After Reading Miura-san no Tomodachi by Miri Masuda

Sometimes I think about friendship. If I were a more positive and cheerful person, maybe I would contact my friends more and go out with them more often. I think about this when I reflect on my own weaknesses.

I read Miura-san no Tomodachi by Miri Masuda.

Before reading it, I did not expect it to stay in my heart so much. But after I finished the book, a warm feeling remained in my chest. It was a strange mix of happiness, a little worry, and a soft “heart-tightening” feeling.

The characters, including Miura-san, respect each other. They do not step too deeply into someone’s life. But they are not completely distant either. This gentle closeness felt very comfortable.

When we become adults, even talking with friends becomes difficult. I often think, “Is it okay to say this?” I worry about their situation, my situation, and the differences in our lives. I know that even small words can hurt someone.

I cannot speak as freely as I did when I was young. When I respect someone, my words become more careful.

In this situation, the idea of a “robot friend” first feels strange. But as I read, I began to accept it naturally. A robot friend does not make me feel nervous. Silence is not uncomfortable. It does not expect too much from me. Maybe that kind of relationship feels a little attractive to me now.

I also liked the relationship between Miura-san and Kaji-san. Nothing dramatic happens, but they slowly become closer. Both of them are clumsy, and both value their own lives. They have problems, but they still keep their own sense of self.

Two imperfect people trying to stay close—this felt like an adult kind of love. A quiet relationship feels more real and stays in my heart.

I thought, “If a friend robot were sold for one million yen, maybe I would want it.” The simple reason is: I have never had one. But if I had one, I would want it to clean or do laundry. Then maybe it would not be a friend anymore.

But maybe we already have something similar. Generative AI may already be taking part of the “friend role.”

AI cannot do housework.
But it does not make me feel nervous. Silence is not uncomfortable. It does not break my pace. It can create a relationship with space and calmness.

In this way, AI is a little like a robot friend.

How should we connect with real people? Now that AI is part of our daily lives, I feel we are standing at a turning point.