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A Reader of Fictions: The Internet Is for Porn - Avenue Q

A Reader of Fictions

Book Reviews for Just About Every Kind of Book

Sunday, March 11, 2012

The Internet Is for Porn - Avenue Q

Chobits

Author: CLAMP
Volumes: 8
Publisher: Tokyopop

Brief Summary:
In a future where personal computers (persocoms) look like people, the line between human and technology is blurred. Hideki, a ronin (didn't get into college, so he's spending a year studying to take the exams again), barely makes ends meet with his part-time job, so he's one of the few people in the city without a persocom. He desperately wants one, so when he finds one on the top of a garbage pile outside his apartment building, he is thrilled. However, he has difficulty making her do anything except say the word 'Chii,' which he decides to name her. After consulting some technologically savvy, he finds out that Chii might be a Chobits, a persocom of legend with powers unlike any other.

Review:
If you're familiar with CLAMP, then you already know that they write some seriously crazy, confusing stories (See: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, XXXholic). They're good, but they're almost always convoluted, creepy and downright strange. Chobits is actually one of the more straightforward examples of a CLAMP work, based on my experience with this manga artist group.

The artwork in this series is completely gorgeous, done in the same style as the two series already mentioned. Everything is beautiful, dark (yes, I know it's black and white, but it conveys a dark mood as well, smart alec!), and ornate.



Of course, it's also really creepy. I mean, look at that picture. Gorgeous, yes. However, the whole series is about these sexualized personal computers, essentially robots. Not only that, but there is a ton of fan service. Chii has no qualms about nakedness, so she undresses all of the time (not to mention what one has to do to turn her on). Plus, even when she's clothed, she has outfits like the one shown above, which shows off her underwear. Gross!

This is my second time reading this series, since I wanted to review it. Even now, I am unsure what to make of it in a lot of respects. The philosophical questions therein are incredibly fascinating. Humans fall in love with persocoms, and there's a question of whether, apart from their programming, persocoms are capable of true love. That is cool. But...there's also the creep factor.

CLAMP's mangas may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy lavish art and a complex story that will undoubtedly make you think, then you may enjoy them.

Rating: 3/5

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12 Comments:

Blogger Heather said...

haha, I love the song choice! Now I'm going to go listen to it :)

What's a good manga/manga series/you know what I mean, to start with? Should I try Fruits Basket?

March 11, 2012 at 7:24 PM  
Blogger Christina said...

I would definitely recommend Fruits Basket. I actually just started rereading it, haha! There will be a review in a week or two. :D

March 11, 2012 at 7:35 PM  
Blogger Lexie said...

wow! I actually seen the anime version of this manga. :) I love Chobits, and yeah, Cardcaptor Sakura too from Clamp. :D You're absolutely right, that XXXholic and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles are downright confusing, but still I enjoyed it! :)

Hey, you guys should try other shoujo manga series like Kaichou wa Maid Sama, Dengeki Daisy, Vampire Knight, Kyou Koi Wo Hajimemasu and Kimi ni Todoke. :) Kuroshitsuji is also good too! *I'm such a total nerd when it came to mangas. Sorry! :p*

May 14, 2012 at 8:51 AM  
Blogger Christina said...

Lexiechan, nerding out over manga is okay with me ANYTIME! I love it. I've read some of those, but haven't reviewed them, because much of my manga reading predated the blog. I've slowly been going back through and reading/reviewing some, even ones I didn't love, although some I just CANNOT go back through, namely anything by Yuu Watase. She just annoys me too much.

Kaichou wa Maid Sama has such pretty artwork. That one's not done yet, though, so the review will be a while in coming, since I review by series, not volume.

Vampire Knight was really addictive, but the ending frustrated me! I'll probably reread and review that one, though.

Kimi ni Todoke is super cute. Working on that one as the volumes are released!

Dengeki Daisy I have not read, but probably will if I get a chance to, as it looks right up my alley. Kyou Koi wo Hajimemasu I may have read some of but I'm not sure. I mostly try to read completed manga, because otherwise it's too sad.

May 14, 2012 at 8:58 AM  
Blogger Lexie said...

Oh, most of the mangas I've listed is not yet completed. Though there's this Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu, it's completed but... Uh, for me there should be an epilogue or something. It's kind of annoying for the story to leave it at that without knowing what happened to them.

Yuu Watase? The maker of Fushigi Yuugi? LOL. I like that manga but kind of annoying in some part.

What's your all time favorite Manga, Christina? :)

I hope Kaichou wa Maid Sama will never be completed! I don't want it to end. haha! I love that manga.

May 15, 2012 at 10:59 AM  
Blogger Christina said...

Lexie,

I haven't read much of Fushigi Yuugi, although if I had access to it, I probably would read all of it. Actually, it's ind of funny. I generally enjoy Watase's stuff somewhat, but the thought of rereading any of them (Absolute Boyfriend, Ceres: Celestial Legend) makes me want to headdesk so hard. Not sure why, because I managed to reread Boys Over Flowers, and that's probably worse.

All-time favorite is completely unoriginal but I just adore Fruits Basket. Fullmetal Alchemist is also a huge favorite.

Other favorites: Crimson Hero (love her manga), Peach Girl (melodrama like whoa, but I love), Cat Street (by Boys Over Flowers' mangaka, but WAY better), La Corda d'Oro (cheesy as all get out but I AM OBSESSED), V.B. Rose, Anti-Gravity Boy, Black Cat, Eternal Sabbath, Good Morning Call, Happy Hustle High, Kitchen Princess, Kare First Love, Milk Crown, Love Attack, Paradise Kiss, Kimi Wa Petto

Okay, that list is ridiculous, but I love nerding out over manga!

May 15, 2012 at 11:15 AM  
Blogger Lynn K. said...

Woohoo! Old post stalker here. I was checking to see if you read Yuu Watase's stuff and this turned up in the Google search. That post title made me do a double take lol.

I'm a fan of CLAMP but this was the one series I've felt compelled to pick up. Chii's eyes creeped me out years ago and it still does. Maybe I should tackle this series now that I'm older. o__o

And YES, TRC & xxxHolic are sooo confusing! And and I see you've read Kitchen Princess too! My sister and I fought over the ownership of the volumes and I almost cried when Sora's accident happened.

February 12, 2013 at 6:35 AM  
Blogger Christina said...

Welcome to my older posts! At least it's not so old it's awful. Anyway, I have read Yuu Watase, but only pre-blogging. I probably won't reread any to review either, because I'm not a big fan. They always start okay but then go to places that make me uncomfortable.

xxxHolic is probably my favorite of their series. CLAMP is crazy. There are a couple I've picked up where I couldn't understand a damn thing and I had to DNF.

Kitchen Princess is SO freaking cute. I like Daichi. Was sort of glad to have Sora out of the picture tbh. X_X Yes, I know that I'm a terrible person.

February 12, 2013 at 9:15 AM  
Blogger Lynn K. said...

No zombie unicorns here. :P

I know! They seem innocent enough in the beginning then suddenly weird scenes happen. I came across the Ayashi no Ceres anime when I was about 6/7. It was quite a shock..no idea why they showed it on a kiddie channel.

Do you think you'd be interested in Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden? The final chapter is supposed to be released on the 14th this month and I thought about putting it in Sadie Hawkins once the English version is out. It's the prequel to the original Fushigi Yuugi and it's much much better. The MC Takiko is more sensible and not whiny like Miaka. And the drama CDs are awesome!

CLAMP is amazing, in a good and bad way. Granted they are a group but most mangakas usually stick to a particular genre but not them. Their stories are often so diverse and sometimes too complex. I'll need to re-attempt xxxHolic again this year! Reading while it was still being released was particularly bad with this one. x__o

February 13, 2013 at 11:17 AM  
Blogger Christina said...

I think I've read most of her series actually, and I rated them all two stars on GR, because they're just not very good. They do always start out okay, but then go to really creepy, weird places.

Huh. I read Fushigi Yuugi, though I can't say I remember it. Drama CDs? O_O

Oh yeah, I think I've read ALMOST all of xxxHolic. I'm probably just going to start over when it finally completes. I learned somewhere along the way not to read uncompleted scanlations, because sometimes they never get finished. I remember I read 100+ chapters of Parfait Tic, but it was never completed. And what a waste that is!

February 13, 2013 at 11:22 AM  
Blogger Lynn K. said...

Fushigi Yuugi in a nutshell - Girl and friend gets transported into a book called Universe of Four Gods. Whiny heroine, romance, betrayal, back-stabbing and a happily ever after. I liked the anime more than the manga because it cut out a lot of the drama. I think Genbu Kaiden one of Watase's better works. It's not to say it's all seriousness and no humor (there is) but the characters are more mature.

Drama CDs are like full casted audiobooks. Or anime without pictures. Different people acting out the manga scenes.

Long series often have this problem. Gets picked up and dropped all the time. :/

February 14, 2013 at 2:02 AM  
Blogger Christina said...

That's about what I remembered. I've read so many series like that that they really do not stick in my head at all. Glad to hear Kaiden is better.

Huh. Drama CDs seem like they would be an odd experience.

February 15, 2013 at 1:36 PM  

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