27 November,2009 08:11 AM IST | | Agencies
Most people may occasionally wish their spouses had an "off" switch but a Japanese man will have that luxury full-time after he married his virtual girlfriend.
In a bizarre story reminiscent of the film Lars and the Real Girl, the man, known by his nickname SAL9000, fell in love with a fictional character from the Nintendo DS "love simulator" Love Plus.
Popular in Japan's geek subculture, the game invites players to pick a girlfriend and then challenges them to woo her by taking her out on "dates" and perform boyfriend duties such as saying "I love you" 100 times into the handheld games console.
SAL9000 wedded Nene Anegasaki in an official-looking, but not legally binding, reception in Tokyo last Sunday.
Unusually, before the wedding, he took her on a "honeymoon" to Guam.
The reception included a priest, an MC, a DJ, speeches from friends and family, photo slideshows, wedding music and even a bouquet. The entire event was streamed live on a Japanese video-sharing site.
