Time of Eve (Eve no Jikan) is a 6-episode ONA anime series that was released in 2008. The show was created by Yasuhiro Yoshiura and produced by Studio Rikka and Directions, Inc., and the story follows two high-schoolers in the not-too-distant future, where androids have become commonplace in Japanese society.
Rather than being an action-packed thriller or suspenseful cyberpunk filled with lasers and baddies attempting to take over the world, Time of Eve manages to take a more nuanced and slowed-down approach to its storytelling. The series is filled with thoughtful conversations, well-written characters and philosophical contemplations about what it means to be human. In doing so, it provides a glimpse of a world that, while entirely speculative, feels mundane and everyday in the best possible way.
Rikuo Sakisaka, like most people his age, has taken robots for granted his entire life. For him, they are simply tools that have been designed for a purpose, whether this is making his morning coffee or carrying his bags to school. However, after discovering that his android Sammy has been acting peculiar, coming and going from his family home without prior instruction, he begins to investigate what she's up to.
By using Sammy’s activity log to track her movements, Rikuo and his friend Masakazu Masaki discover that she has been venturing to an unusual cafe called The Time of Eve. Upon entering, they meet Nagi, the barista, who informs them that the establishment has only one main rule -- to not discriminate between humans and androids.
While androids have become a part of daily life, many people within this futuristic society look down upon humans who interact with synthetics as if they were human (the android-holic youth) or androids that mimic human behaviors (individualistic androids). The cafe acts as a safe place for both humans and androids to interact, without fear that their identities will be discovered or that they will be caught by the Ethics Committee.
Throughout the show, this underlying mistrust of androids is reinforced through a series of commercials and reports created by the Ethics Committee -- a government body designed to regulate human-android relations. These range from Philip K. Dick-style lines such as, “Would you eat a tomato created by a machine?” to disparaging news reports about the use of sex robots or teenagers becoming emotionally attached to their family android.
The series is an underappreciated sci-fi gem that manages to develop complex characters, emotions and interesting details within a short space of time. With the majority of episodes just lasting over 15 minutes, it’s incredibly impressive how its creators were able to develop such a rich world that leaves viewers yearning for more.
While the fast-paced action, quick cuts and bright color schemes of many mainstream anime are entertaining, Time of Eve will likely be a much-needed and refreshing break for many viewers. Although its premise is not overly complex, the series deals with a range of in-depth topics (including Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics) that are fascinating for anyone who enjoys pondering what the future might hold. While Time of Eve may not be for everyone, it's clear that if androids do eventually become part of our society, we should do everything we can to ensure they are treated better than they are in this animated world.
