Prosthetic <i>Kokoro</i>

This paper examines the Japanese television series Idolmaster: Xenoglossia (2007) by reading its creative mix of robot and idol anime genres alongside Bernard Stiegler’s philosophy of technology. Focusing on moe, an intersubjective, affective form of relationality among viewers and fictional characters in the subculture of otaku, I explore the image of kokoro—understood as both heart and soul—of robots and idols. By comparing Xenoglossia with prior robot anime such as Mobile Suit Gundam (1979-1980), I situate the series in Japan’s historical encounter with technoscience, especially in regard to military technology and the ideology of eugenics. Through Stiegler’s analysis of individuation, I highlight how Xenoglossia echoes the prosthetic nature of affects. Consequently, the paper demonstrates the potential of analyzing the idol industry as a technological system that ambivalently tries to create prosthetic relationships in a fragmented society.