is decided that lots will be drawn to choose who will take on the responsibility of caring for her. It is finally established that she will live at New Moon, a farm on Prince Edward Island. Emily begins her new life with her aunts Elizabeth and Laura and her cousin Jimmy. She clings to her father’s promise that “Spring will come, no matter where you go” as well as her determination to become a professional writer.

Having seen the first episode and re-read that section of the book, it would appear that this anime follows the original story fairly closely although some additions and omissions have been made. Of course not everything can be included … Mike, Emily’s favourite cat is dispensed with altogether as are some classic lines like “She has the brain of a hen and the sensibility of a cow. May jackals sit on her grandmother’s grave!”. If you find that you enjoy the anime then I would recommend that you seek out the book on which it was based. Emily of New Moon is the first book of three in L. M. Montgomery’s Emily series. [Nahrallah]