Emily is an American doll from a 1921 cultural exchange between Japan and Western nations. Amidst a period of anti-Western sentiment, when many dolls faced destruction in doll-burning ceremonies, she escaped this fate. Mitsuko's grandmother saved her, hiding and preserving the doll in defiance of prevailing hostilities.

Decades later, Mitsuko discovers Emily while exploring her family's belongings. This happens shortly after Mitsuko defends Yu-Lian, a half-Chinese transfer student experiencing school bullying. Mitsuko brings Emily to a classroom show-and-tell, using the doll as a tangible symbol of cultural understanding and resilience. She shares Emily's history—including the rescue during conflict—to illustrate empathy and cross-cultural connection. This narrative encourages Yu-Lian and educates classmates about tolerance.

Emily's presence as a vintage artifact bolsters Mitsuko's lesson about overcoming prejudice. The doll's survival underscores reconciliation's possibility and the importance of preserving cultural bridges during division.