Chobits

• Story: CLAMP
• Drawing: CLAMP
• Editor: Tokyopop
• Japanese Editor: Kodansha
• Genre:
• Tankōbon Number: 8
• Year:

Chobits is one of the most recent mangas created by Clamp. It has an unique style: even if the plot is not original, the manga does improve it, making it very funny, entertaining and above all very enthralling.

The first volume will strike you and for sure you will read it all at once, even though the main plot formula has already been heard a number of times.

The first volume will strike you and for sure you will read it all at once, even though the main plot formula has already been heard a number of times.

Even if in the beginning the story can seem too common, from the second volume the intrigues and misteries that envelop the character of Chobits increase and the story changes radically, thus bringing a series of shocking revelations, hidden enigmas, which make even the more sceptical person notice that the style of Clamp is not changed after all: surprise and mystery up to now have attracted a lot of fans, me included.

Plot: Hideki Motosuwa is a student who lives in a world populated with human-like PCs. Unfortunately his family doesn’t maintain him and he has to earn his living working in a Pub. So buying a PC is impossible for him, until one night, taking the garbage behind his house, he sees a bandaged girl thrown in a dustbin. When he realizes that what is in front of him is a brand-new PC, he loads it on his shoulders and brings it home. Once the problem of starting the PC is overcome, the only defect of the girl is that she can say only “Chii”, so that Hideki calls her with that word from then on forth.

Together with his friend Shinbo he comes at the conclusion that Chii is a craftmade computer which has never been seen on the market. So Hideki turns to an expert in the field. Even though also the expert fails in understanding how come Chii is appeared and who has produced her, an old legend comes to his mind, a legend of a tremendously powerful computer named Chobits. So the expert (who is only 12 XD) starts doing research on it.

In the meantime Hideki has to teach Chii everything about life, from how to dress to how to say “good morning”. So far it seems that the story has little to offer concerning originality but it’s from the second book that you can discover more about the ego of Chii, about the perturbing relationship between Shinbo and the teacher, who teaches at the university where also Hideki studies, and about Hideki himself, who being surrounded by thousand of gorgeous women and a beautiful PC doesn’t know what to do...

In the story there’s a growing of comical moments, which mix very well with the funny style Clamp always make use of.

The narration is solid but becomes more and more worrying and mysterious. Only time will reveal if it’s going to be a wonderful dramatization or the usual thing.

Even if it’s quite linear and simple, Chobits has the gift to be able to involve the reader. Maybe it’s because of the atmosphere or maybe for its irony. I don’t know yet how the story will evolve but the second number represents a real turning point. In fact Chii becomes the co-protagonist with all her merits, her defects, her misteries, especially the enigma behind her past.

Despite what has been said, from a merely technical point of view, it’s impossible not to notice the relative lack of “screen tone” to which the mangaka has accustomed us in Clover and X, moreover backdrops are often spare and lacking in images.

To add a more funny note, we can notice that they have chosen to put some arrows, which clearly indicate the direction of the action of the characters. Another note is that the characters are not stereotyped and predictable at all, on the contrary they are the main reason why the manga is so unique.

To conclude I can give you three suggestions: this manga is worth the attention of every person who wants to try the style of Clamp for the first time. I suggest it to everyone who loves this genre as to all people who want to enjoy themselves with a funny and lightweight reading.

Reviewed by felix

CLAMP / CLAMP © / Kodansha. All rights reserved

Wangazine

 

School report of Chobits...

Here's the review of "Chobits" According the Staff of Nanoda: If you're foolish enough to not agree or you REALLY want to state your opinions, go ahead and express yourself and debate with the other inmates of Nanoda! ^_^

Drawings:

• Media Voti: 3.8/5

3.8

Story:

• Media Voti: 4/5

4

Editing:

• Media Voti: 4/5

4

Edition:

• Media Voti: 3.5/5

3.5

English translation:

• Media Voti: 3.9/5

3.9

Total Rating of Editors:

• Media Voti: 3.7/5

3.7

Rate It!!!:

• Media Voti: 4.3/5
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Avg.: 4.3/5 (37 Votes)

 

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