Chobits

You mentioned this last week?
Yes, I did. I've now read the whole manga, and was surprised by the last two volumes.

Surprised?
It's not everyday that you read a series that ties-in with one you had previously dismissed. Turns out the storyline of Chobits is in fact linked with another manga by Clamp, called Angelic Layer, which previously I had only read the first volume of and seen the first two episodes of the anime.

Back to the CHOBITS
There may be tonnes of pandering to a male audience in this manga, but the story is incredibly sweet and enduring. Hideki, a 19 year old cram school student and part time restaurant worker, finds what he believes is a persocom in the trash not far from where he lives. In Chobits persocoms are often human shaped robots that can compile everyday mundane computer tasks and far more advanced ones that lead to some people in the world of Chobits having them as companions.

Hideki is surprised by his luck, and takes the persocom home. Soon he learns that the persocom is not a normal persocom, and after naming her Chi, decides to find out more about her with the help of his friends.

Why should we read this?
It may not be the best manga in the world, but it's one of the nicest out there. The artwork is superb, and watching Hideki change into an adult over the course of the story is sweet. If you like reading a romance with a bit of science ficiton thrown in, it's also a good read.

Related links
Wikipedia entry for Chobits
Official Tokyo Pop Chobits site, need to be a registered user to navigate around
Wikipedia entry for Clamp