Japanese Video-Game "LovePlus" Challenges Societal Norms Regarding Love and Relationships

Japan has been a longtime player in the world’s video-game industry, but now they are challenging digital entertainment with a new kind of video-game. The new game is much more than a form of entertainment- raising all kinds of questions around the definition and emotion of love and the meaning of a “real” relationship. And why are these questions being raised by a video-game? Well because they are dating-simulation games, the most popular being a series called “LovePlus”.

Like something right out of a science-fiction movie, LovePlus allows the players to begin a relationship with a virtual on-screen character. The relationship is played out through “dialogue trees” where you can have a back and forth conversation and Nintendo’s portable DS and 3DS allows you to take your virtual girlfriend anywhere you like. The technology is advanced and intelligent enough that if you promise your “girlfriend” a date on Friday and you blow it off, you are likely to hear about it from her later. Players say that after a while she truly feels like a real person, and a real girlfriend. He can laugh with her, make jokes, have emotional conversations, and more, just like with an actual girlfriend- except it takes place over a screen. 

During your initial discovery of this new video-game you’re likely to be skeptical and find it somewhat bizarre, like many Westerners have, but creators and promotors of the new game hope that they can evoke a different response and perspective in people. They look at the game as a challenge to societal norms and the definition of what a relationship is. For some people it raises questions like does love and a relationship have to involve a physical relationship or can it be built on conversation and just the pleasure of their company? 

Players of the game have reported that starting with a virtual girlfriend helps them to build their communication skills, confidence, and emotional connections. They claim that acquiring and working on these skills through their virtual relationship ultimately resulted in making them better players in the real-life game of dating. Men who have since gotten into a real relationship or even married say that their virtual experience helped them to pay more attention to the smaller details, like their wife's outfit or haircut, and more interested in conversation. So a video-game can actually make a guy a better partner? Maybe this is a video-game I could put some support behind! 

Korean Times Survey: More than Half Daters don't meet Parents; Men want there Mommies

Oh, the dating world. We all wish there was a specific science to it, but as we all know there isn’t. Still our human instinct encourages us to analyze dating and break it down to some kind of mathematical fact.

The Korean Times just completed a study on the type of partners men and women like/dislike, and if those partners would be introduced to each other’s parents.

To learn more about Asian themes, please visit Fujimini Island, find Fujimini Island on Facebook, follow Fujimini Island on Twitter.


Survey says: 43.8 percent of men will introduce their partner while 41.6 percent said they'd rather wait until it accidently happens. Some 66.1 percent of unmarried men have a good feeling toward women who look like their mother. Well ladies looks like if you want that invitation to Sunday dinner, the determining factor is that you have to look like mom. So if you are feeling insecure about your relationship throw on curlers and an unattractive nightgown and hope for the best.

Half of female interviewees said they would introduce their lover only if they happen to run into each other - in other words, she's not bringing you home. Another 26 percent said they would not introduce you as someone special and may even try to get away without speaking. The final 23.8 percent said they would formally introduce their partner to parents. The bottom line for you men is you will meet your special girl's parents by total accident ex: grocery store or restaurant.  Historically, parents played a major role in determining the mate of their children. Not quite arranged marriages, but close. So many young people hesitated to bring their boyfriend or girlfriend home because of the heavy scrutiny and inevitable involvement of the parents which could take the fun out of many relationships.

To learn more about the author of this article Eileen Wacker and her acclaimed book series,  visit ONCEKids, ONCEKids on Facebook,  ONCEKids on Twitter.

There is hope out there for most of us though. To the ones that are shaky about that first introduction, survey says overall: "parents have become more open minded about their child’s dating". And men, just to clarify I am sure your mom is a wonderful lady but do you really need two moms? I guess this is an entirely different issue.