Chobits, Vol. 3

ちょびっツ [Chobits] #3

by Clamp, Shirley Kubo (Translator)

Computers are supposed to make people's lives easier, but as Hideki is quickly finding out, taking care of your computer can be a full-time job! Regardless, Hideki is thrilled to have a persocom of his own - the enigmatic Chi - even if she isn't as user-friendly as other computers. His friends tell him that Chi is a supercomputer, possibly a legendary Chobit - an AI. That would explian why she acts so human. Maybe she's a little too human. The more time Hideki spends with Chi, the more it feels like an actual relationship. But as Chi's feelings for Hideki intensify, she begins to unlock the secrets of her past...secrets that are better left forgotten.

Chapters 25-36

Genres: Manga, Romance, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Comics, Fiction, Seinen

182 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2001

About the author

Ōkawa Nanase 大川七瀬
[born: 2 May 1967; Ōsaka, bloodtype: A]

Mokona Apapa もこなあぱぱ
[born: 16 Jun 1968, Kyōto; bloodtype: A]

Nekoi Mick 猫井みっく
[born: 21 Jan 1969, Kyōto; bloodtype: O]

Igarashi Satsuki 五十嵐さつき
[born: 8 Feb 1969, Kyōto; bloodtype: A]


CLAMP originally began in 1989 as a twelve-member dōjinshi circle, but by 1990, the circle had diminished from twelve to seven. Of the remaining seven, Tamayo Akiyama, Sei Nanao, and Leeza Sei left the group during the production of the RG Veda manga. Other former members of CLAMP also included Soushi Hishika, O-Kyon, Kazue Nakamori, Yuzuru Inoue and Shinya Ōmi. Currently, there are four members in the group.

In 2004, CLAMP's 15th anniversary as a mangaka group, the members changed their names from Nanase Ohkawa, Mokona Apapa, Mick Nekoi, and Satsuki Igarashi to Ageha Ohkawa, Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi and Satsuki Igarashi (her name is pronounced the same, but written with different characters) respectively. The August 2004 issue of Newtype USA, a magazine specializing in events of the anime and manga subcultures, reported that the members of CLAMP simply wanted to try out new names. In a later interview with Ohkawa, it was revealed that initially Mokona wanted to drop her surname because it sounded too immature for her liking, while Nekoi disliked people commenting that her name was the same as Mick Jagger's. Ohkawa and Igarashi, wanting to go with the flow of Nekoi's and Mokona's name changes, changed their names as well.

In 2006, they made their first USA public debut at Anime Expo in Anaheim, California. They were well received at the convention, with 6,000 fans in attendance at their panel.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me sigue teniendo enganchada queriendo saber más he ido corriendo a la biblioteca a por los siguientes para saber que pasa con la trama, yo sin lugar a dudas la recomiendo

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read 2021: And so things get even more exciting and things get twisty and turny. We meet new people who may not be too good (though I remember that I loved their relationship and their clothes). We get some more questions and one answer (which was a big shock to Hideki). I loved that Chi found a job and is very eager to show she can do it. Plus, she looks adorable. I loved what she bought with her first money (though haha, I can only imagine the looks of people in the store). There is lot of emotions in this one and I wonder if Hideki truly understands what Chi is going through, given how he feels about persocoms...
My heart broke for the teacher, while I am very much against cheating, I guess I can understand this situation and I even wonder if the husband knows his wife is gone. Given the lock.. I guess not. I am glad she has Shimbo though and I hope she finds trust again.
I had such a laugh at Shimbo's laptop who is now living with Hideki. Haha, Hideki is definitely not too eager about how happy she is in the mornings. XD
And of course new picture books, tons of philosophical questions, and more. I cannot wait to continue.

[☾❀Apple✩ Blossom⋆｡˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Radwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see it going deeper into the morality and idea of human-robot relationships, and I wish in upcoming volumes, they'd go even deeper into that!

and I just LOVE Plum! <3

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

God I just want Chi to be happy

[Angelika · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, even the characters in the manga acknowledge that the whole idea of people owning personal computers that look and act like humans is rather odd, and are starting to wonder how it all started. I'm thinking we'll have an answer to this question by the end of the series, though how much sense it will make is open to debate.

Chi is really sweet, and Hideki is a really nice guy when he's not all flustered about something. There are definitely mysteries about Chi’s past, and two grim-looking people--one or both could be persocoms I suppose--seem to be hunting for her. Hideki’s landlady is definitely more than she appears to be …

Still liking this series. Recommended!

[Scout Steinmiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clamps art just never gets old

[Tyler Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Jesus Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

Como consecuencia de lo que paso en el tomo 2, pero para que no este todo el dia encerrada, Chi trabaja en una pastelería, y pues pasan situaciones raras



3.5 stars

[Nyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review will be for Chapters 25 - 36 in the Chobits: Omnibus, Vol. 1 omnibus edition.

Original Review - March 6th, 2013 (Rating: 4) :

Well that escalated quickly (!) but then didn't.
Then just as Hideki recovers from "yesterday", there is the situation involving his best friend and his teacher.
What is it about those books Chi seems to like so much, and where did that picture come from?

I seem to be burning through this series rather quickly!

Additional Thoughts - June 1st, 2015 (Rating 4) :

I realized, this time around, that one of the recurring characters, a friend and coworker of Hideki, seems to have disappeared in Volume 3 . I wonder if it's because they really didn't show him at work during this episode.
I'm still annoyed at Chi's lack of training, although she seems to be doing well enough on her own.
I also wonder what will happen with Hideki's best friend and his former teacher...are they being phased out of the story?
The focus is shifting, and Hideki has finally calmed quite a bit - which is surprising seeing as things are getting more serious. This volume stays at a 4. There is much I've forgotten since I read it last and I look forward to seeing where this is going.

[Shae · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my complete thoughts, please check out this reaction vlog:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM47u...

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chii is so cute

[Gabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cómo dato de color, está edición de Utopía Editorial me causó un reacción alérgica considerable.

[Leah Coffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot thickens.

[Santiago Bueno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esta historia comenzó bastante floja, con un primer volumen que no me gustó tanto, pero la verdad que este volumen y el anterior me están haciendo cambiar de opinión gratamente. Por un lado me parece que el misterio de la identidad de Chi se está volviendo cada vez mas interesante, con nuevos personajes que llegaron a darle un poco mas de sabor. Te van mostrando una nueva faceta de la historia que me está gustado bastante. Por otro lado, como reflexiona sobre las relaciones entre las personas y las persocons, y como afecta la relación con otras personas. Seguimos viendo como afectó a tres personajes y las reflexiones de Hideki, como va cambiando su mirada del mundo pero con los conflictos internos que surgen de eso. La verdad que fue un gran volumen de una serie que pinta bastante buena.

[Seshastet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este no está tan a la altura del anterior, pero aún así es muy bien tomo.

He de decir que no recordaba ciertas partes de la trama. En este tomo han salido personajes que no recordaba y sigo sin recordar que factor clave tenían en la historia. Cosa que en verdad me alegra, porque así me sorprendo cuando llegue a las partes donde están implicados.

Chi sigue siendo super adorable y las escenas con Hideki hacen que se te apachuche el corazoncito 🥹

Veremos que tal en el tomo 4. Lo malo de leerte un manga es que no puedes contar mucho de cada tomo porque sino los spoilers pueden ser bonitos 😅

[Sam C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually appreciate that this manga has something else other than ecchi going for it. The mystery and plot thicken!

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for complete series



Hideki may not know much about computers, but he does know he is lucky when he finds one abandoned on the trash. Computers with human appearance are increasingly more common and people are starting to prefer their company over fellow humans. Hideki is sure he knows his computer, named Chi, isn't human, yet he too can't help but react to her very human behaviour.

Chobits was one of my first manga and so it definitely gets nostalgia points. This is also one of my favourite works when it comes to CLAMP's art - it's gorgeous throughout! Chi has a beautiful design and, whether programmed or not, has such a cute personality. Hideki is also a nice guy - I mean, he's perfectly average and there's nothing that really stands out, yet I can't help but like him for his kindness.

The plot, however, isn't quite my thing. Even when I read it the first time around, I remember thinking it was moderately boring at parts and the finale was lacklustre. The characters are all likeable and it's nice how the supporting cast is included in the story, but there are just some elements that feel very off about this story. There is a certain amount of fan service which doesn't suit the rest of the story. The fanservice is nowhere as extreme as you can get it in other manga, but it didn't match well with the philosophical take CLAMP was trying to pull off.

To make matters worse, the whole philosophy aspect was a bit of a miss too. The story raises many questions along the lines of spending too much time with computers rather than fellow humans or what it means to love an object, one you know doesn't have a soul. Somehow, I feel as though CLAMP threw common sense into the wind and went with the less rational choice; loving objects is perfectly natural and equal to loving a human. I'd honestly rather have had some conclusion of computers being able to develop human emotion rather than just it's ok to love something that's not real.

I didn't quite get the point of the ending, there seemed a lot of build-up and drama but then nothing big happened. But even though I've had a lot to complain, I'd be lying if I'd say that I don't like Chobits. The beautiful art, the nice characters and many individual scenes really make up for the so-so plot - and of course, nostalgia.

[Lynn Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first manga I ever read: an 8-volume series by CLAMP titled Chobits. I loved the cute girl on the covers with her fancy dresses, but what was even more intriguing was the fact that she’s a computer! In these books, “persocoms” (humanoid computers) are the latest advancement in technology. When poor student Hideki finds Chi (the girl on the cover) tied up and abandoned in the trash, he takes her home, thinking he’s gotten himself a free piece of software. Only, when she boots up, he discovers that she’s not your average persocom – there’s much more to her than meets the eye.

What was so fascinating about this series is how it explored the relationship between human and technology. Computers and other pieces of tech are designed to make our lives easier, and the persocoms in this book are no exception. They function as store clerks, secretaries, personal assistants – all the functions of your laptop or smart phone, but with the ability to walk, talk, and interact like a person. Only it doesn’t end there. Throughout the series, there are examples of “relationships” between the persocoms and their humans. Whether or not an artificial life form can have feelings or fall in love is in fact the crux of this manga.

I have more to say on this manga (and others!) in my blog! Check it out here:
http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog...

[Harumichi Mizuki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shinbo Hiroshi tiba-tiba kabur ke penginapan beronsen di gunung bersama Shimizu Takako-sensei. Hideki lalu menghubungi Shinbo dan akhirnya tahu fakta di balik hubungan antara lelaki itu dan Shimizu-sensei. Suami Shimizu-sensei sangat menyukai persocon dan akibatnya dia jadi tidak memedulikan istrinya lagi. Shinbo lalu menyatakan perasaannya pada Shimizu-sensei tapi wanita itu tak lagi percaya pada lelaki. Shinbo terus meyakinkan Shimizu-sensei untuk menerima perasaannya. Lelaki itu serius ingin menikahi Shimizu-sensei. Shinbo lalu memberikan Sumomo pada Hideki.

Chii lalu bekerja paruh waktu di mantan bos Hideki yang punya Tiroll Cake Shop. Bosnya adalah seorang patissier baik hati bernama Hiroyasu Ueda. Dengan gajinya, Chii membelikan Hideki majalah gravure dan dua jilid buku cerita seri Kota Tanpa Penghuni. Hideki menyadari bahwa cerita itu tentang persocon. Menurutku, tokoh utama cerita itu adalah alegori tentang Chii.

Minoru lalu dikirimi e-mail foto lagi oleh orang tak dikenal. Hideki kaget karena dalam foto itu ada persocon seperti Chii dan juga Chitose Hibiya, pemilik apartemennya.

Sementara itu dua persocon bernama Zienma dan Ditta datang ke kota untuk melacak keberadaan Chii.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chi gets a legitimate job in order to make Hideki happy, she chats more with the "Other Chi", two mysterious figures appear and seem to be monitoring Chi, another image is sent to Minoru that they suspect is Chi with Ms. Hibya, and Plum is gifted to Hideki! Volume 3 primarily focuses on Chi's developing and evolving character. Through use of the picture books, she's starting to remember her old programming and is developing human emotions. Hideki is really struggling with the idea of Persacoms, questioning why computers should be so human like and getting weirded out at how many people are treating them like humans opposed to machines. Yumi continues to bake treats for Hideki and than freaks out at the mention of Persacoms.
Despite this volume being mainly fluff, it still has decent enough pacing. I'm still invested in the characters and the introduction to Zima leads to another layer of mystery and intrigue.

[Dominique "Eerie" Sobieska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chobits is one the most memorable mangas of the early 20th century. Exploring the relationships that can be formed between humans and persocons, Chobits takes you to the heart of mending a broken heart anew. Chi, as she is named by Hideki, a rebooted persocom learns to interact with the world like a newborn. She slowly learns words other of "chi" and cares for her master Hideki. Hideki comes to care for Chi as time passes and learns of her mysterious past, the shadowy figure and the circumstances that lead him to finding her.

Originally I read Chobits as a child and found the characters and the story cute, romantic and simple. Today as an adult, I found it much less compelling. The characters design flawed, the image of the ideal woman could or are perceived as and the a very simplistic dialogue with nothing to show for. I would recommend X/1999 instead if you are looking for something from CLAMP.

[47Time · Rating 3 out of 5]

In true manga fashion, let's focus on something almost completely unrelated to the main plot. It's about a relationship between teacher and student that came to pass because of an unhealthy relationship with a persocom. The story recovers by the end when more is revealed about Chi.

After barging in on Hideki, Shimizu spends quality time with Hideki's best friend Shimbo and now she elopes with Shimbo? Hell of a wife... Apparently, the husband is at fault. As soon as he got a persocom, he forgot about his wife, so she filled her loneliness - among other things - with a student. But it's ok, it's based on love, so it's totally not adultery (wink, wink).

More is revealed about Chi's past. Two shady types named Zima and Dita are tracking down Chi's software. They were the ones who disabled her before. Hibiya worked on developing Chi in the lab.

[Leila Anani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another beautiful instalment.

Chi gets a job in a bakery and buys a gift for Hideki and two more volumes of the city with no people - I love how this 'story within the story' is so simple and yet explores some seriously deep ideas. Hideki questions the value of Perscoms as he sees how dependent the population has become. His best friend elopes with their teacher, lonely after her husband turned to his perscom and abandoned her.
Minoru gets sent another mystery photograph this one of Chi and a scientist - none other than Hideki's landlady Ms. Hibiya! Also there are two punky Chobit hunters newly arrived in town...

Stunning art, philosophical themes, endearing characters and a nice twisty turny plot with lots of mysteries yet to unravel make Chobits a delight from start to finish.

[AP · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am in the process of rereading manga I haven't read in years. Now I remember why I never reread this one. Artstyle is alright... The content however never sat right with me the first time I read through the story and it definetly does not now as I have grown older. I'm not even an activist and generally couldn't care less about anything, but to know this series is written by women and what it entails throughout, baffles me at times.
So in short it didn't age well at all for me. Years ago it was a 2,5-3 because of the artwork, now I'll hand the grade I should have handed it back then as it does not at all sit well with me anymore. This series will be unhauled.

[Adrian Santiago · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me llamó más la atención la historia de la profesora y la otra persona, me recuerda mucho a Koy Y Tsukina Hito.

También es bueno que se hable de robots al hablar de los personcon; y todo el debate de por qué los humanos buscamos robots que sean humanos pero sin emociones. Supongo que "otaku-mente" llama mucho la atención la morra perfecta de porcelana que quiere trabajar para darte el dinero porque quiere hacerte feliz y blabla, también es debatible ese anhelo o necesidad (más masculina) de una morrita perfecta "en un mundo de gente sin emociones".

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Por fin el fanservice y la comedia pierden peso para centrarse más en la idea principal de Chobits ¿por qué los ordenadores tienen forma de persona? ¿Los humanos acabarán disfrutando más la compañia de los ordenadores entre ellos? Estas y otras cuestiones se presentan en este tercer volumen que para mí mejora notablemente a los anteriores.

Chii comienza a evolucionar aún más, planteándose muchas cosas y descubriendo su interior.

[Mladoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dans ce troisième tome, les choses commencent à s'assombrir concernant le statut de Tchii même si sa bonne humeur candide est vraiment rafraîchissante. le parallèle du monde avec le petit roman illustré à épisodes qu'elle affectionne est particulièrement bien choisi, son auteur mystérieux reste une question à élucider.
Un tome où un duo aux allures de mercenaires fait son entrée et se rapproche de plus en plus.
Une série qui se dévoile de plus en plus à chaque tome

[Shin Donghae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perkembangan cerita yang sangat cepat. Lewat penuntun buku bergambar dan rangkaian keseharian mereka, kita bisa melihat seberapa dalam hubungan manusia dan persocon, dan bagaimana perubahan hubungan antara Chii dan Hideki.
Seperti biasa, CLAMP senang melakukan cross over tokoh2 di karya2 mereka sebelumnya. Chobits juga dapat giliran dengan kedatangan dua tokoh yang ada maksud tersembunyi dengan melacak sinyal Chii