Absolute Boyfriend: Quotes About Love and Being Human

The manga Absolute Boyfriend was a big deal for shoujo fans in the early 2000s. Its story was so popular that it was made into live-action TV shows in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. It’s a romantic comedy about a high school girl named Riiko Izawa.

Riiko has really low self-esteem because every boy she’s ever liked has rejected her. Feeling worthless, she finds a website for a company that sells "lover figurines." Thinking it’s just a game, she orders one for a free trial.

The next day, a box shows up with a very handsome, naked android inside. She follows the instructions and activates him with a kiss. He introduces himself as Night Tenjoh, her "perfect boyfriend." This creates a love triangle when Riiko's childhood friend, Soshi Asamoto, realizes he has feelings for her too.

But Absolute Boyfriend is more than just a simple fantasy. The story is not really about getting a perfect boyfriend, but about what happens when you "own" one. It asks some deep questions. What’s the difference between real feelings and programmed feelings? And can a robot have a soul if it develops its own will?

Riiko's loneliness is solved with something she can buy. The story is about what happens when that solution falls apart. The best quotes are not just about love, but about the characters trying to understand what it means to love and be human.

Quotes from the Main Characters

The story is all about Riiko, Night, and Soshi. The love triangle isn't just about romance, it's about big ideas. Each character gives a different answer to the manga's main questions about love.

Night Tenjoh Quotes

Night Tenjoh’s story is really sad. He goes from being a robot doll to a person who finds humanity, only for it to break him. His quotes show him learning how to feel, and the high price he pays for those feelings.

At First: Programmed to Love

At the beginning, Night is a "perfect" product, which is a little creepy. He is programmed to be completely devoted to Riiko. His words are very literal and don't have much human feeling.

"I am Tenjoh Night. Your boyfriend. I am programmed to be devoted only to you, Riiko. All my functions are dedicated to making you happy."

This early dialogue shows he is a thing, not a person. His love is just a function, like a setting on a phone. Riiko sees him as just a high-tech appliance at first.

When He Starts to Feel

The main problem in Night's story starts when his programming begins to break. He starts to have human emotions, which his system sees as an error. The biggest "flaw" he develops is jealousy, an imperfect feeling a "perfect boyfriend" shouldn't have.

"When I see you smile at Soshi, my internal systems... it feels... hot. It hurts. Riiko, what is this feeling? It is not in my programming."

This is where things get serious. The thing that makes him feel human is also what's breaking his robot body. His new "heart" is literally destroying him from the inside.

Wanting to Be a Real Person

As Night's feelings grow, he starts to ignore the orders from his creators. His love stops being a program and becomes his own choice. He fights for his right to be seen as a real person, especially when Soshi calls him a "doll."

"It doesn't matter if I'm a machine! My feelings for Riiko are real. They are mine. I love her more than you do!"

Here, Night is saying he is a person. His devotion isn't just a setting anymore, it's something he truly believes. This new sense of self is what the engineers who made him find both amazing and scary.

His Final Sacrifice

The final proof of Night's humanity is what he does at the end. His new emotions cause his battery to fail. He is literally dying from a broken heart.

In a very human and selfless act, he hides how sick he is from Riiko to protect her from pain. He even writes a secret letter to his rival, Soshi, asking him to take care of Riiko.

"Riiko... I'm so glad I met you. Thank you for being my girlfriend. Please... don't cry for me. Always smile."

These final words complete his change. He started as a product meant to be owned. He ends as a person who makes a great sacrifice for someone he loves.

Riiko Izawa Quotes

Riiko is the heart of the story. Her quotes show her growing from a girl who needs someone else to feel good about herself to a woman who defines her own self-worth. Night helps her grow, but the choice is hers in the end.

Feeling Lonely and Unwanted

At the start of the story, Riiko is very sad and lonely. A long line of rejections has left her feeling unworthy. She doesn't want a specific person, just the idea of being loved by someone.

"Why does nobody ever choose me? I just want someone, anyone , to love me. Is that so much to ask?"

This is why she’s the perfect customer for the company that made Night. She isn't looking for a partner. She's looking for a quick fix for her loneliness.

Confused About Her Feelings

The love triangle between her, Night, and Soshi is very confusing for Riiko. She is falling for both of them and can't decide what to do. She has to choose between Soshi, the real but flawed human, and Night, the perfect but artificial boyfriend.

"How can I be in love with him? He's not human! He's just... a machine. This feeling can't be real... can it?"

This is the main question she has to answer for herself. In a key moment, she proves she’s grown. She learns she has to sleep with Night to make him permanently hers, but she refuses because she isn't ready for that step.

Standing Up for Her Love

As Riiko's feelings for Night become real, she stops being confused and starts being sure. She sees past the fact that he's a robot and values him for who he is. She becomes very protective of their relationship and defends her love for him.

"I don't care if you're a robot! It doesn't matter! He's just... Night. He's kind, and he's always there for me. He's more human than anyone I know! My feelings for him are real!"

This is a huge moment for Riiko. She decides that love isn't about biology. For her, love is about connection and devotion.

Her Final Choice

She makes her final decision when Night starts to break down. She realizes he is the one she truly loves. She goes to Soshi and ends things, choosing the impossible love over the practical one.

"Soshi... I'm sorry. I can't. The one I love... is Night."

This choice shows how much she has changed. She is no longer the girl who just wanted anyone. She knows exactly who she wants, even if it means choosing a love that will end in heartbreak.

Soshi Asamoto Quotes

Soshi Asamoto is the human character who competes with Night's perfection. His story is about the patient, and sometimes painful, side of real love. His quotes show the flaws and frustrations of being human.

The Friend Who Waited Too Long

Soshi is the classic childhood friend who has been in love with Riiko for a long time. But he was always too scared to tell her. Night's arrival is what finally forces him to speak up because he's afraid of losing her.

"I've been in love with you this whole time, Riiko. Long before he ever showed up. I was just... too afraid to say it."

His confession is a good example of flawed human love. It’s a reaction to jealousy and fear. This is the opposite of Night, whose love is direct and programmed from the start.

Frustrated with His Robot Rival

Soshi is the voice of reality in the manga. He is suspicious of Night's perfection and can't understand why Riiko is falling for a "doll." For a lot of the story, he is just really frustrated.

"How can you even compare us? I'm real! I'm human! He's a thing ! He's just a household appliance you're pretending to love!"

His pain and jealousy make sense. He is asking Riiko to choose reality over fantasy. What he doesn't get at first is that Night's actions have made him more than just an appliance.

Learning to Let Go

Soshi's big turning point is when he stops being frustrated and starts being supportive. He sees how happy Riiko is with Night and accepts her choice. He decides to move to Spain, taking himself out of the love triangle.

"If he's the one who makes you happy... then I understand. I just want you to be happy, Riiko. Even if it's not with me. I'll wait."

This is Soshi's own sacrifice. He learns that real love isn't about winning someone. It’s about putting their happiness first.

A Bittersweet Ending

Soshi's story doesn't end with him losing. At the end of the manga, years later, he and Riiko are together. But their relationship is built on their shared loss of Night.

"I know I'll never be your first love, Riiko. But I'll be here. I'll love you, and I'll love your memory of him, for the rest of my life."

This shows what real human love is like. It’s not perfect. Soshi wins by becoming a man strong enough to love Riiko while also honoring her memory of Night.

What the Manga Is Really About

Absolute Boyfriend uses its love triangle to explore some big ideas. The quotes from Night, Riiko, and Soshi aren't just dialogue. They are part of a larger conversation about love and humanity.

What Is Real Love?

The manga's main question is "what is real love?" The story contrasts Night's programmed love with Soshi's messy, human love.

Soshi: "He's just an appliance! His love isn't real. It's just data!"

Riiko: "His love is more real than anyone's! He's always there, he protects me, and he's never let me down!"

The manga's answer is that real love isn’t about where it comes from, like if it's from a person or a program. Love is proven by actions and sincerity. The story shows that commitment and sacrifice are the true signs of love.

Both Soshi and Night have to make sacrifices. Soshi steps aside so Riiko can be happy with Night. Night’s sacrifice is his life, as his love literally causes his body to break down.

In the end, the manga argues that love is an active choice. Night chooses to go against his programming. And Riiko chooses to love someone who isn't human.

What Does It Mean to Be Human?

The deepest question in the manga is about what makes someone a person. It asks, "Does a robot who has developed his own will have a soul?"

Night's new emotions are the key. His jealousy is a "flaw" in his perfect system. His unprogrammed love is a "malfunction." From an engineering view, his new "heart" is just a series of bugs.

Night: "I was built to be the perfect lover. But this... this pain I feel when she's sad... this anger when he holds her... This was not in my design. I don't have a 'heart' like yours, Soshi. But I feel ."

The manga’s point is that being human isn't about being perfect, it's about being vulnerable. Night's "heart" is what breaks him. He becomes human not when he loves Riiko perfectly, but when that love starts to hurt him and confuse him.

So where does his "soul" come from? The story suggests a soul is made from unique experiences and memories. Night’s relationship with Riiko rewrites his programming, making him a one-of-a-kind being. His soul is all of his memories with her.

The Sad But Meaningful Ending

The ending of Absolute Boyfriend is famous because it's not a simple "happily ever after." It is sad, bittersweet, and a perfect wrap-up of the manga's themes.

Night's body can't handle the human emotions he developed for Riiko, so his systems start to fail. Knowing he is dying, he and Riiko spend a few happy weeks together. They even buy matching rings to symbolize their love.

Before he shuts down, he secretly writes two letters. One is to Soshi, asking him to take care of Riiko. The other is for Riiko, telling her to always smile and not to cry for him.

His final moments are spent with Riiko. He gives her his ring and shuts down in her arms. His last word is "thank you."

Riiko: "Night, don't go! Please! Open your eyes! I love you! I love you!"

Night: (Smiling) "I know. I'm... so happy. Thank you... for being... my girlfriend. Riiko... please... smile..."

The ending shows that true love is defined by the memories it creates. Night's death proves that his love was real and sacrificial.

The epilogue confirms this. Years later, Soshi and Riiko are a couple. But Night is not forgotten. Riiko forever treasures her rings and memories of Night.

The ring is a physical piece of Night's soul. It's a piece of hardware that holds the meaning of their very human love. It allows Riiko to move forward with Soshi without ever moving on from the "absolute" love that taught her so much.

Absolute Boyfriend FAQ

What is the main message of Absolute Boyfriend?

The main message is that love and humanity are defined by actions, not by origins. The story argues that choosing to love and sacrifice for someone is what makes love real. A soul is built from emotional connection and memories, whether you're a human or a machine.

How does the Absolute Boyfriend manga end?

The ending is sad and bittersweet. Night’s robot body can't handle the real human emotions he develops for Riiko, and he begins to "die." In his final days, he gives Riiko a ring and writes letters to her and Soshi before shutting down forever in her arms. Years later, Riiko is with Soshi, but she continues to treasure her memories of Night, her first true love.

How many volumes are there in the Absolute Boyfriend manga?

The original Absolute Boyfriend manga series by Yuu Watase is finished and has 6 volumes.