View source for A.I. Love You

{{Short description|Japanese manga series}}
{{About|the 1994 manga|the 2022 film|AI Love You (2022 film){{!}}''AI Love You'' (2022 film)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| image           = Ai ga tomaranai cover1.jpg
| caption         = Cover of the first {{Transliteration|ja|[[tankōbon]]}} volume
| ja_kanji        = A・Iが止まらない!
| ja_romaji       = A.I. ga Tomaranai!
| genre           = <!-- Note: Use and cite reliable sources to identify genre/s, not personal interpretation. Please don't include more than three genres (per [[MOS:A&M]]). -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = manga
| author          = [[Ken Akamatsu]]
| publisher       = [[Kodansha]]
| publisher_en    = {{English manga publisher
   | NA = [[Tokyopop]]
}}
| magazine        = [[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]
| first           = 1994
| last            = 1997{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}<!-- Do not remove unless both dates are referenced. -->
| volumes         = 9
| volume_list     = List of A.I. Love You chapters
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer|portal=yes}}

{{Nihongo|'''''A.I. Love You'''''|A・I が止まらない!|A.I. ga Tomaranai!|lead=yes}} is a Japanese [[manga]] series written and illustrated by [[Ken Akamatsu]]. The story follows Hitoshi Kōbe, a high school boy who is not good at anything but [[Computer programming|programming]]. He creates a program in particular named ''Program 30'' which is that of a female, and is shocked when she comes to life in the real world due to a lightning storm. Hitoshi names her ''Saati'' and teaches her about the real world, while she instructs him on how to properly have a girlfriend. Things get more complex however when two more of Hitoshi's programs come to life, and a hacker goes after Saati's program. ''A.I. Love You'' was first serialized through ''[[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]'' in 1994, but later moved to ''[[Magazine Special]]'' where it ended in 1997. The series was collected into nine manga volumes that [[Kodansha]] also released between 1994 and 1997. Two re-releases followed; however, each time a volume was deducted.

In 2003, [[Tokyopop]] acquired the license to release the series in North America. The story's title was changed but Tokyopop tried to keep a pun that had been used in the original Japanese title. Eight English language manga volumes were released between February 3, 2004, and April 12, 2005. The volumes were printed until 2009 when Tokyopop announced that the series would go out of print. The English adaptation was well received, and although reviewers pointed out that Akamatsu's artwork was not at the professional level yet, they praised the story and characters.

==Plot==
{{Main|List of A.I. Love You characters{{!}}List of ''A.I. Love You'' characters}}
{{More plot|date=April 2016}}

The story centeres on Hitoshi Kōbe, an average first-year in high school who fails miserably in academic, athletic and social situations.

Hitoshi has only one thing going for him: his ability to program computers. In fact, he is so good at this he has created programs that can rewrite themselves: [[Artificial intelligence]], in other words. So far he has created thirty of these programs, and the latest—which he names ''Saati'' (the Japanese pronunciation of the English word "thirty")—is so advanced that it can converse just like a real girl.

However, there is still the barrier of Hitoshi being in the physical world and Saati being a program, until one day a freak [[lightning]] strike materializes her into the real world, where she becomes Hitoshi's girlfriend. The series then follows their now not so ordinary lives, as well as other A.I.s of Hitoshi's creation as they attempt to keep Saati's secret while she adapts to the lifestyle of humans.

==Release==
{{Main|List of A.I. Love You chapters{{!}}List of ''A.I. Love You'' chapters}}

''A.I. Love You'' was serialized through [[manga magazine]] ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' in 1994 starting in the 18th issue, and going until Issue 40.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}} Publisher [[Kodansha]] then switched the manga to ''Magazine Special'' where the series ended in 1997.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}} The chapters were collected into nine {{Transliteration|ja|[[tankōbon]]}} volumes between September 16, 1994, and October 17, 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111217025024/http://www.bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=3120562|archivedate=December 17, 2011|url=http://www.bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=3120562|script-title=ja:Ａ・Ｉが止まらない！（１）|work=講談社BOOK倶楽部|publisher=[[Kodansha]]|language=Japanese|accessdate=April 4, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111217025156/http://www.bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=3124703|archivedate=December 17, 2011|url=http://www.bookclub.kodansha.co.jp/bc2_bc/search_view.jsp?b=3124703|script-title=ja:Ａ・Ｉが止まらない！（９）|work=講談社BOOK倶楽部|publisher=Kodansha|language=Japanese|accessdate=April 4, 2016}}</ref> The series was subsequently re-released by Kodansha through KC Deluxe from November, 1999 to June, 2000 this time though with eight volumes. The final re-release took place between November 17, 2004, and June 17, 2005, again by Kodansha, but with seven volumes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/title?code=1000000990|title=『Ａ・Ｉが止まらない！』既刊一覧|publisher=Kodansha|accessdate=April 4, 2016}}</ref>

In June 2003, ''A.I. Love You'' showed up on Tokyopop's website but was removed shortly after. Tokyopop announced a month later though at [[Anime Expo|Anime Expo 2003]] that it had officially licensed the series for an English language release in North America.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2003-06-24/eight-new-manga-titles-from-tokyopop|title=Eight new manga titles from TOKYOPOP|publisher=Anime News Network|date=June 24, 2003|accessdate=April 3, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2003/anime-expo/5|title=TOKYOPOP Anime Expo 2003|publisher=Anime News Network|author=Mikhail Koulikov|date=July 21, 2003|accessdate=April 3, 2016}}</ref> The first volume released came out on February 3, 2004, altogether eight volumes were released. Tokyopop released the final volume on April 12, 2005, and continued printing the series up until August 31, 2009, when it was announced that all eight volumes would be out of print. Although discontinued, the company offered returns for those who desired up until March 1, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904065331/http://www.tokyopop.com/corporate/biz_dev/447|archivedate=September 4, 2009|url=http://www.tokyopop.com/corporate/biz_dev/447|title=TOKYOPOP Inc. Out of Print Titles|publisher=[[Tokyopop]]|accessdate=April 3, 2016}}</ref> The discontinuation was a result of [[Kodansha]] letting its licenses expire with Tokyopop which led to the removal of some of company's biggest titles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.japanator.com/kodansha-letting-its-licenses-with-tokyopop-expire-11204.phtml|title=Kodansha letting its licenses with Tokyopop expire|publisher=Japanator|author=Brad Rice|date=August 31, 2009|accessdate=April 3, 2016}}</ref>

==Naming==
The original Japanese title, {{nihongo||A・I が止まらない!|A.I. ga Tomaranai!}}, is a play on words. While it roughly means "Can't Stop Love" the word "A.I." has several meanings. Besides being the [[acronym]] for [[artificial intelligence]], it is also the Japanese word for {{Nihongo|"love"|愛|ai}} and the Japanese transcription of the English word {{nihongo|"I"|アイ|ai}}. Tokyopop does their best to recreate this [[pun]] with their US release of the series in which this case they added "Love You" to create a pun referring to the statement "I Love You" in A.(I. Love You).<ref name="Mania">{{Cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527144829/http://www.mania.com/ai-love-aka-ai-ga-tomaranai-vol-01_article_82035.html |archive-date=May 27, 2011 |url=http://www.mania.com/ai-love-aka-ai-ga-tomaranai-vol-01_article_82035.html |title=A.I. Love You (aka: A.I. ga Tomaranai) Vol. #01 |publisher=Mania |last=Dungan |first=Mike |date=January 6, 2005 |accessdate=April 3, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Reception==
The English language adaptation of the manga series has received reviews from various media outlets that provide feedback, and reception in regards to manga. Samantha from ''Manga Life'' gave the first book an A rating calling it a "very deep series". When talking about the characters she says that they all have bright personalities, and are overall loveable.<ref>{{Cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060107063833/http://www.mangalife.com/reviews/A.I.LoveYouv1.htm |archivedate=January 7, 2006 |url=http://www.mangalife.com/reviews/A.I.LoveYouv1.htm |title=A.I. Love You v1 |work=Manga Life |author=Samantha |accessdate=April 3, 2016}}</ref> Allen Divers from ''[[Anime News Network]]'' also gave the first volume a review calling the story predictable.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Divers |first=Allen |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/tankobon-tower/2004-02-05 |title=Groundhog Day Goodness - TT |work=Anime News Network |date=5 February 2004 |accessdate=April 3, 2016}}</ref> In his review of the first volume, Mike Dungan from ''Mania'' called the story "amateurish" saying that they have predictable plots to them. Mike praised the English release though for being far better when it comes to the artwork and design than the original Japanese release. He finished his review saying that while the artwork is not yet at the ''Love Hina'' level (this was Akamatsu's first manga), Ken's fans "won't want to do without it" citing the evolution of Akamatsu's artwork.<ref name="Mania"/>

== See also ==
* {{Portal-inline|1990s}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ailove.net/ A.I. Love Network] at Ken Akamatsu site {{in lang|ja}}
* [http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/title?code=1000000990 ''A.I. Love You''] at [[Kodansha]]
* {{Anime News Network|manga|2582}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071020052227/http://tokyopop.com/product/1196/AILoveYou/1.html ''A.I. Love You''] at Tokyopop (archived)
* {{Gcdb series|id=20076}}

{{Weekly Shōnen Magazine - 1990–1999}}

[[Category:Anime and manga set in schools]]
[[Category:Ken Akamatsu]]
[[Category:Kodansha manga]]
[[Category:Robot comics]]
[[Category:Shōnen manga]]
[[Category:Tokyopop titles]]