Jump to content

Fictosexuality

Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fictosexuality
DefinitionAttraction to fictional characters
ClassificationSexual identity
Parent categoryAsexuality
Other terms
Associated terms

Fictosexuality is sexual attraction towards fictional characters.[1][2][3][4][5] Romantic attraction towards fictional characters is called fictoromantic attraction.[4][6]

The term fictosexuality describes the desire to engage in sexual relationships with fictional characters, or the experience of desire for fictional sexual material distinct from desire for flesh-and-blood people.[1][7] Fictoromance is romantic attraction to fictional characters. The asexual community has used the term to describe people who experience sexual attraction to fictional characters and not to real people.[1][4][5]

Fictosexual individuals may face discrimination and marginalization due to human-oriented sexualism and humanogenderism.[8][9] As a result, social movements exist to promote the acceptance of fictosexuality and the relativization of human-oriented sexualism and humanogenderism. In 2019, the world's first advocacy group for fictosexuals was established in Taiwan.[7][9]

Terms in different languages

In Chinese, the term zhǐxìngliàn (simplified Chinese: 纸性恋; traditional Chinese: 紙性戀; lit. 'paper sexuality') refers to sexual attraction towards two-dimensional characters only.[3]

In Japanese, nijikon is typically used to describe a sexual attraction towards two-dimensional anime, manga, and light novel characters, as opposed to attraction towards flesh-and-blood humans.[10][11] However, the term fikutosekushuaru is distinct from nijikon and specifically pertains to a sexual identity.[1][7]

Research

Demographic research

According to the "8th National Survey of Adolescent Sexual Behavior" conducted by the Japanese Association for Sex Education in 2017, the percentage of respondents who reported "having had romantic feelings for a game or anime character" was as follows: 13.1% of male junior high school students, 16.0% of female junior high school students, 13.6% of male high school students, 15.4% of female high school students, 14.4% of male university students, and 17.1% of female university students.[12]

Relationship with fictional characters

Fictosexuality and fictoromance are occasionally regarded as a form of parasocial relationship in media studies and game studies.[13][14] Hsi-wen Liao claims that research on parasocial relationships often centers on unidirectional attachment from the audience to the character, thereby overlooking the intricate and diverse relationships between fictosexuals or fictoromantics, and fictional characters.[3] According to a research by Yuu Matsuura, some aegosexual individuals identify as fictosexuality to emphasize their preference for fictional objects of attraction.[1]

Queer studies

Several studies on asexuality and introductory books on sexual minorities refer to fictosexuality.[5][15][16] Elizabeth Miles and Yuu Matsuura conduct research on people who are sexually attracted only to fictional characters and argue that such sexuality, like asexuality, prompts reconsideration of dominant ideas about sexuality.[11][17]

Sociologist and queer theorist Yuu Matsuura has theorized how fictosexuals who love two-dimensional sexual creations, such as manga and anime, engage in a subversion of dominant norms in a manner distinct from Butlerian performativity. Matsuura draws on Teri Silvio's concept of "animation," Hiroki Azuma's interpretation of Derrida, and Karen Barad's theory of posthumanist performativity. This subversion is described as "transforming modes of perception and forms of desire by constructing beings of a previously nonexistent category through animation."[8] Such subversion arises from "the materialization of gender in a way that differs from the live human body."[8]

Human-oriented sexualism and humanogenderism

The term used to describe the marginalization of fictosexuality is human-oriented sexualism (ja:対人性愛中心主義 (taijin-seiai-chūshin-shugi)) and humanogenderism.[8][9] Human-oriented sexualism is the norm that sexual attraction towards flesh-and-blood human is "normal" sexuality.[1][2] Humanogenderism is "the idea that legitimate gender is instantiated or materialized by humans as a biological species"[8] and is "the assumption that genders instantiated by non-human beings are 'less material' or 'mere representations'."[2] While these concept is raised from fictosexuality studies in Japan, it is now being discussed in research outside of Japan[3][9] and in areas other than fictosexuality studies.[18][19][20]

Human-oriented sexuality (対人性愛 (taijin-seiai) is the term referring to the sexual majority attracted to flesh-and-blood people.[1][21] This term emerged from grassroots usage among those who prefer two-dimensional sexual creations like manga and anime, yet lack sexual attraction to flesh-and-blood individuals.[1][2] Based on this premise, the term human-oriented sexualism was coined, prompting inquiries into institutions, customs, and value judgments rooted in human-oriented sexuality.

According to Yuu Matsuura, human-oriented sexualism and humanogenderism are linked to heteronormativity and cisgenderism.[8] In terms of queer theory, they are components that constitute what Judith Butler calls "literalizing fantasy" and are an example of what Karen Barad terms "representationalism."[8] Human-oriented sexualism forecloses the possibility of articulating sexuality in ways other than the heterosexual/homosexual distinction, and in that sense, it is a precondition for the exclusion of homosexuality.[8][10] Furthermore, humanogenderism is a kind of biological essentialism that seeks to ground gender in the "anatomical" body and is connected to ideologies that exclude transgender people.[8]

Kazuki Fujitaka, associate professor of feminist/queer studies at Kyoto Sangyo University, highly appreciated Matsuura's theory about critique against human-oriented sexualism and described the theory as "a practice of healing those who get hurt by a normative society and of defamiliarizing the world," akin to what bell hooks calls "theory as liberatory practice."[22]

Marginalization, discrimination, and stigmatization

Fictosexuals have been marginalized or concealed in societies that adhere to the norm of sexual attraction to human beings. They are occasionally stigmatized or pathologized.[1][9] Through interviews with fictosexual individuals, Matsuura discovered that they face similar forms of oppression due to compulsory sexuality as asexual individuals.[11] Furthermore, it was observed that sexual desire does not always entail a desire for sexual intercourse.[11] Just as not all allosexuals desire sexual contact, some fictosexual individuals do not desire interactive relationships with fictional characters.[1][11] Matsuura's research indicates that these individuals are rendered invisible under amatonormativity.[11] Interview surveys suggest that the practices of fictosexual individuals offer possibilities to challenge compulsory sexuality and human-oriented sexualism.[3][11]

Community and activism

Online communities and forums about fictosexuality exist.[1][3] The Taiwan Entrepot of Fictosexuality, a fictosexual activist organization, has been established in Taiwan, aligning with feminist bookstores and LGBTQ activists.[23][3][7] Some activists have labeled the sexuality only attracted to manga/anime fictional characters as a "third sexual orientation," and Miles argues that "it is the criticism of non-real-world sex, sex outside a flesh-and-blood relationship, which drives much contemporary anti-pornography criticism and activism".[17] Matsuura criticizes accusations that ACG pornography sexualizes women and children, arguing that these claims presuppose human-oriented sexualism and humanogenderism.[8][10] According to Matsuura, these two concepts are structural problems that enable the sexualization of women and children by ACG pornography while simultaneously erasing the existence of fictosexuaity.[8] Therefore, Matsuura suggests that fictosexuals and feminists should unite in solidarity to criticize human-oriented sexualism and humanogenderism.[8]

In June 2023, Japanese school administrator Akihiko Kondo, who identifies as a fictosexual,[24][25] founded the General Incorporated Association of Fictosexuality[26][27] to provide comfort to fictosexuals, hold meetings with people that have similar views, and improve the understanding of the subject.[28] Izumi Tsuji, secretary of the Japan Youth Study Group at Chuo University, where he is a sociology of culture professor, described Kondo as "a pioneer for the fictosexual movement".[29]

In 2024, Yuu Matsuura founded the awareness organization "Fictosexual Perspective" in Japan to archive experiences and thoughts of fictosexual individuals.[9][30]

Cultural representation

The symbolic marriage of Akihiko Kondo to Hatsune Miku in 2018 was widely covered by various media outlets worldwide.[24][31] In 2025, Japanese novelist Sayaka Murata publicly stated, "fictosexuality is very strong in me."[32]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Matsuura, Yuu (2021). 日常生活の自明性によるクレイム申し立ての「予めの排除/抹消」――「性的指向」概念に適合しないセクシュアリティの語られ方に注目して ["Foreclosure/Erasure" of Claims-Making by the Everyday Life as Taken for Granted: Discourse Analysis about "Fictosexual" as Sexuality that does not Conform to "Sexual Orientation"]. Journal of Social Problems (in Japanese). 36: 67–83. doi:10.50885/shabyo.36.0_67.
  2. ^ a b c d Matsuura, Yuu (2024). Tsuji, Yosuke; Sakamaki, Shitone (eds.). "素肉は肉より出でて、しかし肉には非らず──ヒューマノジェンダリズム批判序説" [Mock Meat, That Imitates Meat but Is Not Meat—An Introduction to Criticism of Humano-Genderism]. Ghost in the Shell Official Global Site. Ghost in the Shell M.M.A. - Messed Mesh Ambitions_. Kodansha.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Liao, Hsi-Wen (2024). "紙性戀處境及其悖論: 情動、想像與賦生關係" [On Fictosexual Position and its Paradox: Affacts, Imaginary, and Animating Relationships]. In 劉定綱; 李衣雲 (eds.). 故事與另外的世界: 台灣ACG研究學會年會論文集 (in Chinese). Vol. 1. 奇異果文創事業有限公司. ISBN 9786269807680.
  4. ^ a b c Barron, Victoria (2023). Amazing ace, awesome aro: an illustrated exploration. London; Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 978-1-83997-714-5.
  5. ^ a b c Daigle-Orians, Cody (21 February 2023). I Am Ace: Advice on Living Your Best Asexual Life. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 978-1839972621.
  6. ^ Rendle, Samantha (2023). Hopeless aromantic: an affirmative guide to aromanticism. London; Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 978-1-83997-367-3.
  7. ^ a b c d Matsuura, Yuu (2023). "Basic Terms of Fictosexuality Studies". Research Map. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Yuu, Matsuura (2025). "「萌え絵問題」から「対人性愛問題」へ：二次元性愛の抹消とトランスジェンダー差別の結びつきを踏まえて" [From the “Moe-Image Issue” to the “Human-oriented Sexualism Issue”: Considering the Connection Between the Erasure of Nijigen Sexuality and Discrimination Against Transgender People] (PDF). Gender & Sexuality (20): 1–24. doi:10.34577/0002000303.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Liao, Hsi-Wen; Hao, Bai-Wei. "非對人性戀支持／自助社群如何可能？：從紙性戀處境、抹消／破抹消與開放式對話出發" [How are (Self-)Supportive Communities of Non-Human-Oriented Sexualities Possible?: From Fictosexual Situation, Erasure/De-erasure, and Open Dialogue]. 文化研究季刊 (188): 1–21. ISSN 2076-2755.
  10. ^ a b c Matsuura, Yuu (2022). アニメーション的な誤配としての多重見当識: 非対人性愛的な「二次元」へのセクシュアリティに関する理論的考察 [Multiple Orientations as Animating Misdelivery: Theoretical Considerations on Sexuality Attracted to Nijigen (Two-Dimensional) Objects]. Gender Studies (Thesis) (in Japanese). Institute for Gender Studies, Ochanomizu University. pp. 139–157. doi:10.24567/0002000551.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Matsuura, Yuu (2021). 二次元の性的表現による「現実性愛」の相対化の可能性――現実の他者へ性的に惹かれない「オタク」「腐女子」の語りを事例として [The Possibility of Relativization of Compulsory Sexuality by Nonrealistic Sexual Fantasy: Based on the Narration of "Otaku" and "Fujoshi" Who Do Not Experience Sexual or Romantic Attraction to Real People]. Japan Sociologist (in Japanese) (5): 116–136. ISBN 9784788517073.
  12. ^ 日本性教育協会, ed. (2019). 「若者の性」白書 第8回 青少年の性行動全国調査報告. 小学館.
  13. ^ Blom, Joleen (2022). Grabarczyk, Pawel (ed.). "Game Character". Encyclopedia of Ludic Terms.
  14. ^ Bruno, Luca (2023-12-23). "To (Sub)Serve Man. Role Language and Intimate Scripts in Kioku no Dizorubu". LEA - Lingue e Letterature d'Oriente e d'Occidente. 12: 99–116. doi:10.36253/lea-1824-484x-14474. ISSN 1824-484X.
  15. ^ Yule, Morag A.; Brotto, Lori A.; Gorzalka, Boris B. (2017). "Sexual Fantasy and Masturbation Among Asexual Individuals: An In-Depth Exploration" (PDF). Archives of Sexual Behavior. 46 (1): 311–328. doi:10.1007/s10508-016-0870-8. PMID 27882477. S2CID 254264133.
  16. ^ Palettalk (2021). マンガでわかるLGBTQ+ [Comic Book for Learning LGBTQ+] (in Japanese). Kodansha Ltd. p. 35. ISBN 9784065224922.
  17. ^ a b Miles, Elizabeth (2020). "Porn as Practice, Porn as Access: Pornography Consumption and a ʻThird Sexual Orientationʼ in Japan". Porn Studies. 7 (3): 269–278. doi:10.1080/23268743.2020.1726205.
  18. ^ Yamada, Masahiro (2022). "ペットの家族化の進展とその帰結――ネットモニター調査による考察" [Familiarization of Pet in Japan: From an Internet Research] (PDF). The Annual Bulletin of the Institute of Social Sciences, Chuo University (in Japanese). 27: 3–21.
  19. ^ 筒井晴香 (2022). "「推す」ことの倫理を考えるために". In 香月孝史・上岡磨奈・中村香住 (ed.). アイドルについて葛藤しながら考えてみた：ジェンダー／パーソナリティ／〈推し〉. 青弓社. pp. 46–71. ISBN 978-4-7872-7449-6.
  20. ^ Ueda, Masaki (2023). "わいせつ規制をめぐる諸課題" [Issues surrounding Crimes of Obscenity]. Criminal Law Journal (in Japanese). 75. Seibundo Publishing: 12–17. ISBN 978-4-7923-8881-2.
  21. ^ Iwasaki, Hanae (2024). "フツーの恋愛、性愛ってなに？『ACE アセクシュアルから見たセックスと社会のこと』刊行記念トークレポ". me and you little magazine & club. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  22. ^ Hanyu, Yuki (2024). "Against Compulsory (Hetero)Sexuality: From Asexual Perspectives" (PDF). Gender & Sexuality. 19. Center for Gender Studies at International Christian University: 137.
  23. ^ Realms of the Unreal: Taiwan Entrepot of Fictosexuality (2023). "Introduction". Facebook.
  24. ^ a b Dooley, Ben; Ueno, Hisako (April 24, 2022). "This Man Married a Fictional Character. He'd Like You to Hear Him Out". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  25. ^ Kazuyuki, Ito (May 18, 2023). "Man finds bliss after 'marrying' virtual idol Hatsune Miku". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  26. ^ Kondo, Akihiko [@akihikokondosk] (June 29, 2023). "I founded the general incorporated association of fictosexuality. This is an organization whose main purpose is to promote understanding of fictosexuality, which is a sexual orientation that is attracted to fictional characters such as manga, anime, and games. I will do my best" (Tweet). Retrieved 2024-04-08 – via Twitter.
  27. ^ "Man, married to virtual pop star for 4 years, starts Association of Fictosexuality". Yahoo News. 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  28. ^ Obuno, Yuka (2023-07-01). "Tokyo man 'married' to virtual singer Hatsune Miku fights for acceptance of 'fictosexuals'". The Mainichi. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  29. ^ Ryall, Julian (2023-09-15). "Japan: Man married to fictional character fights for rights". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  30. ^ "Fセク関連情報サイト：フィクトセクシュアルの視座から". Fセク関連情報サイト：フィクトセクシュアルの視座から (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-04-23.
  31. ^ Katashibu, Yohei (2018-11-21). "批判もあったが「勇気付けられた」 初音ミクさんとの"本気の挙式"を終えて" [Despite Criticism, "It Gave Me Courage" - Ending the "Serious Wedding" with Hatsune Miku]. ITmedia (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  32. ^ Batuman, Elif (2025-04-07). "Sayaka Murata's Alien Eye". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fictosexuality&oldid=1297026239"