Customer Reviews

A.I. Love You, Vol. 1

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

 

 

Okay, what do you get when you cross Love Hina with Video Girl Ai, with a bit of Weird Science and Chobits thrown in? Chances are you'll get A.I. Love You, the manga by Ken Akamatsu, the mastermind behind Love Hina and the Harry Potter-ish Mahou Sensei Negima.

Part 1 of 8 goes as follows: Hitoshi Kobe is unpopular in high school, being picked on, bad at PE, and looked down on, especially by the vixen and popular class rep Kimiko Aso. He's a whiz at programming, and given how his parents are gone overseas, has their computer equipment to himself. The friendless Hitoshi creates AI programs, or Artificial Intelligences, of virtual girls whom he has conversations with, conversations he saves on 3.5" floppies (remember those?). One day, an electrical storm plays havoc with his computer during a conversation with 30, as in AI program 30, and presto, she emerges from the screen and becomes solid.

30, or Saati, as she's called (Saati, thirty, get it?) changes her creator's life around. She reminds him of a promise he made that if she became a real girl, he would let her be his girlfriend. However, she is something of a ditz, a blank slate (like Chi in Chobits), a total flop at cooking (Ai in Video Girl Ai-well at first anyway.), as she uses paint to duplicate the colours she sees. Oh, and she gives her last name as Namba. Namba Saati, number thirty, get it?

Her computer abilities are intact even solid, as she scans a magazine and presto, via program option No. 4, changes into any bunch of outfits, including a high school uniform. Once there, Hitoshi is noticed, as Saati helps him in math and PE with her mathematical abilities, and he begins to be admired by his formerly scornful classmates. And she can manipulate machines, including soda dispensers and at one point, her master's bank account! However, she's such an individualist that when she wants to join school clubs, she has difficulty adjusting.

However, the most exciting episode comes when a vicious computer virus hits poor Saati, and Hitoshi's computer skills are put to the test as he fights to protect his girlfriend, whom he doesn't want to erase. Sure, he could restore her from backup, but it wouldn't be the same, as he'd have to start over.

There are repeated themes from previous mangas, such as the poor lonely guy gets a pretty girl who turns his life around (e.g. Ai Yori Aoshi, Chobits, and Video Girl Ai, to name a few). Another is the guy who's alone while his parents are gone overseas (e.g. Video Girl Ai, and later, Midori Days).

Akamatsu also made the comment that Saati is just like Naru in Love Hina, except that Saati has thicker eyebrows. And, I might add, is less violent, much nicer, and more fun to be with than Naru.

The original Japanese title for this manga was Ai Ga Tomaranai, or AI's won't stop. However, Ai also means "love" in Japanese, so that could also be a play on that word, seeing as how in future volumes, he gains more and more AI girls. So, "love won't stop?", eh? That makes this a namba wan for me in this sci-fi/techno/romance comedy.

Highly known for his award-winning graphic novel series, Love Hina, Ken Akamatsu is known in America and Japan for comedy, but not mainly for science fiction.
A.I. Love You was Akamatsu's first graphic novel work, and an eight-volume remake is in the process. You definately should add the A.I. Love You series to your collection.
Here is the information about Volume One from tokyopop.com:
Hitoshi Kobe doesn't do well in school. He's no good at sports. Girls don't even talk to him except to make fun of him. The one thing he is good at is computers. He's designed artificial intelligence programs and Number 30 is his favorite. Hitoshi promises Thirty that if she ever becomes a real girl, he'll be her boyfriend. One dark and stormy night, his house is struck by lightning and Thirty emerges from the computer screen...
In the categories of sci-fi and comedy, A.I. Love You Volume One was released on February 3rd, 2004, and is rated OT for Older Teen (Suggested Ages 16+).

I'm pretty sure Ken Akamatsu is widely known for his popular manga series Love Hina, but A.I. Love You was his first ever work (according to the info inside the volume). The whole story has the whole Weird Science thing going on with it and I must say it is an enjoyable read. But I must say, do not buy it if you are interested only because of the cover art. The manga art itself is different from the drawing on the front cover since Mr. Akamatsu's style did change over the years. But don't hesitate to pick it up because it is very good and I would recommend it to those those into comedy, sci-fi, and romance.

I was very pleased with this item. It was worn a little but not to badly which was what I was looking for. It made it seem like mine was never stolen lol. It got here super fast, and I do believe was shipped within 12-24 hours of my payment. Amazing!! I'll be buying the rest of the series if possible from this seller. :]

i just got my copy of A.I. love you and i was surprised that this is not one of ken's latest works, none the less its still great. The main character in A.I. love you, Hitoshi Kobe, is a all around loser. he sucks at sports, sucks at school and cant do anything accept he's AWESOME with A.I. programs. his very favorite one, #30 promises him that if she becomes a real girl, she'll be his girl friend. not long after this promise lightning strikes Hitoshi's house and #30 becomes a real person. after that he goes to school with her and does a whole bunch of cool stuff that I wont give away, so go out and pick it up and read it yourself.

This book is soo good!! I haven't read that much manga but out of all the books, this one is the best!! It is soo interesting and funny!!

Another Brilliant work from Ken Akamatusu! Gives you the same feeling of Love Hina, well all the characters have a similiar representation. The idea of a computer program coming to life is original, it is rare to find works which have a original story line rather than following normal manga and anime trends. Some elements will make you laugh like Saati's cooking using oil paints. I think Ken Akamatsu should have skipped saati's ability to talk to other machines it seems to overdo it a bit too much and reminds you to much of 'Ah my goddess'. Overall it was worth reading and will become part of your manga collection.

this earlier work kind of falls short. The idea is simple: a student, name of Hitoshi Kobe, likes making artifical intelligences (which is the only thing he is good at). Well, one day one of his programs, in fact the best program of the whole lot, becomes real. So, if you love robots or androids, this is not the manga for you. Think more 'Oh My Goddess', but without the good stories.
I can't really compare this work to the 'Love Hina' manga, as I collect the anime, but when compared to other manga, it doesn't cut it. It does have extras and interesting Q&A areas, where the creator, Ken Akamatsu, answers questions about art and girls. Yet, that just isn't enough - maybe it just didn't age well or looks bad when compared to newer manga (not that it is really old). Think watered-down.
If you are a fan of the creator or can find it cheap, try it. But don't waste your money on it if you don't have to.

If you've read more than one series of Manga or watched more than one anime series you've already seen this plot. Gorgeous girl pulled out of computer, lovingly stays at the side of nerdy, horny naughty-thought generating teenage boy. Its sweet and I don't think the drawings bad, but I've already seen too much of it. I bought the first volume, I'll end it with that.

This book says it's for 16 year olds well I'll say it's for 21 year olds I've read the first 2 started the 3rd one and it's starting to be like Porno I got rid of mine by selling them on ebay but I would get this series