Future research will focus on:
is not a game. It is not a joke. It is the bleeding edge of affective computing, wrapped in the comforting aesthetics of anime culture. For some, it will be a toy. For others, a therapeutic tool. And for a growing number of users, it is simply... home. YourPersonalWaifu
The waifu phenomenon gained traction in the early 2000s with anime like Azumanga Daioh (coining the term) and Lucky Star . However, it was games like Love Plus (2009) for the Nintendo DS that transformed the waifu from a passive preference into an interactive relationship. In Love Plus , players could court, date, and maintain a daily relationship with a digital girlfriend, adjusting her schedule and receiving personalized messages. Future research will focus on: is not a game