The Heiress and the Chauffer #1 Review: Enjoyable

Forbidden love has been the topic for storytellers ever since the beginning of time. Two lovers who can’t be with each other for one or another. That tradition lives on in Keiko Ishihara’s “The Heiress and the Chauffeur.” A modern manga tale of forbidden love that is as endearing as many of its kind.

During Japan’s Taisho Era (1912-1926) the heiress to the Yoshimura family Sayaka is having a problem with her chauffeur Shinobu Narutaki. He’s always dressed slovenly, he talks back to people he’s not supposed to and enters areas he’s not allowed. He’s also Sayaka’s childhood friend and there’s romantic tension between them. However, they can’t be lovers because they are both from different social standings.

This does sound the generic “love conquers all” storyline, but Ishihara handles it well. Yes, there are the typical shojo clichés of the guy coming to the girl’s rescue, but here it makes sense. Narutaki is Sayaka’s servant; he’s being paid to protect her. Of course, he also does it out of love, but the circumstances make it seem like it’s the former.

This manga would’ve been nothing more than a generic shojo manga if it weren’t for how well the characters are written. Both main leads are interesting, and you care about what happens to them. Also, there’s Kazuko Miki, Sayaka’s schoolmate. At first, she comes across as the typical school bully, but as the story goes on she becomes an actual person. She’s not really a bully, just someone who’s concerned about social class and Sayaka’s wellbeing.

The Taisho Era is an interesting setting for the story. This was a time when Japan was Westernizing and everything Western was in vogue. On the other hand, there were still lots of traditional viewpoints, especially about social standing. In fact, plenty of girls back then had secret romances with their servants making this romance that much better written.

The art is the typical shojo art style, but the execution of it is amazing. This manga looks nice, and you can tell that Ishihara put in a lot of work and skill into it. It’s actually a relief so see a shojo manga as nice looking as this.

“The Heiress and the Chauffer” is an enjoyable shojo manga about two lovers of different social standings living in a time when that was forbidden. Add on above average art and you’ve got yourself a winner.