Back in 2016, crowdfunded pre-orders commenced for the Gatebox virtual assistant. Now in 2018, the product is going into mass production at around half its original asking price.
Below is the original concept movie, showing what the virtual character Azuma Hikari can do (which includes texting, chatting, and turning lights on and off).
The original Gatebox was ¥300,000 ($3615) and limited to only 300 units, but the mass production version is ¥150,000 ($1807).
According to Famitsu, the mass production version has been improved. For example, it has a slightly slimmer design as well as dual mics for better communication. Moreover, the sensors can recognition face and movements.
Gatebox’s slogan is “Living with characters.” Shouldn’t it be imprisoning them?
Currently, the mass production model is only on sale in Japan.
Comments
12 responses to “Japan’s Anime Girl Virtual Assistant Enters Mass Production”
Gamecube called, it wants its logo back.
There is something super creepy about it.
What could possibly be creepy about a device that watches everything you do, always knows where you are and what you’re doing and has complete control over facilities in your house?
All while depicting a totally not potentially homicidal anime girl “in a bottle”.
I want mine to be Gasai Yuno
yus please give me english version
That poor guy. I felt so sad for him 🙁
Okay it takes a special sort of product that is both expensive and super creepy.
You just know if the guy got a girlfriend this thing would try and kill her
Japan has a very high suicide rate (averaged 70 people per day in 2014) so this might help in reducing it a little. It can be very demoralising to work all day and come home to an empty apartment with no one to greet you or make you feel welcome, especially if your apartment doesn’t let you keep pets.
That’s both a realistic outlook on this product and also one of the most dystopian things I’ve ever read.
When you show an entirely prerendered video to advertise your product, and show absolutely nothing of the actual product. All customers should hailtail it in the other direction because not even you are impressed by your real product.
This is cute-creepy…but I can see a very big market among the sicko perverts.