A letter of resignation has surfaced on the internet and made headlines in China for its contents.  It would seem that when the team leader of a certain electric motor factory discovered that it was in fact a sausage factory, he felt it was time to find other avenues of employment.

The letter was posted by an internet user going by the name @luweiji on his microblog with the message: “This is not a joke. This is a real letter from Shunde Jintai Desheng Motor Co.” The person who submitted the letter had worked at the factory for three years before losing his ambition and finally resigning, his reason for quitting being:

“This factory is small and the women are few. It’s too difficult to land a girlfriend here.”

The team leader’s boss had signed off on the letter, but not before adding his own two cents.

“Don’t blame others when you don’t have game. It’s your own fault you can’t get a girl.”

Neither men’s names were revealed, however reporters in China had investigated the factory where this event occurred.  Factory spokespeople could not confirm that the letter was real and pointed out several inconsistencies.

First the employee had said that the factory was “small” when in fact they employ nearly 1000 people.  Furthermore the form used for this letter is not the same as the ones used in a factory.

Whether this letter is a hoax or not all comes down to if you believe a faceless internet user or a faceless company – which seems to be a common dilemma of modern times.

Source:   recordchina (Japanese)

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Origin: Factory Worker’s Letter of Resignation: “It’s Too Difficult to Land a Girlfriend Here.”
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

A lot of people have romantic fantasies of hooking up with someone from another country.  Yet there are rare opportunities for the mystery and novelty of such a relationship for most people.  That shouldn’t stop us from dreaming of it though.

The folks at MyNavi set up a survey asking men and women what country besides Japan they’d go in search of a girlfriend or boyfriend.  Based on this survey here are the top 5 countries for both Japanese men and women and reasons for their choices.

5^th Place

■　Men’s Choice – South Korea (6.4%)

It’s good to see that recent political tensions haven’t lowered guys’ opinions of South Korean women.  It would seem that most of the guys were appreciating the similarities between their cultures. But one 54 year-old respondent gave the reason that most guys were probably thinking: “I’m a big fan of Korean dramas.”

■　Women’s Choice – USA (7.3%)

Many American guys might not be happy with a 5^th place ranking, but it’s that drive and optimism that women seem to like about them. The other popular reason to buy American was that they’re a good study tool for English, which might irk some English men out there.  Fret not lads, you’ll get your comeuppance later.

4^th Place

■　Men’s Choice – England (8.0%)

Some respondents like that English women seem to have character and a rather dignified image.  However, considering that most respondents included the Olympics in their reasons, their impression of British women may have been skewed by gymnasts and swimmers.

■　Women’s Choice – France (10.3%)

While Japanese women consider French men to have a gentlemanly character and a deep mind, it seems that it’s the language that whips them into a frenzy the most.  That French accent is a deadly weapon that gives their guys an advantage over the rest of us.

3^rd Place

■　Men’s Choice – USA (8.7%)

It seems that the Japanese men’s reasons for choosing American women echoed the women’s.  “It’s a good way to improve my English” was the most common reason, but their “bright and cheery attitude” was also a big selling point.

■　Women’s Choice – Germany (10.6%)

Granted Germany doesn’t have the romantic character that other European countries enjoy, but for many women that can be a good thing.  A lot of women appreciate the German stereotype of being “very serious and reliable” which was their most popular reason. Japanese women also see a lot of similarities between German culture and their own.

2^nd Place

■　Men’s Choice – Russia (9.1%)

While a lot of western guys tend to go for a nicely tanned body, Japanese men put more value on fish belly white skin.  This shouldn’t come as a shock for anyone who’s seen a geisha before.  It’s perhaps the one country where, “you look pale” is a compliment.

My favorite reason from one responder was “They look like fairies.”  I never thought about it before, but Russian women do kind of look like fairies!

■　Women’s Choice – Italy (12.6%)

Many women were taken by Italian men’s sense of style, but an equally popular response was actually that the way they treat women was great. I’m guessing they didn’t get that impression reading about Berlusconi.

Another very popular reason for choosing an Italian boyfriend was that the women love Italian food.  I don’t quite get what one has to do with the other though.

1^st Place

■　Men’s Choice – France (9.3%)

The ladies of France have won the hearts of Japanese men.  The most popular reason was French women’s killer combination of “beauty and sophistication.” However, another major point of attraction for Japanese men was the French culture’s overall appreciation of Japanese culture that runs from manga and anime to shogi and kendama.

■　Women’s Choice – England (18.4%)

Here’s a lesson to guys out there.  The men of England won the day here, and the reason was quite simple.  The overwhelming reason that Japanese women would venture to the UK for man is – chivalry.  More than looks, status, or other parts of their character it was simply a “ladies first” attitude that made this nation the most popular.

That’s not to say that they weren’t thinking about David Beckham too.

While those are the top five, going by the numbers it’s safe to say that (with perhaps the exception of the UK to Japanese women) no country has the lion’s share of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes.  Every country has something unique to offer and ranking them is pretty much and apples and oranges game that should only be considered with a light heart.

By the way, the variety of countries submitted by men was really wide. Some other honorable mentions were China “because they don’t get flabby in old age” as one respondent said.  A lot of eastern European countries such as Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine were chosen with beauty as the top reason.

Although they weren’t in the top 5, South Korea also scored well with Japanese women.  Looks were definitely a strong point but Korean men were also appreciated for their respect for their parents.

Source: MyNavi Men’s Survey, Women’s Survey (Japanese)

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• [Olympics] Hot Japanese Male Gymnast Inspires Chinese Women to Create Homo-Erotic Fantasies with Equally Sexy German Male Gymnast
• Women for Dummies: 10 Ways a Guy Can Instantly Repulse Ladies

Origin: Japanese Men and Women Rank Which Countries They’d Look to for a Mate
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

“I like this guy… but is he suitable for marriage?”  This is one of the most important questions Japanese women ask themselves in considering a life time mate.  Marriage can be daunting even in the best of circumstances, so it’s crucial to have some assurance you’re making a good choice when deciding on that special person that you want to spend the rest of your life with.

Otome Sugoren, a website featuring articles on love, relationships and marriage, surveyed its female readers to get these results.  The reporter who compiled the info and wrote the article is a Japanese woman herself, so you can be sure of its authenticity!  Here are the top nine things Japanese women check out when Looking for a suitable marriage partner:

1.   Does he have a ‘mother complex’? – If he puts his mother before the love of his life, sound the sirens! Of course any woman wouldn’t give a man who puts ‘Mama’ first the time of day!  If you did marry him you’d have a mouthy mother-in-law trying to tell you what to do.  He most certainly has to have won his independents from his mother.

2.  Is there any lingering dust from past relationships? – A sure sign of trouble lurking after marriage would be the un-severed ties of loose ends.  Former girlfriends should be tucked away in the memory somewhere, out of harms way.  No contact with them no matter how innocent, or there will be misunderstandings.

3.  Does he like to gamble? - If he has hidden debts and can’t resist a bet, beware!  A man who gets carried away enough to put a dent in his finances from gambling needs to be avoided.  Some of the women surveyed said they would turn a blind eye if he kept his monthly gambling losses minimal, say to no more than $200 a month.

4.  How does he handle his liquor? – Abnormal behavior when drunk, especially physical violence is not acceptable.  If he changes into a monster when he drinks then forget it!  Some women feel such a loss of control is unforgivable.  If this kind of drinking is his main stress relief, then he should really take up a sport instead. 

5.  Does he live within his means? - If he drives a fancy car he can’t afford, or has to buy brand named goods that are out of his price range, then it is time to look elsewhere.  If you marry him, you will always be fighting to make ends meet.  The exception being that he may have an expensive item which is well-worn and which he takes good care of , in which case it means he is careful with things precious to him.

6. Does he intend to help with house hold chores, and when kids come along will he help out with them? – If he has the attitude that housework is women’s work then he is still in the dark ages. He has to show that he is willing to help out at home.  Even if he still lives at home he would be wise to show that he has interest in helping to live in a clean house, eat good food, and wear clean clothes.

7.  Does he have a hidden stash of manga figurines in his closet? – That kind of otaku is too much.  It sends creepy chills down the spines of many women to think of that level of mania.  If he can’t live without those figurines, then he’d better get them out of the closet so that the woman can get used to them—and maybe even appreciate their value.

8.  Will he be able to survive hard times? – If he is laid off work does he have some money put aside to live on?  The poor economy is nothing new, but it can’t be expected to improve suddenly.  Women are looking for men who plan realistically for the future and have a plan B if plan A doesn’t pan out.

9.  Does he have a past he is hiding? – If he has been married before, has kids and is hiding it then he is history.  Hiding such important information only backlashes into mistrust.  As two people get to know each other trust builds.  A man can decide when the time is right to divulge such information so that the trust isn’t broken.

FYI- In Japan, it is normal for single adults, male or female, to live at home with their parents until they get married.  Also women are most likely the finance managers in marriage.  Looks like what women want is pretty outright and honest, very reasonable too, wouldn’t you say?

Source: Otome Sugoren

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• Otome Sugoren

Origin: The Top Nine Things Japanese Women Discreetly Check Out When on a Hunt for a Husband
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

In Japan, goukon, are mixers meant to set the stage for finding a mate.  They are designed to help young adults find at least a relationship, if not a suitable marriage partner, and are often organized by businesses like in the ad above.

The average goukon brings together around three to five people of each gender and takes place at a restaurant or izakaya (Japanese-style bar). Groups are seated randomly, usually with seats alternating by gender so everyone can get to know each other better.

Business organizational skills aside, most women know that the chance of a relationship forming from a goukon depends on the efforts of the participants.  A certain protocol must be followed if a man wants a woman to give him the time of day.  If he is too out-of-place, then it could cause embarrassment all around.

Japanese website Otome Sugoren surveyed their female readers to find out what kind of guy they think shouldn’t even bother showing up to the goukon party.  Men: be sure to pay attention so you know what not to do at your next goukon.  After all, while you may be there to play the field, women are serious about finding someone!  

All the women surveyed were in their 20′s.

【１】Guys who are getting along well with their girlfriends or wives – “Married guys or guys with girlfriends need not apply to goukon. You don’t qualify.” 

Participants are there to meet new prospects from the opposite sex, it is not necessary for attached people to be there.  It is annoying to have guys there who already have what we are looking for.  It subtracts from an enjoyable evening.  It is courteous for men with wives or girlfriends to stay away from goukon.  The only exception is if they are needed to make an even number, then the woman organizer should be consulted.

【２】Guys who can’t help create a good atmosphere – “It makes me feel silly for trying to liven things up.” 

If there is just one guy who is even the slightest bit sulky it can ruin it for everybody.  The bottom line is that both sides have to cooperate to have an enjoyable time.  He should keep a good attitude regardless of not having met someone who grabbed his fancy.

【３】A guy that plays with his cell phone all night – “He is giving off the message loud and clear that there is nobody interesting here .” 

If he doesn’t make an effort to talk to the women in the group, with his head buried in his cell phone the whole time, it can make things uncomfortable for the women.  If he has something work related which he must attend to he should explain that it is work related and excuse himself.

【４】A guy who shows up in sweat pants and jersey – “That just shows how absolutely unmotivated he is.  He should be a little more considerate of those of us who took time to dress stylishly.” 

If he ventures to take part in a goukon he should be a little bit more careful with what he wears.  He doesn’t have to be dressed immaculately, but it is good manners to dress up a little more than usual for a goukon giving the impression of a hint of good taste.

【５】A guy whose conversation topics are all geared to the guys in the group – “It is a goukon: why only make interesting conversation with the guys?  Why did you come in the first place?” 

The women who are in the goukon will want to know why a guy like this bothered showing up.  Conversation should be with the women.  Guys should take to heart that the main difference between a goukon and a regular drinking occasion with friends is the chance to talk to women.

【６】A guy who declares that he doesn’t need a girlfriend – “Um, you may want to reconsider that statement, this is, after all, a goukon. (laugh)”

This isn’t the place to be making such remarks, seeing as it is a place where you are meant to perhaps meet your next girlfriend.  What a turn off for the women.  In organizing a goukon, it would be best if only guys who are positive about finding someone would participate.

【７】Guys that drive to the goukon so that they can’t drink.  “If someone has to stay sober I can’t get drunk”

One of the guys not drinking gives the atmosphere a strange tension.  The effects of alcohol can be helpful in breaking the ice all around unless someone isn’t drinking. Unless you physically can’t have alcohol it is better to arrange to be able to drink at a goukon.

【８】Guys who will be transferred to another city in their work, or have plans to study abroad in the near future -  “Even if you hit it off with one of these guys, it means you might have to try for a long distance relationship in the near future.  That can be quite stressful.” 

The exception would be if the guy’s hometown is the same as the girls or the place he is being transferred to is the girl’s hometown.   

【９】Guys who don’t know how to talk to women - ”Why should I have to take care to draw him out of his shell?” 

If he is such a poor communicator a woman may feel like she needs to help him overcome his shyness.  Even if the numbers are even, if a guy can’t  talk to women then it is like he is not there.  It is wise to find guys who are good at livening things up for a goukon.    

It takes a certain amount of effort for both men and women in order to carry out a successful goukon.  Expectations may bring on disappointment but one thing is certain, that it pays to be considerate no matter who you are.   
Kanpai, cheers!  And happy  hunting!

Source: Sugoren

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Origin: Men Who Disappoint at Goukon (Group Blind Date), Nine Types That Shouldn’t Even Bother Showing up!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

Google’s Ad Words service is a tool used for displaying adverts based on the keyword one enters into the Google search engine. For example typing in “sushi” would yield a selection of sushi-related adverts at the top of your search. The actual price of placing an advert is rather on the reasonable side, and increasingly not just organizations but individuals are jumping on the band wagon.

For an individual wishing to use the service, perhaps the most typical course of action would be to post information about an item you were selling or looking to buy. However when it comes to technology, there will always be unintended methods of use that have up until now eluded even the most creative of minds.

Let me introduce you to a young Japanese man who found a rather obscure use for the Google Ad Words tool by placing an advert for, wait for it… a girlfriend!

The pure ingenuity and audacity of all of this has created quite a stir on the net and has undoubtedly left many like-minded single men out there considerably jealous.

The advert was first placed two months after the man — a fourth year university student — broke up with his girlfriend. After parting from the love of his life, his lifestyle gradually slipped into a state of seediness; when he wasn’t developing apps of skimpily-dressed Japanese girl groups, he was creating adult porno sites. When it comes to drowning your sorrows after a big split, some of us go for a beer with our mates, others for a walk or a drive; so the breakup for this young fellow must have hit rather hard!

There came a time during all of this when he looked back and realized that his last girlfriend’s positive influence had made him the man of integrity he’d been until then. Without the fairer sex in his life, he began to worry that he was doomed to a life of gloom and loneliness.

“My last girlfriend kept me straight and upright, someone who can be proud to call themselves a member of society!”  he sighed. ”If only there were some way to get myself a new girl.”

In desperation he turned to Google and performed a search for “I’m looking for a girlfriend.” His search yielded a site about a similar guy who, for the heck of it, used Google’s advertising service AdWords to make a fake advertisement for a girlfriend. While this ad may have been created as something of a joke, the university student thought it was actually a pretty solid idea. 

Putting the revenue yields from his adult site to good use, he settled the Google Ad Words advertisement fee and placed the ad. “I’m looking for a girlfriend”.

His ad was written in the style of someone recruiting for a job position:

“I’m looking for a girlfriend:
Age and occupation are irrelevant.
Nature of job position: love. No experience necessary.”

Detailing all of this on his blog , he was met with overwhelming response and attracted a following that perhaps even he hadn’t anticipated. Soon after, the lucky guy received no fewer than five offers from women looking for a partner!

Suddenly a hit with the ladies, you’d think that all the attention would go to this super stud’s head, but no not this fellow! When deciding who to date, he operated on a  ’first come first served’ basis, giving priority to the girl who responded to his ad first.

After reading her reply, he couldn’t help but feel a little suspicious, but later admitted that after meeting face to face, he was ”pleasantly surprised that standing in front of me was a cute woman a little older than myself.” It seems that pursuing it this far paid off. The pair spent an evening at a restaurant where they got to know eachother over a nabe, or Japanese hot-pot.

The developments of this love romance are, at the time of this writing, still in progress and are being updated by the lucky man on his blog as they unfold. It seems that many avid followers are keeping their eyes glued as to just how things will turn out!

So just how much did this man pay for what is arguably a priceless shot at finding true love?

A one-time advertising fee of 2,500 yen (US$27) is all that was required! What’s more is that the service that the lucky young man used was a Google Ad Words promotion campaign where 10,000 yen’s worth of advertisement fees were thrown in free of charge — not bad when you think about the large sums that dating sites charge for utilizing their service!

Source: IT Media

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Origin: Japanese Man Places Ad For “Girlfriend” on Google – Nabs Himself 5 Girls at Once
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

Ah, spring. The season of love. Or at least it’s supposed to be. Some people get completely passed by, leaving them staring at cherry blossoms alone and no one to share their delicious strawberry kakigouri (shave ice) with. They’re just… lonely. So very, very lonely.

But maybe you want to change that. Find someone to spend the summer vacation with, someone to laugh at your jokes, bicker with about which Pokémon is cutest.

Well, now you can–through Twitter!

Kazzwatabe: bringing people together via their desperate tweets

A new website called “Tsukiaeba”, or “Why don’t you get together?”, is currently burning up the Japanese Net. The site basically reposts tweets containing the phrases “I want a boyfriend” and “I want a girlfriend” in two columns–one for each phrase.

For people interested in finding a boyfriend or girlfriend (or both, we suppose), they simply need to tweet out “I want a boyfriend” or “I want a girlfriend” in Japanese. The website will find the tweets and add them to its list, where other users can scroll through the list of potential partners until someone catches their eye. Unfortunately, it looks like tweets have to be written in Japanese at this point in time, but that’s all the more reason to learn, right?

See: love’s easy when you know how!

Kazzwatabe, the young but distinguished entrepreneur pictured above, created the site and tweeted about it on May 28, inviting people to check it out. (We can only assume that he’d finally gotten sick of reading his friends’ mopey tweets.)

Following Kazzwatabe’s tweet, numerous people started tweeting their desires for significant others, which of course were then picked up by the new site and posted for all to see.

We wish all of those lonely hearts luck! It would be pretty darn cool if some wonderful relationships got started this way. Until, of course, they have to explain to their kids how mommy and daddy met. (“Well, son, your she was desperate. And that’s where I stepped in.”)

▼Tsukiaeba: Match.com for those who find 141 characters one too many.

Images: Wikipedia (sakura trees), Twitter, Tsukiaeba

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Origin: Looking for love? Tweet and ye shall find!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

Today’s Ninja Life Skill: how to tell if your girlfriend is cheating on you. It’s easy as pee! I mean.. pie!

Here at RocketNews24 we’re always happy to help by introducing those bits of “common knowledge” that everyone seems to know, but which may have slipped by you. Today we present a guide on how to find out if your suspicions about a cheating girlfriend are correct, straight from our ingenious RocketNews24 Japan staff.

・Check the toilet

Lift up the toilet seat and take a good look at the rim. Don’t get too close now! If you can see splash marks, it means that a guy other than you has been draining the lizard in your girlfriend’s house. Girls don’t generally pee standing up, so they can’t splash on the rim, meaning it was most definitely a guy who did it.

・Wipe it down

But hold up a minute – that could just be the remainders of your own bathroom trips, you mucky pup. To make certain that it’s not you leaving a false trail of evidence, make sure to wipe down the toilet rim after every use. If it turns out to be only your girlfriend and you using the toilet not only will you be able to breathe a sigh of relief and the opportunity to do some soul searching, but your girlfriend will likely be thrilled at your new-found sense of cleanliness.

・Don’t freak out

Of course it’s possible that your girlfriend’s father, brother, relative or friend did it! So don’t lose your cool right away if you find a little splash-back on the rim after you’ve set the stage. You can only reach the conclusion that some sleazy seducer has been in there after removing all other possibilities, so don’t go storming in shouting about pee, fidelity and rims of evidence unless you’re absolutely sure.

・We girls aren’t idiots!

What’s that? Girls these days aren’t so naive? I get it, you’re a smart lady. You probably knew all this already. Hang on, where are you off to? Cleaning the toilet? Ah, of course, they say cleanliness is next to godliness!

Photo: RocketNews24

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• Japan Weighs in on the Eternal Question: Is it OK to Pee in the Shower?
• China Continues to Blaze a Trail for Clean and Safe Toilets
• Ladies! Tired of Waiting in Long Lines to Pee? China has the solution!

Origin: Ninja Life Skills: How to tell if your girlfriend is cheating on you
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

Don’t coupley photos like this just make you sick? Half sick with envy, and half sick with plain nauseating cuteness. This is Keisuke Jinushi, a bright-eyed young lover, obviously infatuated, being lovingly hand-fed and spoiled by his devoted girlfriend.

Or is it? Let’s take another look. Actually, these photos are nothing more than cunningly framed selfies! But how did he do it alone?

▼Ah, the happiness of a loving relationship. What could be nicer than showing your love by feeding your lover choice morsels, like a baby bird?

▼Here we have our hero, Keisuke. Pondering how to achieve the photographic delights of coupledom while flying solo…

These kind of photos capture timeless moments, telling a story we can all relate to. And then posted online because, you know, why keep that intimate moment to yourself when you can show everyone what a great time you’re having? ”Mmm sweetie, this is so delicious, you have to try some! Here, open wide…”

▼”Oh, you have some ketchup on your face!” (giggle) Note the glazed look of joy as his girlfriend wipes off the sauce, about to lick it from her finger and kiss him to make sure none is left.

▼Now this is how it’s done as a single-person selfie! Pshaw, who needs a relationship anyway. This guy’s “lover” is his own right hand. While his right hand acts the part of “girlfriend”, his left presses the button on his smartphone to take the picture.

▼Here we have the amazing result!

▼…here’s the big picture! No shame in being single.

▼But how on earth did he get his hand looking so beautifully feminine? First, the skin tone is differentiated using pale foundation…

▼Then, carefully apply nail polish… Ooh, should’ve taken better care of those nails…

▼Tada! The finished product. As a final artistic touch, to avoid confusion a cute scrunchie is added.

▼Pro tip: it’s best to add a retro filter, or take the picture in cutesy Instagram style to make it a real “girlfriend” pic. There are tons of smartphone apps that will make your pic super-cute!

▼Here’s another thing: the expression on your face should naturally be an embarrassed grin. “Awww, she’s taking an embarrassing photo of me…” It’s perfectly possible to do this alone!

How about other cute couple scenarios? Such as the classic picnic in the park. The guy falls asleep after their picnic lunch, and the girlfriend gets bored and amuses herself taking silly pics of him napping. She can’t wait to show him as soon as he wakes up! He’ll probably pretend to be annoyed, and they’ll have a little tussle…

▼This is how it’s done solo!

▼Finally, she started drawing on his sleeping face! What a minx.

▼Here we have the master at work, taking these “park” photos all by himself. When he uploads them to Facebook, everyone that sees them will be so jealous…

▼All those hours “we” spent messing round in McD’s, playing with french fries. Sigh.

▼And all that time it was really only me. Me and my imaginary girlfriend. Love is all you need.

Inspired by the master’s efforts, I imitated them in the photo below. After all, it is the sincerest form of flattery. I wasn’t sure exactly how to create an imaginary “boyfriend” for the selfie, other than by gluing extra hair onto my hands, roughening them up and biting my nails to the quick. Then I had an idea!

▼Guys may find it difficult to express their true feelings…

No imaginary girlfriends or boyfriends were harmed in the making of these photos.

Photos by Keisuke Jinushi at Daily Portal Z, final photo by RocketNews24

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Origin: The amazing art of the “girlfriend” selfie: A DIY guide
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

Like many children, I had an imaginary friend. Unlike many children, mine was a cat. I used to play with him in the garden and yell at my family when they pretended to kick him. I never had an imaginary boyfriend though…

You’ve read about the art of taking a convincing fake-girlfriend selfie. Maybe you downloaded one of those virtual boyfriend apps to compliment you all day long. Perhaps you bought a hug pillow (complete with washable shirt) to snuggle with all night. These stunning photos of an “imaginary girlfriend” and “imaginary boyfriend”, however, bring a new and quiet beauty to the world of the imaginary friend.

First up, we bring you these imaginary girlfriend shots, uploaded to Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo by user Li27n. On top of a background photo, he adds a wispy animated figure – his “imaginary girlfriend”. The artist has been uploading images of his two-dimensional girlfriend since early 2013.

▼ The series is entitled “two-dimensional girlfriend” – and here she is!

▼ The artist depicts his girlfriend on dates: at the movies…

▼ …and eating out together. The artist doesn’t seem to have much of an appetite though.

▼Or out hiking together.
 

▼ There is a certain sadness to the imaginary girlfriend, though.

▼We thought you wouldn’t have to buy an imaginary girlfriend presents, but obviously we were wrong.

Next up, it’s an imaginary boyfriend, from photographer Lin Xi. While the day-glo line drawing style bears some similarities, the non-imaginary partner also appears in these pictures, which might go some way to explaining their online popularity!

▼ The photos were uploaded to Weibo in time for Valentine’s Day.

▼ Imaginary friends: always a cheap date.

▼ He’ll be there come rain or shine (or, like in this photo, come rain AND shine)

▼ Just be careful not to erase him with Instagram filters.

After being uploaded to Weibo, Lin Xi’s beautiful, slightly spooky images also quickly went viral in China. Perhaps I should think about resurrecting my imaginary cat after all…

Source: Offbeat China, Kotaku US
Images: Li27n via Weibo, ndphotos

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Origin: Never be lonely: Stunning illustrations of imaginary girlfriend, boyfriend【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Meet David Campbell and Ditlef Alexander Aasom Diseth, Asia’s latest internet sensation. A video showing one of them apparently stealing a girl from a Chinese guy in Hong Kong went viral.

For full details, check out the following video news report from our partners at TomoNews, your daily source for top animated news.

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Origin: Hong Kong saw this video of westerners gaming their women and went berserk 【TomoNews Video】
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There are dozens of matchmaking websites and mobile apps these days that help bring people together. Which means you don’t even have to step out of the house to meet someone new, all you need is an internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone. It’s easy to hide behind an online profile, but in order to take a budding cyber romance to the next level, you’ll eventually need the guts and sincerity to meet your love interest in real life.

Instead of relying on matchmaking services, this Singaporean guy mustered all the courage in him and conveyed his sincerity in a YouTube video he made in an attempt to find himself a girlfriend, winning praise from YouTube viewers and local citizens. Check out the date plan he has for his potential girlfriend after the jump!

The love seeker introduces himself as Terry Chia, a 24-year-old Singaporean. He’s looking for a potential girlfriend, and doesn’t mind what race or religion, or how old she is, as long as she is someone who is willing to be there for him even through hard times. He describes himself as a “potentially good boyfriend” as he is very caring, encouraging and supportive, and doesn’t appear to be reluctant about spending time and effort on his potential girlfriend.

▼ This is Terry.

▼ Oppa Terry style?

Terry mentions that he wishes to get attached by Christmas this year, and describes his dream date as a “one-day outing at Sentosa”. Being one of the major tourist attractions of Singapore, the island resort, Sentosa, is a one-stop leisure destination popular among tourists and locals alike.

▼ Sentosa is where you can find the biggest Merlion statue in Singapore, Universal Studios Singapore, and the world’s largest aquarium, among a wide range of other attractions, food and beverage establishments, hotels and resorts.

▼ “I’m looking for a Girlfriend!”

Although Terry appeared to be nervous in front of the camera, his sincere call out received many encouraging comments from YouTube viewers, most of them commending him for his guts and sincerity. His unusual approach to seeking love even attracted the attention of the local media.

Terry uploaded a second video a couple of days later in response to the feedback he has received and performing a short dance routine to thank his viewers for their comments and support.

▼ Watch Terry work his moves!

I’m not sure if YouTube is the best platform to find love, but as Terry mentioned, if you never try, you’ll never know. Taking the initiative to put yourself out there is definitely more effective than sitting around moping about not having a girlfriend, if you ask me. So, as a fellow Singaporean, this doubles up as my humble effort in helping this young man get his message out there.

If you have any suggestions or advice for Terry, or just feel like giving him an encouraging cyber fist bump for his attempt at finding love, head over to his YouTube video, Facebook or Instagram and drop him a line!

Source: YouTube
Images: YouTube, Terry Chia on Facebook, Wendy Tour

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Origin: Singaporean guy looking for a girlfriend pins his hopes on YouTube, dances to thank viewers
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

People who can’t start a meal until they’ve snapped the perfect picture and shared it on Facebook or Instagram, with hashtags, of course. People who walk slower than your grandma in a crowded mall or train station because they’re engaged in some mobile game or have their eyes glued on to some soap opera on their tiny screens. And then there are those who feel the incessant need to check if anyone “liked” their recent status update, or consistently have twenty group chats to reply to. There are so many of such cases these days, I’m sure you know what I’m driving at.

I’m talking about people who are addicted to their smartphones. Apparently some of them get so engrossed in their phones that they can’t walk or board the subway with their own legs.

Unfortunately, my husband is one of those phone addicts. We barely even talk at the table when we dine out because he’s always, always, fidgeting with his phone. I used to get annoyed and angry but I’ve since learnt the art of staring into space. I had a feeling that I might be nearing enlightenment, until I came across this girl and her phone addict of a boyfriend. Thanks to them, I’m now learning to count my blessings.

The couple was recently photographed creating quite an unusual scene at a subway station in Beijing. Chinese website 97973.com reported that the couple were seen having an argument, although the reason wasn’t clearly specified, but somehow it ended up looking like a kid refusing to leave the toy section, leaving his mum with no choice but to drag him out of the store. However, in this case, it was the girlfriend who had to tow her boyfriend onboard the subway instead.

[Imaginary argument]
▼ GF: “Let go of the damn phone!”
BF: “No! Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!!”

▼ GF: “I’ll drag you onboard if I have to! Just watch me!”
BF: *this is actually kinda fun…*

▼ BF: “Ooh! Boobies on ma phone!”

The scene did not go unwitnessed, of course. Aside from the quick-reflexed people who instantly whipped out their cameras to snap a picture, the ridiculous couple had attracted the attention of quite a number of passengers. It was said that a kid even burst into tears at the ruckus.

As the photos went viral online, Chinese netizens started referring to the girl in the incident as “Subway Superwoman” due to her eye-pleasing good looks and her strength and determination to lug her boyfriend a good ten meters or so across the platform and on to the train. If you ask me, I’d say the boyfriend deserves the title of “Smartphone Superman” too for his undeterred dedication towards his mobile gadget.

It’s pretty obvious that this has to be some kind of gimmick done by some mobile phone provider or game company, as many Internet users have speculated. I, for one, have never seen someone who is SO attached to his smartphone, and I don’t see why any decent-minded girl would put up with such behavior from her boyfriend. However, with the increasing number of phone addicts these days, who’s to say anything for sure? What would your response be if your partner was one of these extreme smartphone addicts? Share your views in the comments section below!

Source/Images: 97973.com via Game Over

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Origin: “Subway Superwoman” spotted in China dragging her phone addict boyfriend on to the subway
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Christmas Eve in Japan is very much a date night, perhaps the biggest of the year. Couples go to see festive Christmas lights, have a nice dinner and exchange gifts; the night really matters. But about those gifts…

How much money are you planning on spending on your significant other this holiday season? How much are you expecting them to spend on you? If you’re single, how much do you think your potential darling would want to dish out for a Christmas present? A recent poll gives us a great insight into how much we should probably be spending.

According to a study done by MatchAlarm, makers of a matchmaking app of the same name, of the 536 unmarried women surveyed, 48.9 percent do not expect their significant others (or potential ones) to spend more than 10,000 yen (US$100). That’s good news, right guys? Some of these gals cite “the feeling” behind the gift as more important that actual item. The bad news for those of you on a budget is that 42.6 percent expect their loved one to cause some serious damage to their wallets with gifts between 10-30,000 yen (US$100-300). They more or less think, “If they have the money, they’d better spend it.”

Thankfully for Japanese men, there are fewer girls expecting gifts over 30,000 yen.

Here’s the complete breakdown of the results of how much Japanese girls expect their partners to spend on them:

5,000 yen ($50) or less: 11.8%
5,000- 10,000 yen: 37.1%
10-30,000 yen: 42.6%
30-50,000 yen: 6.7%
Over 50,000 yen: 1.9%

Personally, I can’t even fathom my significant other spending more than 10,000 yen, let alone me spending that on them… Which raises another question: Do these girls plan on spending the same amount on the boys?

Are you a “feeling” kind of person, or do you like the expensive stuff? Let us know what you’ll be spending, if anything, on the object of your affections this Christmas.

Top Image: Pixabay (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert: MatchAlarm
[ Read in Japanese ]

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Origin: How much do Japanese girls expect their boyfriends to spend on Christmas presents? 【Poll results】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Good news single people! There are now Pokémon Go matchmaking events in Japan!

One of the best things about Pokémon Go is that it gets you out and about, but even then it may be hard to meet people. Well, not any more! Now you can actively meet people while still catching ‘em all.

ENA Ltd. has announced it will be holding Pokémon Go matchmaking events around Tokyo and Kanagawa, cleverly calling the meetups “Pokémon Gokon” – “Gokon” being the Japanese word for “matchmaking event”.

▼ “Pokemon Gokon”

The first Pokémon Gokon will take place at Hibiya Park on Wednesday night on the 17^th of August. It will cost 2,000 yen (about US$19.74) for men and 1,000 yen (about US$9.87) for women to book online. If you arrive on the day without booking, it will cost 3,000 yen (about US$29.62) for men and 1,500 yen (about US$14.81) for women. Hibiya Park is situated 5 minutes from JR Yurakucho Station.

▼ The Hibiya ParkPokémon Gokon will be held on 17 August.

Participants will be digitally marked in the game so you can easily find others who are part of the event. Organizers are encouraging single people to join as “it will be easy to start a conversation with others because you’re playing the same game”.

And best of all, everyone will gather for drinks after the hunt for Pokémon comes to an end. According to the organizers the after-drinks meetup will allow for more sparks to fly:

“You can enjoy drinking with everyone you met in the game and also have some exciting new encounters. This will be your chance to chat to people who you couldn’t talk with during the game.”

If you can’t make the first event in Tokyo, there will also be one held around Odawara Castle in Kanagawa Prefecture on Saturday, 27 August. Organizers are also planning future events for Yoyogi Park, Ueno Park and Inokashira Park, which are all in Tokyo.

So if you’re feeling a little lonely this summer and you’ve caught the Pokémon Go bug, perhaps Pokémon Gokon is the event for you!

Source: Otakomu, Pokemongokon.com
Images: Pokemongokon.com

Where are the “evil” versions of Princess Peach and Daisy?

Shigeru Miyamoto, the mastermind behind Nintendo’s Mario, Zelda, and Star Fox franchises and more, is one of the greatest game designers of our generation.

But at the same time, he’s been known to hold a few “interesting” opinions on games, such as wanting James Bond to kiss and make up with his enemies at the end of the Nintendo64’s Goldeneye, and himself claiming that he is Bowser Jr.’s mother… don’t think about that one too much.

And recently Nintendo blogger Supper Mario Broth brought to the attention of the Internet another odd statement from Miyamoto, concerning why we’ve never seen the love interests for Wario and Waluigi (the “evil” counterparts of Mario and Luigi).

▼ The source may be a 12-year-old Nintendo Power magazine,
but considering we still haven’t seen them, it’s just as relevant today.

The reason Wario and Waluigi have no girlfriends, from a Nintendo Power interview with Hiroyuki Takahashi and Syugo… twitter.com/i/web/status/9…

—
Supper Mario Broth (@MarioBrothBlog) September 03, 2017

So just to be clear, Miyamoto says that the reason they never created romantic partners for Wario and Waluigi is because “he didn’t even want to see their girlfriends.” He’s not necessarily saying that they don’t exist, but just that he doesn’t want to have to look at them.

It seems like we can interpret this two ways: one, the girlfriends themselves are ugly enough that Miyamoto doesn’t want to see them; or two, Wario and Waluigi are so ugly that he doesn’t want to see what kind of women would go for them.

Either way, it just feels a little mean spirited. As for the first point, the girlfriends being ugly, the Mario universe already has several evil female characters, none of whom are “ugly” at all:

▼ There’s Wendy Koopa, Bowser’s daughter, looking lovely in her dress.
I could see her and Wario concocting evil plots together.

wendy would make a cute koopa princess! #Nintendo #supermario https://t.co/gW419XSVpf

—
💜Kira Kira!💜 (@kiravera8) July 24, 2017

▼ There’s Birdo, who may not be human, but is still quite cute!

Goodmorning birdo is the most underrated character in Mario kart she's also gorgeous https://t.co/hR0anb06fS

—
derrick (@StoneColdDeluxe) August 20, 2017

▼ And I could totally see Waluigi having
the hots for Valentina from Super Mario RPG.

It's Super Mario RPG's Valentina for @ClassyRaptor's #MarioCollab! http://t.co/QicOfCdBhC

—
Milu Argentum (@miluette) January 06, 2014

▼ Going outside the games, here’s an artist’s idea of what their girlfriends might look like: Princess Lazy and Princess Leech. Personally I’d love to see them!

@MarioBrothBlog @NovaAlamak But we know exactly who they are: saltwort.tumblr.com/post/158767659…

—
M. Bulteau (@MBulteau) September 04, 2017

And as for the second point, Wario and Waluigi themselves being too ugly, that’s just a matter of perspective. For example, Instagram artist Omar Dogan drew these pictures of the two boys looking quite sharp:

▼ Daisy apparently ditching Luigi to go on a date with Wario.
And with a chin like that, who can blame her?

▼ Maybe all Waluigi needed was a little
star light in his life to brighten it up a bit.

Here’s how Twitter responded to the accusation from Miyamoto:

“Wario is wealthy as f*ck so Id’ imagine he’s dating an incredibly conventionally attractive person.”
“Okay, we demand to see their girlfriends, Miyamoto!”
“Damn, Miyamoto is freaking coldblooded. Lmao.”
“Forever WAAlone.”

To be fair, there is one other canon reason why Wario may not have a girlfriend. In an “interview” on Nintendo Japan’s website, Wario was asked if he had any plans of getting married, and this is how he replied:

“I have over 100 million female fans all over the world! If I get married, then that’ll make them all cry! So? That means I won’t get married! Understood?! It’s not that I can’t, I won’t!!!!“

Okay Wario, we get it. But, just so you know, getting the Mario-themed marriage certificates is optional — you don’t have to have the face of your enemy stamped on your marriage license if you don’t want to.

Source: @MarioBrothBlog via My Game News Flash
Featured image: Instagram/omardogan1976