Televiews - Battery-powered boyfriend leads flood of dramanga

May 2, 2008 by Dennis Amith

In a recent Televiews column by Wm. Penn for the Daily Yomiuri, Penn wrote, “How many early 21st century folks could turn off their televisions, cell phones or Internet connections? There’s no denying most of us have become the willing servants of our conveniences.”

“Will late 21st century humans confront the even more difficult challenge of turning off their robots? Will people really be able to shut down endearing automatons programmed to satisfy their every need and desire?”

“Watch a few episodes of Zettai Kareshi (Tuesdays, 9 p.m., Fuji) and you’ll understand the conundrum your descendants could face. This sci-fi romance, based on the manga of the same name, is not yet on the weekly drama ratings Top 10 list, but it probably will be by the time you read this.”

“Mokomichi Hayami is excellent and almost believable as our android Night Tenjo, model No. 01 in the Kronos Heaven Company’s “Nightly Series” of perfect boyfriend robots. Company engineer Namikiri has carefully programmed Night to meet all the specifications of Riiko Izawa (Saki Aibu), who has been chosen as a monitor to help detect any flaws in the product.”

“Riiko is somewhat skeptical at first and almost eager to get rid of him when he embarrasses her with his earnest statements of love and adoration and tells everyone he is her live-in boyfriend. But gradually, he does begin to grow on her.”

“Who else would make her omelettes with little ketchup hearts on them, deliver a box lunch to her office, work his tail off for her, save her from all danger and wake her with a kiss each morning? And all she has to do is recharge his battery now and then.”