We know the Japanese love their animes, and there are ardent fans who follow them religiously as though they are real-life stars.

Tokyo-based tech company Gatebox Lab is capitalising on that sentiment with an innovative recruitment drive.

Apparently, it is so keen on hiring recruits who harbour deep feelings for virtual characters that they are willing to pay them a monthly stipend, if they get married to their anime spouses.

According to entertainment news site Nico Nico News, not only is Gatebox Lab recognising their employees' marriages with virtual characters, the company will also pay their employees ¥5,000 (~S$60) every month on top of their salaries.

And that's not all. Employees can even get a day off for their 2D spouse's birthday, a perk that is not even available to most Japanese employees with real life spouses.

In case you're wondering, yes, anime characters in Japan have their own official birthdays which fans celebrate each year.

The company even has some 4 different styles (Normal, Future, European, Japan) of fancy looking wedding registration forms on its website for this purpose.

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Making your virtual romance a reality

To make your virtual romance a reality, you simply have to answer some questions and provide some details, such as how you and your anime crush became acquainted, how you two became a couple, your favourite shared memory, and what things you want to experience together as a married couple.

After you've submitted the form to Gatebox, your marriage certificate will be mailed to you.

If your significant other is not a human 2D character, but an elf or human-beast hybrid, you'll be relieved to hear that Gatebox Lab also recognises marriages with non-human characters, as well as same-sex marriages.

However, applicants are only allowed to tie the knot with one waifu, much like the 3D world.

Applications are opened from Nov. 22 and will end on Dec. 7.

Marketing ploy?

Perhaps it is worth noting that this is the same company that created the virtual home robot, a ¥289,000 (~S$3,600) device that acts as both a home assistant and a companion.

The video showcasing life with the highly affable, blue-haired virtual character dressed in a maid outfit, had garnered over 2 million views on Youtube.

As innovative as it seems, the waifu marriage registrations may just be an elaborate marketing strategy to gather feedback on which popular character should be added next to their lineup for their virtual home robot.

Cover image via Gatebox Lab.

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