Japanese man celebrates six years of marriage with virtual wife

TOKYO: The idea of traditional relationships is changing, from self-marriage rituals to robotic companions. The increasing acceptability of many manifestations of love and devotion is reflected in these unorthodox unions. 

This ongoing series has a fresh addition: a Japanese guy who married the fictitious vocaloid Hatsune Miku in 2018 is still happily married.

According to the South China Morning Post, on October 23, 41-year-old Akihiko Kondo shared on his Instagram the receipt for a cake he bought for their anniversary. The cake bears the message, “I like Miku very much. Happy six-year anniversary.” Kondo told the Japanese news outlet The Mainichi Shimbun that he had been romantically interested in women before secondary school.

He confessed his love seven times, but all were rejected, and he was laughed at and bullied for being an otaku -- a person obsessed with anime and manga. Kondo fell in love with Miku in 2007 soon after the character was released. He was bullied at work and, as a result, was diagnosed with adjustment disorder and took a long sick leave, reported the news outlet.