Chobits is serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Young Magazine (katakana = yangu magajin). It's a seinen
mag, so don't be frightened by the babe in a swimsuit on the cover. The first chapter was in issue
No. 43 (release date 9/25) of 2000.
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Chobits
Chapter 1
Manga by CLAMP
Translation by Kristin [not for profit!]
Key:
() = hand-written text (not printed)
** = action/description
[] = clarification
{} = translator's editorial comments
pg. 19
Color page: A Japanese cityscape. The storefront of an electronics shop.
Narration: "This world has become truly convenient," or so everyone says. That seems to be thanks
to "personal computers."
In the store window sits a row of sexily-clad young female humanoids. Their poses are identical,
their eyes closed.
Narration: And these are the "persocon."
pg. 20-21
Title: Chobits
Color 2-page spread of our mystery girl. She is uniformly pale except for her eyes, which are a
rather flat, opaque brown. Her ears look like downturned cat or puppy-dog ears made of metal, and
are the only obviously mechanical feature about her. She wears a slip dress (or is it merely a
slip?) slightly paler than her skin. Her hair is ridiculously long, and is blowing with falling
leaves in an autumn wind.
pg. 22
At a slightly scuzzy bar somewhere in the city, a dark-haired, sturdy young man is taking out the
trash. A cat streaks by him, yowling. He huffs as he sets down the garbage can, then rubs his
shoulder.
Young Man: [narration] My name's Motosuwa Hideki. I'm 19 and trying to get into college. I came
here to the capital to go to prep school for half a year. I have my own apartment, but I don't get
any help from home, so I'm stuck with this part-time job every day.
[The back of his uniform jacket reads "Izayaka Yorokonde," or Happy Tavern.]
pg. 23
Hideki: *shutting the door as he goes back inside* I took the trash out.
Other Part-time Worker: (Great--)
As he passes the office in back, Hideki overhears the manager muttering.
Manager: *puffing on a cigarette* 10 cases of beer, 12 cases of sour, and some Fukuoka-brewed
sake....
Beside him sits what appears to be a young woman dressed in skin-tight clothing. She wears a vacant
smile and is whirring quietly.
Hideki: [thinking] Oh, a persocon...huh.
Manager: *turning to him* What, are you into these things?
Hideki: *embarrassed* No.... It's not like that, but--
Manager: Hey, this baby's great. She's the latest mobile from PCN. Fast as hell.
pg. 24
Manager: *smugly* And she starts up like clockwork. Internet included, too.
The persocon smiles perkily at Hideki.
Hideki: (Huh?!)
Manager: If you're gonna get yourself one of these, make sure you go for one like this! *slapping
Hideki on the back with good humor* They're worth it, the latest models!
Hideki: *appearing slighly traumatized* Uh... okay.
pg. 25
A short time later, the other boys at the bar are waving as Hideki heads out.
Hideki: Okay, I'm outta here--
Part-time Guy 1: See you!
Part-time Guy 2: Later!
He has changed out of his cheesy work uniform into jeans and a t-shirt. {No style at all, this boy.}
Shouldering his backpack, he makes his way down the narrow city alleys.
Hideki: A persocon, huh...
pg. 26
Hideki: *suddenly exploding* LIKE I'M GONNA SPEND MY MONEY ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT! ME, THE
ETERNALLY BROKE--! But I still want one! *shaking his fists at the sky* I WANNA SEND EMAIL! I
WANNA LOOK AT THE PORN SITES ON THE INTERNET!
A nearby alley cat freaks out and stares.
Hideki: *calming again* I'm talking to myself more and more every day now.... (I guess that's what
happens when you live alone.)
pg. 27
He continues on his way through what is apparently a rather seedy part of town.
Hideki: [thinking] Whether it's at school or at work, it seems like I'm the only guy who doesn't
have a persocon. I want one, but they're so damned expensive... And besides, even if I bought one I
wouldn't know what the heck to do with it. (Besides look at porn sites on the Internet, that is.)
He sighs.
Hideki: Ah, I want one. Since they come in human form and everything. Why couldn't there be a
really cute one with curves like this... *hand gesture* ...just lying around here?
As he lowers his hands we see, in a pile of garbage a few feet away, what appears to be a girl bound
and tied with bandages, but otherwise naked. She is motionless, and her eyes are closed.
pg. 28
Hideki: (WAAAH--) ...It-- IT'S A PERSON--!?
pg. 29
He looks around himself frantically.
Hideki: A BODY!? THERE'S BEEN A KILLING-----!?
Suddenly he stops and looks more closely at the girl's features.
Hideki: Huh? (Those ears.) *reaching out to finger one of the feline ears* Oh, so it's a
persocon. (Don't scare me like that!) (I thought maybe there'd been some kind of freakish murder or
something.) [thinking] Wait a minute. This is a persocon, and this is the trash pile. *aloud*
Which means--!!
pg. 30
Hideki: *swallowing with difficulty* That this is trash, too. In that case.....
He scoops up the limp persocon into his arms.
Hideki: Nobody will mind if I take it. Right!? *aside* Although really, there ought to be
restrictions on industrial waste, what with the dioxin problem and all. *trying to lift the girl*
OOF!
pg. 31
Hideki: Th...they weigh this much---? *gritting his teeth and staggering upright* Th.. this might
kill me.
As he hefts her into the air, a small disk in a plastic case falls from... well, from where it had
been tucked away between bandages and skin. It lands on the trash pile, and Hideki fails to notice.
pg. 32
Some time later, Hideki arrives at home: a run-down but not utterly skanky apartment complex. Once
in his room, he collapses to his knees, depositing the persocon girl on the floor. {The room is
pathetically empty. The boy seems to have no furniture to speak of, and possibly no other clothes.}
Hideki: *panting* I had no idea they weighed that much.
He pauses to gaze down at his prize, whose hair is spilling out across the tatami.
Hideki: But really, looking at it like this, it might as well be a regular girl...
He reaches out to touch the persocon's cheek lightly.
pg. 33
Hideki: ...All soft and pretty....
He flushes.
Hideki: But hey, is this thing still brand new? Maybe a newer model came out, and this one got
trashed? What a waste. *smiling cheerfully* Well, anyway, I'll put it to good use. So, let's get
it turned on!
pg. 34
[Four hours later.]
Hideki: So. *clutching at his head* WHERE THE HELL IS THE SWITCH-----?!! I've pushed everything
there is to push!! EVERYTHING!!
He jerks suddenly, starting at the persocon with wide eyes.
Hideki: It.. it couldn't be.
His eyes drop to the persocon's crotch, which is still covered with the binding bandages.
Hideki: In there.... *freaking out* NO WAY! NO WAY!
pg. 35
Hideki: But... that's the only place I haven't tried..
He reaches out, his hand shaking, his entire face gone scarlet.
Hideki: I'm not thinking anything sick! But it's no good to me if it won't go! That's right, it's
no good! RIGHT!? ...
He gathers the persocon up into the crook of one arm.
pg. 36
Heart thundering, eyes shut tightly, he reaches down with his other hand and... pushes.
*CLICK*
pg. 37
The persocon opens her eyes.
As she lifts her head, the bandages around her come undone, revealing her nude form in all its, er,
glory.
pg. 38-39
Hideki stares.
pg. 40
She looks up at him with eyes as dark, innocent, and fathomless as those of a beast.
Persocon: ..Chii..
Hideki blinks, taken aback.
pg. 41
He falls backward onto his hands, sweatdropping like mad.
Hideki: Huh? Chi?
Persocon: Chii..
She leans toward him, placing a hand on each of his thighs, and looks at him searchingly.
Hideki: Chii? Is that your name?
She jumps him.
Hideki: UWAAAAA! W-wait a...!
pg. 42
He winds up on his back with her on top of him. She gazes down, her eyes gone soft with happiness.
Persocon: Chii.
She hugs him tightly and snuggles as he turns beet red yet again.
Hideki: [thinking] Why do I feel like I've seen this kind of development somewhere before!? But
even so--could it be that I'm just a damned lucky bastard--!?
To be continued in the next issue.
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