It's become normal now to see social media avatars and advertising images created with AI technology. But when does this become a problem? And when is it criminal?
At present, most of the images look a bit cheap and exaggerated, and are often easy to spot.
But they are still alluring, it seems, since a 33-year-old man in Osaka called Kaiga Yokota has been arrested for creating an overly realistic female character.
The issue is that he posed as this character, Miru Nanase, attracting followers on social media (to the tune of 90,000 on Twitter/X). So far so harmless, but Yokota's real intent ...
Evidence at last that the future is doomed. We are set to be surrounded by avatars, augmented reality companions, and "enhanced" partners. Nothing we will see or touch -- or even fuck -- will be what it actually is.
Are we exaggerating? Perhaps.
But then look at what FaceApp can do! The app was recently used to transform nine male Japanese reporters into cute Japanese women.
Before you start fapping at these cuties, be sure to check the originals!
Of course, FaceApp has been around for a few years and YouTube is full of deep fake videos. But this is some of the most compelling evidence we ...
Feeling lonely as the autumn season begins? Don't worry. The VR Kareshi is a virtual Japanese boyfriend for ladies in need of some tender attention from a constant companion.
Virtual girlfriends (and boyfriends) are nothing new. Over the years, we've seeen plenty of dating sims apps and video games, from the relatively innocent to the outright erotic.
The twist here is that the technology for this otome romance game is now virtual reality.
But even this isn't actual new per se. Indeed, the same makers, IVR, have already released the VR Kanojo, which is far more explicit and, as ...
Do you want a cute girlfriend but don't have the looks, social skills, money, time, or language ability to get one?
Fear not. As we know, there are lots of virtual dating and 2D character options in Japan, from Lovely x Cation to VR Kanojo and a virtual version of the gravure idol Ai Shinozaki. Recently this has become enhanced thanks to smartphone apps and virtual reality, though we remember sims and dating characters from back in the pre-iPhone days.
Here's another possibility: Ai Furuse is a virtual female being developed by the artificial intelligence smartphone app SELF. It now has ...
Marry your virtual girlfriend. Sounds tempting, right?
That's the concept behind a promotional event for the new virtual romance game Niizuma Lovely x Cation ("niizuma" or "niidzuma" means "new wife").
In a development that is unlikely to reverse Japan's declining birth rate any time soon, the game makers Hibiki Works has announced a virtual reality wedding ceremony on June 30th in Tokyo. Male fans can actually become grooms, wearing VR headsets so they experience the bliss of "marrying" their favorite character.
Formal dress is required, as befitting your special day, though ...
When the PlayStation VR was previewed in 2014, it immediately generated controversy for its "creepy" schoolgirl demo content and ended up being cancelled from that year's Tokyo Game Show.
Now that the console is released this month, perhaps we can assume Sony has firmly put that unfortunate episode behind it?
Not necessarily, since the demo -- Bandai Namco's Summer Lesson -- was actually released as a commercial game, and that means players are going to find and advertise less savory ways to enjoy it.
Which is what this Japanese YouTuber, who made an instructive video to tell ...
Virtual dating has long been a big part of the adult industry or quasi-adult industry in Japan.
What with all the reports of sexless Japan and "parasite singles" still living with their parents well into their thirties, you might almost be forgiven for thinking that "virtual boyfriends" apps and digital idols were responsible for the downfall of the nation.
There were more examples at Tokyo Game Show 2016 that will surely not do much for Japan's reputation in this regard.
The show featured an array of otome romance apps for ladies to find that Prince Charming in 2D form.
One ...
As we now know, what was touted as Japan's first adult virtual reality was so popular (and disorganized) earlier this month that it had to be closed down.
We were one of the many unlucky souls lining up outside that summer day in Akiharara, hoping to get in and see what the future of sexuality might look like.
With the glories of the internet we were able to find some of the treats we missed.
And here is another.
Called Chroma Key AR, which uses a smartphone and augmented reality (AR) technology to combine a digital image of a girl that displays on the screen with a ...
Tokyo Kinky was there on Sunday, loyally lining up in Akihabara for what had been touted as Japan's first ever adult virtual reality event. But all was in vain.
We had our suspicions about the event, given how shoddy the event's website was. Still, word had obvious got out -- that and how virtual reality is one of the big trends of the year and there had been promises of its adult implications for years.
There were hundreds of people trying to make it into a tiny venue in Akiba. We were all lining up patiently outside but the police eventually had to come and help control the size of ...
With the releases of Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR, there's been a lot of buzz recently about virtual reality.
And now people are finally starting to work on the best side of the technology: adult entertainment.
Japan's first adult virtual reality festival will be held on June 12th at popdojo in Akihabara, Tokyo.
Entry costs ¥3,000 (with photo ID). The event is open from 2pm to 6pm.
We have already been tempted by what Project Morpheus can offer in terms of virtual dating and SIMS, though an early preview sparked controversy and backlash.
We have since seen the ...
