If Pinocchio Doesn't Freak You Out, Microsoft's Sydney Shouldn't Either

In November 2018, an elementary school administrator named Akihiko Kondo married Miku Hatsune, a fictional pop singer. The couple's relationship had been aided by a hologram machine that allowed Kondo to interact with Hatsune. When Kondo proposed, Hatsune responded with a request: "Please treat me well." The couple had an unofficial wedding ceremony in Tokyo, and Kondo has since been joined by thousands of others who have also applied for unofficial marriage certificates with a fictional character. Though some raised concerns about the nature of Hatsune's consent, nobody thought she was conscious, let alone sentient.