Japanese man 'marries' computer game character

Newly wed SAL9000, who prefers to be called by his online handle name, blended in with the crowds of the trendy Tokyo shopping streets of Harajuku as he took his rather unusual wife out on a date. She sat snugly in his hands, more precisely; inside his Nintendo DS game console. Nene Anegasaki is a character in a popular Japanese dating simulation video game called Love Plus. SAL9000 and Nene tied the knot last month in a wedding ceremony that was broadcast live on Nico Nico Douga - Japan's version of Youtube.Dressed in a white tuxedo and surrounded by 40 guests, his wedding was also watched by over 3,000 people - many who commented directly on screen their well-wishes, congratulations and a few revulsions. SAL9000, who chooses not to reveal his real name for fear of being misunderstood, admits to be an otaku - a breed of Japanese obsessed with games, computers and their own fantasy worlds. In the Japanese otaku or nerd culture, there's a tradition of calling characters 'my wife', and I sort of thought of Nene as 'my wife'. Since I was calling her that, I thought we'd just have to get married then, he told Reuters, wife Nene quietly installed in his game console beside him. SAL9000 said that marrying one's game character is not representative of all otakus, but added that perhaps if more did so it would make for a better world. If more people were to find ways of expressing themselves like this, I think it would make society a bit more interesting, SAL9000 said. As the game world Nene lives, Love Plus, has voice recognition, SAL9000 says it's possible to have a conversation or even play simple games such as rock, paper, scissors with her. He also has vowed to have and to hold, for better and for worse - even if an upgraded version is released. I think I'll probably continue playing Love Plus. I won't cheat. SAL9000 said. The newly wed couple, after going on a real life honeymoon to Guam, now go on dates around Tokyo, with SAL9000 taking pictures of Nene in front of famous landmarks and uploading the pictures to Twitter.SAL9000 however worries that not everyone will understand his motives and lifestyle and hopes one day people will be free to love whomever they want - real or virtual.