SoraNews24 -Japan News-

The company Recruit is mainly known for its online job-hunting service, but that’s not the organization’s only business arm. Recruit also runs Zexy, one of Japan’s most popular wedding planning websites.

In order to help singles get into the marrying mood, Recruit has created an animated proposal simulator, where you can type in words for one of five dreamy anime-style guys to say. Ostensibly, you’re supposed to unleash your inner poet and dash off a smooth, romantic line. On the other hand, you can also use the system that allows you to make them say anything for a little bit of snarky fun.

Getting started is simple. First, you’ll need to go to the website, which can be found here. After the opening animation plays, you’re presented with five scenarios.

From left to right, the options are My Lover is a Top Star, On the Morning 8 Months and 15 Days After We Started Living Together, My Boyfriend is the Guy in the President’s Office, My Work Subordinate Who’s Sometimes My Boyfriend, and The Princess has Fallen in Love with a Samurai.

After clicking on your selection, the animation will start up. Each one features a different guy in a different setting. For example, My Lover is a Top Star opens at a pop concert, where the object of the female lead’s affection is performing.

Suddenly, he leaps off stage, runs to her, and gets down on one knee in front of the screaming crowd.

Each episode eventually comes to a point where you’re prompted to type in what you want the guy to say, with a limit of 50 characters he can use to ask for your hand. There are four pre-existing voices, which from left to right are described as sweet, cool, casual, and energetic. You can also manually adjust the voice using the two sliders. The top increases the speaking speed as you move it to the right, and the bottom is for changing the pitch, which becomes higher the farther right you go.

You can test out how everything sounds by clicking the left button, and when you’re satisfied, click the bottom right one. The animation will start again, this time ending with the groom-to-be proposing before the music swells into a romantic ballad.

▼ Kekkon shite kure, or “Marry me.”

It’s actually a pretty cool idea, but what makes it even better is that the voice synthesis software doesn’t only work with Japanese. By entering Roman alphabet text, you can have the anime hunks speak English.

The system is clearly intended for single women, for as detailed as the drawings of the men are, all the female characters have their faces obscured by their bangs, no doubt so that female visitors to the site can insert themselves in her position.

“But Casey,” you say, “I’m a guy, already happily married, insufferably cynical, and/or have no concept of romance. Is there any way for me to enjoy Recruit’s proposal simulator?”

Sure there is! Remember how we said you can make the characters say anything? With a little imagination, you can create unexpected plot twists. For example, that scene of the guy in the blue sweater embracing the woman from behind takes on a whole new atmosphere when we give him a different line.

And what of our samurai, whose love with the princess is being held back by all those who won’t accept the gap between them in the levels of their feudal society?

Is he really fighting his way through her heartless bodyguards to declare his undying love for her, or does he have a different message he’s come to deliver?

Likewise, there may be some things that the girl doesn’t know about the idol singer she’s got a crush on.

My Boyfriend is the Guy in the President’s Office also has plenty of subversive potential.

Finally, let’s take a look at My Work Subordinate Who’s Sometimes My Boyfriend. The other scenarios should seem at least somewhat romantic to anyone without a completely black heart, but we’re not so sure about this episode that opens with the boss working late.

In strides her assistant, carrying a can of iced coffee to help perk her up.

Well, that’s kind of sweet, we guess. Or at least it would be, if he handed it to her like a normal human being, instead of sneaking up behind her and pressing it against her forehead.

You know what, we’re not even sure that coffee is cold. For all we know, it could be one of the heated ones you can buy from vending machines and convenience stores in Japan, and this guy’s just been lying in wait until everyone else went home so he could scald the woman’s scalp.

Really, we’re stumped for a romantic line to place after this. All we could come up with was this:

Honestly, with four other hot dudes around, we don’t see any reason she shouldn’t dump this guy right now.

Sources: Naver Matome, Imetore Propose
Images: Imetore Propose