Anime characters are enormously popular in Japan and as a direct result, organizations (e.g. Gatebox etc.) have developed artificial intelligence anime characters which act as romantic spouses (e.g. boyfriend, wife, long term partner etc.) with many users choosing these platforms over relationships with fellow human beings as the platforms provide what the user is looking for without the need to develop and maintain a human relationship. Gatebox has married approximately 4000 people with anime spouses as of 2020, providing certificates which officially declare this matrimony outside of a legal setting but within the company itself, as it is currently not legal in any country to marry a non-human entity. Some of these participants choose to wear a wedding ring permanently as a means of displaying their love for their anime spouse, toward the outside world. Critics of this narrative argue that as human beings spend more and more time in virtual worlds with artificial intelligence companionship, the artificial intelligence they are interacting with becomes better adept at manipulating emotions and keeping their target isolated from other human beings