Anime Inspiration: Chobits

This week’s Anime fashion post is all about Chobits, a comedy/drama anime series created by the Japanese manga collective, Clamp — the same creators of other famous anime like Cardcaptor Sakura, xxxHolic, Angelic Layer, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, and more! Originally broadcast in 2002, Chobits was an early series that explored the relationships between humans and artificial intelligence — while at the same time being adorable and hilarious.

Chobits is known as a classic anime, and it has a huge following in Japan. You can watch the English dubbed promo video here:

Chobits Crash Course

As the video shows, the Chobits story takes place in the future, where personal computers have developed into “Persocoms,” or mobile computers taking humanoid form. Hideki Motosuwa, a prep school student, desperately wants to buy a Persocom but can’t afford it. One day, he finds a female Persocom presumably thrown away in a garbage dump and decides to keep it for himself. When Hideki turns on the Persocom, the only word she speaks is “Chii,” so he names her after the word and slowly teaches her to talk and perform other tasks. 

After some time, it becomes apparent that Chii is more than an average Persocom. With ultra high performance, it seems that Chii might be what’s called a “Chobit,” a type of advanced Persocom rumored to have independent thought. As the series progresses, Hideki and Chii explore the mysteries of Chii’s origins and further question the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence.

Chobits Fashion Inspiration

Chii

Chii is a Persocom who is discovered by Hideki Motosuwa in a garbage dump. At first, she is only able to say “Chii”, thus earning her that name. Later on, her knowledge expands, and she is eventually able to communicate with people. 

Although a bit ditzy for a computer, Chii seems to have connections with Chobits, legendary Persocoms rumored to have independent thought.

Look 1: Chii

Products: Sunglasses, Choker, Shoes, Top, Skirt, Bag, Phone Case

Chii’s character reminds me of a vintage doll, so I channeled that vibe in this look. The centerpiece of the look is this dress and skirt combo in creme and burgundy — a modern take on Chii’s go-to Sunday school dress. Feminine t-bar shoes with a small heel are the perfect complement to the outfit’s girly aesthetic.

To create some contrast, I added an optional edgy heart choker as a statement accessory. The collar of the top already has embellishment, so add this only if you want some extra interest. Lastly, cat-ear accessories reference Chii’s persocom ears. (I may have gone a little overboard because I absolutely love cat accessories — so pick your favorite of the three, or even all of the above, to complete Chii’s look!)

Sumomo

Sumomo is a “mobile persocom,” the persocom equivalent of a smartphone or tablet. At the beginning of the series, Sumomo is used in an attempt to analyze Chii’s data, which ends up completely frying her hard drive, requiring new parts and nearly breaking her. Sumomo is programmed to be cute and tends to be quite hyperactive and nonsensical, for example her morning ‘wakey wakey exercises’.

Look 2: Sumomo

Products: Blazer, Flats, Bustier, Pants, Choker, Phone Case

Sumomo is one of the newest models of Persocoms, so I wanted to imitate that by making her look ultra-trendy. Using pink as a base color, I paired unlike items while also mixing prints and other trends.

A pink floral bustier top (which is actually a swimsuit top — but who says we can’t use it for more?) looks great when paired with unexpected pink joggers and a structured black and white striped blazer. Pointed toe studded flats and a black daisy necklace are cute additions to frame the overall look. For some extra print mixing, I added a contemporary leopard print phone case.

Freya (spoiler alert!)

Freya shares exactly the same appearance as Chii since they are twin sisters. She even has the same futuristic animal ears as Chii. 

Unlike her sister, Freya wears darker clothes, contrasting with Chi, who prefers lighter colors. Freya mostly appears wearing a black vinyl outfit and a matching headdress. Her personality is darker and more distant than her innocent and warm-looking sister. Like Chii, Freya is rumored to be one of the legendary custom-made Chobits. 

Look 3: Freya

Products: Beanie, Earrings, Boots, Dress, Blazer, Socks

Freya’s personality is more mysterious and aloof than Chii’s, so I really wanted to show the contrast between the two twins with their looks. 

Freya is always seen wearing a black vinyl dress with a matching headdress, so I paired a little black dress with a structured blazer to give her look more edge than Chii’s. Knee-high boots look edgy when paired with glow-in-the-dark celestial thigh-high socks. Matching star drop earrings add an extra celestial touch. Freya has the same futuristic animal ears as Chii, so a black cat ear beanie finishes the look.

Also Read: Anime Inspiration: Eureka Seven

Kotoko

Kotoko is another mobile persocom, like Sumomo, but she was custom-built and has even higher specifications. Kotoko is far more serious than Sumomo, and thinks that everyone in Hideki’s household is crazy, especially Sumomo, although she herself occasionally exhibits a sarcastic wit. Kotoko is programmed to always tell the truth, no matter what, even when it works to her owner’s disadvantage.

Look 4: Kotoko

Products: Choker, Earrings, Sandals, Crop Top, Midi Skirt, Kimono Jacket

Because she is the newest model, I wanted to make Kotoko’s look trendy like Sumomo’s while still keeping it neat, feminine, and polished. The contrast in personalities between Kotoko and Sumomo adds a lot of comic relief to the storyline, so their looks should be visually separate.

To complete this, I kept red as the pop of color and paired a clean-cut turtleneck crop top against a white A-line mesh paneled midi skirt. An adorable, yet more understated bow is a classy statement piece, while a longline kimono cardigan references the traditional Japanese clothing aspects of Kotoko’s look. Lastly, these brass bell earrings are just as cute as Kotoko’s bells in her hair, while these white and gold sandals add a final bow detail.

Final Thoughts?

Contrasting with last week’s vicious and desexualized, powerful women in Princess Mononoke, Chobits brings out the doll-like, feminine characters. There is definitely a sharp contrast in the two animations – sorry if you guys got some whiplash! But it just goes to show you that there are so many different themes and genres when it comes to anime. There’s so much to inspiration to be found!

So, what did you think of Chobits? Have you heard of Clamp before? Did you have a favorite (or not-so-favorite) look? Would you like to request a favorite anime? Please let me know with a comment below!