Zettai Kareshi.
Absolute Boyfriend

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I have been a Fushigi Yuugi otaku since the past 9 years now, so when I finally got around to checking out Watase's other works, Zettai obviously stood out for its more swoony description and the unbeatable bishi artwork. You'll be hard pressed to find a dreamier android boytoy than Night Tenjou! Or a more thoughtful one. Though that's not all Zettai boasts of...

You obviously know that a girl unwittingly orders herself an android-like boyfriend online, but what arrives is nothing robotic or even human. Superhuman maybe! He's charming and makes her weak in the knees but obviously, just when a couple has found happiness, ... the boy next door (literally) has to suddenly confess his undying love for the heroine. Grr. Trials and tribulations ensue, though not all of them are of the hackneyed kind. Some situations like sticking together in a couple's spa despite running naked and protecting your boyfriend's chastity by climbing up a balcony are pretty darn novel! It's not something you stop crying for even after the fifth or sixth read and that's really saying something about a 6 volume manga!

Art wise, I see similarities in how Night and Tamahome and other Watase bishies are drawn, it's almost identical, but I guess dashing knights in shining armors always end up looking equally swoon-worthy! The few action sequences, combat or otherwise are done masterfully, with each character's motion and style being unique. Riico is drawn well enough but what really stands out in this manga is her and everyone else's chibi expressions! Really, the range of facials these SD characters are capable of puts us lowly humans to shame! Each page is littered with plenty of them, and you can especially look forward to Gaku being his eccentric self, chibi and otherwise with plenty of smart ass dialogues and odd angles to his eyebrows which induce the giggles only too easily.

Each character is thoroughly invested in, they aren't just cardboard cut outs of ideal boy, naive love starved ingénue, and infatuated boy next door.
I adored how Night was portrayed as this naive but besotted lover figure that is hopelessly devoted to making Riiko happy and is still learning the ropes... Though maybe he goes a bit far sometimes like when he asks Soshi if he knows what Riico's sensitive spots are! However, his quixotic view of his undying feelings for Riico despite his physical limitations fully exonerates him of any slights he may have made along the way. Little things he does like remake a broken bracelet and offer his own services to help make money which he's not supposedly programmed to do, make him an endearing character.
I'm not a huge Soshi fan, so I can't appreciate him as well, but the fellow had his moments. He was always coming to Riico's rescue when he could, and was forever on the lookout for semi-vulnerable moments where he'd entrance Riico with his personal understated charm. He was depicted realistically, as being shy and hiding his feelings at first with incessant teasing but only realizing their true depth when his position as No.1 Comforter was threatened.
Of course Riico is the lead in so many ways. Though she appears to simply be looking for a (read any living, breathing, capable of physical intimacy) boyfriend, she shows a lot of moral restraint throughout the story as well as moments of unprecedented maturity and personal sacrifice whenever Night's safety is in question. Sure she's clumsy and mediocre and prone to jealousy and insecurity, but really, which 16 year old isn't? She's just a character we're supposed to relate to, so it's expected of her to have tangible flaws.

Secondary characters lend the most flair to this manga, and Gaku tops that list hands down! His cheeky delivery of in-your-face dialogues along with outrageously lurid suggestions regarding Riico’s virginity makes him a most likeable candidate for comedic relief. Then there's Riico's new friend who brings her own back story into the plot. Clever little side characters like Riico and Soshi's boss at the restaurant assure you that the manga is not taking your sense of humor for granted and surely wants to titillate your palette right through the end.

Hmm, most importantly of course, being that it's shoujo, there are plenty and I mean PLENTY of those almost intimate moments that make your heart scream ba thump ba thump. There's enough fan service courtesy Night to keep you up at night cursing Riico's great fortune and drooling at his physique at the same time. And there are also some heart wrenching scenes with both Night and Soshi to make you lose your train of though for just an instant and simply stare into the character's (magnificently drawn) faces!

I think you should definitely give this a read. The plotline becomes less trite and predictable after the first three chapters, and you're sucked into this beautiful realm where the only ideal in a bishie's existence is to be the best boyfriend possible at all costs! Personally I feel the ending is a little abrupt and unfinished somehow, but not something that makes you regret reading Zettai. If Watase were to come out with a sequel or related work even after some years, I know I would be an instant fan.

While shorter than Fushigi Yuugi, Zettai Kareshi invokes the same passionate responses in readers that FY possibly did. You fall in love with characters and their weaknesses and strengths, you cheer for a couple to stay together and feel oddly anxious when they face obstacles (So much so that you want to jump into the panel and rip apart the occasional villains and just force Night on Riico!). I think Yuu Watase is very skilled at making you really become a part of her fascinating world like this. You want to vicariously live Riico's life here and once you start the manga, I'm pretty sure you won't have the control to put it down without devouring it whole!

If you liked Chobits, this is like that only with the male and female roles flip-flopped.

The story, while certainly not original, is still captivating with a few small unique aspects that make it stand out from other stories like it. You really feel emotions for the characters, especially Night. I found myself constantly squealing over his charming and naive personality. And of course, it's authored by the wonderful Yuu Watase. You can't go wrong!

Absolute Boyfriend (Zettai Kareshi) is a manga series by Yuu Watase.
Riiko Izawa has never had a boyfriend and she has been rejected by every boy she has ever had a crush on. Until one day she meets gaku a strange salesmen who gives her his company card. later riiko returnes home and looks at the company wedsite. their showing up "nightly lover" series a "figure" which will be her boyfriend if she orders him. She does and he comes to her in a box when she opens it he falls out naked. a kiss boots him up he wakes up and say's "hello ... my girlfriend". the story then takes off and you meet riiko's childhood friend soshi who is suspecious of night (the figure riiko ordered) Things get complex when soshi admittes his love for riiko and tries to make her choose between him or night. So almost throughout the entire series ur left worndering who she'll end up with. but u find out almost near the end but things don't end up so happy ever after.

I'm a huge Yuu Watase fan, but her latest story didn't capture my attention as some of her other works. Her art as always is gorgeous and I could totally relate to Reiko, moreso than any of her other heroines. But after the first two volumes, the story got kinda...old. It just started to drag on. I guess because I always like the guy the heroine doesn't choose (except in FY and A19), but I've enjoyed her other series despite my disappointment ; D. For a fun and cute summer read, I would definetly recommend and anyone who is a Watase fan will enjoy, but ... it's not one of her better works.

First easy question: Have you ever read Shounjo manga? If the answer is yes then it was probably better then Absolute boyfriend. Why? Because apart from creating robo-boyfriend there isn’t one interesting and creative idea.

Our heroine is of course beautiful, but nobody notice it until she have her robogay. Then all thous not-brave-enough or she-is-so-beautiful-why-I-didn’t-notice-it-earlier tray to… well I’m pretty sure you can imagine all the story until the happy end, including tons of bishounjo trying to destroy this fabulous couple.

You don’t agree with me? Well tray to read something like: Skip beat, Angel sanctuary, Paradise kiss, Chobits (haven’t read but it’s hard to ... make something worse then A.B.) – there are robo-girl in it. If after that you still thinks that A.B. is good then you can be call a fan, until you done it you are only casual reader who don’t know what is rely good and was amazed by your first manga.

Absolute boyfriend is in theory like Chobits but with the roles reversed. However, unlike Chob\its or Hand Maid May which were pure joyous ecchi (for the most part) Absolute boyfriend has a sad ending. Up to that point this is an entertaining, funny, steamy, bodice-ripper of a manga. There. Don't say I didn't warn you if you're looking for redemption.

Story: Girl is desperate for a boyfriend. Girl finds mysterious way to order boyfriend on the internet. Inexplicably, everyone around her suddenly finds her utterly irresistable and are pissed that she now has a mail-order boyfriend. Rest ... of story finds her torn between the different men.

The story is more soap opera than anything else, and the high-school drama gets a little overwhelming at times. On the other hand, the author has a bad habit of pulling sci-fi plot twists without a lot of logic behind them which can get particularly frustrating.

Art: Fine. Nice art, good proportions. Pretty boys, generic girl.

Characters: Not overly-developed, but they fit the purpose. One definitely gets attached to them as time goes on.

Enjoyment: Pretty good....until the end.

Overall: Short series, entertaining and fun, but heartbreaking. Bring tissues.

Absolute Boyfriend is a really good manga But go see the show is good but it have real people is funny the real thing but good this manga is about love How love can became strong with a friends and Yes because u now someone it don’t mean nothing yes be strong for your self on this world your only friend is your self sometime is not but sometime is howlife is. Well if u wish to see a good manga or see the show go see this one u will cry your heat out for this manga or show

As it's been said before, Zettai Kareshi, or Absolute Boyfriend, is a tale of the main character falling in love with an android. Though it may seem strange, as you continue to read, you grow to love the characters as they are all original and unique in their own way. (I, personally, am in love with Soshi).
Fantastic art (Yuu Watase is the author of Fushigi Yugi and "Ceres") and amazing choice of panels and story layout - though some bits grow very far-fetched - as it includes humorous and beautifully crafted scenes for all to see!
Perfect ending, in my opinion. The story, overall, makes the ... reader emotional and utterly interested, pleasing the eyes with pleasurable pictures (for girls at least... though you catch a few naked women at times) so it really is almost perfect.
The only downside is that is that I find the character, Night, very... off-putting. That's all.

Riiko Izawa was a certified queen of unrequited love. She was turned down by every male she liked. She never had a boyfriend until one day, everything changed after she encountered a weird salesman named Gaku Namikiri. He handed her a website wherein you can buy a "lover" after Riiko said she wanted a boyfriend. Heart-broken by the last guy who turned her down, she tried to visit the site and to her surprise, it was true! And lucky for her, there was a three day trial of the Nightly 01 series. Without thinking, she input the characters/traits that she wanted for a boyfriend. Right-away ... next morning, it was delivered to her. A beautiful guy naked in front of her. She initiated the start-up of the Nightly 01 by a kiss. And there it was, moving, talking just like a human! And from that moment, she had a boyfriend! It was named Tenjou Night. But Night is very different. Although he was a robot, he showed Riiko honesty and he never forgets Riiko when the other woman steal him away from Riiko (when Night was kissed by other women, he will recognized them as the lover since there was a censor inside the mouth). Gaku was surprised to know this because the moment it was kissed by another, he will forget about the previous "master" but Night didn't.

I felt a little angry at Riiko when she got confused between Night and her childhood friend Soushi. And also to Soushi. Why did he confessed this late when Riiko finally got a boyfriend? He has a lot of time to do that! But I really feel happy when Riiko chooses Night after she realized that Night, eventhough a figure, would do everything just to be with her. He even came back to her by himself after the company collected him to replace by another when he was severely damaged after a fight with another figure. Eventhough he was not repaired totally.

The ending almost made me cry. Because even at the end, Night always thought of Riiko's welfare. And I think Riiko, after that, didn't think of him as a figure. He was the first man who loved her at the very end..

So far, this is my favorite manga. Because of the story. ^_^

excellent story.
a complex love story, with interesting characters, that grow through the chapters. it's about true love, and how we understand it

just an amazing work by Yuu Watase.

I quickly fell in love with this manga, so much that I sat in my room and read the entire series straight through the same night I started.
I was a Soushi fan, but I loved Night too.
The characters were developed really well, the story was good, and the art was amazing.
I found very few flaws as I read through it and I enjoyed it so much.
It was a good welcoming back into the manga world.
I would definitely recommend this to everyone, because I absolutely loved it!

If you're looking for a romance story, I suggest this Absolute Boyfriend (Zettai Kareshi). It's a very dramatic love story, you're emotions will go wild, but it's very good I promise.

It's very cute at the beginning, and as you learn about the characters and their relationships, it gets very dramatic. It keeps you wanting more. It's very hard not to fall in love with the characters, or get emotional with the storyline. Just a note; Have some tissues by you when you're on the last volume.

Absolute Boyfriend.... where do i start.... well i can start by saying that it is AMAZING! The story line is soooo good, all the characters seemed to me by the end of the story that they were actually real! The art was amazing! you can get lost in the all the story,charcters,art, and drama!! It is amazing! i suggest everyone to read it!

Zettai Kareshi or Absolute Boyfriend is ranked one of my top five mangas to read. The story line is fresh and it make the reader wonder on the boundaries of love and just how far you can take it. Since Night is so human like and shows emotions and personality as such it is hard to remember he is an android. This is great for the story since it really pulls the reader into the book. The series is so sweet and I love all the character. Each character balances out the next. I do wish that the character Gaku Namikiri showed up in the ... manga just a bit more, but his presence was used enough for the story plot. Night’s character was just perfect. It was easy to imagine someone in his place acting so childlike but remain loving and romantic.

the characters are awesome.... and the story is a little unique (only few stories i know have that kinda relationships)....

Story: like i said a little unique only chobits, And the cell phone girl (forgot the manga name) are the stories that start in finding a package of cuteness in some area...

Art: it's fair enough, it's good and not bad..

Character: the love triangle is wonderful, you don't really know in the start who will love who....

Enjoyment: Well it's really cool on how the story progress and the Love triangle of a male, female, and a male like doll....

So basically, this addictive old skool shoujo read provided a sudden shock ending here. I literally was not expecting that it was gonna turn out that way tbh! Well guess y'all have to find out what happened;)

Anyways I soul heartedly agree that the MC was dense enough to the fact that she was clumsy and didn't seem to want the robot doll of a teen chad in the first place. However she grew midway when she stood up for herself.

Gaku and Soushi were actually the best characters in this series. Gaku is like the type of a funny sidekick that you'd like to ... adventure with. Whereas Soushi on the other hand, is that smart guy who isn't a fool at all and was always the perfect match for Riiko in the first place! I kinda liked Riiko with Night but much prefer her to be with Soushi lol.

Folks this is a cute and funny read , you gotta check it out!

Absolute Boyfriend is, more than anything else, very cute. And that's really about all it is. There's not much by way of deep character development, messages about the meaning of life, or heartwrenching plot twists (except that one). It's cute. And it does cute very well.

>Story-------------8

The story isn't very complex. The heroine has bad luck with guys, and after her latest rejection, she meets a mysterious salesman and accidentally orders a sexbot online. Cue love triangle, funny misunderstandings, and lots of fan service. It's nothing astounding, but Yuu Watase (goddess that she is) brings that certain element ... to the table that makes it very charming and loveable. I got lots of giggles out of it, particularly in the beginning. The ending felt a little forced and sudden to me, but given the lack of substance in the rest of the story, it didn't particularly bother me.

>Art----------------10

Nothing to complain about. If you've read Fushigi Yuugi or Ayashi no Ceres (if you haven't, they're a must for all shoujo lovers), imagine a slightly more modern version of that. It's a little hard for me to comment on the art because her style is sort of the "default" in my mind, since Fushigi Yuugi is one of the first manga I ever read.

>Characters------7

None of the characters have very deep backstories or significant development through the series. Personally, I prefer my protagonists with a little more depth, a little more tragedy, but the main cast is still managed to work their way into my heart with their loveable personalities.

>Enjoyment------9

I'd read part of this series years ago while it was being published in Shojo Beat, so I knew what I was getting into and enjoyed the story for what it was. If you're looking for something epic, this isn't it. But if you're just looking for a cute story with plenty of funny moments and cute guys, it'll probably be right up your alley.

Bascially, this is the male version of the movie Her. It was long for me to read and a bit odd, especially because I was in middle school. But when you read the first chapter, the curiosity of what comes next might poke at you a little bit, so you might want to consider watching this if you're into those type of anime that are cute, but sort of make you think a bit about the "what if's" of life.

This boyfriend-in-a-box situation is more like something I'd expect from a shounen manga, only in that case it would be a girlfriend-in-a-box and an ecchi tag. I was expecting this to have some more indecently funny moments than it actually did have (considering the delivery came unclothed!), but most of the comedy had to do with a figure trying to act as human as possible and become the best lover for the main character, Riiko.

This isn't just about falling in love with a robot, though. There is another man in Riiko's life who aims for her attention as well, a childhood friend and next door ... neighbor named Soushi. So if you were thinking, sigh, this is just some cheesy romance involving a human and a robot, it isn't just that. This love triangle takes up the latter half of the manga and delves into what love is for a high schooler. There's that pressure to be someone worth wanting and the struggle to find someone who could possibly want that mess that's you. That being said, is it easiest to find acceptance and love from a robot that was made to love you?

Aside from the serious romantic moments were the comedic ones that sometimes got me to smile but rarely made me laugh out loud. I found the humor to be a little bit too silly and more suited for younger audiences. A robot acting strange in new surroundings can only be so funny. Perhaps it just wasn't my cup of tea.

I can't say that the characters are any more different from normal shoujo ones. That robot boyfriend is, of course, perfect in every way except that he's human. That flawlessness is typical of many romantic interests in shoujo manga regardless of whether they're human or not. The heroine is a little bit of a headstrong girl confused in the issues of love... what's new? The other romantic interest of course, will do anything to gain the heroine's affections but will respect her own choice. It's all quite predictable, isn't it?

Absolute Boyfriend is more than ten years old, so the art is certainly aged. I'm not such a fan of the heroine and others having such large round faces and small eyes, but it's consistent. I could see how some people could be considered handsome, but their round faces do take their ages down a notch. Otherwise the artwork is pretty all right; it isn't too shabby or hard to look at and is sufficient.

I think this manga would have been more entertaining to me if I were younger, though the brief mentions of sex would have made me uncomfortable. That's what I find a little strange about this manga; there wasn't enough of that particular topic for it to be rated mature (but almost) and the humor was young and light, so it was a little dissonant. However, this manga was a little bit amusing, I'll give it that.

I found this to an incredibly cute story, amazing characters, and some not so original character profiles. However this proved to be a page-turner and has the ability to make girls flash a slight smile as they're reading it.

However the ending was completely unsatisfying.