- Title: Virtual reality takes off in Japan's adult video games industry
- Date: 23rd September 2017
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (AUGUST 17, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) PROFESSOR OF ANIME STUDIES AT YOKOHAMA NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, AKIKO SUGAWA, SAYING: "This (such representation of women in Japanese animation) came from a cultural background, where young people, especially geeks who are usually lacking social skills, prefer to choose girls who they can control and won't be hurt by." BOOKS ABOUT REPRESENTATION OF WOMAN IN ANIME (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) PROFESSOR OF ANIME STUDIES AT YOKOHAMA NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, AKIKO SUGAWA, SAYING: "I think users don't just stay in a virtual reality world, where they can feel anything real and play in any way they want. Some of them would start to feel a desire to hang out and spend time with people in real life."
- Embargoed: 7th October 2017 04:20
- Keywords: Japan porn industry adult entertainment video games virtual reality
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Video Games
- Reuters ID: LVA0086ZTG0NT
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: **EDIT CONTAINS NUDITY**
"Let's Play with Nanai", an erotic virtual reality (VR) game produced in Japan, has proven to be a hit for the developers, adult game software company VRJCC (Virtual Reality Japanese Cherry Club).
The game uses a smartphone's motion sensors and allows players to use any object to represent its erotic anime character Nanai in virtual reality, with whom they can simulate sex scenes.
Within 10 months after its release in 2016, over 6,000 users both domestically and internationally either downloaded the game or bought it in disc form. Some even bought high-end virtual reality (VR) headsets just to play the 3000 yen ($27) game, according to the the VR company.
Ryosuke Kawado, who heads VRJCC, sees a growing market for these erotic anime VR games especially in Japan, due to the already large base of men known as 'otaku', which loosely translates to 'geeks'. The term specifically refers to obsessive fans of animated movies, manga comics and video games - many already teeming with erotic and sexual themes.
"Sex requires interaction, and compared to 2D games, virtual reality technology is more interactive as it gives users a totally immersive experience. Therefore, I think adult content can be a key driving force (to push virtual reality into the mainstream)," Kawado said.
Reo Kaminaga, 22, is a fan of this genre.
Every day, he spends a full hour with his bevy of VR girlfriends, who do everything he wants -- from virtual household chores, singing and dancing, to having virtual sex with him.
"I'm personally not interested in getting married or having children in the future for the moment. Rather, I hope that VR girlfriend simulation games and adult VR games will develop in quality and become more realistic," he said.
Virtual reality technology for home entertainment came onto the market in 2016, after Sony and Oculus Rift released their high-end headsets.
According to a Goldman Sachs report in 2016, the VR market has the potential to be worth $80 billion by 2025. It has yet to reach the mainstream consumer, however, due to the high price of hardware, including headsets and high-end computers that can cost upwards of $1000.
Shun Kubota, the chief editor of Japan's biggest online VR magazine, thinks that thanks to growing demand especially in the adult VR industry, production costs per product will come down and help the technology go mainstream.
Live action adult entertainment companies are also getting in on the action. ROCKET, a major player in the industry, is planning to release its first VR movie where the audience member can experience dating, kissing and having sex.
Being the world's second biggest VR market after the U.S., Japan is home to several companies that specifically make adult VR games that draw inspiration from cutesy, girl-like anime characters.
Akiko Sugawa, professor of anime studies at Yokohama National University, explains the link.
"This came from a cultural background, where young people, especially geeks who are usually lacking social skills, who prefer to choose girls who they can control and won't be hurt by."
However, she's hopeful VR will help and not hinder these young men's social skills.
"Some of them would start to feel a desire to hang out and spend time with people in real life," she said. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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