Manga Fans Unite! AI Love You GN 1

Studio - TOKYOPOP
Age - 16+
By Ken Akamatsu
TOKYOPOP credits
Translator - David Ury
English Adaptaton - Adam Arnold
Layout & Lettering - Rubina Chabra & James Dashiell
Editor - Rob Tokar
Graphic Novel 1
First off, before I begin, a brief note.
I'm not, by any stretch, a fan of Ken Akamatsu.
Somehow his titles don't seem to appeal to me at all.
Didn't like Love Hina, wasn't entranced with Negima. So, then, why am I talking up this title?
It's actually a work of his that I liked.
Meet Hitoshi Kobe.
He seems to have more luck with non-living computers and technology than he does with living humans.
He's not the best student (despite the fact that he's good at computers), he's a poor athlete (in short he's not going to be entering Olympics trials anytime soon), and he's got the worse luck.
His homelife is worse since his family is never there (being successful people that they are) and he might as well be living alone. Yet there is one thing that keeps him going home night and night again -- and no it's not the concept of a place to sleep and eat. It's his knack for creating artificial intelligences (AI) and the one he's created called Number Thirty (a female AI).
Thirty is the only "girl" he can really speak to freely, and without fear of rejection. Yet she is still only technology and not real... until one night.
Yeah, thanks to the cliché use of the power of nature we see Thirty become a ALMOST living, breathing human woman... almost. In fact she's a solid holographic woman that lives as long as his computer is running (which turns out to be quite the expensive proposition for love).
But from the first day she comes to life you see what could be a great love form between these two, that is if it could ever really be. After all, if an accident can make Thirty almost real, can she make Hitoshi a man?
Despite the fact she's seemingly human she is still a program.
She has no "taste" and doesn't cook well, and she has a lot to learn about being human.
Still there's lots of chances for her to grow as she ends up going to Hitoshi's school, goes on her first (and his first) date, tries out for clubs at Hitoshi's school, goes on a trip which turns into an eco-tale, and almost faces the dark shadow of death at the hands of a virus program.
And that's just the first book... makes you wonder where Graphic Novel 2 will take readers.
AI Love You Breakdown the 1st
What's Hot?
I'm not usually a fan of the works of Ken Akamatsu but there's just something about this that's so appealing. I don't know what it is, but I know I like what I see.
It's got that special something that makes it a nice read. And I think you'll like it too.
What's Not?
Eh... I see the dark touch of his mind coming in future Graphic Novels.
Maybe it's just me but can we keep the female cast of potential "girlfriends" down to below a dozen? If at all humanly possible for Mr. Akamatsu that is... please.
Moments to Remember?
The interactions between Hitoshi and Saati (Thirty) is tops.
But one really memorable scene is when Hitoshi is struggling to purge the virus that is ravaging Thirty's programming and threatening to "kill" (delete) her. When it looks like she's doomed she tells him that all he has to do is "reboot" her and she'll return to him, but he tells her that it won't be the same Saati.
Really touching moment that just makes you want to see them succeed even if it looks like this series will end badly for them.
And the "end" of the virus is a perfect touch to wrap the virus story up as well.
Bad clown virus. Down. Heel. Play deleted.
What to Ignore?
Uh -- just how many more "programs" are going to come to life to make this relationship complicated?
I wish I could ignore that. I really, really do.
Overall?
Even if I have doubts about future Graphic Novels (which I must review soon), it doesn't mean I didn't like this. It's so far the only Ken Akamatsu title I can really rave about and hope future Graphic Novels doesn't change my mind about me raving about said title.
It'd be nice if I don't find a reason not to like this title in future reviews.