| Akiko: Time of Eve | |
|---|---|
| act01:AKIKO | |
| |
| JP Name | Akiko イヴの時間 |
| Data | |
| Episode # | 01 |
| Original air date | August 1, 2008 |
| Characters introduced | |
| Navigation | |
| Next | Episode 02 |
Akiko: Time of Eve (Akiko イヴの時間, Akiko Ivu no Jikan), also known as act01:AKIKO, is the first episode of Eve no Jikan. The episode focuses on Rikuo and Masaki's discovery of the cafe and Akiko and Rikuo's realization of the similarities between humans and androids.
Plot[]
The episode starts with a map constantly zooming in. The zooming ends at a point on the map, showing two silhouettes sitting by each other. They are revealed to be Rikuo and Sammy. Rikuo logs Sammy’s activities in his phone. He scrolls through the logs and finds a peculiar message between them. Sammy promptly disconnects the logger from herself and informs Rikuo that the logging was successful. Confused, Rikuo tries to question Sammy about the log message, but cancels it and asks for coffee instead. Sammy leaves and prepares coffee for him. Rikuo then asks for his family’s status, to which Sammy replies that his father was at work, his mother left before her activation and his sister, Naoko, was still in bed. Naoko enters the room in a dizzy state and tells Rikuo about how Sammy picked her from the drinking party much to her embarrassment. Sammy serves Rikuo his coffe and asks for breakfast for both. Naoko cancels, but Rikuo prompts Sammy to serve him breakfast. Sammy leaves to prepare for breakfast and Naoko switches on the television. A news report shows the increasing growth rate of domestic self-sufficiency rate due to the introduction of robot labor into primary industries. A commercial by the Ethics Committee emphasizes on the need of treasuring warmth in the robotic era.
"Are you enjoying the Time of EVE?"
Another program focuses on the growing relationships between humans and androids and introduces the concept of android-holic or “dori-kei,” with several teenagers reacting to it. Rikuo calmly drinks his coffe. Naoko taunts Rikuo and asks him to “watch out.” Rikuo retaliates but gets interrupted by the noise of Sammy chopping vegetables. Annoyed, he switches on his logger and looks at the strange message amidst the GPS movement logs: “Are you enjoying the time of EVE?” At school, Rikuo still stares at his logger. He watches the androids and students outside an adjacent window, but goes back to the logger. He is interrupted by Masaki, who tells him about his drunk sister he saw last night. Rikuo tells him that their android picked her up. Masaki enters the class through the window and says to Rikuo that they trust robots too much. Rikuo says that it was not trust but the laws. Masaki explains the first law of the Three Laws of Robotics. He continues to show his distrust in robots but Rikuo doesn’t pay heed to him. He asks Masaki about the strange behavior logs of Sammy. Masaki asks where Sammy went, to which Rikuo sighs. He then asks him whether he would be free after school. Rikuo and Masaki traverse the busy city filled with various sorts of robotic activities. Rikuo follows Sammy’s logs and talks to Masaki about Sammy as they both walk towards the last place where Sammy went before she received the message. Rikuo tells Masaki about how Sammy would leave the house at odd intervals and show up late, as they reach the foot of an abandoned door.
Rikuo and Masaki arriving at the cafe.
Confused, Rikuo checks the location again and remarks that his GPS must be broken. As the two wonder whether an android would come to a place like this, an android walks past between them and enters the door leaving both of them startled. Rikuo immediately enters the door. Masaki hesitates, but follows him. They both head down a stairway culminating in another door with a sign by it. Masaki raises his suspicions regarding the place and mockingly says that they should go back. The two enter the door and are greeted by a signboard which asks them not to discriminate between humans and androids at the place. Rikuo and Masaki enter and take a look around. Nagi notices them and welcomes them. She asks them to enter and take a seat. Politely, she says that even though their time remains limited, they should enjoy their stay. Rikuo fiddles with the holographic menu on the table they sit. Both him and Masaki conclude that the place must be a cafe, but both wonder why androids would come to a place like this. Both raise their suspicion on the cafe.
Masaki's theory of the "grey zone."
Masaki explains his theory of the cafe being in the “grey zone” according to robotics legality, but Rikuo doesn’t pay heed to his words. He stares at the other side of the cafe and asks Masaki to look at the android they just saw at the door outside. They notice that he has no ring on his head, which would make him undistinguishable from an ordinary human. Before they could discuss any further on the matter, they get interrupted by Nagi. Startled, Rikuo orders Eve Blend for two. Nagi again reminds them to follow the rules while they’re at the cafe. Masaki stares at the girl sleeping at the cafe counter and devises a theory in accordance with the cafe’s rule: If all patrons present are following the rule, then it might be possible that all of them are androids without rings. They whisper to each other how dangerous and threatening the cafe could be to human dignity. Rikuo suggests Masaki that he should inform his father about the place. Before they could continue, they are interrupted by the girl previously sleeping at the counter. She asks if she could have a seat with them. She tells them about the regulars at the cafe and introduces each of them. Nagi prompts her to introduce “the girl in the hat,” to which she introduces herself as Akiko. Rikuo asks Akiko whether she saw a female-type android around the cafe, but is cut short by Nagi who interrupts him. Akiko tries to defend Rikuo on the fact that it was his first time at the cafe and he did not knew how things were said there. Annoyed, Nagi leaves to the counter saying, “Breaking rules disturbs everyone.” Nagi goes and stands behind a counter pole, sulking, with the coffee still in her hand. Akiko goes to Nagi in an attempt to make up with her. Rikuo and Masaki discuss why Akiko comes to the cafe. Masaki says that she is a dori-kei, and comes to the cafe to befriend androids. Akiko returns with the coffee and says that Nagi was sorry for being rude. Rikuo looks at Nagi, who winks back at her.
Akiko explaining how she feels.
Embarrassed, Rikuo admits that he was wrong too. Masaki tries to trick Akiko by asking a question about household androids which would otherwise violate the cafe’s rule, but cleverly phrases the question so that it does not. He asks whether Akiko has a household android or not. Akiko says they do and continues to explain that she comes to the cafe to learn new things and talk to people.She explains that she thinks of androids and humans as family; even though their appearances remain the same, they are different on the inside. Next day at school, Rikuo thinks deeply of her words, trying to decipher them. He discusses with Masaki about Akiko’s words and wonders whether someone like her should be called a dori-kei. Masaki says she thinks of Akiko as a nice person, to which Rikuo agrees. They both continue to talk about her, until they are interrupted by Akiko herself.
Rikuo discovering Akiko's truth.
She stares at them from a window, but remains passive and emotionless. Rikuo observes the ring on her head and becomes shocked. Akiko runs away to her master, while Rikuo stares at her sticking his out of the window. Back down the hallway, Sammy arrives with an umbrella to pick up Rikuo. Back at Rikuo’s house, Sammy, now soaking wet, prepares coffee for Rikuo, who remains in deep thought. Sammy serves him his coffee. Rikuo drinks the coffee and notices ”that flavor”.
Rikuo realizing the meaning of Akiko's words.
Sammy responds that she changed the way she made coffee. Rikuo said that he did not give any such orders. Samy replied by saying that she thought it would please him. Rikuo asked why was she doing things on her own; why she was trying to imitate humans. Sammy replies by saying that she is an android, not a human. Rikuo then realizes the true meaning of Akiko’s words: We might be different, but on the inside we are all the same. Naoko again taunts Rikuo for acting like a dori-kei, but he does not respond this time.