Lee Hisu, commonly known as Hideki Motosuwa, is the human protagonist of the anime and manga series Chobits. He is an eighteen-year-old ronin, a student who has not yet passed university entrance exams, and hails from a rural farming background in Hokkaido. He moves to Tokyo to attend Seki cram school, supporting himself by working at an izakaya called Yorokonde after his parents cut off his allowance. His background as a country boy leaves him unfamiliar with city life and often socially awkward, and he has a habit of thinking and talking out loud to himself, which frequently leads to humorous misunderstandings.

Hideki’s personality is defined by his honesty, kindness, and genuine desire to help others, though he is also prone to frustration and outbursts when overwhelmed. He initially dreams of owning a persocom, humanoid personal computers common in his world, primarily to access the internet for adult content. His life changes dramatically when he discovers an abandoned persocom in a pile of trash and carries her home. After activating her, she can only say the word “Chi,” so he names her Chii. Because her system cannot accept standard software, Hideki takes on the role of teaching her about the world from scratch, a task that deepens his emotional investment.

His motivations shift over time from simple curiosity and loneliness to a profound commitment to understanding Chi’s nature and protecting her. Despite the social taboo against romantic relationships between humans and persocoms, Hideki’s feelings grow into genuine love, forcing him to confront questions about what it means to form a bond with a machine that displays human-like emotions.

Hideki’s role in the story is that of a caregiver and emotional anchor for Chi, while also acting as an everyman figure through whom the series explores themes of loneliness, companionship, and the boundaries between humans and technology. He is the primary driver of the narrative, as his efforts to uncover Chi’s origins and his evolving relationship with her form the core of the plot.

Key relationships include his close friendship with his neighbor Hiromu Shinbo, who provides technical knowledge about persocoms and comic relief. He also connects with Yumi Omura, a high school girl who works at the same izakaya and treats him like an older brother. Hideki’s landlady, Chitose Hibiya, offers quiet support and is later revealed to have ties to Chi’s creation. Minoru Kokubunji, a young persocom genius, assists in investigating Chi’s mysterious nature. Hideki’s relationship with Chi is the most significant, evolving from owner and pet to a mutually affectionate partnership that challenges both characters.

Throughout the series, Hideki undergoes considerable development. He begins as an insecure, sexually frustrated teenager but gradually becomes more self-aware and emotionally mature. His interactions with Chi teach him patience, responsibility, and the depth of non-physical love. By the end, he learns to accept his feelings for Chi regardless of societal judgment, achieving a personal growth that allows him to enter university and embrace his role as Chi’s “person just for me.”

Hideki possesses no supernatural or special abilities; his notable traits are his empathy, resilience, and capacity for genuine emotional connection. His honest and straightforward nature often earns him the trust and advice of others, even as he is teased for being a “nice guy.” His dedication to Chi and his willingness to learn from his mistakes make him a relatable and central figure in the story.