CLAMP is a Japanese manga group known for dozens of iconic works over the decades in the anime and manga industry. Apart from this beloved action fantasy, CLAMP also created renowned manga such as Cardcaptor Sakura, Blood-C, xxxHOLiC, and many more. The group is also the original character designer of the Code Geass franchise. Among their most successful series, Magic Knight Rayearth still remains CLAMP’s most iconic work. 2026 is an exciting year for CLAMP’s fans with the reboot anime of Magic Knight Rayearth. The reboot was released as part of the 30th anniversary project, and it became a massive hit on Crunchyroll with better adaptation and consistent animation.
However, not all of CLAMP’s works received the same treatment, despite having unique stories and premises. One of CLAMP’s most beloved and underrated series is Chobits, which began serialization in 2000 and reached its conclusion two years later. Unlike the creator’s previous works, this one leans towards a sci-fi fantasy genre. An anime adaptation by Madhouse was also released in 2002, the same year as the manga finale. The anime ended on September 24th, 2002, and despite being produced by one of the most renowned studios in Japan, it couldn’t do justice to the gorgeous world created by CLAMP, which is all the more reason it deserves an anime reboot.
Chobits Remains One of the Most Unique Sci-Fi Series of All Time
It’s actually difficult to come across such a well-written sci-fi these days, which is all the more reason why Chobits deserves its flowers. This beautiful story is based on the premise of a boy meeting a robot as the two find a genuine philosophical depth. While the series isn’t too long, it follows a coherent story with a steady pace and a satisfying conclusion. The story centers around Hideki Motosuwa, who spent four years of high school striving to get into the university of his choice. Along with attending Cram school in Tokyo, he also works daily shifts at a bar to make ends meet. Due to his busy schedule, he missed out on the world’s latest invention of perscocoms, human-like computers.
Hoping to get a persocom of his own, he comes across an abandoned one in a garbage pile. Having the appearance of a cute girl, the persocom was left behind by someone whose identity remains unknown. Regardless, Hideki names her Chii and takes her with him, only to realize she is far from an ordinary robot. As someone capable of thinking and learning on her own, she is a legendary robot known as a Chobit. He takes it upon himself to ensure Chii learns to live an ordinary life while also unraveling the truth behind the Chobits series. The story is much darker and more complex than it initially seems, as the simple romance hides the heavy themes of loneliness and sentience through artificial intelligence.
Chobits Needs a Faithful Adaptation in a Reboot Anime
While the anime fully adapted the manga, it severely deviates from the main story. The manga has a much better storyline and a satisfying conclusion that the anime failed to adapt. Since the manga hadn’t ended when the anime was released, the animation studio took liberties with the story and added fillers while also altering character dynamics to some extent. The most obvious change was in the character writing of Hideki, who was more earnest and less creepy towards Chii in the manga. It’s more than disappointing considering that Madhouse is one of the best animation studios in Japan, known for several timeless classics such as Perfect Blue, Monster, and many more.
The studio is still relevant in the 2020s, known for producing Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, the greatest fantasy series of the decade. The 26-episode-long anime also had a completely different ending that alters the thematic depth of the story, especially considering how it had a vague resolution when it came to the feelings of Chobits. It also can’t be denied that the animation itself could be much better in the reboot with modern technology, depending on which studio will take over if there’s ever a reboot. The manga released 88 chapters, which can be squeezed into another 26-episode-long series as long as the anime reboot remains faithful to the story.
Head down to the comments to tell us your thoughts on the possible reboot of Chobits. Is it deserving of a brand new revival? Or you could tell us which CLAMP anime’s reboot you wish to see next.
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