Anime TV Online - Chobits Online Review

^Chobits is an ecchi anime television series based on the manga of the same name. The series was directed by Morio Asaka, and produced under the egide of Madhouse in 2002.

The Japanese manga was created by Clamp. It was published by Kodansha in Young Magazine from February 2001 and November 2002 and collected in eight bound volumes. Unlike most stories by Clamp, Chobits is a seinen series, specifically of the magical girlfriend variety, using robotics and computers as a subplot.

In addition, it has spawned a video game as well as various merchandise such as figurines, collectible cards, calendars, and artbooks.

The story centers on the life of Hideki Motosuwa, a repeat student attempting to qualify for university by studying at Seki prep school in Tokyo. He dreams of having a persocon: an android used as a personal computer, which is expensive. On his way home one evening, he stumbles across a persocon in the form of a beautiful girl with long hair lying against a pile of trash bags, and he carries her home. Upon turning her on, she instantly regards Hideki with adoration. The only word the persocon seems capable of saying is "chii", thus he names her Chii.

Hideki assumes that there must be something wrong with her, and so the following morning Hideki's neighbor Hiromu Shinbo tries to analyze her with his mobile persocon Plum, and after Plum crashes concludes that she must be custom-made. After a while it starts to become apparent that Chii is more than an average Persocon. Having much better performance, it seems that Chii might be a "Chobit", a type of advanced Persocon rumored to have independent thought.

A major part of the plot involves Hideki attempting to teach Chii words, concepts, and appropriate behaviors, in between his crammed schedule of school and work. At the same time, Chii seems to be developing feelings for Hideki, at an emotional depth, which she is not supposed to possess, and Hideki struggles with his feelings for her. The need to figure out more about Chii and her mysterious functions and past becomes a stressing pull for the characters in the series.

The animation is typical CLAMP quality(meaning it's very good), and it contributed greatly to that the fabulous character designs of Hishasi Abe

The responsible for the music of the serie is K-Taro Takanami and he did a great job, with cute arrangements that fit like a glove in the scenes.

Also of the notice is the opening theme "Let Me Be With You" by Round Table featuring Nin:, it's a real catchy song that sticks to our ears. The ending themes are "Raison d'être" (Reason to Be) by Rie Tanaka (episodes 1-13), "Ningyo Hime" (Mermaid Princess) by Rie Tanaka (episodes 14-25), and "Katakoto no Koi" (Awkward Love) by Rie Tanaka and Tomokazu Sugita (episodes 26).