A Japanese man creates dating photos with an imaginary girlfriend, amusing social media, but some warn it may worsen loneliness. -- Photo: SCMP composite/QQ.com
TOKYO (SCMP): A man in Japan ingeniously used a selfie stick, a wig, and various props, along with his right hand, to craft realistic dating photos featuring an imaginary girlfriend, delighting many on social media.
Keisuke Jinushi, 39, is a talented photographer and writer for Japan’s whimsical website Daily Portal Z.
Reports indicate that he is a graduate of Musashino Art University, where he earned a degree in film and visual arts, and has remained single throughout his adult life.
Jinushi’s dating photos highlight many Japanese men’s struggles with social interaction and loneliness through their passion for anime. -- Photo: QQ/beebee星球
Jinushi revealed that the inspiration for his unique idea struck him during a trip.
“I was travelling and took a photo with a statue of a woman, and that’s when it occurred to me – I could create joyful couple photos all by myself,” he shared with the Japanese newspaper Nishinippon Shimbun.
Following this epiphany, Jinushi began experimenting with creative angles and props, and his posts have since encouraged single men to craft their own “happy photo stories”.
Jinushi painted one hand with bright red nail polish to portray his fictional girlfriend in photos. -- Photo: QQ/beebee星球
In a series of images circulating online, Jinushi appears to be lovingly fed by a girlfriend sporting striking red nail polish, but in reality, the “girlfriend” is merely his right hand.
“I applied foundation to my hand and wore nail polish to replicate a woman’s soft, shiny hand, and it works perfectly if you slip a scrunchie on your wrist,” he explained.
In another playful photo, Jinushi shares a kiss with a girlfriend boasting long black hair – which is, in fact, a wig. He even hangs a motorcycle helmet on a street pole and takes a selfie to fabricate a scene of riding with his “girlfriend”.
Jinushi emphasised that the secret to making a photo appear natural lies in displaying a shy smile, akin to the way any typical boyfriend might feel bashful when being photographed by his girlfriend.
In a series of photos, Jinushi’s girlfriend seems to feed him, but it’s really just his right hand. -- Photo: QQ/beebee星球
He has also compiled his photography techniques into a book titled Fantasy Girlfriend, which narrates the fanciful story of meeting, marrying, and starting a family with his fictional girlfriend.
Jinushi’s dating photos are often interpreted as a lighthearted critique of Japan’s otaku culture. Otaku refers to individuals who have a deep passion for anime or manga, some of whom struggle with social interactions and create imaginary companions to stave off a lifetime of loneliness.
Recently, Jinushi’s works went viral on Chinese social media after being highlighted in mainland media reports.
One online observer commented on Weixin: “I can fully relate to Jinushi. He is just like any other single guy – yearning for love – and he is not doing anything wrong.”
Another user remarked: “These photos are so entertaining. Jinushi is a genius. His imaginative ideas are precisely what our mundane lives need.”
However, a third individual cautioned against emulating Jinushi’s actions: “The best way to escape loneliness is to venture outside and meet new people, not to rely on props and selfies to indulge one’s own fantasies.”
Jinushi has compiled a book titled “Fantasy Girlfriend”, which tells the whimsical story of meeting and marrying his fictional girlfriend. -- Photo: QQ/beebee星球
Jinushi’s photography techniques seem to have inspired many Chinese netizens.
Last May, a Xiaohongshu user shared a series of photos where she painted her right hand in a darker skin tone to impersonate a boyfriend’s hand, calling it a “technique to deter men from flirting with her”.
In October, another individual nicknamed Chi Xiaopan posted a video featuring her female friend who drew a fake Adam’s apple on her throat and donned silicone abs to resemble a man, presenting herself as her “boyfriend”. The video garnered 71,000 likes. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
