Time of Eve
Entry updated 13 April 2026. Tagged: TV.
Japanese Original Net Animated series (2008-2009; original title Ivu no Jikan), subsequently released as the animated film Time of Eve: The Movie (2010; original title Ivu no Jikan Gekijoban). Studio Rikka. Directed by Yasuhiro Yoshiura. Written by Yasuhiro Yoshiura. Voice cast includes Jun Fukuyama, Kenji Nojima, Mitsuki Saiga, Rina Sato, Tomokazu Sugita, Rie Tanaka and Yuriko Yamaguchi. The animated series had six 15+ minute episodes, the film was 106 minutes. Colour.
In "the future, probably Japan" Robots have been around for a while, but the "practical use of 'humanoid robots' (see Androids) has only recently begun": an halo-like electric ring distinguishes them from people. They obey the Three Laws of Robotics; despite this, many people distrust them. Teenager Rikuo Sakisaka (Fukuyama), more out of complacency than anything else, does not; but discovers his android Sammy (Tanaka) has been going to a café, the Time of Eve, run by a young woman, Nagi (Sato). Visiting with schoolfriend Masakazu Masaki (Nojima), they read a the sign at the entrance: "no discrimination between humans and robots" and notice androids have their ring turned off when in the cafe, making them indistinguishable from humans (and when customers leave, the door temporarily locks behind them so they cannot be followed and identified). This inability to separate human from android makes Rikuo and Masaki paranoid about the other customers; during return visits they discover the other customers are unsure too, even those that seem to be close. Rikuo is inclined to be sympathetic to Nagi's aims; Masaki is antagonistic and soon stops visiting.
One regular, Setoro (Sugita), reports to a Dr. Ashimori that the androids at the cafe are starting to develop their own personalities (see Identity). Setoro and the doctor seem to belong to an organization not ill-disposed towards androids; another, the Ethics Committee, is hostile. The Ethics Committee had once been an "extremist anti-robot organization" but about ten years ago their actions had injured a human (the "Tokisaka Incident") and only now are they becoming active again – Masaki's father is their Chief information Officer.
One day a robot arrives at the Time of Eve and transmits a message on the cafe's television screen telling them to close the cafe. Because he knows about robot law, Rikuo asks Masaki to help. As a child, Masaki's closest friend was his family's robot, THX (Saiga), but his resentful father ordered them not to speak any more; because robots are programmed to give priority to orders from parents, it obeys that order and not Masaki's to talk to him. Masaki considers THX's silence a betrayal. Arriving at the cafe, he sees the robot is THX: as he explains their history to the others, someone enters. This is the android sent by the Ethics Committee to discover places where improper relations between androids and humans take place, as a precursor to retribution: THX is essentially Masaki's father's secretary and therefore knew their arrival was imminent; thus the warning. The visit means Masaki is potentially under threat: hence the first law overrides the second and THX speaks, accusing the intruder of being an android with his ring turned off, an illegal act. As the only person present THX knows for certain to be human is Masaki, he realizes they are protecting him: THX begins to say he has always wanted to be by Masaki's side, but is cut off when the Ethics Committee android hurriedly departs, which retracts the first law's effect.
When Setoro goes to Ashimori to inform her of what happened, he sees a picture of the young girl hurt in the "Tokisaka Incident"; it is clearly Nagi. Early on, Ashimori and Setoro had discussed a Scientist named "Shiotsuki" who had created an AI, "Code: LIFE", which was shut down, but has become active again, spreading amongst androids and seemingly responsible for a deepening of their consciousness. The end credits suggest Shiotsuki is either Nagi's father or guardian. The film's last scene (before the end credits) has Rikuo is talking with Nagi at the cafe: as she greets a new, unseen, customer, a voiceover of Rikuo says "a lot more stuff happened to me after that ... but that's for another story".
A great deal of worldbuilding is provided by background details: such as information on a computer screen or news programmes running whilst characters interact (one news item refers to the expanding role of androids in society, mentioning a plan to introduce android teachers over the next five years); there is a sense of seeing only part of a bigger story.
Despite unremarkable animation (which ironically makes all the characters look a little like androids) Time of Eve is a strong, subdued Anime. Most of its action involves the cafe's visitors' conversations as we learn their back-stories; there are touching moments and some Humour. Its themes are familiar ones for sf about the relationship between humanity and robots: intolerance (see Paranoia, Race in SF), what it is to be human (see Metaphysics) and so forth. Aside from the naming of THX, there are other references to the film THX 1138 (1971), whilst the OVA Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō (1998) also appears to have been an influence. [SP]
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