{"id":19756,"date":"2023-06-26T17:05:39","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T08:05:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=19756"},"modified":"2023-07-07T14:14:08","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T05:14:08","slug":"20230626-19756","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/nongaming-news\/20230626-19756\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese otaku-targeted dating app startles users with nightmarish AI-generated ads"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Otakoi<\/strong> (jp: \u30aa\u30bf\u604b), a recently launched Japanese dating app geared specifically towards otaku, has been gaining attention on Twitter for their promotional material which consists of unsettling AI-generated images of couples and attractive women.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"512\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-001.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19759\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-001.png 512w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-001-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-001-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-001-380x380.png 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-001-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-001-420x420.png 420w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What is an otaku dating app in the first place? The word otaku describes a person that has a consuming interest or hobby, often but not exclusively related to anime, video games, idols etc. The term is sometimes used in a pejorative sense due to negative stereotypes associated with otakus such as unhealthy obsessiveness, underdeveloped social skills, unhealthy lifestyle, unkempt appearance etc. At the same time, the word is reclaimed in a positive sense by otaku themselves and used as an antonym for \u201cnormies\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the dating world, the stereotype of otaku, especially male otaku being undesirable is also prevalent. This is likely where the idea of <a href=\"https:\/\/ota-koi.jp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Otakoi<\/a>, a dating platform targeted specifically towards otaku men and women came from, with their slogan being about meeting a fellow otaku who accepts your interests entirely.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The platform appears to have a typical matching app system where users can express interest in others based on their profiles and exchange messages if the interest is reciprocated. The platform also attempts to cater to otaku by providing <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unigyutan\/status\/1623262437687590912?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">profile biography templates<\/a> for those who are less skilled in introducing themselves.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"ja\" dir=\"ltr\">\u30aa\u30bf\u604b \u306e\u753b\u50cf\u3067\u795e\u7d4c\u8870\u5f31\u3057\u3088\u3046\u305c <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GH7x7eGFmr\">pic.twitter.com\/GH7x7eGFmr<\/a><\/p>&mdash; \u65e5\u672c\u306e\u307f\u3053\u3057 (@_mikoshi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_mikoshi\/status\/1663177677032009729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 29, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><font size=\"2\"><strong>Tweet translation:<\/strong> Let\u2019s play a game of memory with Otakoi images<\/font><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But what has grabbed the attention of users the most is no doubt the images used to promote the app \u2013 all the images used on both the official site and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/otakoi_jp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Twitter account<\/a> appear to be AI-generated. The images are mostly of idealized attractive young women and couples, accompanied by typical AI-related errors such as blank stares, disappearing hands, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/otakoi_jp\/status\/1671705472582426625?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">clothes textures bleeding onto skin<\/a> etc.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"ja\" dir=\"ltr\">\u306f\u3058\u3081\u3066\u306e\u30de\u30c3\u30c1\u30f3\u30b0\u30a2\u30d7\u30ea\u306f\u3001\u30aa\u30bf\u604b\u3002<\/p>&mdash; \u30aa\u30bf\u604b\u3010\u516c\u5f0f\u3011 (@otakoi_jp) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/otakoi_jp\/status\/1669008269455790081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 14, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><font size=\"2\"><strong>Tweet translation:<\/strong> Otakoi &#8211; your first dating app<\/font><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The above cited post, which was displayed to many users as a sponsored tweet, has caused particular amusement both for its content and execution. Aside from the fundamental contradiction of a dating app being advertised with generated images of non-existent people, many <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BigBrother_Popy\/status\/1669730657449447424?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pointed out<\/a> the irony of a platform geared specifically towards otaku using a prejudiced representation of an otaku to promote itself, with people wondering what kind of prompt the developers had used to generate the \u201cotaku man.\u201d The man having two right hands, the couple\u2019s fingers fusing together, and the unidentified finger poking out from underneath the woman\u2019s handbag only contributed to the merciless reactions from the public.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"741\" height=\"436\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 741px) 100vw, 741px\" src=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-002.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19763\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-002.png 741w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-002-600x353.png 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-002-380x224.png 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-002-150x88.png 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-002-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-002-696x410.png 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/20230626-19756-002-714x420.png 714w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Many described the advertisement as a blatant attempt to attract male users to the app. Perhaps it\u2019s relevant to point out that the app charges male users for a portion of basic functions which are free of charge for female users. The app is available on the <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=jp.ota_koi&amp;pli=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Play Store <\/a>with a rating of 2.8 out of 5 stars and the <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/jp\/app\/id6443501378\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">App Store<\/a> with a rating of 4 out of 5 stars at the time of writing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Otakoi, a dating app targeted towards otaku men and women, has been gathering attention for the jarring AI-generated images used for advertising the app.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":19758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[67,17],"class_list":["post-19756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nongaming-news","tag-ai","tag-japan-related-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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Currently devoted to growing Automaton West to the size of its Japanese sister-site, while making sure to keep news concise and developer stories deep and stimulating.","url":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/author\/amber-vjestica\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19756"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19756\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19767,"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19756\/revisions\/19767"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}