While the Tokyo Game Show last weekend ultimately did not feature Sony’s divisive “Summer Lesson” demo for the Project Morpheus HMD headset, it did have some virtual boyfriends instead.
One booth at TGS 2014 showcased virtual dating and romance apps so women could get their perfect partner. The only snag is that the man in question does not exist in reality.
Voltage Romance Apps features a series of smartphone social apps with fake boyfriends for lonely women. They even have English-language versions adapted for North American audiences.
The average user is a 30-year-old Japanese female.
Room Share Love Days provides a virtual male flatmate who is cute and useful around the home. He supplies chocolates and flowers, and can even hug you… all at the press of the button.
They are even treading into the realm of bestiality. Okay, not really, but there is some cosplay SIm dating with animal themes, including cat-eared boyfriends which the female users keep as “pets” on their phones.
“The cat boyfriend — which has cat’s ears and a human body — is most popular, as its the most sophisticated,” said a spokesperson for developer Ambition, according to AFP. These “animal boyfriends” can be ordered to “study,” or “work” — that is, buy new clothes and accessories for you. In other words, you get your own half-animal, half-human slave.
Another developer, Sunsoft, is apparently focussing its efforts on Boys’ Love (yayoi, gay storylines, with young pretty men)… aimed at female users.
Well, we are seeing a big (if belated) increase in female porn and sex toys in Japan. Is this one effect of this?
While we are all for women enjoying the fruits of a democratic, liberated sex industry (after all, the guys have long had such apps as Love Plus), we do worry what this will do for Japan’s demographic crisis!
