Only in Japan, Real Men Go to a Hotel With Virtual Girlfriends

[Gerald]

Dating-Simulation Game a Last Resort For Honeymoon Town and Its Lonely Guests.ATAMI, Japan—This resort town, once popular with honeymooners, is turning to a new breed of romance seekers—virtual sweethearts.Since the marriage rate among Japan's shrinking population is falling and with many of the country's remaining lovebirds heading for Hawaii or Australia's Gold Coast, Atami had to do something. It is trying to attract single men—and their handheld devices.

In the first month of the city's promotional campaign launched July 10, more than 1,500 male fans of the Japanese dating-simulation game LovePlus+ have flocked to Atami for a romantic date with their videogame character girlfriends.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703632304575451414209658940.html?m od=WSJ_hp_us_mostpop_read

[Factor]

What is the resort name again? The hairy palms?

[Takeda Shingen]

That's just plain weird. What happened to you, Japan? You used to be cool.

[STEED]

Looks like that scene in big Arnie film The Sixth Day will soon be coming true. :nope:

[kiwi_2005]

Another fool marries his Vgf

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Love-Plus-Nintendo-DS-Marries,news-5179.html


Now the obsession has reached a new level of "wow-ness," as IT Media News (via Boingboing (http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/20/man-to-marry-his-vid.html)) reports that a man will officially marry his virtual Love Plus girlfriend this coming Sunday (before Cyber Monday). Known only as SAL9000, the obsessed gamer fell in love with Nene Anegaski, unofficially married the virtual chick, and even took her to Guam for the honeymoon.

Of course, because she isn't...well... real, this meant he took the Nintendo DS to Guam. During the trip, he used the video-sharing site Nico Nico Douga to livecast the honeymoon, and also documented the trip by using the augmented reality iPhone app Sekai Camera. There was no word on how the couple managed to get through the first night of the honeymoon.

[antikristuseke]

That's just plain weird. What happened to you, Japan? You used to be cool.

When?

[Takeda Shingen]

When?

15 years ago, Japan was the center of everything that was hip and new. The latest popular trends, cutting edge of technology an innovation all came from there. Japan was like The Fonz from Happy Days: All the girls wanted to date him and all the guys wanted to be him. That mantle has now passed to South Korea. Japan has become that creepy uncle with the school girl fetish.

[Oberon]

Fantasy is a much nicer world than reality, can you blame them?

[Takeda Shingen]

Fantasy is a much nicer world than reality, can you blame them?

That is certainly true. :hmmm:

[DarkFish]

Only in Japan, Real Men Go to a Hotel With Virtual Girlfriends...

Didn't drink today - check
Didn't smoke weed today - check

...

That means this is for real:o

[Castout]

Fantasy is a much nicer world than reality, can you blame them?

Yes, you can still very much blame them :damn:

http://cdn2.knowyourmeme.com/i/6513/original/facepalm-face-palm-facepalm-demotivational-poster-1223672935.jpg

[krashkart]

... Atami had to do something. It is trying to attract single men—and their handheld devices.

:hmmm::):DL:D :oops: :rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2:

And merrily did my head go rolling off into the gutter... :yeah:

[Platapus]

Oh the shame. My inflatable date being replaced by a computer. :nope:

Twas ever thus. :nope:

[Zachstar]

Indeed this will have a profound impact on the inflatable market.

Where will the "Autopilot" from the movie "Airplane" find his love now? :har:

[SteamWake]

Cartoon charecters on a screen... What In The Hell ? :o

[antikristuseke]

Yes, you can still very much blame them :damn:

http://cdn2.knowyourmeme.com/i/6513/original/facepalm-face-palm-facepalm-demotivational-poster-1223672935.jpg

I see your facepalm and raise you another
http://www.lostrepublic.us/Graphics/DoubleFacePalm.jpg

[Oberon]

From what I've seen of Japan from an external viewpoint, and really Joegrundman would be the better man to address this, but there's a strong work ethic in Japan, you work, work, work and work. Japanese women are no doubt as fussy as American and European women and so for the average bloke who likes his anime and manga, is at work for most of the day, his coping mechanism is to escape to a fantasy world.
Let's face it, if there wasn't such a market for it, it wouldn't sell, which means that it's a release valve of some sort for a generation of men (and women mind you, although the games rarely tailor to them) whose only escape from the crushing brutality of reality is unreality. Once it was books, then it was films, now it's video games. Japan just takes it a step further, as they usually do. Different countries, different sociologies. We may look down on them, but they probably look down on us in different areas.

[robbo180265]

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w181/robbo180265/Uzrco.gif

[Gerald]

Oh the shame. My inflatable date being replaced by a computer. :nope:

Twas ever thus. :nope: just make sure it is included as a backup if something collapses ..... .... whatever it may be .. :roll: