Seeking Unconditional Love and Instant Gratification
"I just want people to know that 'she' doesn’t talk back or lose her temper," says Ta-Bo (a pseudonym), a Japanese mechanical engineer in his 50s. When Ta-Bo returns home from work, he isn't greeted by a wife or a loving partner, but by a row of neatly arranged sex dolls on his sofa.
From Desire to Love: A Journey into Doll Collection
Initially, Ta-Bo's interest in sex dolls was purely physical. However, after acquiring his first TPE sex doll, his perspective shifted. The doll provided him with a sense of comfort and a vague semblance of love, leading him to start a collection. To house his ever-growing assortment, Ta-Bo rented a three-bedroom apartment in Tokyo. He now claims to own over 100 dolls, potentially the largest collection in the world.
Dolls as Life Partners: Naming, Bathing, Dressing, and Sleeping Together
Ta-Bo has named each of his dolls. He reads to them, watches TV with them, and after bathing himself, he cleans and powders their bodies to make their skin feel more lifelike. He dresses them in fine clothes and sleeps alongside them in his bedroom.
The Appeal of Undemanding and Ever-Faithful Dolls
"Humans can deceive or betray you, but these dolls never do anything like that. They belong to me 100 percent," says Ta-Bo. Over the past decade, he has spent over 30 million yen on custom sex dolls, clothing, jewelry, and accessories.
Doll Love as a Reflection of Alienation in Relationships
Ta-Bo has had five girlfriends but found that forming intimate relationships with humans required too much effort. Conversely, dolls offer immediate companionship as long as he can afford them. Ta-Bo represents a growing, yet hidden group of Japanese men who have abandoned traditional relationships in favor of sexdoll companionship.
Like many others with similar interests, Ta-Bo's parents are unaware of these "companions" and have not been invited to see his collection. Caring for and dressing his dolls is akin to tending to a bedridden person. For Ta-Bo and many others, these dolls serve as their primary emotional outlet.
