Artificial Human - Television Tropes & Idioms

Ranging from "biological robot" to "cyborg" to "clone." Anime sometimes uses the term "android" in a way different than the West. Ironically, this is closer to the original meaning, which according to the dictionary, is "An automaton that is created from biological materials and resembles a human."

The important thing is Artificial Humans look like humans, they move like them, etc. Some may be bullet proof, but you wouldn't be able to tell from touch. Sometimes the only physical indicator is eye-color, which may be red, yellow or purple, or an unusual skin/hair pigment. Not always, though, and given the range of eye and hair color in anime, it's not a perfect indicator.

Artificial Humans often have cognitive traits typical of a robot, such as mathematical skill and a perfect memory on the positive side, and uncreativity and excessive literal-mindedness on the negative side. Many of them also have the same kind of loyalty to their creators that robots tend to be programmed for—although AI Is A Crapshoot in the case of the Artificial Human just as it is when it comes to the electronic version of artificial intelligence.

But many of them have more in common with humans emotionally than robots. They are often outsiders, so their emotional states are often in the "angst" category, which leads to bonding with the kind-hearted hero(ine) or Kill All Humans. If in a society that fully accepts them, there is usually no emotional difference.

Like robots outside anime, it doesn't matter what they're created for, they'll usually have increased strength, speed, and other powers. See Super Powered Robot Meter Maids.

Notice that the very first "robots" in fiction, the eponymous "robots" from Karol Capek's R.U.R., were actually Artificial Humans and not the clanking metal humanoids we now associate with that term.

Like most robotic characters, Artificial Humans tend to Become A Real Boy over the course of the plot.

See also Robot Girl and Spaceship Girl. Technically a Virtual Ghost is also an Artificial Human, but they are rarely treated the same. Compare Ridiculously Human Robot.

Examples

Anime

Some types of "androids" such as Mahoro from Mahoromatic or Ifurita from El Hazard The Magnificent World seem rather biological in nature.
Dragonball Z and its prequel had many fully robotic androids that ranged from Ridiculously Human Robot to a Terminator spoof. But the Mad Scientist behind these mooks proved to be evil when he kidnapped teenage twins and turned them into Androids 17 and 18. The twins had near identity crisis's in between hunting down Goku, but later came to peace with themselves. Cell was a "bioroid" cyborg.
Bakuretsu Tenshi: Jo and Marion were designed by the rival syndicate to be the "ultimate battle angels".
Key The Metal Idol claimed to be an android, although her exact nature isn't revealed until much later.
Ryoko from Tenchi Muyo was grown from a test-tube by Washuu.
- As is OVA Kagato being he was the hermaphrodite clone of Naja Akara, Washuu's best friend, that took over a Ryoko prototype and split off his female half.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Rei Ayanami was a human/angel clone.
- Also, the Evangelions qualify at some level, as they have biological bodies similar to huge human organisms (actually copied from Adam, but Angels/Apostles in Evangelion are basically what humans would be if they rejected their 'humanity'), a human soul, and are literally called "jinzouningen," meaning "artificial humans".
The homunculi from Full Metal Alchemist.
Fate Testarossa, the Wolkenritter, Erio Mondial, the members of the Numbers (including Subaru and Ginga) and all familiars from Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. Notable in that they're all three kinds; clones, living programs, and cyborgs.
Dorothy from The Big O. However, while she looked human enough, she acted exceedingly robotic (to the point of being kind of creepy), though over time this changes somewhat. (Although, to be fair, it would appear that she could control this, and did it intentionally to disturb or annoy people.) And, as noted by Dastun when he tried to pull her out of the way of a battle, she is extremely heavy.
Yuki in Suzumiya Haruhi fits here, though what exactly she is is obscured by her Techno Babble explanation. As do Ryouko Asakura and Kimidori Emiri.
- In the 9th novel, yet another Artificial Human—one in direct opposition to Yuki—is introduced in the form of Kuyou Suou.
Annapuma and Unipuma from Dominion Tank Police are called androids. However, Uni is the original, and Anna was actually cloned from her, suggesting a biological origin.
The Sexaroids of Bubblegum Crisis were a rather distinct homage to the replicants of Blade Runner, complete with a "what is human?" Aesop for Priss, who notably hated Boomers before meeting Sylvie.
Although the Bioroids in Appleseed are nearly indistinguishable from humans, Cyborgs look more like Humongous Mecha.
Lain Iwakura in SerialExperimentsLain was created to hold a piece of software in her neural system.
The main character and several members of the supporting case of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou are androids who are oddly biological in some ways (they must eat and sleep and are basically human in personality) and definitely mechanical in others (getting struck by lightning doesn't seriously hurt Alpha, just requires that her skin be re-coated). The rather leisurely plot of the series spends a lot of time focusing on the nature of these androids.
Melfina from Outlaw Star is a "bio-android", and also the Spaceship Girl for the titular ship.
Trigun has Vash, Knives, Tessla, Chronica, Domina, and all the other plants. With dramatic consequences.
The "Humaritt" Lila from Najica Blitz Tactics is created in a laboratory and possesses superhuman abilities. Her responses are often rather robotic at first, but she gets better.
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou features robots, including the main characters (Alpha and Kokone). They eat like humans, sleep (and dream) like humans, and act just like humans, but you can still tell they're robots because, ummm...because they say so. Also speculated that there may be significant biological components to their construction, but that's another issue entirely.
The Arume in Blue Drop create synthetic children that are seemingly their exact copies - aside from the tendency to explode. Originally used to battle the earth forces, they are later applied to fend off the remnants of the Arume's rather nasty biological weaponry.
This is what Mewtwo was supposed to be in the first Pokemon movie. Not that it actually worked...
Edel from Princess Tutu was created by Drosselmeyer to influence the path of the story. She's typically called a puppet, probably in reference to the ballets Nutcracker and Coppelia, but although she's strange none of the characters seem to realize this until The Reveal. Uzura, who was made from the wooden remains of Edel, also counts.

Comic Books

Wonder Woman was a 'perfect woman' created from clay by her 'mother,' Hippolyta.

Film

Blade Runner, of course, and its novel precursor 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. And the novel continuations.
In Bicentennial Man, the lead turns himself from a true robot to this.
The whole point and plot of A.I. Artificial Intelligence is the heartbreak of David having the full emotions of a human while not being loved as such.

Literature

The Robots in Karel Čapek's Rossum's Universal Robots were actually Artificial Humans.
Also, the golem myth in several European Jewish traditions, making this Older Than Print.
The title character of Robert A Heinlein's novel Friday.
"My mother was a test tube, my father was a knife."
Marvin the Paranoid Android from The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, who lives in a constant state of angst.
Rei Toei from William Gibson's cyberpunk novel Idoru is a sentient artificial intelligence whose "body" is a hologram.
Several characters in Bernard Werber's novels and short stories are androids or part of an artificial-life simulation software but don't know it. In fact, some of his works suggest that all of the characters and even all of humankind, the gods, and the whole known universe might unwittingly be part of a giant software and/or experiment. Yup, Werber is a fan of Philip K. Dick.
Second Apocalypse features artificial humans of the soulless (literally), Psycho For Hire type.
Frankenstein's monster!
The androids owned by the protagonist in "Fondly Fahrenheit."

Live Action TV

The most advanced models of Cylons on Battlestar Galactica are biologically human to the point that they can mate with humans and produce offspring, and can only be readily identified as non-human by exposing them to certain exotic types of radiation.
Mack Hartford of Power Rangers Operation Overdrive, built by Adventurer Archaeologist Andrew Hartford to be the son he never could get. What this says about Hartford is up to the viewer.
Space Above And Beyond had the "In Vitros" or "Tanks" —genetically designed clones grown in People Jars as forced laborers. Naturally, a Tank is made part of the main cast. Conflict ensues, until they learn to work together.

Video Games

The Realians from the Xenosaga TV and game series. In addition, Ziggy is a Cyborg relic from the past.
- Additionally, KOS-MOS and particularly Telos, since she was built from the preserved body of Mary. Yes, that Mary.
In both the Xenogears and Mega Man Legends video games, the heroes find out that the species on the planet are not humans. Humans died out long ago, and what's left evolved from the biological parts of their technology.
- In Xenogears, Ramsus Kahran is a clone of Emperor Cain. And he has some issues with it...
In Super Robot Wars: Original Generation, Lamia Loveless is a cyborg who is apparently half and half. Her brain contains several computers, and parts of her limbs, sometimes entire limbs, are mechanical. She was made to infiltrate military organizations, so she acted fairly normal, if overly polite. She also has some form of super strength and durability, but it isn't particularly important.
- There are three more Artificial Humans in the R series, and subsequently got carried over to Original Generation Gaiden: Duminuss' children Despoiniz, Lalia and Tiz. The three are homunculus, artificially created human, used as her minions. Though one has a Heel Face Turn only in OG Gaiden.
In Wild Arms (original & ACF version), the protagonist Rudy is an android/artificial human made from technology similar to that of the Metal Demons. He is a "Holmcross", given the alchemy refs, is clearly a transliteration for "Homunculous."
- The other games had their share of Artificial Humans too. Wild Arms 3 had Jet, who was similar to the first game's example, only he was created to test the theory of Filgaia as a lifeform, and Wild Arms 2 and 4 had Cyborgs in the characters of Kanon and Balgaine.
The Sephiroth Clones and, to some extent, Cloud from Final Fantasy VII. (The word 'clone' is used differently here.)
Rubedo, Albedo, Nigredo, and Citrine from the Xenosaga videogame series are all variant clones of their creator, Dr. Dmitri Yuriev. There were others created that collectively formed a sort of "hive mind", but they were all destroyed during the Miltia Incident.
In Prof. Layton and the Curious Village, Prof. Layton reveals that all of St. Mystere citizens are robots programed to give puzzles to find a guardian for Floria, the baron's late daughter.
Bryan Fury in Tekken. One Badass crazy cyborg at that!
Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, Solidus, and the Genome soldiers in Metal Gear Solid and its sequels are clones of Big Boss.
Several characters from the Einzbern family in Fate Stay Night and Fate Zero are homunculi created through magecraft.
- Also in the Nasuverse, Aozaki Touko from Kara No Kyoukai is Nigh Invulnerable because of this - whenever her current 'container' dies, a prepared backup is activated.
In Super Mario RPG, the creature Belome was capable of making clones of your party in your second encounter with him.

Western Animation

Some Transformers late in the original line made use of Pretender technology, which involved fleshy outer shells. Those with human shells, therefore, could shrink down and blend in with humans. This skips the Become A Real Boy step, though, as Transformers are Mechanical Lifeforms, and thus start off sentient and sapient.
- There's also the characters in Beast Wars, who took the Pretender technology one step further to become Hollywood Cyborgs. Even before the line between "tech" and "organic" became blurred in the series, the creators emphasized that the robots' pseudo-organic "beast modes" were "fully functional"...take that as you will.
- Don't forget that in "Transformers: Animated", Sari turned out to a be a robot created by Dr. Sumdac, instead of a human as originally thought, which explains a lot.
Synergy of Jem is a super-computer type of this.
Cobra “synthoids” in GI Joe could perfectly mimic real people and were key to several episodes where a Faked Rip Van Winkle or Body Snatcher plot was in effect. They were apparently organic in nature, being constructed of a grey goopy matter called “Pseudoplasm” which they would terrifyingly revert back into by melting if killed or self-destructed.
There are three examples of this in Code Lyoko.
- Aelita was thought to be one of these (specifically, an AI) for two seasons, until it was revealed that she was, in fact, human, not to mention the daughter of the supercomputer's creator.
- XANA uses these in his attacks all the time, whether polymorphic (shape-shifting) or not. They are easily synthesized using the supercomputer, and usually look like one of the heroes or someone close to them. They're generally mindless, and can be used to coerce, trick, or attack the heroes.
- A version of these clones can also be utilized by the heroes themselves. So far, two have been cloned this way- Jeremie, the nerd, and William, the jock, or something like it. Both were used as stand-ins- Jeremie's took his place for a day while he worked on several programs; William's took his place for several months while the real one was trapped in Lyoko. Unfortunately, while these clones were pretty much benign and harmless (unless possessed by XANA, which both have been), they have drastically different personalities than their originals- Jeremie's clone is a bold womanizer, while William's clone is profoundly naïve and stupid.