38-year-old Japanese man Akihiko Kondo married a fictional character named Hatsune Miku during an unofficial ceremony in Tokyo. After two years of “marriage” with the computer-synthesised doll, he gave an interview to The New York Times to share why he had sworn “to be faithful until death” to an object.Kondo’s case is not an isolated one, in Japan, there are thousands of people who, like him, have married fictional characters. This has happened more frequently in the last ten years, albeit unofficially.
This trend is fuelled by an industry bent on satisfying the desires and whims of these “fans,” resulting in tens of thousands around the world joining online groups to talk about their relationships with anime, manga, and video game characters. They even have a name and are called “fictosexual”.
Kondo claims to know that his object of affection is not real, but concludes that his feelings for her are real and that’s enough for him. “When we’re together, she makes me smile,” he said. “In that sense, she is real.”
What makes someone invest in a fictional relationship instead of a real one? Could this be an escape from one’s reality?
Disregarding your reality doesn’t fix it, but receiving the right tools on how to solve relationship problems does!
Sundays 11am meetings also aims to help you overcome any problems you are experiencing in your relationships. Whether you have experienced loss or constant disappointment in your love life, these meetings will help you start afresh.
