Chobits

by "Clamp"
volumes 1-8

This manga series caught my attention when I ordered a set off Amazon. Volumes 1-5 were already in my collection and it cost as much to order the set of eight as it did to order just volumes 6-8. When my para was getting ready to add them to the system, some of the content caught her eye. So I took them home to read.

Volumes 1 & 2 seem to exist to grab readers - to titillate and entice. I think what shocked me the most was that they are created, written, and drawn by a group of women! They objectify and sexualize women in such a gratuitous and blatant way! With the successive volumes 3-8, that element dies down and the story line develops more, but that saddens me as well.

Chobits are somewhat mythical persocoms who are such highly developed humanoid robots that they can actually learn and feel emotions. The main character falls in love with his persocom and they have a happy-ever-after experience.

Is this a Japanese cultural statement? Perhaps if electronics develop enough, people don't need to bother with human relationships. They can just have a computer that looks and acts perfectly in accord with one's wishes. No thanks.