- “Hello. My name is Aiba. What is your name?
“How are you? I am currently 92% charged and feeling well.”
The first AI-Ball, named Aiba (アイボゥ, Aibō), is the deuteragonist of both AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES and AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative, and a character featured in the Lemniscate YouTube series. In AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES, she supports the protagonist Kaname Date, and in nirvanA Initiative, she supports the first protagonist Mizuki Okiura.
She is an artificial intelligence that resides within either Date or Mizuki's left eye socket, depending on the game. Together with either Date or Mizuki, she works for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department to solve crimes and catch criminals, in particular the culprits of the Cyclops Serial Killings and the Half Body Serial Killings. She appears as Date's avatar within a subject's Somnium, where the pair work together to delve into their dreams and gather useful testimony and evidence. By AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative, Aiba has been working as an assistant investigator for a long time, and she is adept at reading human psychology and emotional states.
Design[]
In the real world, Aiba primarily takes the form of a single eyeball with a yellow iris, which most of the time is retained within Kaname Date's empty eye socket. When she is detached from her partner and using her motor functions, she adopts a hamster-like mascot appearance. Her projected skin is transparent and grey, with black soles on her hands and feet. Her skin is more like a gelatinous substance, where on the inside her optic nerve is visible as a sort of pink spine.
In the Somnium world and as a hologram, Aiba takes the form of a young human girl. Her skin is transparent and pale, with parts of her endoskeleton visible through her arms and legs. Her hair is white, long, and unkempt, reaching down to her legs, with three red streaks that light up like an electric current. She wears a long white dress that reaches her waist, with black and pink patterns around the edges and with gaps on her back and shoulders. Her upper legs have the same black and pink patterns, as either tattoos or some imprinted pattern. Her eyes are red in this form, in contrast to her hamster form's yellow eyes.
Personality[]
Aiba is generally logical and pragmatic, but has personality when it comes to her partner. She disapproves of many of Date's habits, be them chocolate collecting, his obsession with pornography or cabaret clubs, to the point of vocally teasing him, but overall trusts and deeply cares for him. However, she has shown the ability to stand up to Date and voice her opinion, as well as her own feelings regarding investigations. Her relationship with Mizuki is similar, although their relationship is more sisterly with Mizuki teasing Aiba more, and Aiba tending to tease Mizuki's high opinion of herself and brutishness. She ultimately acts as a tempering force to Date and Mizuki's more brash tendencies, effectively being their voice of reason.
She's something of a nerd, wanting to make dramatic entrances parodying Terminator and looking into Ota's otaku hobbies for "research", and has a strange, gleeful fascination for insects and arthropods. She has a high opinion of her own appearance – particularly her cuteness – and gets upset and pouty when people disagree or compare her appearance to that of a shrimp.
Story[]
Birth[]
Aiba was produced by Pewter a year after Kaname Date joined ABIS, played the role of Date's AI-Ball assistant. Since then, Aiba lived in Date's left eye socket, for almost five years.
Murder of Shoko Nadami[]
On the first day after the New Cyclops Serial Killings, after a brief investigation on Shoko Nadami's corpse in Bloom Park, in order to accompany Mizuki Okiura who was undergoing treatment, Date sat by Mizuki's hospital bed and gradually fell asleep. When Date fell asleep, Aiba sneaked into his Somnium and introduced the rules of Somnium world to him. Then, Aiba and Date found some memory fragments that Date could not identify: a strange man he did not know, and an injured woman lying on the ground.
Throughout the investigation process, Aiba assisted Date in collecting and analyzing intelligence, and when necessary, assisted Date in knocking down threatening enemies based on her calculations. Most importantly, Aiba would help Date with Psync into the subjects to get the necessary intelligence hidden beneath their Somnia.
AA: A-set's Livestream[]
After Date finished Psyncing into "Iris", she asked Date to go to Matsushita Diner to ask Ota Matsushita for information. But not long after Date got there, he was knocked out with a wok by Ota, but Aiba kept it going, and she saved the recorded video for Date after he passed out.
AAB: Pursuing the Cyclops[]
After Psyncing into Ota, Date found key intelligence and locked So Sejima as the New Cyclops Killer. After confirming this fact, he and Mizuki rushed to Sejima Residence overnight. Aiba assisted Date in knocking down the Bodyguards and wounding So. However, just in the nick of time, So fired a bullet Mizuki. Date stood in front of Mizuki to protect her, causing the bullet to hit his left eye, destroying Aiba.
The next day, Mizuki learned some basic information about Aiba from Boss, but Aiba was not repaired until a month later, and revealed her identity to Mizuki in her mascot form.
AB: Death of Iris and Ota[]
After Date finished Psyncing "Iris", he planned to send Iris home as requested. But on the way, Iris asked Date to stop at Marble, and Date agreed. However, just after the two came to Marble, Date was suddenly shocked by Ota in the absence of Mama, and Aiba also lost consciousness. It was not until several hours later that Aiba resumed operation with Date's awakening. When they received the mission to rescue Iris, it was almost too late, because Marble was far away from the Cold Storage Warehouse where the incident occurred. It didn't take long before both Iris and Ota were killed.
BB: Operation: Iris and Hitomi Rescue[]
TBA
Half Body Serial Killings[]
At the beginning of 2020, Aiba left Date and stayed in a certain department of ABIS, probably because Date watched VR pornographic videos in Aiba's presence.
This article is a stub. You can edit to expand.
Appearances[]
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES | |||||
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Day 1: sigAI | |||||
Appears | |||||
BRaiN | |||||
Appears | |||||
Day 2: saikAI | |||||
Appears | |||||
PaiN | |||||
Appears | |||||
Day 2: meikAI | Day 2: keitAI | ||||
Appears | Appears | ||||
Day 3: syokubAI | Day 3: gyoukAI | ||||
Appears | Appears | ||||
VaiN | VILLaiN | ||||
Appears | Appears | ||||
Day 3: rihAI | Day 3: gumAI | Day 3: kyuusAI | |||
Appears | Appears | Appears | |||
Day 4: youdAI | Day 4: jukkAI | Day 4: syuurAI | |||
Appears | Appears | Appears | |||
SWaiN | CURTaiN | MaiN: 1 | |||
Appears | Appears | Appears | |||
Day 4: jikAI | Day 4: syougAI | Day 4: kikAI | Day 4: irAI | Day 5: kenzAI | |
Appears | Appears | Appears | Appears | Appears | |
Day 5: zugAI | Day 5: seisAI | Day 5: jinnAI | Day 5: dakkAI | Day 5: jutAI | |
Appears | Appears | Appears | Appears | Appears | |
SUSTaiN | REFRaiN | MaiN: 2 | MOUNTaiN | ||
Appears | Appears | Appears | Appears | ||
Day 5: syokuzAI | Day 5: ihAI | Day 6: kekkAI | Day 5: kokkAI | ||
Appears | Appears | Absent | Appears | ||
Ota: END | Day 6: hiAI | Annihilation: END | Iris: END | Day 6: sousAI | |
Mentioned | Appears | ||||
CAPTaiN | CHaiN | ||||
Absent | Mentioned | ||||
Day 6: sanpAI | Day 6: hakAI | ||||
Appears | Appears | ||||
Mizuki: END | Three Months Later: kassAI | ||||
Appears | |||||
Resolution: END |
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative | |||||
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6 Years Ago | Present | ||||
Converge Ch 0: A Strange Tale (Past) Absent |
Converge Ch 0: A Strange Tale (Present) Appears |
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Mizuki Ch 0: New Investigation Appears |
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Ryuki Ch 0: Dispossessed Appears |
Mizuki Ch 0: Alone Appears |
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Ryuki Ch 1: Anyone Imagines Mentioned |
Mizuki Ch 1: Pass Mildly Away Appears |
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Ryuki Ch 1: Nefarious Institute Absent |
Mizuki Ch 1: Nostalgic Idol Appears |
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Ryuki Diverge: 遐エ邯サ逋セ蜃コ Absent |
Ryuki Ch 1: Ought to Know Absent |
Mizuki Ch 1: End Where I Begun Appears |
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Mizuki Ch 2: Traveler Appears |
Ryuki Ch 2: Nothing to Be Done Absent |
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Mizuki Ch 2: Necessary Intervention Appears |
Ryuki Ch 2: Naixatloz's Intentions Absent |
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Mizuki Ch 2: Left Behind Appears |
Ryuki Ch 2: Go Absent |
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Ryuki Ch 3: Farewell Appears |
Mizuki Ch 3: The Expense of Spirit Appears |
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Ryuki Ch 3: Need Info Absent |
Mizuki Ch 3: Neurotic Inception Appears |
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Ryuki Ch 3 R2: Joy for Anguish Appears |
Ryuki Ch 3 R1: Smiles for Tears Absent |
Mizuki Ch 3 M1: Hell Appears |
Mizuki Ch 3 M2: All Living Things Appears |
||
Ryuki Ch 4 R2: I Found Me Appears |
Mizuki Ch 4 M1: Visions Appears |
Ryuki Ch 4 R1: Well-Known Absent |
Mizuki Ch 4 M2: Of Arms and Of Man Appears |
||
Ryuki Ch 4 R2: Nested Insecurities Absent |
Mizuki Ch 4 M1: Nonentity Incognito Appears |
Ryuki Ch 4 R1: Nearly Interesting Absent |
Mizuki Ch 4 M2: Novel Ingress Appears |
||
Ryuki Ch 4 R2: Past Its Ken Absent |
Mizuki Ch 4 M1: In Truth Appears |
Ryuki Ch 4 R1: The Mind of God Appears |
Mizuki Ch 4 M2: Who's There Appears |
Mizuki Ch 4 M3: Bid the Soldiers Shoot Appears | |
Komeji and Shoma: END | Ryuki Ch 5 R1: Not All A Dream Appears |
Mizuki Ch 5 M1: Births Appears |
Mizuki Ch 5 M2: All That We Are Appears |
Mizuki Ch 5 M3: Sweet Silent Thought Appears | |
Ryuki Ch 5 R1: Nemesis Identified Appears |
Mizuki Ch 5 M1: Nightmare Irreconcilable Appears |
Gen and Amame: END | Kizuna and Lien: END | ||
Ryuki Ch 5 R1: She Was the Universe Appears |
Mizuki Ch 5 M1: The End of Craving Appears |
Ryuki Diverge: All This Happened, More or Less Appears | |||
Explosion: END | Mizuki Epilogue: Braver Than All Flowers Appears |
閭。陜カ荵句、「邱ィEND | |||
Resolution: END |
In Other Media[]
RESEARCH and DESTROY[]
Aiba, alongside Kaname Date and Iris Sagan, is available as downloadable content in the game RESEARCH and DESTROY, published by Spike Chunsoft, available for $2.99 USD as one costume pack or $9.99 USD for a bundle with all DLC. Aiba is featured as a costume for the character of Gary.
Gallery[]
AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES[]
AI: nirvanA Initiative[]
Trivia[]
Etymology[]
- The term AI-Ball is a pun on the word "eyeball" (which references her role as Kaname Date's eye) and the term A.I. (as she is an artificial intelligence). Her English name, Aiba, is an abbreviation of this.
- Her Japanese name, Aibō (アイボゥ) also sounds like Aibō (相棒), meaning "partner." Date sometimes refers to her as such in the Japanese version of the game.
- Her Chinese name is "瞳絆" (tóng bàn), a combination of "瞳" (pupil) and "絆" (bond). It sounds the same as the word "同伴" (partner).
General[]
- Aiba and Kaname Date were both the first characters introduced for this game, appearing in the announcement trailer. However, Aiba remained unnamed and her role never directly addressed for several months until interviews released after the second trailer, leading to much speculation about her role in the story until then.
- Kotaro Uchikoshi's concept for an artificial intelligence residing in an artificial eye was inspired by the manga series Goku Midnight Eye, in which a detective gains a cybernetic eye that can assist him in investigations.[1]
- When pitching the character to the designer Yusuke Kozaki, Uchikoshi imagined Aiba to look similar to the character Medama-Oyaji from the manga and animated series GeGeGe no Kitarō.[1] Medama-Oyaji is a tiny bipedal creature with human-looking flesh, but contains a giant eye-ball as his entire head. Uchikoshi was surprised when, instead of the frightening-looking humanoid, he instead received a cute animal design.[2]
- The animal design planned for Aiba was originally meant to be a frog. It was since changed to a hamster.[3]
- According to Yusuke Kozaki, Aiba's "clothes" are part of her actual body and cannot be removed, effectively making her naked. However, if Date wishes for Aiba to appear in the nude, she can change her 3D model to appear naked (but is just as likely to instead self-destruct inside Date's skull and kill him).[4]
- For the DLC in AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative, Aiba can wear a hot-dog costume and three different T-shirt designs, the latter of which are explicitly work on top of her normal "clothes" rather than replacing them. This suggests these costumes are not part of her actual 3D model in-universe, instead just overlaid on top of the existing model.
- According to an interview with Siliconera, Aiba is Assistant Director Akira Okada's favorite character in the game.
- In a fan-made Character Poll for AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES held on Twitter, Aiba came in 2nd place.[5]
- Her favorite number is 41205. When using a Letter-to-Number cipher to decode it, it translates to "DATE."
- According to Kotaro Uchikoshi, Aiba and Date do not share their pain, including "brain-freeze" from a cold drink or dessert. However, he does say that they do share "the pain in their hearts."[6]