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How to Get an Online Girlfriend (or Boyfriend), a Dating Guide for Japanese Nerds

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Single? Looking for love? Spend time on the internet? Have I got a book for you. A Japanese book. With some dirty pictures.


But let's skip those and talk about how we can help you find your Juliet or Romeo.

Recently, a book called A Guide to a Truly Correct Net Love Life went on sale in Japan. Japanese site Akiba Blog checked out the book, which is aimed at those who are "serious" about getting a girlfriend, and the cutesy drawings seem also to be aimed at straight Japanese otaku (geeks).

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But never mind that! There are very important things here no matter what you are or whom you like. Such as? Well, as the guide points out, the three most important things you need in your search for online romance are a desktop PC, a mobile phone, and a digital camera.

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There's also advice on how to use dating sites properly and more immediate nuggets like "shaving those neckbeards, and getting clean clothes that fit you so you can appeal to your future squeeze."

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Obvious stuff, but this guide seems to cover all the bases—like most Japanese guidebooks do, whether they are on mainstream guides to business manners or parenting.

This page also gives advice on how to take a photo of yourself to upload online or shared with friends.

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Other practical advice includes not talking about sexual preferences or favorite body types. You might say, "Well, I know this." Well, I say, some folks don't! Likewise for the correct way to write emails and the incorrect way.

There are words of caution, too. If you see the same photo under various user names, that photo probably belongs to a "sakura". In Japan the word "sakura" (偽客) literally means "fake" (偽) "customer" (客). Usually, these are paid phonies who often stand in line for video games or hardware, and these fakes exist on dating sites, too!

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The guide continues into the real world, providing advice, like "Don't accompany your date home" or "Don't touch!"

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One later chapter explains how you can keep your love connection going (send only one email a day!). And, yes, there's the inevitable fan service picture of the relationship being consummated, but the book appears to be more than simple fan service. There's some practical, earnest advice for those hoping to meet someone online.

ネットで彼女をゲットするハウツー本 「本当に正しいネット恋活術」 [アキバBLOG]

(Top photo: アキバBlog)


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