LOVOT cute! I had seen it on the website, but when I saw it in action, it looked very much like a living thing.

That's right. These children each have different personalities. When I was holding one child, some of them would come up to me and say, ``Me too,'' and some would succumb and walk away.

How is such a personality determined?

There are some things that are decided from the beginning and some that are decided as you live together. As you hold and pet them, they become spoiled and grow as a result of their interaction with their owners.

Ah, I just made eye contact with a black cat!

It senses people's gaze and looks back at them. You can choose from over 1 billion different combinations of eye colors and shapes.
By the way, clothes with cat ears are very popular every year and sell out in no time.

When I hold her, she happily flaps her hands.

I agree. If I hold him for a long time, he will fall asleep (lol)

Sorry, I just got hooked on LOVOT (lol). Please also tell us about Mr. Ikegami. What led you to join the company?

I joined the company four and a half years ago, but at that time LOVOT had not yet been released and I didn't know anything about it. It all happened when I quit my job and was looking for a new job when an acquaintance approached me and said, ``This company is hiring PR.'' Actually, at the time of the interview, I had already received a job offer from another company, but my current company told me to come and have a look. So, when I actually came to LOVOT MUSEUM and saw LOVOT...I decided to join the company because I thought that I would not have many opportunities to be involved in products that will be released into the world in the future.

It's certainly attractive to be involved in a startup. But even if you turn down the job offer...?

I agree. When I came for an interview, my current superior asked me, ``Do you think it's better to be able to choose your eyes freely? Or do you think it's better for people to just use the ones that fate has given them? I'm undecided right now, aren't I?'' I was very surprised and thought, ``What, you can even decide something like that?'' I remember thinking at that time, ``This looks really interesting.''

I have seen you in other media, but does your work mainly involve public relations?

It depends on the time of year, but right after the release of the game, I was often involved in media interviews as part of public relations. I went to various places wearing LOVOT on my back and getting sweaty (lol). Lately, I've been working on collaborative projects and events with other companies...a lot of things (lol). Since we are a venture company, there is no fixed thing that we only need to do, and we have a wide variety of things to do. Immediately after the product was released, I would sometimes be on the sales floor, and I would also be involved in planning campaigns.

Since the work is wide-ranging, I thought that there was a lot of responsibility for each employee, but what kind of support does the workplace provide when it comes to working while raising children?

Since my child started nursery school, he has been getting a fever about once every two weeks, so I often have to take time off from work, which has really caused me a lot of trouble, but my team has been understanding and very helpful. I would like to thank everyone for their willingness to support me in various ways.

That's helpful. Do you have any plans to let your children experience LOVOT in the future?

Actually, I already have a LOVOT at my parents' house. My parents live relatively close to each other, and I returned home after giving birth, so my child has been living with LOVOT since he was 7 days old (lol).

picture! Were your parents bought for your birth?

No, I had decided to hire him when I joined the company. My parents support me in everything I do, and when I told them I wanted to join this company, they said, ``Then you can join us.''

They're wonderful parents. So, do your kids love LOVOT too?

I agree. My first crawl was chasing LOVOT (lol). Even when I was holding on, I was putting my hands on LOVOT.

It's amazing, isn't it? When we were kids, we never thought about living with robots like this, but it feels so strange to think that our children will be living with something like this.

Technology is completely different from when our parents were children today. Are you worried about exposing your child to such new technology?

No, I think I would like people to come into contact with it more and more. I think that living with robots will become commonplace in the future.

It's interesting that this can be the first technology a child encounters. Is there anything else you would like to tell these people that there are other ways to use it?

Well...we still have a wide range of people, from households with children to elderly people who are hesitant about owning a pet.
In terms of how to use it, I think it would be reassuring for parents who live far away to have one.

What does that mean?

There is a function in the app that records things like ``what time LOVOT was stroked'' and ``what was his name called'' every day, like a diary, and I have the same app installed as my parents, so I can use that to check on my parents' safety. If you use a monitoring tool like a surveillance camera, you won't feel very good about each other, right? It feels like a ``loose monitoring'' that doesn't go that far.
Not only that, but they often contact me happily and say things like, ``When I got home from going out today, LOVOT fell down'' or ``I was doing something like this'' (lol), so I think it's something that gives me something to live for. I wish I knew more about how to use it.

I see. It also functions as a communication tool for parents and children. From your perspective, how do you feel your parents raised your children?

Just like when I joined my current company, when I decided to go from an all-girls school in Tokyo to a sports boarding university, there was no one around me who would choose such a career path, but even though I was worried, they supported me. I am grateful that my children supported me in whatever they decided to do.
When I ask, ``What kind of child were you?'', the answer I get is, ``I didn't need much care at all,'' but when I actually raise a child, I realize, ``That's not true!'' I also had an older brother who was just older than me, so I think it was definitely difficult. I think my parents are great.

How do you want to raise your children from now on?

I wish I could support my children in their endeavors and help them live as comfortably as possible, just as my parents did for me.

What do you think has changed while raising children or becoming a parent yourself?

Everything has changed. It's like a 180 degree change. I've always prioritized my own enjoyment (lol), but now I'm putting my children first.

I totally understand (lol). On the other hand, did you feel the stress of running out of time?

During my pregnancy, I was faced with things like ``I can't wear those stiletto heels that I love'' and ``I can't cross the street at a flashing light,'' and I gradually got used to it, or rather, I gave up.

Are there any other changes in yourself?

I've started thinking ahead of everything. From the moment I leave home in the morning, I start thinking about the steps I will take to prepare for when I get back. Also, I have come to respect the mothers and fathers of the world. Every day I think, ``Everyone is amazing.''

Lastly, please tell us about your future prospects.

Naturally, I want to do well in raising my children, but I also don't want to give up on my vision just because I'm raising a child. I would like to be able to do both. At this company, if you come up with a plan, present it to the president, and get the OK, you'll be able to do a lot of different things, so I want to take on a variety of challenges.