Photo/Illutration Children gather around a statue of Android Kikaider at an event held in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, on July 22, 2012. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

His name is Jiro. He is an android created by Dr. Kohmyoji, a global authority on robotics.

Jiro is fitted with a device called “the Conscience Circuit,” also known as Gemini, which is meant to make him incapable of obeying evil orders.

However, because the circuit is incomplete, Jiro is destined to struggle between good and evil as he battles with formidable opponents.

Jiro is the unconventional superhero of the “Jinzo Ningen Kikaida” (Android Kikaider) manga series created by Shotaro Ishinomori (1938-1998) of “Kamen Rider” fame.

The “Android Kikaider” series aired on TV in the 1970s. And interestingly, the franchise became a cultural phenomenon in Hawaii after it debuted on the Japanese-language channel of a Hawaiian television network.

Actually, Maui even has a memorial day for “Kikaider,” which, I am told, happens to be May 19.

I found a “Kikaider” comic book. Rereading it for the first time in many years, I was quite taken aback by the sheer depth of the story.

For instance, there is a scene where Jiro the Kikaider refuses to let improvements be made on the Conscience Circuit. He argues, “I believe I’d be more human if I had a conscience that’s flawed.”

What does it mean to be human? Is the human conscience supposed to be flawed?

Looking back on history, I would say that humans are the most evil creatures in this world. Perhaps we should recognize that evil is intrinsic to our very nature.

It has been half a century since the “Android Kikaider” franchise addressed this profound question about humanity. Today, we are standing face to face with artificial intelligence.

We feel uneasy about the absence of “heart” in AI, and yet we dread the possibility of AI becoming “more human.” And while seeking perfection, we happen to discover our true nature in its imperfection.

This conflict resonates with Jiro’s past dilemma.

The comic book I reread contained a message from Ishinomori in small print. It said, “Please enjoy this manga while you think about the future.”

I traced these words with my fingertip.

—The Asahi Shimbun, May 19

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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