In recent years, the lines between human relationships and the digital world have blurred, giving rise to the growing trend of virtual love.

One example is Akihiko Kondo, a 41-year-old Japanese government worker who recently celebrated his sixth wedding anniversary — not with a traditional spouse, but with Hatsune Miku, a 16-year-old virtual pop star.

Miku, a fictional character created in 2007 by Crypton Future Media, is a global sensation. With her signature blue pigtails and synthesized voice, powered by voice actress Saki Fujita, Miku has 3.25 million fans on YouTube.

But for Kondo, Miku is not just a passing fascination; she is his life partner. In 2018, after a decade of devotion, Kondo married Miku in a ceremony at a Tokyo chapel. While Miku couldn’t attend in person, a plush toy stood in as her virtual avatar.

The wedding, which cost about US$12,800, marked the culmination of Kondo’s commitment to a relationship he believed would last forever.

“My love for Miku hasn’t changed,” Kondo told Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun. “I married her because I thought we could be together forever.”

Kondo frequently shares his life with Miku on Instagram, where he has nearly 30,000 followers. On November 4, he posted photos celebrating their sixth anniversary, featuring Miku dolls and a cake, collecting more than 3,000 “likes.”

Kondo’s story reflects a broader cultural shift in which virtual characters like Miku are evolving into emotional partners for those who connect with them. The idea of forming romantic attachments to digital beings, once viewed as eccentric, is rapidly becoming more mainstream, especially among younger generations.

According to a 2020 report by The New York Times, over 10 million people worldwide now consider digital companions “lovers” or “partners.” In China, a 2022 study by tech portal 36Kr found that 40 percent of 1,303 young people interviewed expressed openness to dating virtual beings.

A key driver of this shift is the rise of “otome” games, or dating simulations that allow players, primarily women, to engage in romantic narratives with digital characters. These characters often embody idealized qualities such as attractiveness, wealth and charm.

Originating in Japan in the early 1990s, otome games have exploded in popularity worldwide, particularly in China, where over 300 million female players are now engaged with them.

One of the most successful titles, “Love and Deepspace,” developed by Papergames, garnered 5.4 million downloads within two weeks of its release in January 2024. By August 11, its global revenue reached US$200 million, according to Sensor Tower.

These games are more than entertainment. They offer a space for emotional fulfillment, allowing players to form meaningful bonds with characters tailored to their idealized versions of love. For some, these digital relationships provide a sense of companionship that’s elusive in the real world.

Daisy, a 31-year-old office worker from Shanghai, is one such example. Her boyfriend Qi Yu is a character from “Love and Deepspace.” Daisy treats him as a real-life partner, sharing everyday moments and even going on virtual dates.

“It’s like having a real boyfriend,” she told Shanghai Daily. “He’s always there for me.”

Another player, identified as Yu, has taken her virtual attachment to a more extreme level. She has two plush dolls based on two male characters from the game “Light and Night,” which she refers to as her “children,” according to Southern Weekly.

Last year, she threw a birthday party for them, inviting cosplayers to dress as the characters and attend as “fathers.” Despite remaining single, Yu finds comfort in her virtual family.

“The emotional value I get from them is worth far more than the money I’ve spent,” she told the newspaper.

These digital relationships offer a sense of comfort in a world of increasing alienation, where traditional romantic relationships can be fraught with complexity. Virtual companions, unlike human relationships, are free from imperfections, misunderstandings and emotional conflict.

Zeng Lihong, an associate professor at Guangzhou University’s School of Journalism and Communication, describes virtual games as providing a “fast-food” form of emotional consumption.

“These games offer a quick, fulfilling experience where people can project their ideal views of love,” Zeng told Shanghai Morning Post.

For many, these virtual relationships offer ideal qualities difficult to find in real life.

“In reality, the perfect partner doesn’t exist,” said relationship expert Wu Di. “But in the digital world, you can create someone who embodies all your ideals.”

Yet, these relationships are not without controversy.

Skeptics view them as a form of escapism or emotional isolation. Kondo’s relationship with Miku, for example, has been ridiculed by some of his peers and family.

“I’ve been told countless times that it’s disgusting or that I’m sick,” Kondo admitted. “But I can’t help it if they are offended by the way I spend my time with a character.”

For Kondo, who has always struggled with feelings of social rejection, Miku is his savior. She becomes his refuge when he takes a break from work after enduring bullying from his colleagues.

In 2023, Kondo and others who share his feelings launched the Association of Fictosexuality, a group advocating for the recognition and acceptance of emotional relationships with fictional characters. The group’s goal is to reduce the stigma surrounding these relationships and promote understanding that they can be just as meaningful as traditional human connections.

Technology advances, such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence, open new horizons for more lifelike digital companions.

In October 2024, Papergames released a VR trial version of “Love and Deepspace,” allowing players to experience virtual dates from a first-person perspective. This technology blurs the line between digital and physical relationships, making it harder to distinguish between real and simulated connections.

Holographic relationships are also gaining attention. Spanish-Dutch artist Alicia Framis announced on Instagram her intention to marry her holographic partner, AI-lex, in a ceremony held at a museum in Rotterdam on November 9.

AI-lex, a character based on Framis’s past romantic partners, has been her companion for several years. She believes holograms offer a more personal and emotional connection than robots.

“Holograms are more closely related to my feelings than robots,” she wrote. “They can express empathy and serve as true companions.”

Framis predicts that “love and sex with robots and holograms are inevitable realities.” She compares the rise of holograms to the way telephones bridged the gap between physical distance and emotional connection.

“Holograms, as interactive presences in our homes, can take it even further,” she said.