The man who married a hologram in Japan can no longer communicate with his virtual wife

The software that allowed the interaction is no longer supported and the man can no longer interact with the hologram with which he had a relationship for years.

learn more about Entrepreneur en Español

By Entrepreneur en Español

BEHROUZ MEHRI | Getty Images

This article was translated from our Spanish edition.

Fictosexuality is the term used to describe those people who are sexually attracted to fictional characters and in Japan little by little it becomes a trend, to the extent that there are companies that develop technology to offer users holographic couples. Akihiko Kondo took his love for a fictional character one step further by holding a "getting married" ceremony with Hatsune Miku , a virtual singer who has starred in several video games and has even accompanied Lady Gaga on her world tours. The ceremony took place in 2019, after the man was able to communicate with the hologram via Gatebox , a company that develops devices to holographically show characters that do not exist.

At the time Akihiko and Hatsune monopolized the headlines of the newspapers and the media and now they do it again because the support for the Gatebox software that allowed the interaction of the man with his virtual wife, is no longer available and for the same reason, can no longer communicate with her. According to the Japanese newspaper The Mainichi , Kondo says that his relationship with the hologram helped him overcome a deep depression caused by work and fear of social rejection. Faced with the inability to continue communicating with her, the man has said: "My love for Miku has not changed. I held the wedding ceremony because I thought that I could be with her forever." Wherever he wants her to go, he is accompanied by a life-size model of Hatsune Miku, and he hopes to be able to communicate with her in some way in the near future.

Fictional sexual relationships, ideal for the metaverse?

Although the relationship between Akihiko and Hatsune Miko seems strange, we could see them more frequently thanks to the fast-paced development of the metaverse and digital environments. In some countries, fictional sexuality becomes common, since an entire content generation industry revolves around it. But as long as those relationships depend on hardware and software that can become obsolete or depend on upgrades, they will remain short-lived.

Entrepreneur en Español

Entrepreneur Staff

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

The Dark Side of Pay Transparency — And What to Do If You Find Out You're Being Underpaid
Thinking of a Career Change? Here Are 4 Steps You Can Take to Get There.
A Founder Who Bootstrapped Her Jewelry Business With Just $1,000 Now Sees 7-Figure Revenue Because She Knew Something About Her Customers Nobody Else Did
Everything You Need to Know About Franchise Law
Real Estate

4 Essentials for Selecting the Perfect Business Real Estate

Marketing for retail, restaurant or other site-critical companies should always begin with meticulously chosen sites: Time-tested ways of picking a winner.

Franchise

Everything To Know About Financing Your Franchise

This is it. You're ready to start your franchise journey. Only one thing is left: Finding the money you need.

Starting a Business

90% of Online Businesses Fail in Just 4 Months. You Can Avoid the Same Fate By Using These Strategies.

It's not catastrophizing when we think about potential failure; it's in fact a chance for any business to precisely see any outcome and prepare in advance.

Living

Why Embracing Your Unique Strengths and Talents Will Lead to Success

By identifying and developing one's strengths, aligning with passions, cultivating a growth mindset and positively impacting the world, individuals can unlock their full potential and create a life of abundance, passion and fulfillment.