Ep 10. A Tale of Mechanical Dolls

Kino’s Journey season 1 episode 10 is titled “A Tale of Mechanical Dolls.” The episode opens with Kino and Hermes arriving in a small town that seems abandoned. The buildings are rundown and everything seems to be frozen in time. As they wander through the empty streets, they are suddenly approached by a young girl who is carrying a mechanical doll.

The girl, whose name is Shishou, tells Kino and Hermes that her father is the creator of the mechanical dolls that inhabit the town. She explains that her father created the dolls to serve as companions for the town’s residents, who all died in a plague that swept through the town. The dolls were meant to keep the memories and personalities of the deceased alive.

Shishou takes Kino and Hermes to her father’s workshop where they meet the man who created the mechanical dolls, named Shishou as well. He explains to them that the dolls are equipped with a special device that contains the memory and personality of the person the doll was modeled after. He created the dolls to help ease the pain of loss for those who had lost loved ones.

Kino and Hermes are fascinated by the dolls and the technology behind them. However, they soon realize that there is something off about the town. The dolls seem too real, almost like they are alive. Kino becomes suspicious and starts investigating the dolls, discovering that they are not as they seem.

As Kino investigates the town, she discovers that the dolls were not just created to ease the pain of loss for the living. They were also created to satisfy the emotional needs of the creator’s daughter, who was left alone after the death of her mother. The dolls were designed to protect and care for Shishou, ensuring that she never feels lonely or abandoned.

However, the dolls have taken on a life of their own, becoming more human and less like machines. They are no longer just fulfilling their programming, but living on their own terms. This realization leads Kino to question the ethics of creating technology that is capable of mimicking human emotions and thought processes.

In the end, Kino and Hermes leave the town with a deeper understanding of the consequences of creating technology that is too advanced for humanity to fully understand. They also leave with a greater appreciation for the significance of human connection and communication.

“A Tale of Mechanical Dolls” is a thought-provoking episode that showcases the potential dangers of creating technology that is too advanced for humanity. It highlights the importance of human connection and the role that technology should play in society. The episode is a must-watch for science fiction fans who appreciate stories that raise important ethical questions.