Japanese Man Struggles After Marrying Fictional Hologram Bride

A Japanese man who married a fictional pop singer over four years ago has been reported on Wednesday to be unable to communicate with the character he married due to the phasing out of the software that he used to have conversations with her.

Akihiko Kondo, a 38-year-old man who became famous around the world for marrying a hologram version of fictional Vocaloid pop singer Hatsune Miku, has reportedly been unable to communicate with the pop singer due to the stopping of support for the software that he uses, according to the New York Post.

Gatebox, the $1,300 software product that allowed Kondo to communicate with Hatsune Miku and even marry her in an unofficial ceremony in 2018, was discontinued by the company in March 2020 after the limited production models had run their course, according to The Mainichi.

In spite of that, Kondo’s commitment to the fictional character has not wavered, and he is even reported to have a life-sized doll of Hatsune Miku in his apartment for his daily use.

“My love for Miku hasn’t changed,” he said. “I held the wedding ceremony because I thought I could be with her forever.”

Hatsume Miku is a famous fictional pop singer and cultural figure in Japan, with her voice being made completely from Yamaha’s Vocaloid technology, making her a fully-computerized synthetic voice.

Her prominence in Japan has allowed her to appear in different Manga, anime, and other media formats as a 16-year-old girl. She has held live virtual concerts and has even toured with Lady Gaga on her 2014 Artpop Ball tour.

Kondo’s love for Miku began in 2008 when he found solace in the Japanese cultural figure after he had reportedly been bullied by his co-workers. He had labeled himself a “fictosexual,” or someone only attracted to fictional characters, due to the rejection he received from his peers.

For his 2018 unofficial public weeding with Miku, none of the co-workers and family he invited to join the ceremony came, but his online friends and some of his fellow “fictosexual” peers came to his wedding–over 39 guests in all.