Buttobi CPU

a.k.a. I Dream Of Mimi

Genre: Comedy 
Company: Hakusensha
Format: 3 OVA
Dates: 4/25/1997 to 9/26/1997

Akira’s a computer nerd with a big problem; he’s too poor to own a computer. He becomes so desperate that he buys one from an old man on the street. When he gets home he learns that he purchased a lot more than he bargained for! When he opens the box a gorgeous girl greets him, and that’s just the beginning…

summary by Mugs

 

Reviewed: 05/24/2004 by
Grade: 85% 

Highs: Hilarious

Lows: Not much in the story department; colors seem dull

Well there seems to be a bunch of robotic girl anime going around and this is one of the better ones. The obvious comparison to Hand Maid May is there: guy gets the robot on accident and fan service follows. The difference is that while Hand Maid May goes for more of a love story, Buttobi CPU‘s intent is comedy with some action. It also goes slightly farther with the fan service. The show has a very raunchy brand of comedy along with some great plays on technical aspects and such. You’ll get more out of this anime if you know something about computers.

The story begins like most in this sub-genre of anime. When Akira opens the box Mimi, the girl inside, is instantly attracted to him. For some reason the guy does not want to do what any average male in his situation would do. So, what’s the difference between this anime and some of the more mainstream ones? Well Mimi is quite persistent and forcefully gets her way. From here we progress to an unusual plot about American robotic girls trying to destroy the Japanese ones and gain a monopoly on the market.

The animation itself is quite good, and pretty fluid. It has the average look of recent OVA but is nowhere near the amazing quality of other same age shows like Cowboy Bebop and Trigun. My complaint with Buttobi CPU is that the colors seemed dull to me. It had a washed out look, and in a show like this vibrant colors would have been far more appropriate.

All in all a funny, lighthearted show. I recommend this to all those who can take a joke. If you come at it looking for something deep you’ll be disappointed, otherwise there’s lots of fun to be had here.

 

Reviewed: 04/08/2004 by
Grade: 78% 

Highs: Mindnumblingly entertaining; will release your inner ecchi

Lows: Ludicrous plot; characters are just for show

Oh… my… God…

OK, picture this: A computer made to look and act like a beautiful girl who has no qualms about disrobing and parading around nude on seemingly an hourly basis. Programs and memory are inserted in her “frontal slot”. If I need continue, then you seriously lack imagination. Yes, friends, this is Buttobi CPU, which is to say it’s Hand Maid May splashed with generous doses of ecchi goodness… or something to that effect.

The alarmingly unique premise aside, this short OVA series is so ridiculous it’s fun. Characters are more like caricatures who display often hilarious personality quirks. The bulk of the humor centers around either innuendo-laced slapstick or cultural differences between Americans and Japanese. Perhaps what I appreciated the most was that Buttobi CPU doesn’t try to challenge me intellectually, which would have definitely ruined the atmosphere. Instead this anime tickles the most primal of senses to such an extent that it puts itself head and shoulders above other fan service-focused anime that plagued the 1990s.

On the flip side of that coin, relying too much on random insanity comes at the expense of a demanding story or background information. What happens to the American CPUs at the end? Who really knows, and the anime doesn’t seem to care. It’s too preoccupied with jumping from explicit nude scene to explicit nude scene to bother with such “superficial” frivolities. Unplug your brain while watching this anime and you’ll be saying the same.

 

Reviewed: 06/01/2002 by
Grade: 79% 

Highs: Hilarious; every character has a great personality

Lows: Too short; underdeveloped and shallow plot

Buttobi CPU is a lot of things. It is hilarious, imaginative, short, entertaining, and perverted. Heck, it may even be hentai, too; I’m still not really sure. But most importantly of all, it’s just fun.

This is not the perfect anime, but then again it doesn’t try to be, either. It is exactly what it is: robot girls in little-to-no clothing waging war against each other with your typical shounen star to lighten the atmosphere. Don’t try to dig and look for a deeper meaning, because you won’t find one. Even with the “American computers trying to take over the world” theme continuing into the third episode, this OVA series is really just for fun. On many occasions I was reminded of Hand Maid May and Hanaukyo Maid Tai, and with good reason.

The art is starting to show its age but is still surprisingly good. There are also a few catchy tunes thrown in here and there. What I really enjoyed about this anime was how much personality each character has. No one bored me in the slightest. The seiyuu cast was chosen well, too; everyone fit his or her part. Oh, and did I mention comedy? Buttobi CPU is hysterical, and that’s what really matters here.

I could go on all day about how this anime could have been better. The plot is mediocre at best, and there are many aspects that are sub par, but who cares? If you just want to relax and enjoy a short, funny anime, consider Buttobi CPU.

 

Buttobi CPU  can be downloaded legally in the United States HERE.

CAUTION: This is classed by BakaBT as hentai.