| | |  | STUDIO GHIBLI LIBRARY | Home » » » Absolute Boyfriend, Vol. 1 | | | | | | | Product Promotions: | | | | | Description: | | Shy high school student Riko Izawa aches for a boyfriend but guys just won't look her way. Then one day she signs up for a three-day trial of a mysterious "lover figurine," and the next thing she knows, a cute naked guy is delivered to her doorstep--and he wants to be her boyfriend!Has Riko died and gone to heaven? The cute naked guy turns out to be smart, super nice, stylish and a gourmet chef. Plus, he looks like a million bucks.... Trouble is, that's about what he's going to cost Riko because she didn't return him in time! | | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Yuu Watase | | Paperback:
| 208 pages | | Publisher:
| VIZ Media LLC | | Publication Date:
| February 07, 2006 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 1421500167 | | Product Length:
| 7.04 inches | | Product Width:
| 5.54 inches | | Product Height:
| 0.67 inches | | Product Weight:
| 0.42 pounds | | Package Length:
| 7.4 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.0 inches | | Package Height:
| 0.8 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.45 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 16 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 16 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 32 found the following review helpful:
 A Pleasant SurpriseFeb 12, 2006
By Karen Loo.
Normally, the high school romances of average girls don't appeal to me. I flipped through this book randomly at a comic shop and bought it cause of the thought of a personalized naked boy walking around the house. But after reading, I found that I really enjoyed the story and characters.
We follow Riiko, a clumsy high school girl who lives alone and longs for a boyfriend. We are treated to her interactions with her childhood friend/rival Soshi, the moody guy next door who hides a sort of brotherly care for her under a mask of insults. We meet Riiko's crush, Ishizeki, who turns out to be more a bully than anything. And then there's Mika, Riiko's good natured friend who gently tries to help her with her boy troubles.
One day Riiko discovers a website where she can order a boyfriend, customized with every personality trait she could ever want. Mystified, she trial orders one and the next day receives a stark naked boy who's utterly beautiful. She names him Night and aims to teach the eager-to-please boy how to function in the real world. Aside from "raising" Night like a puppy, Riiko needs to hide his true identity from friends and family.
Absolute Boyfriend is a simply told story with a lot of heart. It's light and fun and even a little sexy. Though you can expect all the drama of young relationships, it never takes itself too seriously. There are plenty of great and unexpected jokes thrown in at just the right moments. Not to mention the artwork is great. I would highly recommend this book, even if you're not a big romance or manga fan.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Mail order LoveApr 19, 2006
By Karusichan
"Karusichan"
Riiko is a normal high school girl living in Japan. She lives on her own because of her parents work taking them overseas. One day she decides to confess to the boy she likes, Ishizeki, but his sudden refusal leaves her ego broken and her heart astir. Her best friend, Mika, tries to comfort her, but her long time friend and neighbor Soshi thinks with her personality she'll never find love...and isn't afraid to tell her that even in her rejected state. Riiko's life seems utterly hopeless.
On the way home from school Riiko happens upon a distinctive gentleman named Gaku Namikiri (who she thinks is a cosplayer) who gives her his card for a company called "Chronos Heaven", a specialty retailer of unusual goods. While tooling around online at the site she discovers a product called a "lover figure"... it's basically a realistic life-sized doll... but when she sees that she can try it out for three days free of charge she can't resist ordering one. Why not? When you can design a man with all the stats to make an amazing boyfriend why not give it a shot...besides that she figures it will come to nothing but decided to do it seemingly out of boredom.
When the package arrives Riiko is surprised to see just how lifelike he is, and after she activates him (by kissing him) he registers her as his girlfriend. Suddenly things become odd as it is obvious that the doll, whom she names Night, is intent on having sex with her...he is from the nightly series after all... but Riiko is not ready for that. She does spend three incredible days with her in which Night is the perfect boyfriend, caring, compassionate, a terrific cook, and someone who is willing to stand up for her...what more can Riiko want?
There is a problem, of course... one is that Soshi is suddenly worried about her wellbeing... the other is that Riiko doesn't return him on time so she has agreed to purchase him...for one million dollars (10,000 for every glorious stat she decided to give him... plus initial charge). Well, when it becomes obvious that Riiko cannot pay the fee she makes a deal with Gaku... in exchange for her keeping Night as her companion she must help him to gather research about what women want in a man... the catch is she can't let anyone know that Night isn't human, or she will owe the full debt immediately. This seems a fair deal...until Night does the unthinkable... and registers at Riiko's school. Now there's the sudden question of Riiko's virtues, seeing as how she just asked Ishizeki out and now she has a new boyfriend...and then there is Mika to worry about, who seems to be after anyone that Riiko is interested in.
This series is starting out to be a good one. I'm a huge Watase fan from way back and this looks as if it is going to be an amazing series. True, it's more fluff and stuff seemingly than previous work, however I have been waiting to see more shojo in the traditional sense from Watase (and by that I mean less melodrama and more romantic comedy and lighthearted fare in the style of "Imadoki"). I was also amazed to see how Watase's rendering skills have improved with time. When comparing the illustrations in this series to an earlier piece (Fushigi Yugi, for example) it is clear how much Watase has improved. The shading and overall linework is of much higher quality, very impressive. I am annoyed that I have to wait a while to get the next volume...that's the beauty of working in a bookstore with more established series... if I get into one that has a number of them out I can just grab the subsequent volumes and read them marathon style... but since this is still the only volume out I have to grin and bear it...and wait like everyone else.
Overall though, this proved to be a very entertaining read. I can't wait for the next one.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Absolute BoyfriendSep 15, 2006
By Moriko-chan
One of my favorite books, filled with adorable characters, and a wonderful story line. I had just randomly picked this up one day, all ready a fan of Miss. Watase's work, and was immediatly sucked into the story. I'm not a person that enjoys romance books, but this is a HUGE exception. The story is about a girl, Riiko, who has had no luck with men her entire life. One day she's walking through the park and finds a man's cell phone that he needs for his job. As payment, he tells her about a website where she can get a boyfriend. Curious, she goes onto the website and signs up for the 3 day trial, adding every aspect of the perfect boyfriend. The next day, a very large box arrives at her apartment, and when she opens it, a naked man falls out. It turns out that that is the guy-doll that she ordered online the night before. When he is turned on, she names him Night, and quickly the relationship between them increases in those three days. Then, Riiko doesn't return him on time, so she has to pay for him at the amazing discount of 1 million dollars! The rest of the story is about the madness and mayhem between the two people and their lives. I can recommend this enough, BUY IT!
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
i luv this book!!!!!!!!!Aug 06, 2006
By melissa markiet
"star"
this book is amazing and inspiring...its about a girl in high school wishing she had a boyfriend...(what girl doesn't)...but one day home from school she runs into a ringing cell phone and that a creepy dude lost...so when she goes to return it to him he tells her she can have anything...so she tells him she wants a boyfriend...so he gives her robot boyfriend...thats delivered to her house and they run into all kinds of troubles along the way...and you're going to have to buy the book to see what happens next!...its very good and you won't regret it trust me...
this book is for girl teens mostly...i dont think a little kid should be reading it at all...and boys probably won't find intrest in it...
it has lots and lots of humor...(>^^)>
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Absolutely GreatJul 15, 2010
By The Kimi-Chan Experience
Ah, first love. Most people can identify with feelings of angst over easing one's loneliness by searching for that special someone. It is even more bittersweet when you lack experience, and not quite sure how one goes about getting a "someone". For 16 year old Riiko Izawa, her love troubles seem insurmountable. She is shy, a bit flat chested, and doesn't really know how to approach a boy as evidenced by the sad fact that every single guy she has asked out has flatly rejected her! One day while out and about, she chances upon a lost mobile phone, and going through its menu, manages to locate its owner. Agreeing to meet up in order to return the phone, she is rather shocked to discover that the phone belongs to a very oddly dressed young man with a rather eccentric yet very businesslike manner. The young man's name is Gaku Namikiri and he informs her that he would be in soooooo much trouble if he lost this phone, for he requires it for his work for a firm called Kronos Heaven. Drawing Riiko out, he discovers she wishes she had a boyfriend, and tells her that yes, yes, he knows just the thing: simply visit his company's website! Riiko feels rather doubtful, but as her evening wears on, she grows increasingly bored and decides to look at Kronos Heaven's website. Ohhh, it looks fun! A game where you design your ideal boyfriend...
The next morning however gives her the shock of her life. For a deliveryman arrives, with a rather large box. And inside, is the boyfriend! It seems that Kronos Heaven makes extremely human seeming androids, and this is the lover model. Even worse, he comes without accessories; he is completely naked. What to do? Awaken him of course, name him, and get him dressed, right? He's a free boyfriend right? Maybe she can practice talking to him and find out how to get along with boys and manage to catch herself a real boyfriend, right? Not quite, as it turns out. As first of all, it turns out he was free only for 72 hours, and after that a nice big fat bill for 100,000,000 yen arrives (roughly 675, 227 GBP). It's either pay up immediately for the doll she has named Night, or become a product tester and let her first steps into romance be laid bare. What is a girl to do?
Volume one of a six volume series, this is a gentle sweet coming of age tale by Yuu Watase. Famous for writing sweet shojo manga featuring bishounen, this does not disappoint. It is more than mere eye candy however, as the story possesses a nicely developed plot that keeps ones interest firmly held. Having said that, the art is indeed pure eye candy. The girls are unfailingly cute, the young men stunningly beautiful, and the backgrounds well detailed only as needed but always well drawn. The characterisation is well rounded enough that one warms to them, with Riiku seeming almost familiar; I think most of us went to high school with at least one girl like Riiku. Shy and more than a bit naïve, she is honest and straightforward as well as hardworking. You really want her to get a boyfriend, and Night, well, who can't like him? He might be an android, but he has a gentle manner about him that seems as if it might go beyond mere programming; I found myself wanting him to truly BE her boyfriend as odd as that may sound. And who knows, that nice mannered and rather cute young manager from work that lives nearby would be a rather nice catch too. A man who cooks for you? I think most women dream about this sort of guy, and it is almost a shame that Soshi Asamoto doesn't get more notice from Riiku. It all seems to set up a future triangle, making me look forward to seeing how this story unfolds in the succeeding volumes.
The writing and art are aimed at the post 16 crowd, with very mild nudity and scenes that are mildly sexual in nature. It's practically by the book chick lit with pictures and a wryly humorous storyline. At just over 200 pages, it makes for a nice little book to dip into when you don't want anything heavy, but you may find yourself returning to read it again as there is just that little something about it. What ever it is, if you are a fan of the genre, I can recommend this. A preview chapter may be read at Viz Media's website.
See all 16 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| | |
|
