061: Chobits vol. 4
Chapters 37 to 48
By CLAMP
English Translation by Shirley Kubo
Lettering by John Clark
Topics:
When asked if she (as a robot) has emotions; "Not in the same way, It's like how the moon reflects the light of the sun, the moon has no light of its own and yet we still say it shines, robots and AI reflect the values and the emotions of the people who make them"
First Law
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Second Law
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
Third Law
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
- What's Yumi's deal?
- Hiro being a reflection of Hideki, a mirror so to provide him enough resolve so that Hideki can get out of the second act doldrums. We get a lot of insight into Hideki's thoughts.
- Planned obsolescence.
- Real Talk: Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia, UK listeners go here if you want to fight this disease. Are you from the USA? Then this is the best site for you www.alz.org!
Synopsis:
The Mysterious Android Chi is affected by the books she reads and the conversations with an unknown entity. She turns to her boss, Hiroyuki Ueda (referred to as Hiro from here on out), for some counselling and to her owner, Hideki. It becomes clear that Chi expresses painful emotions, specifically loneliness and heartache. Hideki is confused by this, since Chi is a machine, he knows her emotions are merely programs but he can't help but feel for Chi.
Hideki is asked out by his work colleague Yuma, however when he tells her that he is picking up Chi from her workplace, a jealous streak of emotion overwhelms Yuma and she abruptly leaves. Soon after this Chi goes missing. When Hideki searches for clues he realizes that the books she reads are a commentary on his relationship with Chi and suspects kidnapping. There are many suspects but Minoru's Persecom android correctly deduces that it is someone from Minoru's message boards who is guilty. Unbeknownst to them it is a Persecom connoisseur named Yoshiyuki Kojima.
Chi's boss, Hiro, asks Hideki about her and out of concern decides to go look for Chi with Hideki. They do not realize that they are being watched from a distance by Yuma. Hideki learns that Hiro was once married, not to a human but to a Persecom named Chiroru. He tells Hideki that his marriage only lasted a year, Chiroru's hard drive became corrupted, her memory was diminishing and the tasks that she was programmed to do was becoming difficult for her. But Hiro could not update her because her technology was out of date and upgrading her would mean that she would lose all her memories.
Hiro would cling on to any moment where Chiroru would remember him or her marriage and such moments became far and seldom in between the struggle. Until one day, when out for a walk, Chiroru would push Hiro away to avoid being hit by a car and take the hit herself. It remains a mystery as to what went on in Chiroru's mind at that moment but by saving Hiro's life she was now beyond repair.
Hiro's story gives Hideki the resolve to find Chi, even if Chi could easily have her memory wiped of all her pain, suffering and loneliness. It would not erase the fact that Hideki is responsible for those feelings. And Hideki can't live with himself if harm was to happen Chi. Hideki must find Chi.
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