#39 Karakuri Odette

Title : Karakuri Odette; Mechanized Puppet Odette

Creator : Suzuki Julietta

Last chapter update : v06

Tags : shoujo, friendship, robot, highschool, romance, innocent, comedy

In a Nutshell

One day, the robot girl Odette, built by the genius robot scientist Professor Yoshikawa, told her creator that she wants to understand human better and wishes to attend high school along with other humans. Her identity is kept secret to the student body, and even though she has some quirks, like her need to recharge her battery, her lack of common sense, or her superhuman strength, her assimilation is effortless. She gained new friends who taught her about emotions, friendships, romance. Her identity as a robot was also found out by the school’s bad boy, Kurose Asao, who she came to depend on whenever she’s in trouble. Through her high school experience, Odette learnt more and more what’s it like to be a human.

Review

Story : I was bummed when i found out it’s only 6 volumes long. The story is easy to read and is always sweet, finished it within a few hours (1, 1.5 hrs). Odette is a robot who has the emotional capacity of a human due to the loving way her creator, the Professor, raised her. When she hangs out with her friends in school or have misadventures with her senior Asao, she’ll learn new kinds of sensations or human concepts like jealousy, sadness, liking someone etc. Then she’ll come home and ask her creator what it means and the Professor will kindly explain. Odette is also prone to willfulness, which causes the Prof troubles, but it’s akin to a father-daughter relationship. I really did enjoy the lightheartedness and comedic tone of the manga, the only thing that ruins it for me is the rushed ending where nothing is resolved. Was it canceled abruptly? I dont get why though because it’s so fun to read (at least for me).

Art : Not as pretty as those typical shoujo. But it’s still simple and clean, and complements the tone of the manga well (funny and sweet).

Setting : Japan. high school.

Character : Odette is the main character, a curious and emotional robot. In fact, she is more similar to a typical high school girl compared to a robot, in terms of emotional depth. She gets sad, jealous, confused, annoyed, angry…And because she’s pure of heart, Odette also treats everyone around her with gentleness and warmth, so she has a few suitors. Her ‘robot’ nature is shown in the way she is completely reckless with her life, throwing her body down a bridge to save something her friend dropped. She’s just sweet. And when she does insensitive things that lack common sense, like inviting herself to a friend’s date event, it’s hard to get mad because she’s so clueless.

The Professor Yoshikawa is Odette’s guardian, and also a robot scientist who is very fond of robots, as exemplified in his relationship with Odette and her ‘cousin’ Chris. Prof would open kiss or hug them, and will take the time to patiently explain the things these robots dont understand. He also usually gives them what they wants, if it’s reasonable. When Odette wanted to go to school, he abides, even if he needs to donate to the school. He also buys clothes for her to cheer her up, and compliments her well when she cooks. Basically, he’s a good caring father figure to Odette and loves her very much.

Then there’s Asao, the sempai who ended up finding Odette’s true nature and then gets dragged reluctantly into Odette’s problems. Odette’s very dependent on Asao actually and will always seek him first any moment she can, coming to his class or cooking for him. Asao is also mad and irritated at how troublesome Odette is, but he never fails to help her. There’s also Odette’s friends Youko, Shirayuju, Yukinami, the cyborg Chris who also struggles to understand Odette…