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Otaku Lovers: Japan’s new singles event that’s just for hardcore anime and video game fans

Casey Baseel Apr 15, 2016
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Matchmaking party allows participants to wear their fandom on their sleeve.

First date or singles party conversations can be pretty stale. With no pre-established points of common interest, many people end up talking about work or meteorology, but the unfortunate thing is that often it’s our most unique and distinctive passions that make us compelling and attractive in the eyes of like-minded individuals.

Still, it’s probably not a smart move to walk up to someone you’ve never met at a party, say hello, and then immediately follow the greeting with a lengthy discussion of all the cool Blu-ray box sets and figures you picked up on your last trip to Akihabara. Well, unless, of course, you’re at a singles party that’s just for otaku, in which case it’s a great idea!

The Otaku Lovers event series puts eligible otaku men and women together in a space where there’s no pressure to hide any of the enthusiasm they feel for their favorite anime, manga, or video game franchise. As a matter of fact, on the event’s website the organizers go so far as to explicitly state that “People without otaku hobbies, or who have a negative image of them, will not enjoy this event.”

When registering, Otaku Lovers participants create a profile which includes the standard questions about age, occupation, and whether or not you smoke. But since everyone in attendance will be an otaku, there are also questions such as:

● Can you understand the appeal of the Boys Love genre?
● Can you understand someone having a 2-D “wife?”
● How many times have you gone to Comiket as an attendee?
● How many times have you gone to Comiket as an exhibitor?

Once participants are done answering all of the questions, the results are computed to produce an Otaku Level graph, a graphical representation of the strength of their interest in anime, manga, video games, light novels, figures, voice actors, celebrities, and independent dojin works. Other viewing your profile will also be able to see your Konkatsuryoku, or Marriage Potential Power Level, a numerical value of how compatible your two profiles are.

Analyzing a potential romantic partner like a Pokémon you’re trying to catch may not be the traditional method of courtship, but helping people feel more open and relaxed talking about hobbies they not only genuinely enjoy, but which also partly define who they are as a person, sounds like a good first step in determining whether or not there’s a chance for an emotional connection. The first iteration of Otaku Lovers is scheduled for May 28 in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district, with tickets priced at 6,800 yen (US$64) for men and 1,800 yen for women, with food and drink included. Reservations can be made here through online ticketing service Peatix.

Related: Otaku Lovers website
Source: Otaku Lovers
Top image: Otaku Lovers
Insert image: Otaku Lovers (edited by RocketNews24)