A man in Japan, Taichi Takashita, wants to marry a cartoon. “I am no longer interested in three dimensions,” he explains. “I would even like to become a resident of the two-dimensional world.” Read the full story. It’s easy to write off this “news” as nonsense, but I can totally see where this is headed. Follow me for second. Taichi doesn’t feel at home in the 3-D world, right? He’s not alone. The dudes with the real dolls, those lovely plastic fuckers, would probably like to marry their “chicks” too. Okay, so, remember how I said Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City’s Samantha Jones) was the original real doll because she was in that 1980s movie Mannequin? Apparently EVERYTHING comes from the 80s — even toon love.
Here’s a question for you: WHO should or should not be allowed to get married? Should the the dude in Japan be allowed to make his caricature caring official? Here’s my opinion if you care to know it: marriage is the (completely unnecessary) legal union of two (or more) consenting adults of sound mind. That 16-year-old British chick who wed in a “big ol’ white rhinestoned bra with flank-baring bodice“? I think she’s too young to be considered an adult. (Whether or not she’s of sound mind isn’t for me to judge.) Taichi and his cartoon? If he likes to get down with girls who are bad and drawn that way, that’s fine. But, the object of his desire can’t consent. So, no, I don’t think he should be allowed to marry. That’s my $0.02. Please us the comment section to share yours.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m with you on this one. The cartoon can’t consent. The clothes can’t consent. It’s a one sided love affair at best. People have been institutionalized for less than what these people are trying to do.
I can understand not fitting in with the rest of the world. I can understand feeling so alone in your skin that you would give anything to be elsewhere. But come on…
Marrying an inanimate object is only going to reinforce the feeling that they don’t belong. So he needs to join a club. Find people that like the things he likes. Then the two of them can share their sideways interests with one another AND maybe even find that they fit in the real world after all.
Just my thought.
To add to the “strange marriages” list – guy who ‘married’ the Berlin Wall: http://www.algonet.se/~giljotin/explan.html
I’m with you in that I think it should be between two people. Things need to give consent to be married – as a f’rinstance, if someone fell in love with and wanted to marry a coma patient, do they have a right to speak for them? I realize that a coma patient is a person and not a material object, but there are similarities in the inability to make one’s decisions known. We wouldn’t condone a marriage like that, so I don’t see how marrying objects/animals/concepts should be legal.
I’d offer a further argument that it undermines and belittles the institution of marriage (which many GLBT/poly/etc couples are currently fighting like hell for), but I believe most (if not all) of these folks are really passionately in love with their fixations. And who am I, a former polyamorous bisexual pagan switch, to say they’re weird?
The other side to it is if he is allowed to marry the cartoon, does he gain legal rights to it and its income?
Otherwise the dude should probably be left alone in his home with his videos and vaseline….if you know what I mean
By the definition you gave in your post, I think that no one should be married. I don’t think marriage, at least in the way you defined it, should exist at all. I think marriage should be a purely religious/spiritual thing and should not be recognized by the government.
Obviously, a cartoon does not have legal rights because it is not conscious, so legally, it’s unclear how such a “marriage” would even work, but I think that if this man wants to marry a cartoon he should be allowed to do so. If anyone’s marriages are going to be recognized by the law, everyone’s marriages should be recognized by the law, even though I would prefer that no one’s marriages be recognized by the law.
i think both cartoon guy and doll guys are nuts.
I agree with you. Marriage should be limited to adult human beings who are mentally and legally competent to consent. This definition also shoots down the homophobes who argue that expanding the definition of marriage to include same sex couples is a slippery slope that will lead to marriages with children and non-human animals.
(SMH) If he really want to marry the cartoon, let him. He is already crazy (for him to marry a cartoon) and don’t need to be out in the world. He must like be living alone…
this may have some promise…… that by doing what comes natural to you.. per se
you could be one with the Universe and be at peace…… and harm no one in the process…… then … why not….. think of the funds by way of taxes that could be raised for letting all be all they could be ….. ya’ll dont know just how deep one’s funk could be on short notice……
lamesabassman……. ” not tryin’ to be …. just aiming to……. “
Alix Henriol hated humans also, it’s why she married Sonic the Hedgehog then became a celebrity.
a cartoon? seriously?? hahahah come on…really.
This guy is pretty similar to Alix Henriol.
Mannequin is the sh!t… I jus seen it like 3 months ago…
I can’t find part 2 anywhere…
@ The Butterfly Temptress: Yeah, I think the consent factor puts me on the other side for this one. Also, you said, “Marrying an inanimate object is only going to reinforce the feeling that they don’t belong.” VERY good point!
@ ThatToyChick: I forgot about that guy!!
@ dkzone: Technically, if they got married, he’s get 1/2 her income. ;)
@ Wesley: I actually had a friend tell me that she thought I didn’t support her marriage (to her then-husband). I’m not anti-marriage; I just don’t see the point and I think people often link up for all the wrong reasons.
@ Carolina: Don’t hold back. Tell me how you really feel. :)
@ David: Exactly!!! :)
@ Mahoganydymond: Yeah, I think he REALLY likes being on his own. Maybe too much. :(
@ lamesabassman: :)
@ karnia: VERY true!!
@ wynsters the tigress: :)
@ guy: Yep!
@ Taiwan Brown: Netflix!!! Surely it’s on there. They have everything. Everything except “Ajax, Daar Horden Zij Engelen Zangen” but, whatever. I guess they can’t be perfect. Man, I sooooo wanna see that movie and I can’t find it anywhere. It came out while I was in Amsterdam, but I didn’t see it at the theater because they were so many cases of hooligan audience members tearing shit up during the film.