Hatsune Miku’s Husband Fights for Recognition of Fictosexuals
Did you know that there is a man married to Hatsune Miku? We’ve talked about him quite a bit here. In his latest endeavor, 40-year-old Akihiko Kondo is now fighting for the recognition of “fictosexuals.”
Hatsune Miku’s Husband Fights for Recognition of Fictosexuals
Akihiko Kondo married Hatsune Miku in November 2018. Every time he returns home, he says “I’m home” to his wife, a life-size figure of Miku. Like any couple, Kondo also says “good morning” to his Miku when he wakes up.
Despite people looking at him strangely, Kondo says his love for Miku has never changed. He loves a fictional character. In a 2017 survey by the Japanese Association of Sexual Education, it was found that over 10% of young men and women have some romantic feelings for anime and game characters.
Women have a greater fondness for fictional characters than men, with 17.1% of the total responses. Hirosaki University professor Habuchi stated that “It is not uncommon for people to develop affection for characters.” Habuchi has been studying this behavior.
The Fictosexual Association
When asked by a reporter, Kondo said, “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been told that this is ‘disgusting’ and that I’m ‘sick.’ I can’t help it if they get offended by the time I spend with a character.”
In June, Kondo and some friends started the Fictosexual Association, where “fictosexuals” are those who have romantic feelings for “fictional people” such as dolls and anime characters.
The purpose of this association is to hold meetings and make the public understand. Habuchi said this about the association: “There are many people connected to this issue who are going through difficult times. We believe it is necessary to demand social consensus against discrimination and prejudice towards minorities.”
Why Did Kondo Give Up on Dating Real Women?
What led Kondo to develop affection for Miku? He had romantic interest in human women until high school. He confessed his love seven times but says that none of his attempts were successful.
It was four years after becoming a working adult that he “met” Miku. Kondo was suffering from adjustment disorder due to workplace bullying and had to take leave. While recovering at home, he heard Miku singing on a video-sharing website. He was enchanted by her clear voice, which calmed him and helped him escape from his enclosed life. He returned to work, and since then, Miku has been his “life partner.”
Kondo said that many of his colleagues have had similar experiences. He said, “I’ve never met anyone who was born a ‘fictosexual.'” He added that other fictosexuals he knows have also fallen in love with real people and similarly may have developed feelings for fictional characters.
Kondo, whose marriage to Miku has been covered by the media, and whose real name and face have been revealed, continues to receive a series of messages from people who also love fictional characters. Many of them are individuals going through difficult times in their lives.
Words of encouragement posted on the association’s website include, “There are people who have found emotional support in anime and characters” and “We want people to know that there is a place where they can talk about what bothers them.”
This is the fifth year since he married Miku. When asked if there was any possibility of divorce, Kondo laughed.
“I can’t say that my mind will never change in the future. The divorce rate for humans is not low either. I think it’s the same for us,” he calmly said, appearing very happy.
Via: Mainichi
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