1. You buy multiple figures, posters or other such stuff in connection with it, and stare at them for hours a day.
2. You react angrily when some other person says he or she likes that character, and respond with "that's MY love!"
3. You have romantic fantasies about you and the character.
4. You masturbate often while imagining the character naked. Imagine doing that to a Powerpuff Girl. If that is not disturbing enough, do it to one of the Simpsons. Even worse, Pikachu.
Unimaginable though these thoughts may seem, there are people like that. And their numbers are not few.
This Japanese man's girlfriend is the pillow he is holding, as it represents the anime girl on it. He brings it for karaoke, takes couple photos with it and when transporting her, is careful not to touch her private parts. In fact he seems like quite a model boyfriend.
When asked whether the pillow is really his girlfriend or not, he indignantly replied "Of course, I have real feelings for her".
The disturbing thing is this trend is on the rise in Japan. Led by Toru Honda, the 2-d love movement encourages people who cannot find a real partner to direct their love towards an anime character. Such anime characters are usually pretty young girls. Fortunately, I have not yet heard of Pikachu being used for this purpose. This movement is thriving in Japan, with steadily rising numbers of adherents.
I can imagine some results of this:
A sweet double date in a restaurant:
A romantic walk in the park:
This trend is spreading in Japan, and next perhaps the world. Do not underestimate the pervasiveness of Japanese culture. Who nowadays doesn't know about Dragonball and Pokemon.Tomorrow you may see a man hugging a pillow or a woman hugging a blanket outside your house. You have been warned!
The full article is here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/magazine/26FOB-2DLove-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
