Zettai Kareshi ep.01

April 16, 2008 | 22 Comments

This turns out to be a lot more fun than I thought it would be. The jokes are pretty good, the heroine is cute and funny, and the robotics FX used is not bad either. It's unfortunate that the ED theme is not as good as Last Friends' OP theme because that would be one thing that makes this already good drama outstanding. As it is now, I'm interested to blog this regularly since it looks pretty fun for the time being. The only thing that I don't like is the actor and characterization that they've given to Riiko's 2nd love interest, Soushi. Talk about downgrade. Come to think of it, as far as love interest goes, the heroine really is the unluckiest girl in shoujo manga stories. Her second love interest is a douchebag and her main love interest is a sexbot. Still, this is a pretty good adaptation so far. The setting changes from high school to a cake company is pretty a good deal, IMO, because I get to drool after those delicious cakes they featured in this series.

A man asks another man what he thinks the word written on the screen 「愛しい」used to mean. The other man guesses that it's not "Itoshii" (love). The first man confirms that in the Heian literature, the word was read as "Kanashii" (sadness). The second man immediately praises the first man's extensive knowledge. The first man (who turns out to be the director of the company) muses that perhaps by nature, love is a sad thing. The second man, however, opines that this type 01 has no knowledge of sadness nor a woman so they intend on finding a woman that fits 01's type. With that said, the man hits a button the keyboard and activates the device inside the lab, revealing an android that has been half-covered with the face of a man. Meanwhile, a woman called Izawa Riiko (Aibu Saki) is in a cafe, trying to confess her feelings to a co-worker. Unfortunately for her, he thinks she just wants to ask him for advice on work. Before she can say what she wants to say, however, he excuses himself.

Riiko tries to make a last ditch attempt by asking him what he thinks of her. The guy, however, simply tells her that she's a diligent girl who always does her best. Later on that night, Riiko tells her best friend that she got rejected. Their conversation, however, got interrupted when said friend gets a phone call. She then excuses herself because she has another appointment. Riiko wonders if this is a new boyfriend and the friend confirms it and apologizes for leaving at a time like this. After the friend left, however, a man in black jacket comes up to her and introduces himself as Kronos Heaven's Namikiri Gaku (Sasaki Kuranosuke). Riiko decides to come with the guy to the company. Despite her reluctance, she relents when the man offers to find her an ideal boyfriend. Because of this, he asks her to go through a series of questions (see below). She also adds that the person must be like a knight who will leap to protect her when she gets into trouble.

Gaku tells her that with this, she has changed her life. XD Later on in her workplace (Asamoto), Riiko and her colleagues have a meeting about spring's new product sample. Riiko is asked to deliver a bunch of samples to the section head and son of the company's owner, Asamoto Soushi (Mizushima Hiro). Because the guy is busy talking on the phone, Riiko foolishly thinks he wants her to eat the cake so she does so while mumbling about the cake. After realizing her mistake, however, she exits the room. Much to Soushi's surprise, however, he agrees with her assessment of the cake. The next day, Riiko gets a delivery from Kronos Heaven and finds herself facing a metalic box. She then gets a phone call from Gaku telling her to open the box because 'eternal love' lies within. L-O-L. Instead, however, Riiko finds a naked man wrapped in plastic. When Riiko asks Gaku about this mannequin-like person, Gaku tells her that he's her ideal boyfriend, the Nightly series 01 model aka Robot Lover (personally, I think "sexbot" sounds better).

Riiko is horrified to hear this because she thought he was going to introduce her to someone but Gaku simply tells her that he's programmed her wish into the robot before ending their conversation. After flipping through the instruction, Riiko finds out that she has to kiss the robot to activate it. After being bashful for a while, Riiko goes for the kill. Despite the kiss, however, the robot doesn't seem to move. Because she's already late to work, Riiko just leaves the robot on its own, unaware that it's finally activated. Back in the office, there's another meeting on how their new product will reform the Asamoto brand worldwide. The 1st son, Asamoto Masashi (Nakamura Shunsuke) then asks Ishizeki Hayato (the guy that Riiko likes) to introduce the foreign press writer who'd attend the unveiling event. The writer in question is Sophie Eclair from a magazine called Confiserie. Soushi contributes to the meeting by saying that he hates that "noisy broad". Charming.

Everyone seems to be impressed by Ishizeki's ability to invite Sophie to come as a guest so Riiko's friend, Itou Mika (Ueno Natsuhi), encourages Riiko to confess, telling her that Ishizeki will be taken by someone else if Riiko does not act quickly. Later on, Soushi is only lightly scolded by his father for his charming little act in the meeting. Masashi, on the other hand, wants to know if Soushi is going to get his act together with this upcoming unveiling of new products. Masashi also warns Soushi that he'll not forgive his brother if he fails this one. Before Soushi left, he asks Masashi if the guy really thinks that the new products are delicious. Masashi, who now looks really angry, seems to be sure of this so Soushi leaves the room. Meanwhile, Riiko is back at her apartment but before she can enter the room, her landlord comes over. She interrogates Riiko about the girl next door because she suspects the girl is living with a guy even though it's not allowed.

After the landlord left, Riiko is relieved but becomes panic again when she sees the robot walking around naked in her room. In her panic, she throws a pan at him but the robot easily blocks it with his hand. Just as Riiko is cornered in the kitchen, the robot stops and analyzes her. Since the analysis matches the profile in his database, he introduces himself as her boyfriend. A few seconds later, Gaku appears to fix the damaged arm of the robot. He also explains that the robot's power comes from electricity. After repair, Gaku tells Riiko to enjoy her 5 days trial period but Riiko refuses because she's not allowed to live together (with a man) in this place. Gaku, however, retorts that the thing is just a consumer electronic. Although he looks like human and can understand human's emotion, he's just a consumer electronic, comparing him to a TV. After Gaku left, the robot wants to know Riiko's name and upon hearing it, tells her that it's a cute name.

Because she's uncomfortable with his presence, Riiko asks the robot to take his box and to go to the park. This causes the robot to wonder if Riiko likes the park and invites her to come with him. Riiko, however, refuses and runs back to the house. The robot ends up following her so Riiko decides to hold into the door knob to prevent him from coming. Instead, she broke the knob and falls over, causing her landlord to wonder why she's making a noise. Because of this Riiko asks the robot to hide in the toilet. She then lies to the landlord, claiming that the knob just broke when she pulled it out. That night when Riiko is about to go to bed, the robot comes out of the toilet and suggests that they have sex. Horrified by this, she orders the robot to go back to the toilet and never come out. Much to her surprise, the robot obeys but also tells her that he loves her. XD The next morning, Riiiko enters the toilet only to find the robot in the middle of charging his battery.

Before she goes to work, the robot asks her for a name but Riiko refuses to give one to him. She also orders him to not talk or go out of her room. Despite the treatment that Riko gave him, the robot still smiles and wishes her a good day. At the office, Mika suggests that Riiko goes for Ishizeki again because in her opinion, love involves strategy. Because of this she asks Riiko if she has good-looking male friends but Riiko admits that she doesn't have any. Soushi who overhears the conversation offers himself as that 'good-looking' male friend. Riiko is weirded out being propositioned by the section head and excuses herself away from the uncomfortable situation. After work, Riiko is surprised when she finds the robot waiting in front of her office wearing the same clothes that she gave him. The robot tells her it's because that's what she prefers. Upon seeing Ishizeki heading somewhere, however, she takes the robot to buy new clothes. She then goes to the same cafe that is visited by Ishizeki. After a few minutes, the robot comes to the cafe as well.

This gives Ishizeki the impression that Riiko is dating a good-looking man. As a result, Ishizeki, his friend, and the girls who are at the cafe are captivated by the robot. Later on, however, Riiko makes it clear to the robot that the one that she loves is not him but Ishizeki. Unfortunately her words is overheard by the bar owner, Wakabayashi Fujiko (Maya Miki) so she thinks the robot is Ishizeki. The robot tells Riiko that tonight they should sleep together but Riiko refuses and runs away. The next day, much to Riiko's surprise, Ishizeki asks her out for dinner. Riiko immediately relays the good news to her friend, Mika, and thanks her for the suggestion. After dinner, however, Riiko is surprised to see the robot coming to find her while carrying an umbrella (it's raining that night). Ishizeki wonders if the robot is Riiko's boyfriend but Riiko denies this. The robot, however, continues to introduce himself as Riiko's boyfriend much to her embarassment. Since she can't make him go away, Riiko slaps the robot's hand and orders him not to touch her.

She then runs away witih Ishizeki, leaving the poor robot upset. The data in his arm is being sent back to the Kronos' HQ, causing one of the scientist to wonder if it's okay for the robot to be upset like this but the head of Kronos seems to think it's interesting. Meanwhile, the robot ends up meeting Fujiko and straightens up her misunderstanding by saying that he's not Ishizeki. However, when it comes down to telling her his name, he just says that he's Riiko's boyfriend. However, Riiko hasn't given him a name. At the same time, Ishizeki wants to come to Riiko's apartment. Riiko, however, remembers that the robot will be there as well so she lies by saying that her parents are staying there now. Because she's uncomfortable with it, that night Riiko makes the decision to return the robot back. Meanwhile, Ishizeki is on his way to meet Mika. Apparently it was Mika who asked him to go out with Riiko. The next day, the robot is back in Kronos Heaven, being tested by Gaku.

In the middle of the test, however, they realize that the robot has run away on his own initiative. At the same time, Ishizeki and others at Asamoto finds out that the truck that is on its way to deliver their cake is stuck in a traffic jam. Riiko suggests that they go there since there's still 30 minutes left but Ishizeki bitches about how it's impossible. Outside the building, the robot manages to find its way there thanks to the confusion amongst Asamoto's employees. At the same time, Ishizeki is being questioned by Masashi who wants to know whose mistake is it that the cake is late. Riiko foolishly claims the responsibility by saying that she gave the wrong address. The robot, who overhears, all of this, runs out of the building and manages to detect/locate the whereabouts of the truck. He then grabs the container that houses the cake and runs from rooftop to rooftop to deliver it to Riiko. Unfortunately the attempt causes high-impact pressure on the robot's joints.

In no time, his legs malfunction and at one point, his head hits a steel block so he starts to short-circuit. Despite this, the robot manages to deliver the cake back to Riiko, who's been waiting for the truck to arrive. However, as soon as he hands over the samples, the robot short-circuit. Thankfully Gaku and his assistant has arrived with their truck. He explains to Riiko that the robot has GPS built-in within so they always know his location. Before the robot stops to work, he asks Riiko to go so Riiko apologizes to Gaku and leaves with the cake samples. She makes it in time just as Sophie the cake critic is threatening to leave if she can't sample the cake. LOL. At the same time, Gaku is relieved to know that the data inside the robot is still okay. In the end, the presentation went smoothly and Sophie gets to praise the new Spring sweets that the company has created. Ishizeki then comes to thank Riiko for covering up for him. Riiko uses the opportunity to give him another Choux Cream.

Riiko then goes to check on the robot and much to her relief, the robot will be okay as well. When she's about to leave, however, she realizes that the hot pack that Ishizeki gave her is not in her bag anymore so she goes back to the back to find it. When she finds it, she overhears Ishizeki and his friend talking about her. At the same time, Gaku finds out that the robot has run off again now that it's completely restored. Back to Riiko, she finds out from Ishizeki that he always sees her as nothing more than an annoyance. Soushi who overhears this wants to punch the guy but before he can do so, the robot has arrived and demands that Ishizeki apologizes to Riiko. Ishizeki, however, asks the robot why he should apologizes to that annoying woman. The robot responds by punching Ishizeki straight in the face. He then tells Ishizeki that he wouldn't forgive anyone who hurts Riiko before running away with her.

Riiko is upset with herself for being so stupid before but is comforted after hearing the robot telling her that he'd always protect her. Because of this, he offers his hand to her. After a brief reluctance, Riiko eventually takes the robot's hand and holds it while she cries. As a result of this, the robot feels happy because Riiko finally trusts him. The data is also being sent to Kronos Heaven, much to Gaku's delight. At the same time, Ishizeki is ditched by Mika, who claims that she's only interested in things that belongs to others. Meanwhile, Soushi sees the choux cream that Ishizeki left on the floor and proceeds to try it. Much to his surprise, it taste good so he proceeds to stuff all of it into his mouth. As for Riiko, she finally gives the robot a name, Night. However, she still refuses to have sex with him. The episode ends with Riiko going back to her house while the robot following her around as usual.

Impression:

As far as heroine goes, Riiko is pretty naive. Maybe it's just me but I think it's kind of foolish for anyone to take the blame for the mistake that your loved ones made. Not only it would means that the person who made the mistake wouldn't learn from his/her mistake, they'd most likely see you as desperate and pathetic. Because of this, although it was kind of cruel, it's probably a good thing that Riiko finds out what a douchebag Ishizeki turns out to be. Speaking of douchebag, Soushi is almost on the same level as Ishizeki. If this is what we have to look forward to as ending, then I am not sure I'd be happy about it. Plus, the actor seems a bit too young in comparison to the actress who plays Riiko. He looks like he would fit right into a high school drama but is a bit too young to play an executive. In reverse, the actor who plays Night did a good job in the role. He seems rather careful not to make the character too human-like at this stage in the story. There are instances, especially earlier in the story, where he does look like a mannequin.

Speaking of mannequin, I wonder if the scene where he was wrapped in plastic was inspired by Laura Palmer's dead body in Twin Peaks. As for comparison to the manga, well, Riiko is now an office lady so technically, she can have sex without her parent's permission. However, she seems kind of prude for someone who ticked the "likes a bit of ecchi" option for her ideal boyfriend criteria. Gaku is now an old man instead of a young boy like in the manga. It doesn't disturb me though because the changes give this adaptation a more reality-based ground. In the manga, it feels like Gaku is some kind of mage coming from one of those Fushigi Yuugi world. Soushi, unfortunately, is the worst part of this adaptation. In the original version, he's supposed to be a sarcastic but caring childhood friend. In this version, however, he's a womanizing loser with a bad haircut. In reverse, I love the changes from high school to cake company. I do wonder what this will mean in the future especially since Soushi suggested that the new cakes are not that delicious. Maybe Riiko will become their new cake maker?

Ideal Boyfriend Quiz (as taken by Riiko)

Your ideal boyfriend is one:
1. Who's easily jealous
2. Get jealous a bit
3. Don't get jealous at all
4. Cold

Your ideal boyfriend's intelligence:
1. Good
2. Bad
3. Normal
4. Ignorant

In regards to H (ecchi materials), your ideal boyfriend should be:
1. A pervert
2. Interested a little bit
3. Not interested in perverted stuff
4. Hate perverted stuff

Your ideal boyfriend's smile is:
1. Refreshing
2. Cool
3. Rarely shown
4. Ghastly

Your ideal boyfriend's dependability:
1. Reliable
2. Unreliable
3. Normal
4. Worthless human being

Your ideal boyfriend's masculinity:
1. Very masculine
2. Can do anything
3. Normal
4. Girly

Your ideal boyfriend's kindness:
1. Very kind
2. A bit kind
3. Normal
4. Unkind

Your ideal boyfriend's body type:
1. Macho
2. Skinny
3. Model-type
4. Typical/Normal

ED Theme: 「おかえり」- Okaeri by Ayaka AVI version (20MB) | PSP version (11MB)

It's a slow-burning song by Ayaka. Not exactly the kind of song I listen to but it's not bad either.

Preview

© memento 2003