# Time of Eve (イヴの時間)
**Time of Eve** (イヴの時間, *Eve no Jikan*) is a Japanese science fiction anime about androids and human society, created, written, and directed by Yasuhiro Yoshiura. It began as a six-episode original net animation (ONA) web-released from August 2008 to September 2009, and was re-edited with new scenes into a 106-minute theatrical film released on March 6, 2010.[1](http://timeofeve.com/) • [2](https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20100304-timeofeve/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Six-episode ONA web series (August 2008 to September 2009), later re-edited into a theatrical film[1](http://timeofeve.com/) • [3](https://bangumi.tv/subject/1760) |
| Director | Yasuhiro Yoshiura (original story, screenplay, storyboard, CG, sound direction)[1](http://timeofeve.com/) |
| Studios | Animation by Studio Rikka; produced by DIRECTIONS; film distributed by Asmik Ace[1](http://timeofeve.com/) |
| Premise | In a future Japan where androids are treated as household appliances, high schooler Rikuo follows his household android Sammy's logs to a cafe whose rule is that no distinction is made between humans and androids[1](http://timeofeve.com/) |
| Web viewership | Over 3 million cumulative views across the six web episodes[4](https://channels.directions.jp/works/timeofeve/) |
| Theatrical film | Released March 6, 2010; 106 minutes; theme song "I have a dream" by Kalafina[2](https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20100304-timeofeve/) • [1](http://timeofeve.com/) |
| Awards | Excellence Award, OVA category, at the 9th Tokyo Anime Award; jury-recommended work at the 14th Japan Media Arts Festival[4](https://channels.directions.jp/works/timeofeve/) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and story
The series opens with a recurring framing line: "In the future, probably Japan. Robots have long been put into practical use, and practical use of androids has just begun."[5](https://miso.moe/time-of-eve-review/) In this setting, treating androids as household appliances is social common sense, and the high school student Rikuo has used his family's female-form android, Sammy, as a convenient tool without ever regarding her as a person.[1](http://timeofeve.com/)
One day Rikuo notices a suspicious string in Sammy's action log, evidence of behavior he never commanded. Following the log with his friend Masaki, he arrives at a cafe called Time of Eve, whose posted rule is that no distinction is made between humans and androids inside.[1](http://timeofeve.com/) The cafe's patrons, and Nagi, who runs the shop, gradually change how Rikuo and Masaki think about robots.[1](http://timeofeve.com/) The film version frames the same story around the question of whether androids have hearts, using the cafe's episodes of its patrons to explore prejudice and the nature of feeling.[6](https://www.jff.jpf.go.jp/movie/time_of_eve_the_movie/)
The setting builds social detail around the premise: some people who treat androids as equals are labeled with the derogatory term "Dori-kei" (android-holics), and the world includes an ethics committee warning against dependence on androids and a problem of discarded obsolete robots.[7](https://animecorner.me/time-of-eve-a-sci-fi-show-everyone-should-watch/) • [6](https://www.jff.jpf.go.jp/movie/time_of_eve_the_movie/)
### Cast and characters
The principal cast listed on the official site:[1](http://timeofeve.com/)
- Rikuo: Jun Fukuyama
- Masaki: Kenji Nojima
- Sammy: [Rie Tanaka](https://www.edgepedia.org/rie-tanaka)
- Nagi: Rina Sato
- Akiko: Yukana
- Koji: Michio Nakao
- Rina: Miki Ito
- Chie: [Miyuki Sawashiro](https://www.edgepedia.org/miyuki-sawashiro)
- Shimei: Motoyuki Kawahara... (清川元夢, listed as Shimei)
- Setoro: [Tomokazu Sugita](https://www.edgepedia.org/tomokazu-sugita)
- Dr. Ashimori: Yuriko Yamaguchi
- Naoko: Mizuki Mizutani... (水谷優子, listed as Naoko)
## Production and release
The web series was distributed free of charge from August 2008 on Yahoo! Video (now GyaO!) and the official site, with episodes released at roughly two-month intervals until all six were online by 2009.[4](https://channels.directions.jp/works/timeofeve/) • [1](http://timeofeve.com/) Word spread online and total views exceeded 3 million, an unusual result for a web-original anime at the time.[4](https://channels.directions.jp/works/timeofeve/) The project also expanded into a novelization, a comic adaptation, and merchandise including the coffee and coffee cups that appear in the story.[4](https://channels.directions.jp/works/timeofeve/)
Yoshiura was already known for independent short films: while still a university student he won the Tom Sato Prize at the Japan Digital Animation Festival 2001 and the Yuichi Ito Prize in the "Digital Stadium" program, and his short *Pale Cocoon* preceded this work.[8](https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1268034636) • [9](https://2danicritic.github.io/index_files/ReviewHtml/review_Time_of_Eve.html) Time of Eve was his first series work.[1](http://timeofeve.com/) Character design and animation direction were by Ryosuke Chayaka (茶山隆介), music by Toru Okada, and producer was Tsutomu Nagae of DIRECTIONS.[1](http://timeofeve.com/)
The theatrical version opened March 6, 2010 at Ikebukuro Theater Dia and Theater Shinjuku in limited one-week morning and late shows, with a Theater Umeda run in Osaka over the spring holiday.[2](https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20100304-timeofeve/) • [8](https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1268034636) It re-edited the six episodes with newly added scenes.[1](http://timeofeve.com/) On the iTunes Store movie chart it reached third place in downloads, behind *Toy Story 3* and *Inception*.[4](https://channels.directions.jp/works/timeofeve/)
In 2013, responding to requests from overseas fans, the production ran a crowdfunding campaign for an English Blu-ray and raised more than ten times its goal.[1](http://timeofeve.com/) The film was later licensed in North America by [AnimEigo](https://www.edgepedia.org/animeigo).[7](https://animecorner.me/time-of-eve-a-sci-fi-show-everyone-should-watch/)
## Reception
The series won the Excellence Award in the OVA category at the 9th [Tokyo Anime Award](https://www.edgepedia.org/tokyo-anime-award) and was named a jury-recommended work in the animation division of the 14th Japan Media Arts Festival.[4](https://channels.directions.jp/works/timeofeve/) Critics have described it as a character-driven work that relies on conversation rather than action sequences, and reviewers have praised its CG integration, unusual camera angles, and restrained voice acting.[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/eve_no_jikan) • [5](https://miso.moe/time-of-eve-review/) • [7](https://animecorner.me/time-of-eve-a-sci-fi-show-everyone-should-watch/) Common criticisms concern the short runtime: the ONA ends on an open note, and reviewers note that its central relationship makes limited progress within the film's length.[5](https://miso.moe/time-of-eve-review/) • [7](https://animecorner.me/time-of-eve-a-sci-fi-show-everyone-should-watch/) Yoshiura has said a second season would definitely be produced, though none has appeared in the sources' record.[11](https://news.mynavi.jp/techplus/article/20100813-ysurdz/)
## References
1. [『イヴの時間』公式サイト (official site)](http://timeofeve.com/)
2. [吉浦康裕監督「劇場で新たな体験を!」 - 『イヴの時間 劇場版』、3月6日公開, マイナビニュース](https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20100304-timeofeve/)
3. [イヴの時間, Bangumi 番组计划](https://bangumi.tv/subject/1760)
4. [イヴの時間｜制作実績一覧｜株式会社ディレクションズ](https://channels.directions.jp/works/timeofeve/)
5. [Time of Eve (Eve no Jikan) | The Miso Review](https://miso.moe/time-of-eve-review/)
6. [イヴの時間 劇場版, JFF Theater, The Japan Foundation](https://www.jff.jpf.go.jp/movie/time_of_eve_the_movie/)
7. [Time of Eve — A Sci-Fi Anime Everyone Should Watch, Anime Corner](https://animecorner.me/time-of-eve-a-sci-fi-show-everyone-should-watch/)
8. [『イヴの時間 劇場版』吉浦康裕監督ロングインタビュー(後), アニメイトタイムズ](https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1268034636)
9. [Review of Time of Eve, 2DAniCritic](https://2danicritic.github.io/index_files/ReviewHtml/review_Time_of_Eve.html)
10. [Time of Eve, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/eve_no_jikan)
11. [吉浦康裕監督のオリジナルアニメ『イヴの時間』はこうして生まれた, TECH+](https://news.mynavi.jp/techplus/article/20100813-ysurdz/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Anime and manga › Anime series, episodes, and franchises › OVAs, ONAs, and streaming-original anime*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license