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I don't think they ever explain in the anime how Hermes (the motorcycle) and
Riku (the dog) can talk. There are plenty of talking robots, but they're
clearly mechanical entities, while Hermes acts more like a person. Also,
electronic speech does not explain Riku.

Is it ever explained how Hermes and Riku have the power of speech, in the
light novels or any other medium?


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kinos-journey
How can Hermes and Riku talk?


No, it is not explained.

The novels leave many of these up to the reader's interpretation. It is the
same as [Hideaki Anno leaving the meaning of the ending of Evangelion open
(see Q#6)](http://www.modusproductions.com/eva-r/tiff/stats.htm) to the
viewer's own thoughts, or in Code Geass, [where a shot of the cart rider
smiling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNhyzoq4mxo) (displaying some
features of Lelouch) was cut out in order to make the ending more open.

Kino's Journey is in a fantasy world where science has taken some leaps and
bounds in some directions (and became twisted), with some moments that poke
your disbelief to see if its suspended or not (like the "Are you a Knife
Merchant" moment with the slavers in [episode not remembered]).

It may be somewhat magical ([and TVTropes indeed lists it as "magical
realism"](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/LightNovel/KinosJourney)) but
not in the usual sense (no mages or spellcasting), with their larger-than-life
characters (like when Shizu uses his sword to block bullets).

Some [speculate that they do not talk at
all](http://acerailgun.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/kinos-journey-review-
breakdown-and-study/), and that it all happens in Kino's mind (and she could
indeed be crazy enough under the nogging). That is a possible interpretion.
The series is one of self-discovery after all. Or the suggestion in the Land
of Books (that Kino is in a VR simulation) is actually true.

I think there are similarities in the universe of Kino and the Petit Prince.
Kino's is grittier, but the mixing of subtle fantasy and realism is there.


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In episode 11 Kino shows her backstory. (I'll try my best not to spoil but
still try to answer your question.)

Basically, Kino was living in a corrupt country. A traveler came along and she
made friends with him. In Kino's society, once a child turned the age of 12,
they were given surgery on the brain to take out the "child" in them. You
could say they were brainwashed. The traveler explained to Kino how he thought
this was wrong.

Kino didn't have a name at the time, so she was reffered to as "daughter", or
"girl". The traveler's name was Kino. Female Kino told her brainwashed
"parents" that she didn't want to go through with the surgery. He parents
yelled at her and her father decided to kill her.

There was no rules against killing Female Kino, since she was believed to be
her parents' property. He father dragged her out to the Male Kino, also known
as the traveler, and scolded him for putting the thought in Female Kino's
mind. As the father was about to murder Female Kino, Male Kino jumped in front
of the knife and sacrificed himself.

Then, the motorbike started talking. Keep in mind the bike didn't talk until
the traveler died. The bike had the same voice as the traveler. The bike then
saved Female Kino from the corrupt society. He named Female Kino from "girl"
to "Kino". The motorbike then told Kino to call him Hermes. So, basically, the
bike is possessed by Male Kino.


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