Virtual Reality: This beautiful Japanese girl does not exist

[Emil]

Eguchi Aimi is the latest member of the Japanese pop band AKB 48. The only problem is that she, unlike the other six members, doesn't actually exist. Aimi was first featured in a 15 second advertisement for some new candy by a company called Ezaki Glico.

Fans of the band went crazy to find out who the seventh member of the band was. They were convinced that her features were more the result of good genes than the skillful use of computer graphics, according to ChannelNews Asia.

AKB 48's management even created a fake profile page for Aimi that claimed she was a 16-year-old girl from Saitama. Furthermore, Aimi was featured in a magazine, complete with faked photos and biodata. Here's the commercial that started it all:

Ezaki Glico eventually confirmed that Aimi Eguchi wasn't real. The new group member is a computer-generated composite of the real band members. Her pretty face was made up of the "best features" of six other members: Atsuko Maeda (eyes), Tomomi Itano (nose), Mariko Shinoda (mouth), Yuko Oshima (hair/ body), Minami Takahashi (outline), and Mayu Watanabe (eyebrows).

They called her a virtual idol. Her existence was just composed of 1s and 0s stored as 150GB of data. Here's the making-of video, which goes into a bit more detail:

Some argue that while Eguchi is not a real person, she is exactly what some seek out in a celebrity. Many fans want an artificial persona created from a combination of the traits they love the most.

Forget all the science fiction you know about humans falling in love with robots and the problems that ensue. This is even more mind-boggling as the "person" is just data and doesn't even have a physical body.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/44438-virtual-reality-this-beautiful-japanese-girl-does-not-exist.html

 

[Benny26]

This isn't a really big deal. They've been doing it since the 60's...Everyone thinks John Lennon was shot and killed, when he was just deleted.

We didn't need the whole "peace" thing anymore.

 

[gobbybobby]

LOL Benny what

 

[spydercanopus]

Far too western to be jap. But as the first real VR girl, I welcome you to Earth. This way to my room.

 

[captainawesome]

her ears freak me out a little

 

[Guest]

@ spydercanopus

You should research more about japanese pop and korean pop girl bands. They all look this way.

 

[Tekkaraiden]

Looks very impressive but the mouth movement still looks a little funny.

 

[wcbert]

Did anyone send email saying the want to marry this "0" and "1" personality?

 

[Guest]

People marry animals robots so why would be surprise if they would like to marry this one.

Anyway this Virtual Girl is not such a big deal I mean they copied real girls characteristics so its not a completely modelled girl from zero.

If they will do that and people actually believe she does exist then they achieved something, but this is only a digital montage.

 

[Kibaruk]

Indeed the mouth seems funny but if no one ever tells you she is a virtual girl, you would've never noticed probably on the details.

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

Cool, no need to have real people when invented characters work just fine. The band Gorillaz are animated characters, and if you want to get techinical, Lady Gaga doesn't exist either. She's just a character played by Stefani Germanotti, much like Ziggy Stardust was David Bowie's alter ego.

 

[Relic]

They should hook her up to a barbie and wait for lighting.

 

[captaincranky]

This isn't a really big deal. They've been doing it since the 60's...Everyone thinks John Lennon was shot and killed, when he was just deleted.

We didn't need the whole "peace" thing anymore.

No Benny, John Lennon WAS killed, it was Paul that was deleted, and only for a time. Haven't you listened to "Abbey Road" backwards in a while? It's right there, "Paul is dead", as plain as anyone talking with a mouth full of s*** as anything I've ever heard. It's easy to prove John Lennon wasn't "deleted", by listening to any of his albums backwards. There are no hidden messages, and Yoko Ono sounds like exactly the same cat being tortured, in either direction.

And, it's certainly not that we didn't "need", the peace thing. It's just that the arms dealers and politicians were sick of it screwing up their plans.

@ spydercanopus

You should research more about japanese pop and korean pop girl bands. They all look this way.

Asian fashion markets seek out eurasian models anyway. Girls with western genes look enough like asian women to provide strong social identification, yet trend towards longer legs, which are what everybody wants to see in high fashion modeling. So, the girl "invented" for this band, may indeed have been envisioned as a "hybrid" with respect to the parents. I'm going to cite "Kelly Hu" as a classic example of eurasian eugenic triumph! (Although her success has mostly been stateside).

Cool, no need to have real people when invented characters work just fine. The band Gorillaz are animated characters, and if you want to get techinical, Lady Gaga doesn't exist either. She's just a character played by Stefani Germanotti, much like Ziggy Stardust was David Bowie's alter ego.

Yeah but, "Alice Cooper" really exists...!

 

[princeton]

Read this two days ago on Facepunch. It's pretty cool and...creepy.

 

[Guest]

"This beautiful Japanese girl does not exist"

That really is a shame...

 

[Guest]

They more or less copied this concept from the movie "S1m0ne" starring Al Pacino.
From IMDB, "A producer's film is endangered when his star walks off, so he decides to digitally create an actress to substitute for the star, becoming an overnight sensation that everyone thinks is a real person. "

 

[TrekExpert]

captaincranky said:

Cool, no need to have real people when invented characters work just fine. The band Gorillaz are animated characters, and if you want to get techinical, Lady Gaga doesn't exist either. She's just a character played by Stefani Germanotti, much like Ziggy Stardust was David Bowie's alter ego.

Yeah but, "Alice Cooper" really exists...!

Actually, Alice Cooper is really Vincent Damon Furnier.

 

[captaincranky]

Actually, Alice Cooper is really Vincent Damon Furnier.

In light of this:

The original Alice Cooper band broke up in 1975, with the lead singer getting his name legally changed to Alice Cooper

I would argue WAS Vincent Damon Furnier, but IS, Alice Cooper.

I am adopted, with my name being legally changed at birth. I have no mandate or legal recourse to undertake any business under my birth name. So, as "Popeye the Sailor" says, "I am who I am".

 

[Benny26]

So, as "Popeye the Sailor" says, "I am who I am".

Very subtle, and very good i might add

captaincranky said:
No Benny, John Lennon WAS killed, it was Paul that was deleted, and only for a time. Haven't you listened to "Abbey Road" backwards in a while? It's right there, "Paul is dead", as plain as anyone talking with a mouth full of s*** as anything I've ever heard. It's easy to prove John Lennon wasn't "deleted", by listening to any of his albums backwards. There are no hidden messages, and Yoko Ono sounds like exactly the same cat being tortured, in either direction.

And, it's certainly not that we didn't "need", the peace thing. It's just that the arms dealers and politicians were sick of it screwing up their plans.

Well Sir, I stand corrected. Although it can be quite difficult to listen to any Beatles track thanks to all that bashing Ringo does.

You know, in another universe, Ringo might have actually been a really good drummer...

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

Lara Croft isn't real either... doesn't stop peoples obsession though.

 

[gwailo247]

captaincranky said:
I am adopted, with my name being legally changed at birth.

Ira Scible?

 

[LookinAround]

Has anyone introduce her to Anthony Weiner yet? Could be the perfect cyber match. At least she can't give press interviews (well, i don't think....)

 

[captaincranky]

Lara Croft isn't real either... doesn't stop peoples obsession though.

Neither is Pamela Anderson, that doesn't stop people from obsessing over her.

So see, it doesn't really matter what you make fake breasts out of, pixels or silicone, people will love you for them just the same.

Ira Scible?

Don't be ridiculous. My birth name was rather much more majestic and old worldly. (As is my new name, "captaincranky"). I'm real goddamnit....! (Shakes his cane at you for being a smart a**).

 

[Guest]

shes real, but some rich guy wanted her for himself and made it look like she was computer generated

 

[gwailo247]

captaincranky said:

Ira Scible?

Don't be ridiculous. My birth name was rather much more majestic and old worldly. (As is my new name, "captaincranky"). I'm real goddamnit....! (Shakes his cane at you for being a smart a**).

Menelaus Thistlebottom-St. Giles y Rodriquez III?