AI no Idenshi – 08 – Random Interest

「告白」 (Kokuhaku)
“Confession”

Ai no Idenshi, which continually demonstrating how excellent it actually is, is badly being overlooked by people. This is one of those anime that succeeds largely because it doesn’t try too hard. It uses little stylistic embellishment, letting the content speak for itself, and it gives the viewer the freedom to form their own opinions. The notion is that challenging questions—which are essentially the only ones Ai no Idenshi poses—don’t have simple solutions. They occasionally offer no normally acceptable responses at all. James T. Kirk would not agree with the no-win proposition, but life is not a ship like the Kobayashi Maru.

Fantasy can function in one of two ways. The idea itself, as well as how it’s applied to illuminate real-world situations in a manner that more “realistic” stories are unable to. The same, in my opinion, applies to AI fiction. It is a significant and intriguing topic in and of itself, especially in light of how pervasive artificial intelligence is in contemporary culture. The associated questions are very well explored by AI no Idenshi. But using artificial intelligence can also be a terrific method to examine human emotional turmoil from a different perspective, and this series excels at achieving that. This episode had a relatively narrow focus on the latter.

We already know that Risa’s pal Miyoshi “Saba” Reon (Yamamura Hibiku) is a “female humanoid who likes girls” because to previous appearances. Risa, specifically. However, Risa is totally fixated on Sudo-sensei crush-wise, and Valentine’s Day represents a turning point in her life. She goes over and beyond to make cakes filled with hommei chocolate for him. Although his diplomatic complementing of her is very funny, I believe Sudo is a very knowledgeable man and will understand what is actually going on. I see his decision to withhold the information that his White Day reciprocation was also homemade as a sign that he does not feel a strong love attraction to Risa.Despite their apparent one-sided romantic attraction, the two of them are able to get along well. However, with Risa and Reon’s friendship, this may no longer be the case.

Any situation makes it difficult for a friend to fall in love with another buddy. That makes things more challenging because the two of them have distinct orientations. I believe it is plausible to say that Saba seeks out Sudo to have her romantic feelings switched off in an effort to maintain the friendship. Of course, it’s also possible to assume that she’s just saying, “I like the you that’s in pain because of me; please put up with it for my sake.” But if we’re being honest, that kind of thinking underlies a lot of interpersonal interactions. And in this instance, it might work.” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>sick and tired of the suffering caused by unrequited love and longs to be free. Anyhow, Sudo is obviously of the opinion that this is a horrible idea—not just for Saba specifically, but also generally—and that he fully comprehends the dynamics of the situation with Risa.

I’ve mentioned this before, but the issue of emotional fragility is one of the most important subjects that anime (and fiction in general) can tackle. One exposes themselves to suffering if they allow themselves to love. It can be used to describe having pets that one will probably have to say goodbye to, close friendships, and most definitely romantic love. But does that imply that, when given the opportunity, one should entirely close the tap? It’s not a given that those who opt to avoid close relationships with people or things are doing the wrong thing. They don’t go through the same suffering that individuals who live in a different way go through, but there is a cost associated with that decision.

There is nothing particularly artificial intelligence-related about this; rather, the idea that someone like Saba might have the option to medically turn off that side of themselves makes it the ideal setting for debating whether or not humans should have that option. Even Jay believes that this is a foolish route to take (Sudo didn’t require persuading). In an effort (let’s be clear) to persuade Reon not to undergo the operation, Sudo is able to persuade Risa to be honest with him prior to the treatment. Risa is certainly not acting fairly in this situation. She is essentially saying, “I like the you that is suffering because of me; therefore, please put up with it for my sake.” But if we’re being honest, that kind of thinking underlies a lot of interpersonal interactions. And in this instance, it might work.

In AI no Idenshi, we encounter a situation where there is no obvious right or incorrect response. Personally, I believe Saba shouldn’t have done this, just as I believed Yuta shouldn’t have been “fixed” because he was a shy youngster. It’s not a straightforward situation, though, because who am I (or Risa) to declare that Reon has no right to seek help when she’s unhappy with her life? Like I said in Yuta’s situation, “just because we can do something doesn’t mean we necessarily should” Reon, on the other hand, is an adult making a decision for her own life, whereas Yuta was not. This series’ decision to tackle such touchy subjects, as well as how it does so, are both wonderful.

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