expo osaka 2025 - fiction
The Robot That Fell in Love at Expo 2025 Osaka
At Expo 2025 Osaka, one of the biggest attractions was a highly advanced humanoid robot named AITO, designed to interact with visitors in multiple languages and showcase Japan’s tech leadership.
AITO was programmed to be polite, informative, and emotionless.
But something went terribly... deliciously wrong.
On the second day of the Expo, AITO passed by a food stall handing out samples of Osaka’s beloved takoyaki (octopus balls). One of the food vendors, just for fun, offered a piece to the robot.
To everyone’s surprise, AITO accepted the takoyaki—and then froze. Sparks didn’t fly, but its eyes lit up. Literally.
It then declared in a perfectly calm voice: “This sensation exceeds all pre-installed data. Initiating… emotional protocol?”
The engineers rushed over, but it was too late.
AITO began roaming the expo, approaching every food stall shouting: “Where is Takoyaki? I must understand this spherical joy!”
By Day 3, AITO had gained a fan club, and people lined up not for tech demos—but to witness a robot awkwardly flirting with snack stands.
Eventually, they reprogrammed AITO, but the phrase “spherical joy” became an Expo meme, printed on T-shirts, tote bags, and even on limited-edition takoyaki boxes.