What is 2D Love?
If you're asking yourself this question right now, you've come to the perfect place. What, exactly, is 2D Love? Well, due to its obscurity, there really isn't an 'official' definition, and very little scientific data exists on the subject. Either way, here's the rundown:
2D Love is a subculture of people who find themselves feeling real emotional attachment and attraction to two-dimensional (animated) characters.
While it began deeply rooted in the anime and manga community, its reach has expanded to encompass nearly all forms of fiction. Be it video games, literature, or Western animation, if they're not real but your feelings are, you're a 2D lover. Notable members of the subculture include Akihiko Kondo and Sal9000, both of whom actually held unofficial public marriage ceremonies to commemorate their relationships.
Another word associated with 2D love is moe (萌え), a term also originating in Japan, that refers not to the people who feel these feelings, but rather the feelings themselves. Coming from an amalgamation of Japanese words meaning "to burn", "to bloom", and "to bud", moe is best described as "passionately burning love for fictional characters".
But what about 'fictosexuality'?
Fictosexuality is, well, also pretty hard to define! In fact, no one really knows when the term was coined or when it started being used. To put it simply, 'fictosexual' is an alternate term for 2DL mostly used in the West. It denotes an exclusive or semi-exclusive romantic attraction to fictional characters as opposed to other people.
Several independent publications have published similar definitions for the term 'fictosexual', or 'fict', but it is unknown exactly where online those definitions originated. There's a chance that the term as a whole may have come from Urban Dictionary, as the definition posted there in 2010 is one of the earliest mentions of fictosexuality on the internet, and due to the popularity of the website, the one most likely to have gained traction.
So where is fictosexuality now? All over the place! Its main hotspot is within Western fandom-oriented communities, such as Tumblr, Wattpad, or Deviantart. On Tumblr, fictosexuality is usually featured alongside the art and design subculture of 'selfshipping', or in essence, fan-created art that involves drawing oneself or one's original character interacting romantically with another, pre-established character.
In essence, 'fictosexuality' is a more objective term for 2D lovers and their love. Fictosexual also has connotations that are less directly tied to Japanese otaku and anime culture then the term '2D lover', so it's gained popularity among Western communities as well as people who simply prefer to use a name more tailored to their individual interests and areas of knowledge. Remember, although the concept has undoubtedly made the most progress in Japan, fict/2DL individuals come from all walks of digital life — not just anime and manga.
With that being said, it's also important to clarify that, as a whole, fictosexuality is not related to LGBT+, nor do fictosexuals inherently attempt to include themselves in LGBT+ discussion. Fictosexuals who enter same-sex 2D relationships may choose to identify themselves as gay/lesbian/bi alongside being fict, or, if they're exclusively fictosexual, they may choose to simply identify themselves as asexual due to their lack of attraction to real people. Both assessments are equally correct! It's simply a matter of which labels you feel comfortable in and which ones you don't.
So which one am I?
That depends on your preference! While obviously, these feelings themselves are not a choice, there's definitely an aspect of personal preference involved when putting a name to them. Would you prefer a term that denotes exclusivity? Try fictosexual! Would you prefer to put the spotlight on your relationship itself? Go with 2D Lover!
There are no rules in love, so pick the descriptor that suits you best!
2D Love is a subculture of people who find themselves feeling real emotional attachment and attraction to two-dimensional (animated) characters.
While it began deeply rooted in the anime and manga community, its reach has expanded to encompass nearly all forms of fiction. Be it video games, literature, or Western animation, if they're not real but your feelings are, you're a 2D lover. Notable members of the subculture include Akihiko Kondo and Sal9000, both of whom actually held unofficial public marriage ceremonies to commemorate their relationships.
Another word associated with 2D love is moe (萌え), a term also originating in Japan, that refers not to the people who feel these feelings, but rather the feelings themselves. Coming from an amalgamation of Japanese words meaning "to burn", "to bloom", and "to bud", moe is best described as "passionately burning love for fictional characters".
But what about 'fictosexuality'?
Fictosexuality is, well, also pretty hard to define! In fact, no one really knows when the term was coined or when it started being used. To put it simply, 'fictosexual' is an alternate term for 2DL mostly used in the West. It denotes an exclusive or semi-exclusive romantic attraction to fictional characters as opposed to other people.
Several independent publications have published similar definitions for the term 'fictosexual', or 'fict', but it is unknown exactly where online those definitions originated. There's a chance that the term as a whole may have come from Urban Dictionary, as the definition posted there in 2010 is one of the earliest mentions of fictosexuality on the internet, and due to the popularity of the website, the one most likely to have gained traction.
So where is fictosexuality now? All over the place! Its main hotspot is within Western fandom-oriented communities, such as Tumblr, Wattpad, or Deviantart. On Tumblr, fictosexuality is usually featured alongside the art and design subculture of 'selfshipping', or in essence, fan-created art that involves drawing oneself or one's original character interacting romantically with another, pre-established character.
In essence, 'fictosexuality' is a more objective term for 2D lovers and their love. Fictosexual also has connotations that are less directly tied to Japanese otaku and anime culture then the term '2D lover', so it's gained popularity among Western communities as well as people who simply prefer to use a name more tailored to their individual interests and areas of knowledge. Remember, although the concept has undoubtedly made the most progress in Japan, fict/2DL individuals come from all walks of digital life — not just anime and manga.
With that being said, it's also important to clarify that, as a whole, fictosexuality is not related to LGBT+, nor do fictosexuals inherently attempt to include themselves in LGBT+ discussion. Fictosexuals who enter same-sex 2D relationships may choose to identify themselves as gay/lesbian/bi alongside being fict, or, if they're exclusively fictosexual, they may choose to simply identify themselves as asexual due to their lack of attraction to real people. Both assessments are equally correct! It's simply a matter of which labels you feel comfortable in and which ones you don't.
So which one am I?
That depends on your preference! While obviously, these feelings themselves are not a choice, there's definitely an aspect of personal preference involved when putting a name to them. Would you prefer a term that denotes exclusivity? Try fictosexual! Would you prefer to put the spotlight on your relationship itself? Go with 2D Lover!
There are no rules in love, so pick the descriptor that suits you best!