Man brings virtual girlfriend to own wedding

TOKYO —

Japanese men hold their virtual girlfriends in high regard. Even among those who eventually find a real girlfriend and get married, there are some men who struggle to abandon their digital partner.

Especially after the release of Love Plus, an addictive open-ended dating simulator for the Nintendo DS that went on to sell over 250,000 copies in Japan, stories of men who were busted by their girlfriends or wives while playing as well as stories of men whose wives played with them  became a common sight on the Internet.

While everyone has their own level of tolerance for 2D infidelity, you’d have to be one hell of a woman to allow your husband to bring his virtual girlfriend to your most important day as a couple: your wedding. Such a woman does exist, much to the surprise of other wedding guests, who uploaded photos of the groom’s virtual girlfriend, Nene Anegasaki of Love Plus, while she was seated at her specially reserved spot at a table during the reception  alongside Manaka Takane and Rinko Kobayakawa of the same game, nonetheless.

It’s safe to say the bride knew what she was getting into: her husband works for Comic Market, Japan’s largest comic book convention. But surely she must have been caught off guard when, while planning their wedding, her husband-to-be told her he wanted to save three seats for fictional attendees, one of whom he has a romantic relationship with. 

So why’d she allow it? Is she really that magnanimous of a woman, or was there something else at work? Undoubtedly the latter, as the poor groom would find out during the reception, which was held Nov 24.

In a surprise event that seems to mock the traditional cake-cutting ceremony, the groom’s Love Plus game cartridge was removed from his 3DS console and placed neatly above a…let’s call it a sacrificial altar. A large wooden mallet was then brought out and it was announced that the bride and groom would, hand in hand, physically destroy the game cartridge and all vestiges of the groom’s time together with Nene Anegasaki along with it.

According to an eyewitness, the groom was on the verge of tears as he brought the hammer down, and is planning on calling Love Plus developer Konami to see if “jealous wife” is covered in the warranty.