Three years into his “marriage” with a popular virtual character, a Japanese man has opened up about the benefits of having a virtual “wife.” Tokyo resident Akihiko Kondo made global headlines in November 2018 when he tied the knot at the age of 35 with Hatsune Miku, a virtual popstar developed by Crypton Future Media based on the singing synthesizer software Vocaloid. Miku, who takes on the appearance of a 16-year-old girl, has appeared in video games, virtual concerts and even a tour with Lady Gaga.