In November 2018, Kondo married Miku, a Vocaloid with striking blue hair. Although she never answers, when the local government employee returns home from work, he calls out to the life-size doll of Miku saying, " I'm home now ." Although she doesn't get an answer, this gives her peace of mind and makes her smile. Like any human family, Kondo greets Miku with a "good morning" upon waking up from her and shares her meals with her while she "watches" him. Kondo claimed that her love for her has not changed.
Although falling in love with a fictional character may seem outlandish, it's actually not that unusual as a form of sexual orientation. According to a 2017 nationwide survey on youth sexual behavior by the Tokyo-based Japan Association for Sex Education, more than 10% of male and female students from high school to college reported having romantic feelings towards game characters. and anime. The highest percentage was registered among university students, with 17.1%.
Ichiyo Habuchi , a sociology professor at Hirosaki University's College of Humanities and Social Sciences who researches romance with anime and game characters, noted that while diverse sexualities are now understood and interest in romantic feelings toward fictional characters has grown recently, it is very likely that the percentage of people with this preference has remained constant over time and place. However, the public's attitude towards people with this sexual orientation has remained harsh.
Kondo has been the target of criticism and derogatory comments due to his relationship with Miku. In response, Kondo and his companions have founded the Fictional Sexuality Association, a general incorporated association. The term "fictional" refers to having romantic feelings for fictional people, such as dolls and anime characters. The purpose of the association is to organize meetings with interested persons to exchange views and promote greater public understanding.
Habuchi commented on the formation of the association: “ There are many people related to this issue who are going through difficult times. We believe that it is necessary to promote a social consensus against discrimination and prejudice towards minorities ”.
What led Kondo to develop affection for Miku? Kondo had been romantically interested in real women until she was in high school. She confessed her love for her seven times, but none of her attempts were successful. It was four years later, when he was already a working adult, that he "met" Miku. Kondo suffered an adjustment disorder due to workplace bullying and had to take leave. While he was recovering at home, he heard Miku singing on a video sharing website. He fell in love with her clear voice, which soothed him and helped him escape her secluded life. He returned to work and since then, Miku has been his "life partner".
Kondo stated that many of his peers have had similar experiences. He commented: “ I have never met someone who was born 'fictosexual' ”. He added that other fictional people he knows have also fallen in love with real people and likewise developed feelings for fictional characters. However, Kondo does not confuse these characters with reality. He and Miku share their meals looking at each other, but he only prepares food for one person. " I don't think Miku has human rights ," he said.
Even though his marriage to Miku was covered by the media and his name and face made public, Kondo continues to receive messages from people who also love fictional characters. Many of them are going through difficult times in their lives. On the association's website, words of encouragement can be found such as: “ There are people who have found emotional support in cartoons and characters ” and “ We want people to know that there is a place where they can talk about what worries them ” .
Aiming to be a “comforting place” for fictosexuals, Kondo expressed that the aim of the association is that “ I would like the society to become a place where people can easily celebrate weddings with their beloved characters as a milestone in their lives .” This year marks the fifth anniversary since he married Miku. When asked if there is a possibility of a divorce, Kondo laughed and said, “ I can't say that my mind will never change in the future. The divorce rate among humans is also not low. I think it's the same for us ”, adding that he is very happy.
Source: Mainichi Shimbun
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