Chobits - Reviews

Chobits follows the story of Hideki Motosuwa, a country boy with a dream to go to college., Only problem is, he has to go to prep school first. But as he is settling into his new neighborhood, he discovers a Persocom, or a humanoid computer, dumped in the trash. He takes it home, starts it up, and from there begins the crazy ride and bond between man and technology. 

At a first glance, this story seems very cliche, focusing on the forbidden love between man and computer. However, Chobits twists it into a sweet journey of finding that special someone, "The One Who Is For Me"

Animation: There is nothing really significantly special about the animation. Its pretty standard in terms of motion and fluency. The only major attribute would be that the character designs are closest to those in the manga, and the colors are very vibrant. But other than that, the animation is pretty normal.

Sound: The music ranges from cutesy pop tracks to intense action tracks, and basically fits in  with whatever scenes they are placed in. This isn't to say that the soundtrack is too generic to work; on the contrary, it fits fine and is pretty good. But aside from the opening and endings, it isn't very memorable. The opening and two endings are the kinds that get stuck in your head and stay with you even after the show ends. While the core soundtrack may not be as memorable as the opening and ending songs, it is overall a good listen. The subbed version of the show is pretty good. Each of the seiyuus did a great job with their characters, and even though Rie Tanaka's Chi could get annoying from time to time, she was exceptional. The dubbed version was not bad, but a bit more wooden than the subbed version. Much like Tanaka's voice, Michele Ruff could get annoying with Chi's high-pitched robot-esque voice, but she also did a great job. Everyone else was fairly good, Crispin Freeman being the best by far, but still a little dull.

Characters: The cast of characters is pretty large for such a small story, and each are given a pretty fair amount of time for the story to focus or involve them. That being said, the characters vary from being pretty detailed to having a minimal amount of detail. Chi and Hideki are the main characters and pretty much the roundest characters in the entire series, and while the rest of the cast are given backstories that are all solved and make sense, many of them remain as standard secondary characters.

Story: The story of a forbidden love between a man and some other form of life that is usually unable to feel any emotion other than what was programmed. Sound familiar? Indeed, this story sounds like many forbidden "man and machine" love story, but it is not as cliched as it sounds. Chobits sends us on a lover's journey to finding the special someone, even if that person seeking for that someone isn't exactly human. It dives both into the mutual feelings of any person in love, or hesitating to love, even displayed in the form of a machine. It compares and contrasts the relationship between humans and technology, showing that even something as cold and robotic as a persocom or computer can be given human attributes and yearn for the same things humans do in a story. Laced with comedy that will keep you chuckling even after the episode is over, it becomes more than just the story of an awkward young man and a sweet apathetic/not totally human girl. However, the show itself does fall into the cliche of most "awkward boy/apathetic girl" scenarios in anime. Whether poking fun at the supposed pervertedness of the main character, or demonstrating the antics when Chi tries to cook, the story does tend to bend toward the obvious traits in a story of this caliber. Also, a small bit regarding a few plot points were not really solved and left a few things out in the open in the end. Not to mention a few episodes are wasted on recapping the events in the past episodes in those specific points, and they really are not needed unless someone who walked away from the show needed a recap of the series. Despite these flaws, the story is sweet enough to leave a good impression on any anime viewer.

Overall, while not perfect, Chobits is a pretty interesting story with an entertaining cast of characters, sweet plot, standard animation, and great music.

Animation: 7/10- standard, with pretty intricate character designs

Sound: 7/10- Not very memorable, but catchy; good sub and dub

Characters: 8.5/10- Loving and detailed

Story: 8/10- Sweet and emotional

Overall: 8/10

Chobits" - A Thought-Provoking Dive into Human-Robot Relationships

Story (7/10): "Chobits" is a unique blend of sci-fi and romance that delves into the ethical and emotional aspects of human-robot relationships. The story follows Hideki Motosuwa, a young man who discovers an abandoned persocom (personal computer) android named Chi in a trash heap. As he teaches Chi about the world, he becomes entangled in a mystery surrounding her origins. The series explores themes of love, identity, and what it means to be human. While the pacing can be slow at times, the thought-provoking narrative is its strong suit.

Animation (8/10): Madhouse delivers visually appealing animation in "Chobits." The character designs are distinct, and Chi's design, in particular, is iconic. The animation fluidly portrays the interactions between humans and persocoms, immersing viewers in a world where technology blurs the lines between human and machine.

Sound (7/10): The soundtrack enhances the emotional moments of the series, with gentle melodies that complement the romantic and introspective themes. Voice acting performances are solid, bringing depth to the characters and their evolving relationships.

Characters (7/10): The characters in "Chobits" are well-crafted and experience significant growth throughout the series. Hideki's earnest and somewhat naive personality contrasts nicely with Chi's innocence and curiosity. Supporting characters, such as Hideki's friends and other persocoms, contribute to the story's development, providing a diverse range of perspectives on human-robot relationships.

Overall (7/10): "Chobits" offers a unique exploration of technology, love, and the blurred lines between humans and machines. While the pacing can be leisurely, the series rewards patient viewers with a thought-provoking narrative and well-developed characters. It's a must-watch for fans of romance and sci-fi genres.

Comparing the anime to the manga, the anime adaptation remains faithful to the source material, capturing the essence of CLAMP's original work. However, the manga provides more in-depth exploration of certain themes and characters, making it a worthwhile read if you enjoyed the anime.

In summary, "Chobits" is an anime that encourages viewers to contemplate the impact of technology on human relationships and identity. It combines an engaging story with memorable characters, making it a classic in the world of anime romance and science fiction.

 A more perverse take on the future of humanities worst quality. 

Chi is the reason I watched it . I think it's a really good anime overall that's why I watched it 2x. The only problem is the story. I don't think that a boy who wants to get into college is a pretty good idea but it is unique for what time it was made in. I'm a sort of magical girl lover so yeah. 

The Basics

This anime truly grabs your attention and emotions and twists and turns them.

Most of the episodes in this series are interesting and will get you involved in the storyline.

While having a wide range of episodes, it is a simple watch that you will love.

The Storyline is an very good one, and progresses as the story advances, getting you even more involved.

The Main Characters

Hideki is an Older School Student, who is from a farmland, and is not used to modern technology. When he see's all the Persocom's in the city he gets very involved and wishes he could get his own one some day. This is when he meets Chii a Persocom that was laying in the trash dump. He Takes her home and starts her up, they then become friends.

Overall Rating

If you love Romance Anime's with a little comedy involved, then Chobits is a must watch.