Customer Reviews

Chobits - Persocom (Vol. 1) - With Series Box

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ok, I didn't want to like Chobits. I sneered at it from afar. Then I watched it, and now I'm hooked. #@&$@!

Chobits tries to be a lot of things at once... a love story, a drama, a fanservice comedy. What is amazing it that it manages to stay so interesting. About the only negative thing I can say here is that Chobits deals frequently with sexual subject matter. But if you have access to cable TV then you and your kids have already seen enough to make this lightweight as far as adult subject matter.

@#$@! I just can't find much to criticize.

I give up. I admit it. I like Chobits. A lot. I want Chobits merchandise, and I want more Chobits DVDs to come out. Syrup never tasted sooo gooood.

Chobits is not at all sexist, its doesn't degrade women, nor does it sterotype women as sex objects. It's a very cute series and the characters are very lovable. Chobits is full of light humor and it's very easy to get into. The animations are absolutely fantastic, the characters are lovable, and the story is interesting. What else is there to say? Practically everybody who've spent more than 5 minutes with this (unlike Mr. Solomon here) have fallen in love with this series. The earlier episodes, like the ones on this dvd are especially good.

PS - To call Chi passive and unexpressive is an insult to everybody's intelligence.

If you have a reasonably strong feminist tilt, or are buying this for a child under 13, read no further..."Chobits" really isn't for you. If you can keep an open mind and focus on the other main themes explored in this series, then you'll find that most of your time will be spent either watching "Chobits" or waiting for the next volume to come out.

Hideki Motosuwa, 18, has worked on a farm all his life, and is shattered to find out that he was rejected from the college of his choice. He decides to go to the big city and enroll in a Yobikou or Cram School (similar to Kaplan Prep or Princeton Review programs) to get into school. The first thing that catches his eye is the popular Persocon phenomenon--nearly everyone he sees when he first steps into the city has one form or another of human-looking robot companions (the jutting ear/headpieces being the only way to identify them). Sadly for farm-boy Hideki, they cost an exorbitant amount of money. Still, nearly everyone has one (they're equivalent to the popularity of cell phones for us), and he continues to want one.

Leave it to wishful thinking to have Hideki find a near-naked Persocon lying in the trash by his apartment complex. He takes her home and (here comes the PG-13/Feminist Beware part) activates it by pressing in what is quite a special spot. She comes to life but with one flaw: she can only say the word "Chi."

Through the various friends he makes in this first disc--landlady Hibya, neighbor and classmate Shinbo (and his adorable mini-mobile Persocon Sumomo), as well as Persocon expert/child genius Minoru (and his own Persocon Yuzuki)--Hideki finds that his Persocon (soon to be named "Chi") is running without an operating system or learning software, with processing speeds of nearly infinite capacity. Shinbo and Minoru theorize on what Chi could be: a Chobits, a legendary series of Persocons that, above all their unique abilities, can exercise free will.

The series continues as such; Hideki juggling school, a part-time job, teaching Chi words and manners, while everyone attempts to find out 1) if Chi is indeed a Chobits, 2) who made her, 3) what her full capabilities are. Several subplots include a mysterious e-mailer sending photos and clues of what appears to be Chi; a series of fairy tale books that hooks Chi, and seem oddly to relate to Hideki and her situation. Thematically, "Chobits" puts forth reasonably deep questions regarding identity: what is it to be human? What is it to be a Persocon? And can love cross those boundaries? There is a mid-sized pool of characters in "Chobits," each with their own experiences regarding love and Persocons, as well as two powerful, independent-minded Persocons named Dita and Jima, the former seemingly bent on finding and stopping Chi.

The art is great; Japanese animators have become so extremely skilled as to seamlessly integrate computer graphics and effects into the drawings, as well as easily use various lighting and multi-layering techniques. "Chobits" features a very active camera that constantly changes angles, zooms in and out, and appropriately get blurry or sharp. The soundtrack includes one of the catchiest opening and ending themes; not since "Cowboy Bebop" has the "adventurous/comedic" music been so appropriately used, and not since "Rurouni Kenshin" has a melancholy piano instrumental been used so perfectly to evoke sadness. The Japanese vocals for Chi and Sumomo better match their images than the English dubs, the only significant vocal difference.

The PG-13 issue...There is no flat out nudity or even excessive swearing or violence, but "Chobits" certainly doesn't lack for adult topics. Kidnapping, adultery, pornography and inappropriate touches are all covered in "Chobits." Thankfully, the computer jargon isn't overwhelming; computer illiterates won't falter since the main character (Hideki) is himself quite a naive dolt when it comes to those things.

The feminist issue...This is a series that more likely than not would cause a walkout if it were played on Oprah or The View. Persocons are almost exclusively female in "Chobits," and not once in the 26-episode series, other than Jimma (who appears in the last 1/4 of the series), is a male Persocon brought in as a major character, although you can oftentimes glimpse male persocons in the background. Chi is *extremely* submissive--everything she does is "to make Hideki happy." Minoru's Victoria's Secret-clad maids and Sumomo's genie outfit will certainly raise eyebrows as well. But to counter, several female characters do play key, empowered parts: Shimizu the teacher, fierce Persocon Dita, as well as the flipside to landlady Hibya's identity. On a more open-minded level, "Chobits" is more concerned with the ideas of love and devotion for those you care for. For each of Chi's submissive actions is a life-risking display by Hideki as well.

No giant robots, no major sword and kung fu fights; still, "Chobits" is highly watchable for its unique atmosphere, a mystery unfolded at just the right pace, and the eye-candy art. You can forward through three "recap"-type episodes: one in the middle, the second to last one, and parts of the last episode, all of which merely play montages of what had happened in the series. Highly recommended for most all anime fans.

This is a very funny and enjoyable series. Chi is probably the most kawaii non-child character I've seen in 20+ years of watching anime. If I had to rank the "maid" series that have been released in the U.S. it would be: 1 - Chobits, 2 - Mahoromatic, 3 - Kurumi, 4 - Handmaid May.

The Official Amazon reviewer labels it as sexist and, superficially, it is. However, the only really passive female in the story are the Persocoms (e.g. Person(al) Computers) who are programmed that way. The human females are not particularly passive for anime. The only real idiot is the guy, Hideki. Considering that Chi starts out intellectually/emotionally as essentially an amnesiac child with a one-word vocabulary ("Chi") - no wonder she's rather passive - she makes significant strides throughout the series. In fact, this is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the story as we watch her develop social skills and her own needs and desires. The first few episodes serve as a sort of primer on Japanese, as Hideki teaches Chi greetings, names of common objects, and such.

There is some ecchi content (I would rate this somewhere between PG-13 and R - there's more naughtiness than outright sexuality) but I otherwise highly recommend this series.

I took a chance on this series by CLAMP (the group that brought you Cardcaptor Sakura, Magic Knight Rayearth, and X, just to name just a few) but don't expect to find the playful, innocent nature that you find in Cardcaptor Sakura because it is more adult themed, thus earning a 16+ ranking from Pioneer.

A little background on the story from what you just know from the first volume. In a more advanced present day, Hideki Motosuwa (the main male character) decides to move to Tokyo from the countryside to study to get into college as he was rejected this year. He is amazed by the vast technology that surrounds him as Persocoms (short for personal computer or "person on computer") are roaming the streets with the public. These persocoms are not the desktops that you have in your houses; these are all in the form of people, toys, or animals. Just to his luck, he finds Chi lying in the trash. Now, all this happens with not-so-subtle adult jokes. I was a little turned off by this but the fact that there was no direct nudity or need to accentuate anything like that put me more at ease. So the real thing that was perverted in a sense is the jokes or gestures, which both I can handle and put aside to enjoy the show. If you are a little skeptical, then try to watch a few episodes beforehand to see if you would want to buy it instead.

Next, the packaging is simply breathtaking. Oddly enough, Pioneer packed in a limited supply of a Chobits stationary set. It looks like a cosmetic case (in pink and white) but within has a letter opener, pencil, eraser, and scissors. As many companies are now releasing box sets with their releases, it seems to have lost its value as they are plainer than others but this one is easily an exception. The top is very simple (which I think it should be) with just a picture of Sumomo (Hideki's friend's Persocom). On the back of the box is a very nice picture of Hideki and Chi outside a window on a sunny day. It's very refreshing. One side of the box shows a very beautiful picture of Chi in a pink dress with red ribbons watching the cherry blossoms blow away from her hand. On the other side, there are three darker characters surrounding Chi, in pink, in the center. This really works well as it accents Chi as the pink is brighter than the surrounding black of the other characters. One of the darker characters looks like a darker Chi while the other two haven't been revealed yet. This makes me eager to watch more as it seems the light-hearted nature that was seen in the first volume will change to a darker, deeper, tone. On the packaging of the DVD, Pioneer decided to use a hand-drawn manga (Japanese comic) picture of Chi sitting and smiling atop a telephone pole. While I am sometimes iffy about using manga art for DVD volumes, as they are separate things in ways, this works out really well. The colors are vibrant, yet also subtle. It creates a very refreshing scene. The back does well with listing the volume number and episode titles. Being a dork, I notice the fonts and that its variety is nice and style works well with the technological theme of the show.

Another thing that this release amazed me with was the amazing quality of the animation on DVD. Lines were so crisp and clear and the backgrounds were subtle and did very well with supporting the characters in the scenes. The sound quality is also very nice.

Final Note: I am still worried about the fact that companies are cutting down on episodes per DVD on more popular titles. This release is going to span seven volumes, when it could just as easily fit six. With the variety of releases nowadays, it is harder to buy all that you want to so it would be easier if the companies helped out in that aspect. But on another note, I'm happy with the packaging. I hope for the same quality from other companies and for Pioneer to step up another notch and wow me again. I look forward to this release to unfold the mystery of Chi and "Chobits."

This is my favorite anime series. It's very cute, the characters are surprisingly believable and often funny, and the plotlines are often creative.

Chi, a lifesize robot who looks like a young girl, is found by Hideki, an 18 year old guy who didn't get into college so has to go to cram school. Chi's different from all the other robots, or persocoms, she's very naive and mysterious. She's capable of learning and is much like a young child exploring her surroundings. Her childlike learning process is very believable, and you won't be able to help but fall in love with her.

Hideki reflects Chi's naivety nicely, as he's from the country and new to the hustle and bustle of city life. The similarities and contrasts between the two are very well done. They're an unlikely but awesome duo.

The show just gets rounded out with more and more well done characters, such as the easily scared Sumomo, who's about 8 inches tall.

Really, it's a very cute show, and lots of fun to watch. My only complaint is it does occassionally get sexual for ratings sake. It's never beyond PG-13 stuff (and is rated 16+ by Pioneer), but it's usually not necessary. Oh well, it's still a great show, I can't recommend it enough.

Chobits, Volume One contains the first three episodes of the anime series by Clamp. Clamp is the female artist studio that created the popular Sakura Cardcaptors manga and anime. Chobits has such a bouncy, catchy, intro that makes it seems like the series will be as innocent as Cardcaptors. In a way, Chobits is innocent, but it also has some very sexual aspects. In the first few minutes, the main character Hideki is ranting about how he wants a Persocom to download porn from the Internet. His porn mags are open, showing hot shots of young girls. Later on the disc, Hideki visits a young computer prodigy who has a bevy of beautiful Persocoms in highly sexual maid outfits. This incongruous blend of shoujo and ecchi still is very sweet and moral as a whole.

Chobits begins as young Hideki leaves the countryside for the big city of Tokyo as he has to attend prep school because he has failed the entrance examination to college. This Tokyo is modern day Japan; the slow Japanese economy is mentioned. But Tokyoites have humanoid robots that they use as PC's. There are full size ones, and mini ones. They are almost all female, without exception, and are used sometimes as sex objects - in fact, they have ALL their parts in place. This subverted sexism can make some female viewers uneasy. Yet the kawaii quotient is super-high, so it somewhat cancels out the perveted stuff.

Hideki is a typical poor college student who cannot afford a Persocom in his dreams. He mysteriously finds a lovely Persocom tosed out in the trash. His friend has a (super cute) mini Persocom and helps Hideki get Chi started. Chi is extremely pretty and naiive. Her new owner is highly aroused. He is a gentleman with her, though. Hideki runs into problems with her setup, and the mystery deepens. Where did Chi come from? She seems to be custom-made, but by who? The mystery will deepen in volume two.

My first CLAMP (collective group made by all-female writers) series was "Angelic Layer". While it was fun, but it did not have enough depth to make me think over. So I find myself pleasantly surprise about this one.
In order to stop myself from spoiling over, this starts as a story of a boy with good heart, but gets overboard easily which translates into sort of matchmaker while himself is single. One day he discovers a persocon (android, that is), and the story begins.
While starting seems bit cheesy, it progresses into something more serious about human relationship itself. Watching Hideki (the main character) interacting and teaching Chii (one in cover) demonstrates the blue print for the perfect relationship. It blends that "Love at first sight" with "becoming more comfortable as you get older" in such way that you can't help yourself but to watch more and more.
Of course, if the show is all about human relationship, it would be too dry and gooey. It throws plenty of mishaps involving the characters to make you laugh (especially with Hideki's hobit :)).
It is neither as simple as Cardcapter, nor too serious as X, but I find it hitting right balance in between. For those who find too much of same in "Love Hina" or "Ai Yori Aoshi", this will be surprising change, for good.

If you love a robot, can it truly love you back? What if it is of the highly advanced "Chobit" series? As CLAMP's most recent story to hit the TV screen April 2nd last year in Japan, Chobits is a fun and enjoyable show with plenty of comedy and a good dose of romance and drama. Despite the seemingly plotless nature, there's actually a shady back story revealed little by little that ultimately ends up explaining the cute and innocent robotic mystery that is Chii (or "Chi" if you prefer the Americanized spelling).

While I'll generally agree that CLAMP's comic version of the story (manga) was a bit on the mature, fanservicey side, the anime is toned-down in comparison. You'll see much worse in PG-13 rated movies than you will ever see in Chobits. The only extremely questionable scene that I can recall that might be a concern to parents in a later episode is a vivid dream sequence in which Hideki dreams his co-worker and secret admirer, Yumi, places his hand in her shirt and requests some sexual favors. That, and the fact that Hideki is an avid porno-fan. There are hardly any language issues and the nudity is brief never full nor explicit due to cloth and hair in the way. I would definitely not rate this anime anything higher than PG-13.

Animation : 10/10 - While turning Chii blonde may be a disappointment to some, the animation is smooth and consistent.

Music : 9/10 - The opening theme "Let Me Be With You" is upbeat and catchy, though it might get on your nerves after a while. The BGM for the series fits the mood perfectly. The creepy music works well, the dramatic music engages you in the moment, and the normal music with an odd sort of shoo-bee-doo-aah theme is a nice break from your standard anime music.

Voice Work : 10/10 - Hideki's voice is so believable as are the rest of the voices! Outstanding voice acting by the renowned Kikuko Inoue who voices Hideki's landlady Hibiya Chitose! (My rating is based on the Japanese version of Chobits as that is the version I own, and at the time of my review submission the English version has not yet been released).

You may think this is just another romantic comedy, which we seem to have been swamped with recently, but this series has enough differences to make it a unique buy.

Set in the near future, advanced computers have been developed, that look and act like human beings, called persacons. Not too advanced, however, as they require you to install software before they can carry out certain tasks, and people treat them as accessories. However this is a good thing considering the general story, it works well. The story follows Hideki Motosuwa, a young man who has lived on a farm all his life. He decides to go to university in Tokyo but fails the entrance exam (thats where the love Hina contrast ends thankfully) so is forced to move to Tokyo to go to a prep school.

Hideki finds himself at a loss, however, as he can not get to grips with city life and the advancement of technology (which leads to him embarresing himself several times, which is quite funny). After settleing in Hideki finds a Persacon in the trash near his apartment, wich was lucky. The Persacon turns out to be Chii, a mysterious persacon which seems to running without software. They then throw in a few other love interests, as this sort of story always seems to, thats not really a bad thing though.

A refreshingly new take on the good old romantic comedy, with funny and interesting characters and situations. And it also has a mysterious and dark underlying story revolving around Chii's past, to stop it getting too cute (This is Clamp, has to get dark somewhere doesn't it).

The music is fitting, and quite well done. However it can be terrifyingly cute at points, and I don't mean just the music the entire series can be like this in points. I like it myself, but some people don't like cute, so this is a heads up.
I'm afraid I can not comment on the English voice acting, as I own the Japanese DVD, but the Japense audio is very good, if you don't mind subtitles.

I feel I must warn you that this series may not be for a younger audience. While it does not contain any terrible bad language or graphic scenes of violence or nudity, it has a very implied adult theme, with a lot of (tastful) sexual jokes.

All in all an excellent series, another success by clamp.