Super Terrific Japanese Thing: Dennou AR Figures

While Americans are using hologram technology to beam will.I.am into Anderson Cooper’s workplace, the Japanese have already found a version of the technology that they can be unspeakably perverted with. The Dennou AR figure isn’t really a figure, but a small box, which you train a web camera on; then on-screen, a small virtual girl uses the box as a frame of reference to goof around on the landscape taken by the web camera.

Now, you can dress the virtual girl in a variety of maid outfits and underwear, which isn’t at all surprising. The figure’s only accessory is a small paddle, which is mildly surprising, as about the only act you can do with it is spank the tiny girl. But what’s really surprising is the toy’s commercial, above, which takes this whole thing right to its incredibly misogynist end. The unseen owner simply beats his virtual girl until she’s a tiny, sobbing heap (dressed only in her underwear, of course). It’s really fucking disturbing, as is her immediate mood swing when she’s given a present of a virtual teddy bear. I know I shouldn’t be surprised by this, but Japan…well, Japan is generally more subtle about being so creepy and perverted. I wasn’t expecting them to just throw it out there like that. (Via Geekologie)