Pre-numbered label used for registration.

This book is a first in many ways. It's the first Graphic Novel I've read and registered, and the first time I've read "authentic manga" (which is printed right-to left, so it takes some getting used to). It's the first book I've read written by four Japanese women ("CLAMP is the all-female manga creating team made up of Nanase Ohkawa, Mokona Apapa, Mick Nekoi, and Satsuki Igarashi"). It's also a first for Clamp, set apart from their previous works by the mature themes and male protagonist. And finally, it's the first in a series of 8.
On the back cover (which you might think is the front cover at first glance) of each volume of tthis series is what I'll call a "spec sheet," listing vital statistics on one of the characters.
This issue's "spec sheet":

DESIGNATION: "CHI"
CLASSIFICATION: PERSOCOM
HAIR COLOR: WHITE
EYE COLOR: AMBER
HEIGHT: 152 CM
CPU: UNKNOWN
RAM: UNKNOWN
NOTES: POSSIBLE "CHOBIT"?

This story is set in a future where "persocoms" have changed human civilization forever. Persocoms are humanoid computers. They are beautiful and obedient cybernetic companions (mostly female, insert your own "laptop" joke here), capable of many tasks, including word processing, web browsing, and housekeeping. Everybody wants one, including Hideki, a 19-year-old virgin with no expertise in computers and no money. There's no way he'll never get one, "It's not like you find persocoms lying around." But he does just that: He finds a discarded persocom in the garbage and takes her home (with a "my precious" scene reminiscent of Gollum). He finally finds her on-switch after four hours of searching every nook and cranny of her body (except one, but surely they wouldn't put it there) and boots her up. At first it seems like she belongs in the trash. She doesn't say anything but "Chi" (which becomes her name). She can't do email or word processing or web browsing. She can't network with other persocoms. She doesn't even seem to have an OS installed, and yet she moves. Hideki later learns that Chi may be more than she seems. She may even be a "Chobit", an urban legend in cyberspace, an Artificial Intelligence capable of learning and thinking on her own, not reliant on outside programming. She may be far more advanced than her childlike behavior lets on. But if so, why was she in the trash?
This was very entertaining, with Hideki's tendency to think out loud getting him in trouble, and Chi learning by copying those around her, and a variety of unusual characters. Also take a look at what MangaReviewer had to say about this book.

Books by Clamp:
Chobits:
     Volume 1 (Ring copy)
     Volume 2 (Ring copy)
     Volume 3 (Ring copy)
     Volume 4 (Ring copy)
     Volume 5 (Ring copy)
     Volume 6 (Ring copy)
     Volume 7 (Ring copy)
     Volume 8 (Ring copy)
Miyuki-Chan in Wonderland
X/1999:
     Prelude
     Overture

aquarius29 has asked for this book. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it (I may do a bookray once I get the whole series), but I'll keep aquarius29 in mind.

ysabol has offered to trade for this series. It certainly seems popular. I'll figure something out. Book 8 hasn't been published yet, but it will probably come out in the next few months.

I'm starting a bookray for the series. The following people have asked to join:

Mailing order subject to change
caligula03 (would rather not mail internationally)
Andycap14 (cannot ship internationally)
septy (would rather not mail internationally)
ysabol
evilrottenspawn
lightwavz
quorcester (willing to ship internationally)
tho (in Portugal, willing to ship internationally)
Dani75 (in Germany, willing to ship internationally)
Caracas (in Germany, willing to ship internationally)
kerisa (in Germany, willing to ship internationally)
aquarius29 (wants to be last in the ray)

Mailed to caligula03 to start off the bookray. The package can be tracked here, using Delivery Confirmation Number 03030830000082640092.

Book 8 will be published in October, 2003. I've added it to my Amazon.com Wish List. Once I've bought a copy, and read and registered it, I'll send it on. Just thought everyone should know when to expect it.

UPDATE 10-4-2003: I checked Tokyopop's website and found the publication date for volume 8 listed as 10-7-2003. Tokyopop's listing for Chobits Volume 8 (which contains spoilers for the earlier volumes) is here.

UPDATE 10-13-2003: I have bought and registered volume 8, and will put it in the mail to caligula03 soon.

UPDATE 10-16-2003: I finally got volume 8 in the mail yesterday. I intended to mail it earlier, but I couldn't get to the Post Office in time due to a computer problem. If any of the computers I work with are falling in love with me, they have a funny way of showing it. ;-)

Oh goodie! A box full of manga to read. There are 7 books here. I'll journal the other 6 when I get home from work. I'll read these concurantly with my other rings and rays so that I can get them on to the next person by early October. :)

I am SO SUCKED into Chobits. Volume 1 ends of a cliff hanger and I'm about 1 minute away from opening up volume two. Woohoo!

The story is a perfect mixture of science fiction / social commentary and comedy. The artwork is beautifully drawn. The side commentary is funny!

While I move onto volume 2, my husband will be reading volume 1. He's been eyeing me all day long, hoping to snatch away Chobits from me.

Release planned for Saturday, October 04, 2003 at Fellow Bookcrosser in Glendora, California USA.

Off to Andycap14 this Saturday.

recieved today. I will read these ASAP.

This was also my first Magna and it did take some time to get used to. I have to say that at first I wasn't sure that I was going to like the series, but I decided to give it a try and by the end of the book I was able to move through the story a lot faster.

onto book 2
http://bookcrossing.com/journal/808609

Well, this is not my first manga by any means, since I've got Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2, Marmalade Boy, and Dragonball sitting on my bookshelves. However, I can't decide if this story is shounen or shoujo. I spent the first part of the book trying to figure out who everyone was and how the world worked. Once I picked up on that, I began to get involved with the plot...

Okay, I sent this on last FRIDAY (November 21, 2003)! However, since that time my computer internet connection at home has gone completely mad so that I can't make any journal entries. I finally decided to just write this shipping entry at work. I sent the box of books (including 8) through Media Mail.

These books were sent to ysabol, and she said she had received them and promised to pass them on. However, I've lost contact with her, and have no choice but to declare this ray lost. See my thread in the forums.

I will, however, be starting a ring with my PC copy of the series.

This is getting confusing.
Okay, the books for the ray were lost at ysabol's house for some time, so I started a ring. Then the ring was lost. Now, ysabol's back, and has found the books, so I'm turning this one into a ring. I'm sending PMs to those from the ring or ray who haven't had a chance at the books yet, and trying to merge the lists as best I can.

Currently, the following have responded:
lightwavz
omly
kerisa (in Germany)
katayoun (in Iran)
tho (in Portugal)
Caracas (in Germany)