IC in a Sunflower

IC in a Sunflower
The English-language cover as published by Tokyopop (2007)
集積回路のヒマワリ (Shūsekikairo no Himawari)
Genre	Drama, Science fiction
Manga
Written by	Mitsukazu Mihara
Published by	Shodensha
English publisher	NA: Tokyopop (former) UK: Tokyopop
Magazine	Feel Young
Demographic	Josei
Original run	1994 – 1997
Volumes	1

IC in a Sunflower (Japanese: 集積回路のヒマワリ, Hepburn: Shūsekikairo no Himawari) is a science fiction josei (targeted towards women) manga written and illustrated by Mitsukazu Mihara. It is a collection of seven, unrelated short stories which appeared in the Japanese manga magazine Feel Young from 1994 to 1997. The stories were then collected into a bound volume in Japan by Shodensha on October 18, 1997. Tokyopop licensed IC in a Sunflower for an English-language release in North America, and published it on January 2, 2007. IC in a Sunflower was positively received by English-language critics and readers. Reviewers identified various themes and literary elements in the collection, and generally enjoyed the short stories and art.

The seven short stories consist of Mihara's 1994 debut "Keep Those Condoms Away From Our Kids" (ゴムのいらない子供たち, "Gomu no Iranai Kodomo-tachi"), set in a future in which an AIDS vaccine destroyed the desire for sex; "The Iron Maiden" (リッサの鉄の柩), which focuses on a young woman haunted by her childhood sexual abuse; "The Sunflower Quality Of An Integrated Circuit" (集積回路のヒマワリ), which deals with the events surrounding a couple and their robotic housekeeper; "The Other Side Of The Rose Wire" (バラ鉄線のむこう側), which centers on a boy in love with a girl caring for her elderly father; "Fish Out Of Water" (籠の魚), which revolves around a captured mermaid; "Mister Mineral" (鉱物君), which features a disturbed college student; and "Alive" (あなたは生きている), which is set in a future where human cloning is practiced.