Digital love: Why I 'married' a cartoon popstar
Bullied and depressed, Akihiko Kondo found sanctuary and inspiration in a virtual popstar – but he also faced judgement from family, friends, and people all over the world.
At school in Japan Akihiko Kondo was bullied for being an 'otaku' – someone who loves the world of anime, games and computers. Unpopular, he never found love growing up and as a young man he was bullied by colleagues. This experience left him depressed and needing to take a two-year break from work. But everything changed when he discovered an animated character named Hatsune Miku, and ten years later he decided to ‘marry’ Miku publicly. Akihiko's announcement resulted in a backlash from his friends, family and people around the world.
Presenter: India Rakusen
Producer: Tommy Dixon
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
Photo: Akihiko and Hatsune Miku on their wedding day Credit: Akihiko Kondo
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- Wed 3 Apr 202411:06GMTBBC World Service
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