Absolute Boyfriend

Absolute Boyfriend
Cover of the first volume of the original Japanese release of Absolute Boyfriend
絶対彼氏。 (Zettai Kareshi)
Genre	Romantic comedy, Science fiction, Tragedy
Manga
Written by	Yuu Watase
Published by	Shogakukan
English publisher	Chuang Yi Viz Media Madman Entertainment
Demographic	Shōjo
Magazine	Shōjo Comic
Original run	March 25, 2003 – February 25, 2005
Volumes	6
TV drama
Network	Fuji TV
Original run	April 15, 2008 – June 24, 2008
Episodes	11
Anime and Manga Portal

Absolute Boyfriend (絶対彼氏。, Zettai Kareshi.^?) is a six volume manga series by Yuu Watase, first serialized in Shōjo Comic. Chuang Yi licensed it for an English language release in Singapore, with the first volume released in March 2005. Viz Media licensed the series for an English release in North America, serializing the series in its Shojo Beat manga anthology as well as releasing the volumes.

The manga series was adapted into an eleven episode live-action drama series. It has been confirmed in October 2010 that a Taiwanese version will be filmed. A South Korean drama adaptation will premiere in 2012.^[1]

Contents 1 Plot 2 Characters 3 Media 3.1 Manga 3.2 Volume list 3.3 Drama CD 3.4 Live-action television series 3.4.1 Japanese adaptation 3.4.2 Taiwanese adaptation 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External links

Plot

Riiko Izawa has never had a boyfriend and she has been rejected by every boy she has ever had a crush on. When she returns a lost cell phone to an oddly dressed salesman, she mentions wanting a boyfriend. To thank her, he directs her to his company's website, Kronos Heaven. When she visits the site, Riiko finds it's a site to create your perfect lover. Thinking it's a game, she customizes and accidentally orders one. The next day, her new lover arrives. Following the instruction manual, she kisses him to wake him up and configures him to be in love with only her. She names him "Night." Three days later, she is shocked to learn that she only had him for a free trial for 72 hours. The salesman, Gaku Namikiri, tells her that she must now pay 100,000,000 yen for Night, however, they will waive the fee if she helps them to collect data about how women think and feel to help perfect future models.

Riiko must now keep Night's true nature a secret from everyone around her. She also soon finds herself in a love triangle between Night and her childhood friend Soshi, who declares his love for her out of fear he will lose her. As the series progresses, Night begins to develop real human emotions, enabling him to truly love Riiko but also resulting in system malfunctions. When Riiko almost loses Night due to the malfunctions, she realizes that he is the one she really loves. She apologizes to Soshi, who moves to Spain with his brother to live with their dad. Night and Riiko spend a few happy weeks together, during which they go on dates, get their picture taken together, and purchase matching rings as symbols of their undying love.

As the series ends, Night begins to grow sleepier and sleepier. The problems developed by him exceeding his abilities eventually causes his machinery to stop working, resulting in his "death". Before he died, he wrote a letter directed to Soshi telling him what was happening and asking him to take care of Riiko. He also sends his ring, which Riiko noticed he has not been wearing immediately prior to his death. In the letter he tells Riiko that she doesn't have to cry for him any more. Riiko then smiles through her tears and forever treasures the ring, picture and her memories of Night - her first love, and eternal boyfriend.

Characters

• Riiko Izawa (井沢 リイコ, Izawa Riiko^?)

Played by: Saki Aibu (drama) / Ku Hye Sun (Taiwanese drama)

Riiko is a young, flat-chested (according to Soushi, 28-A cup) 16 year old girl who has bad luck with boys. When she helps a strange salesman named Gaku Namikiri, she ends up ordering a cybernetic boyfriend. Though initially shy around her new boyfriend, Riiko begins to fall in love with him, while also finding herself struggling with her new admirer, Soushi Asamoto. Riiko is rather naïve, clumsy, and simple-minded, but kindhearted, hardworking, and serious.

Riiko doesn't want to admit she is in love with Night and constantly reminds herself that he is just a figure (a doll). This however, isn't completely true, because she gets jealous, even angry, when he flirts with other girls for "data".

• Night Tenjo (天城ナイト, Tenjō Naito^?)

Played by: Mokomichi Hayami (drama) / Jiro Wang (Taiwanese drama)

Nightly01(Night) is a cybernetic doll custom ordered by Riiko. As such, he is the "perfect boyfriend": charming, dependable, intelligent, athletic, good-looking, sensitive, and completely devoted. At first he is perfect for Riiko because it is in his programming, however as the series progresses, Night develops true emotions and a genuine love for her and has his own will. He is 6' tall as shown on the back of the first volume of the English version.

Being designed to fulfill intimate relations for a woman, Night is constantly seen taking off his clothes offering to have sex with Riiko, to which she steadfastly declines. He also often tries to kiss Riiko, which makes her uncomfortable/embarrassed, and is always interrupted by a third party, much to Riiko's relief.

Night's Ring

Functions similarly to a mood ring, with one difference: it reads the moods of people around Night. This helps him collect data about interacting with them.

What the different colors mean: Red-Happy, Pink-Pleasure, Black-Sad, Blue-Angry. White is for Neutral. Blue-Jealous.

• Soushi Asamoto (浅元ソウシ, Asamoto Soushi^?)

Played by: Hiro Mizushima (drama)

Soushi is Riiko's childhood friend. He lives alone with his brother because his father is a travel photographer. He watches over Riiko and takes care of her while her parents work far away. At first he just treats her as a very good friend. However, as the story progresses, Soushi realizes that he has stronger feelings for Riiko. He discovers he loves her and confesses this to her.

• Masaki Asamoto

Soushi's little brother. Usually only shown to add comic relief. But He looks as if he is about 13 or 14.

• Ishizeki

A boy Riiko asks out at the bus stop. Apologizing, he informs her that he is interested in another girl. He and a couple friends confront Riiko and Night at school, after finding out they are 'dating', and calls Riiko a slut. Night doesn't like this, so he beats up Ishizeki's friends and tells him to never mess with him or Riiko again.

• Mika Itou

A frenemy, and classmate, of Riiko's. She offers support and reassurance when Riiko feels miserable after being rejected by Ishizeki. However, later on, it is shown that she is the reason why boys always reject Riiko after she asks them out.She's been spreading rumors around school that Riiko is slutty and goes out with boys for their money. Mika went out with Ishizeki just so Riiko couldn't. After dumping him, she states she is only interested in things that belong to other people. Mika later on sets Night's violent fanclub on Riiko and tries to make the model date her instead, and even break them up. In the end, her scheme backfires and she stops being friends with Riiko. In the drama, however, Mika and Riiko maintain their friendship, and Mika helps protect Night's secret.

• Miyabi

Warns Riiko to watch out for Mika. One day, as she is passing Riiko in the hall, she accidentally drops her transaction book. Riiko picks it up, telling Miyabi she dropped it, then freaks out when she see's it has 10 million yen written in it. Miyabi tells her she deals in stock trading, and then helps Riiko find a job at a vietnamese restaurant. Miyabi at one stage 'borrows' Night when he is in his miniature form.

• Gaku Namikiri (ガク·ナミキリ, Gaku Namikiri^?)

Played by: Kuranosuke Sasaki (drama)

Gaku is a salesman for Kronos Heaven, a company specializing in making highly realistic robots, or "figures." Though usually businesslike and down-to-earth, Gaku is sometimes mistaken for a cosplayer because of his odd manner of dress. When Riiko cannot return Night nor pay the bill for him, Gaku allows her to keep him so Night can collect data on how to become a better lover for use in future models. Whenever there is a problem with Night, Gaku is the one to fix him. He tends to use Spanish words in conversations, at least in the English version of the manga.

Gaku keeps close tabs on the progress in the relationship between Riiko and Night, and often appears randomly out of nowhere, ie. Riiko's closet, mostly for comic relief.

• Toshiki Murakami

Riiko's first crush. He runs into Riiko and Night before they get on the Ferris Wheel, and hands Riiko an ice pack because she twisted her ankle. His brother, Yuki, feels sick, and as repayment for helping Riiko, Night takes Yuki to the restroom. Toshiki kisses Riiko when they are alone in the Ferris Wheel together, after admitting she was his crush in elementary school. After The kiss in the Ferris Wheel, he appears at the hotel Riiko and Night decided to stay at, invites her to his room, knocks her out, and then says he had fun with her that night. Next he appears at her school and claims they are now lovers (which isn't true, he never slept with her at the hotel).

He turns out to not be the real Toshiki, but an imposter. His real name is Toshiki Shirasaki and he is the Nightly 02 series. He is sent to seduce Riiko because Night failed to sleep with her. He carries a high resemblance to Night in facial features, body structure, and even wears the same jewelry, although he is much stronger and has better reflexes than him.

After a confrontation with Night in Riiko's apartment, in which Night rips off his arm, Toshiki is shut down by Yuki and taken away for testing and reprogramming. Later, he becomes the boyfriend of a wealthy girl and establishes a friendship with Riiko and Night.

• Yuki Shirisaki

The pretended brother of Toshiki. Knocks Night out when he whispers a code into his ear at the hotel.

In reality he is the boss of Gaku, and sends out his Nightly 02 model to seduce, and have sex with, Riiko. He wants to see if it is a better model than the Nightly 01 series, and states that whichever model successfully sleeps with Riiko is going to be a finished product, and the one that fails will be disposed of.

Media

Manga

Written by Yuu Watase, Absolute Boyfriend premiered in Japan in the March 2003 issue of Shōjo Comic. It appeared monthly until the thirty-fifth and final chapter was published in the February 2005 issue. The chapters were published in six collected volumes by Shogakukan with the first volume released on October 25, 2003 and the final volume released on February 25, 2005.^[2]

Absolute Boyfriend is licensed for both English and Chinese releases in Singapore by Chuang Yi, which has released all six volumes of the series.^[3][4] Madman Entertainment subsequently imported and republished the Chuang Yi English translated volumes in Australia from May 17, 2006 through October 11, 2006.^[5][6] In North America, the series was licensed for an English translated release by Viz Media. It was one of the first six manga series Viz included in the June 2005 premiere issue of the company's new manga anthology Shojo Beat.^[7] It continued to be serialized in Shojo Beat until it reached its conclusion with in the March 2008 issue.^[8] Viz simultaneously released the six collected volumes of the series, with the first volume released February 7, 2006 and the final volume released on May 6, 2008.

The series is also licensed for regional language releases in Germany by Egmont Manga & Anime, in France by Kana, and in Brazil by Conrad.

Volume list

No.	Japanese[2]		Singapore (English)
	Release date	ISBN	Release date	ISBN
1	October 25, 2003	ISBN 4091384617	March 2005	ISBN 981-260-381-6
The Lover Shop Three-Day Boyfriend The Purchase The Million-Dollar Man Dinner Let's Go To School! Australian release May 17, 2006 - ISBN 978-981-4204-28-6[9] North American release February 6, 2006 - ISBN 1-4215-0016-7[10]
2	January 26, 2004	ISBN 4091384625	—	ISBN 981-260-411-1
School Trip Friends Thank You The Girl You Love The Kiss Ex-Girlfriend Australian release June 21, 2006 - ISBN 978-981-4204-29-3[11] North American release August 1, 2006 - ISBN 1-4215-0568-1[12]
3	April 26, 2004	ISBN 4091384633	—	ISBN 981-260-454-5
Return Sex The Use Of Force Stay With Me My RealFeelings Unforgivable Australian release July 26, 2006 - ISBN 978-981-4204-67-5[13] North American release February 6, 2007 - ISBN 1-4215-1003-0-7[14]
4	June 26, 2004	ISBN 4091384641	—	ISBN 981-260-454-5
First Crush A Big Problem Secret The New Model Maintenance Open Your Eyes Australian release August 16, 2006 - ISBN 978-981-4204-68-2[15] North American release February 7, 2007 - ISBN 1-4215-1004-9[16]
5	October 26, 2004	ISBN 409138465X	—	ISBN 981-260-551-7
The Tiny Boyfriend Both My Love For You A Nurse Job I'm Sorry The War Over The Girlfriend Australian release September 6, 2006 - ISBN 978-981-269-090-6[17] North American release February 5, 2008 - ISBN 1-4215-1535-0[18]
6	February 25, 2005	ISBN 4091384668	—	ISBN 981-260-654-8
Kind Lies Someday The Final Act: Eternal Boyfriend Extra Stories: I Won't Let You Be A Star!, Aromatic Australian release October 11, 2006 - ISBN 978-981-269-091-3[19] North American release March 6, 2008 - ISBN 1-4215-1562-8[20]

Drama CD

A drama CD based on this manga was released under the title Zettai Kareshi - Figure Darling in Japan by Marine Entertainment on August 25, 2004.^[21]

Live-action television series

Japanese adaptation

A live-action adaptation of the manga began airing on Fuji TV on April 15, 2008 and ran for eleven episodes until its conclusion on June 24, 2008. In the live-action version, Riiko Izawa is an office lady in search of a boyfriend, and she ends up in possession of a "robot" known as Night Tenjo, who is programmed to be the perfect boyfriend. However, this creates a love triangle with a distinguished young man at her company who also has feelings for her. Riiko is played by Saki Aibu, Night is played by Mokomichi Hayami, and Soshi Asamoto is played by Hiro Mizushima.^[22]

On March 24, 2009, a special episode of this series was released and featured 3 years after the last episode of the series, whereas Riiko had become a patissier and is engaged to Soshi Asamoto; and Night was suddenly revived by a Kronos Heaven employee, who wanted to use his individual ego to her own gain.

Taiwanese adaptation

It was announced at a press conference 5 October 2010 that a live-action adaptation of Absolute Boyfriend will be filmed.^[23] It stars Taiwanese actor Wu Chun of Fahrenheit as "Night" and Korean actress Ku Hye Sun "Riiko".^[24] On 3 May 2011, Jiro Wang, also of Fahrenheit, was reported to have replaced Wu Chun as the male lead.^[25]

References

Further reading

• Paul, Quita. "Absolute Boyfriend v1". Manga Life. Archived from the original on August 11, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070811073058/http://www.mangalife.com/reviews/AbsoluteBoyfriendv1.htm. 
• Aronson, Michael. "Absolute Boyfriend v4". Manga Life. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071012100900/http://www.mangalife.com/reviews/AbsoluteBoyfriendv4.htm. 

External links

• Official Fuji TV live-action drama website (Japanese)
• Official Shojo Beat manga website
• Official Viz Media manga website
• Absolute Boyfriend (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia