Chobits

Author: Clamp

Hideki is a broke prep school student, dreaming of going to college. He's also a lonely virgin who has one wish – to acquire a Persocom, a PERSOnal COMputer in the form of a human being, to surf the internet for porn with. And lo and behold, he finds one – a seemingly malfunctioning one he names Chi. This leads to an incredible series of adventures to discover the truth behind Chi's past, and exactly what kind of persocom Chi is. The story, an adult screwball comedy and mystery, is at once sweet, sexually charged, and incredibly engaging. Chobits, based on a long-running manga series, shows the best of what anime can do when it's given room to take on decidedly adult topics without falling headlong into the morass that is hentei. There's so much beauty to Chobits, from the gorgeous animation style to the lovely sound design, and it instantly brings about some of the central questions of the 21st century – what is technology, does love still exist, and what is our relationship with our devices? Why it's on the list: A powerful, and incredibly thoughtful series that brings the best elements of manga flawlessly to the screen.