We often see manga with similar trends start to all appear at once when one ends up being successful. Visit any social media platform that tracked your interest or publisher site, and I’m sure you noticed one trend in shojo stories is a young woman with a sudden fiance or arranged marriage that miraculously works out. While The Emperor’s Caretaker might seem like that at a glanced, the new Square Enix manga is instead an approach to the idea of an arranged marriage story that is instead very focused on interpersonal relationships, politics, hierarchy, and people growing beyond or maybe even challenging their expected roles over time. Volume one only just starts to get into things, but it steps the stage quite well.
Editor’s Note: There will be mild spoilers for volume 1 of The Emperor’s Caretaker manga below.
The new emperor is only five years old. However, that doesn’t matter in the world of politics. People want his marriage arranged, and his older brother Regent Souren and him will be meeting potential prospects. Girls from each of the major families are being sent. However, one of them isn’t really a “girl,” and is actually a 17-year-old young woman named Linhua. Her chancellor father and head of the Liu family presented her with three options. She attends that ceremony to be considered, she tries to marry the possible womanizer Souren, or she marries Rui from the Li family. Her and her brother Xiuying are both opposed to that, so it’s the selection process for her.
Much of this first volume deals with the political notions surrounding that competition. It really helps accentuate the fact that, while The Emperor’s Caretaker starts out as manga about a possible arranged marriage, it quickly deviates from that to give Linhua an opportunity for a different type of future. Especially since its one that might better suit someone as clever and outspoken as her. When around the children who are attempting to be picked as a bride, she’s just overwhelmed by how cute they all are. She wants to comfort and support them. Which, in turn, catches people’s attention in a different way. So we see her tactfully managing little ones she’s just met, showing her kindness and innate way with people.
We also see her intelligence at play. She knows this is all a political game, and that as such she needs to be very cautious about her behavior. When a little girl from the Li family accidentally breaks her erhu, she knows she can’t make a big deal about it and needs to fix it, lest the relationship between the two families get even worse. She also does need to find one ASAP, and does, because it would cause offense to the emperor and his regent. So she’s savvy enough to understand situations and search for practical, intelligent solutions that offer the best outcome for everyone.
But it’s especially satisfying to see her forward nature and willful personality come through. Linhua, though a possible bride in a royal arranged marriage, constantly speaks her mind in The Emperor’s Caretaker manga. We see how she “ran” off another potential suitor, which her older brother teases her about. More importantly, when it is her turn to perform in front of the emperor, she tactfully chooses a song with multiple meanings. While one is romantic and about stepping away from relationship, another is more familial and again about wishing a child well as they grow and go. So she’s defying her father and signaling her intent to not be considered.
It is because of all this that a new path opens for Linhua. She’s offered the option to become the titular The Emperor’s Caretaker and help raise him as a court lady, forgoing any sort of arranged marriage in the manga. It’s incredibly satisfying and helps set a fantastic tone going forward. Yes, there’s still the option of romance with Souren. Yes, Rui from the Li family is still in the wings. Yes, she’s still in this world of political intrigue. And yes, we still get to see an adorable little kid be cute and (hopefully) happy.
The first volume of The Emperor’s Caretaker manga is really all about setting the stage. We’re finding out who Linhua is, getting a sense of what Souren is like, and learning about some of the other major players who will appear in the series. It’s establishing a foundation for a story that seems like it could be a strong one. Especially since it seems to emphasize that it will be as much about court life and a fight between ruling families for dominance as it is about a relationship between Linhua and Souren. I’m hoping it continues on this strong path.
Volume 1 of The Emperor’s Caretaker is available via Square Enix, and volume 2 of the manga will debut on May 6, 2025.
Published: Mar 15, 2025 03:00 pm