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Need a date for Christmas Eve? VR headset lets you share cake with an anime voice actress

Casey Baseel Nov 4, 2015
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Last week we took a look at a new brand of instant curry on sale in Japan that includes a DVD of a sexy model who pretends to be your girlfriend as you eat it. Now, who’s ready for some dessert?

In Japan, it’s not a proper Christmas Eve without a romantic date and some cake, so unattached anime fans will be thrilled to know that one of the industry’s most popular voice actresses is available for a dessert date this year. The only catch?

The date takes place in virtual reality.

Manufacturer Mega House’s BotsNew is a head-mounted VR system that uses a smartphone for its monitor. Simply download the BotsNew app, slide your phone into the housing unit, and you’re all set to enter a simulated world with stereoscopic, 360-degree visuals.

Among the BotsNew software that’s been created are roller coaster, sports car, and haunted house programs. But the newest BotsNew project aims to get users’ hearts beating not from adrenaline or terror, but from the stirrings of romance

Virtual Christmas with Haruka Tomatsu stars the 25-year-old voice actress of such popular anime heroines as Sword Art Online’s sword-swinging Asuna, To Love-Ru’s devilish alien princess Lala, and Cross Game’s fastball-hurling Aoba.

The date simulation package includes a BotsNew headset, the necessary software, and a selection of four cupcakes from Rolls New York. Start up the program, and you’ll find yourself alone with Tomatsu, who happily chats with and smiles at you. At certain points, she’ll instruct you to say “Aaah” and extend a hand to feed you a bite of your special Christmas sweets.

This being a VR simulation, though, you’ll have to actually handle the cupcakes yourself, as demonstrated by the BotsNew wearer in this promotional image.

But while the date is imaginary, the cupcakes are real, and there’s an eclectic mix of flavors in the bundle. The lineup consists of chocolate orange, peach, cranberry, and cheese pepper.

We honestly can’t say that last one sounds all that appealing, but just like with the swimsuit model DVD/orange curry combo pack we talked about above, this isn’t so much about the food itself as it is the companionship. And should you find one of the flavors irresistibly delicious, the fact that your date isn’t really there means you don’t have to save half the dessert for her.

If you’re interested in virtually asking Miss Tomatsu out, the virtual date package can be ordered here through Yahoo! Shopping Japan for 3,854 yen (US$32), with shipping scheduled for early December.

Source: Animate via Jin
Featured image: Mega House
Top image: Mega House
Insert images: Mega House, Yahoo! Japan Shopping