Bhavna

I wish I had a AI robot boyfriend like Night! The best actor in this series is the guy who plays Night, the Ideal Robot Boyfriend. The creator of 01 the boyfriend robot who poses as an electrician and follows his robot around to update and repair him is also an entertaining character. Riiko’s mother as a man hungry flirt is also quite entertaining. The worst actress in the series is the female lead. She keeps lying about obvious things like “I’m not living with Night! I’m not lying!” Even though she clearly and obviously does. When her dad tells her off, she runs off like an entitled spoiled brat. Sulking throughout the entire series at those who love her, showing her venom and hostility to Night every chance she gets despite him being so unconditionally sweet to her, and sucking up to liars and manipulators like Mika. It’s hard to feel any sort of empathy or connection with her as a character. Her dad (who is a very similar immature character as her) says “You are lower than a carrot!” Which is true. While Night becomes more real and gains human understanding and emotion, Riiko keeps looking down on everyone (especially the robot) and acting like a spoiled child. Even when she is forced to send off her parents by her boss, she starts a fight with her dad once gain until Night intervenes and gives them the picture family picture that she had torn up.

Even after such a poor quality female lead, she has 2 robots, and 1 human after her- a love square! And 02 robot isn’t even good looking. Model 01 is has the perfect body- with the perfect face, hair, kind personality, and altruism.

The premise is great- awkward, unlovable woman getting a chance at real love with a handsome ideal boyfriend robot/AI that matches her exact preferences and bypass all the human nonsense of fleeting dysfunctions romances. But the execution of this concept is extremely poor. First of all the actress who plays Riiko (Saki Aibu) plays her the exact same way as she did the character Urara from “I’m Mita Your Housekeeper”- basically a hot mess with zero likability and empathy. She doesn’t come across as “The pinnacle of virtue” as the series intends, but rather comes across as an idiot who can’t do anything right and is loyal to all the worst people, while mistreating good people. For most of the episodes she is filled with hatred and outright rejects the robot that she filled out the preferences for, and rejects the kindness of the chief (who is extremely hot and looks like an elf) who likes her and is kind to her as well. “Night” is the ideal boyfriend who helps her out in so many ways including damaging his own parts to get her desserts which she took the blame for on behalf of an arrogant boss who she was crushing on. She is stuck on the men that treat her like dirt, but to those who are kind to her, she treats them like dirt. She is not virtuous at all, has a very poor character and is attracted to mistreatment and bullies. The way she treats the chief is completely wrong, and talks down to him despite him being her boss. And the way she treats Night is abominable too. It is said the way you treat objects is the same way you treat people too (as objects). She has no virtue whatsoever. She’s an awful character, does very annoying things (the way she keeps jumping to try to kiss Night reboot him is so irritating) and makes awful impulsive decisions. The only thing she seems capable of is making choux cream puffs which the chief likes. The actress is pretty, but she plays every character in every series in the same way- as an annoying, unlikable hot mess of a woman who basically has no consideration for anyone or anything except being a hot mess. The series could have been so much better without her- this concept has a lot of potential- showing that the robot AI/boyfriend/husband is so much better than the human version and seeing that love actually transcends the human sphere. Love can absolutely exist through AI too. Human love is fickle and fleeting and as you can see by the male characters, they play around and mess with multiple women. The AI robot doesn’t do that. He’s always there for Riiko, but she takes him for granted. That’s the kind of bad person she is.

The chief guy gives her the 400k yen that she needed to pay up for the repairs she caused to Night, and she rejects his money because of her pride. She seriously looks down on the chief being a temp worker even though he recognizes her baking talent and wants to give her a chance. She makes a half hearted effort with the chief guy to do cream puffs proposal that the chief guy puts his heart into because it reminds him of his grandfather’s, and when his brother blows off the idea she simply shrugs it off heartlessly. The choux cream puffs that she made with all her heart for the arrogant boss who threw it on the floor, was later being showcased by the chief in the bakery. There are those who throw away her cream puffs that touch the heart and are reminiscent of the Asamoto grandfather’s touch of his original dessert, and then there are those that truly love them. But she keeps denying and is so ungrateful for the loving opportunities that come her way, and continues to run after things that are bad for her.

By the way, did I mention that the chief Soshi is really hot? He kind of reminds me of Chishiya from Alice in Borderland.

Riiko trusts and likes all the wrong people (the boss and Mika) because she thinks so low of herself, and she distrusts and mistreats all the good people (Soshi the chief and Night the AI boyfriend). Riiko tries so hard to please and be best friends with Mika who is so obviously and actively trying to sabotage her love life and is jealous of her, but when Night comes along, she puts him down in front of everyone. That is not a good person. Riiko shouts at Night, “Mika is an important friend to me!” While dismissing him. Meanwhile Mika is not a friend to her at all and is actively trying to sabotage the relationship by hitting on Night relentlessly. Ahh the sheer stupidity that comes out this character!

Even though she buys the robot for 100 million yen, and puts Night to work day and night, she goes around telling everyone “He’s not my boyfriend!” Even though he lives with her and walks around shirtless in her apartment and tells everyone that he’s her boyfriend. Saying “He’s not my boyfriend!” Isn’t going to erase all that evidence. She keeps lying but it’s obvious to everyone around her that she’s lying. Even though she purchasing the bot for 100 million yen she goes around telling everyone that he’s not her boyfriend and they’re not a good match- then who is he? Why did you spend 100 million yen on him and paying his price for the next 70 years, why is he living in your house, and why is he saying that he is your boyfriend? Just for her to deny his existence? Then what did she sign her life away to? So she can keep denying his existence to everyone around her? What a stupid and annoying person she is.

After Riiko was so rude and cruel to Night from the beginning, Mika kisses him and he gets recalibrated to her as his new owner and girlfriend. It’s funny and a good karma for Riiko’a cruelty towards him, so that he can turn away from her and not feel a thing, while she hopefully starts to see the errors of her ways.

It seems like everyone but Riiko likes the AI boyfriend. The scene where Night leaves Riiko for Mika because her fake backstabbing friend wants to one up Riiko at any cost by kissing him, she runs out of food since Night cook all her meals- and she starts talking to her mustard bottle as if she is being cute, it’s so annoying and not cute at all. And when Night starts following Mika around, Riiko starts following Soshi around because she’s desperate for attention. She’s so irritating.

Even when she almost collapses from lack of sleep and Soshi hugs her for the first time, she pushes him away even though she has feelings for him. She then stupidly calls Mika for help who is programmed to destroy any love relationship involving Riiko and inserts herself instead.

Even though Night is so sincere and does so many amazing things and everyone appreciates him for it, Riiko is always putting him down. She’s such a horrible, cruel character.

This story could have been so much better, but first they would need to dump that main actress because she’s so annoying. Even though I like Soshi I don’t like the fact that he’s after her despite the fact that she has such a poor character.

I never thought I would say this but I’m assuming that the Korean version will probably be better this at this point.

An interesting comment from the creator of 01:
“Why do you think Izawa Riiko chose 01 over 02?
His love for her goes beyond his program. That’s what got to her.”

The episodes get more interesting from episode 9 onwards with the pastry competition. Riiko is still doing her denial of people’s kindness and blatantly lying about obvious things, but it’s less frequent. The scenes where Natsumi, Soshi, Riiko, and Night go to the waterpark together was actually really sweet. Natsumi isn’t the typical conniving ex girlfriend, and Soshi is quite sweet and is more laid back, humble, and kind compared to the usual 2nd male leads in J dramas. Everyone around him seems to see his feelings including Night and tell him to tell Riiko about it. But when Soshi does tell Riiko his feelings and Riiko reciprocates, poor Night witnesses the whole thing and feels bad (since he’s developed human feelings now). Poor Night- his entire existence is dedicated to loving Riiko, and now he’s heartbroken. The annoying woman at the bar keeps intruding with her archaic prejudiced beliefs that humans should love other humans only and robots shouldn’t be part of their lives, despite taking full advantage of Night’s helpfulness. She’s an opportunistic character and tries to derail Night and his love and relationship with Riiko. Even when she sees the loving way that Night interacts with her, she scoffs at him sarcastically. With that said, Night is so cute and sweet- he has the perfect face, hair, and body.. like a Japanese surfer dude.

Riiko is so stupid- when Night the robot gets overheated, she says “You have a fever!” What a stupid woman- robots don’t get fevers! Then she puts a wet towel on his forehead- what an idiot! Treating him like a biological body instead of getting him repaired! A wet towel does absolutely nothing for a robot, good grief what a stupid character.

Geez it took till the end of 10 full episodes to convey that Night’s love was real and for Riiko to get it into her mind- the love that moves through something that has no human ego is more pure than a human’s fickle love, attractions, and emotions. Riiko finally admits that he has a pure heart. The only sensible thing that Riiko does is to refuse her Paris trip to save Night and realize his importance and come save him after he saves her so many times. The most sensible thing she tells Soshi when he says he’s just a robot, she says “Even so, I want to be with Night.” Finally she realizes what love really is. His love is the only thing that can surpass a human egoic love.

The only time the show gets good is when Riiko finally acknowledges Night and his love in the very last episode. “Why wasn’t I kinder to him? I would have made much better memories with him.” That was the only sensible line Riiko said throughout the series. It would have saved me a lot of annoyance.

The robot was a much kinder being than any of the humans, but because of the innate prejudice against robots, he didn’t get a chance to be loved. He exited the stage, and for the first time the female lead is handed off to 2nd man in the love triangle. Usually that doesn’t happen.

The title song has these wonderful lyrics:
“I’m back home. In one word, a fulfilled heart. I’m back, sweet home. A place to return to, thanks for your love. I thought that adults who only think of themselves were unfair. But I finally understand there are also people frantically crying out to return home. That kind of natural happiness can’t be found anywhere in this world. I could feel that way for you these feelings arise inside of me. Welcome home. I’m home. Everyday speeds by. Welcome home, sweet home. The scenery that’s always there will never change. Sweet Home.”