【Kokoro no Program】: A tale of purity and growth woven by a robot and a human

Hello! Today, I want to share with you about a manga that I've been obsessed with lately, “Kokoro no Program”.

The story begins one day when a robot girl who looks just like a human, named Ichiko, comes to the house of the protagonist, a primary school student named Usami Kyuu, and they start living together.

While Ichiko looks exactly like a young girl, her mind is still incomplete. To develop her mind, she starts living with Kyuu and learns from him. The depiction of Kyuu's initial confusion towards this unfamiliar entity, Ichiko, is intricately illustrated.

Kyuu is just a normal boy who has been living with his mother since a very young age. Having lost his father early in life and ever since living shoulder to shoulder with his mother, Ichiko, who suddenly appeared in his life, must have been a big surprise.

On the other hand, Irie Ai, Kyuu's childhood friend and a girl who has been secretly in love with him, begins to harbor a slight jealousy towards Ichiko, who starts living with Kyuu. However, as she gets to know Ichiko's pure-heartedness, she eventually fosters a friendship with her.

Kyuu, Ichiko, and Ai. The pure yet tumultuous emotions that arise amongst these three are filled with the unique emotions characteristic of puberty. The depiction of each of them being puzzled by their changing feelings while growing up together is quite touching.

Now, there's one crucial point to discuss when talking about “Kokoro no Program”. That's the existence of Ichiko's “program of the heart”. Since she is a robot, her heart is nothing but a program. However, within her, there are unique movements of the heart that only humans have. The depiction of Ichiko's fluctuation between a “programmed heart” and a “human heart” is bound to draw the readers in.

The charm of the manga is also found in the delicate and fluffy drawings by the author, Hinata Nakamura. Especially, the characters Ichiko and Ai are very cute, and you'll be absolutely thrilled by Ichiko's bashful smile and Ai's expression that shows her complicated feelings.

In particular, Ichiko's cuteness! She has a charm that is hard to imagine from a robot, and it's exciting to watch her growth. It's explained that the “completion of the heart program” coincides with Kyuu's high school graduation, but it's really exciting to see what happens to them after that and the process of their growth.

As you read through “Kokoro no Program”, savoring each depiction carefully, you'll realize its depth and breadth. This work, which skillfully depicts human hearts, robot hearts, and the complexity of human relationships, is sure to resonate deeply with its readers.

Please give it a read and experience the charm of this work for yourself!