Japanese company brings back “cotton wife” body pillow to enhance the realism of VR games

Now you can explore the world of virtual reality while stroking the soft body of your favourite character at the same time.

It’s been two years since whacky goods manufacturer Bibi Lab shocked us all with their “cotton wife” and “cotton husband” series of human-shaped body pillows. Back then, the unusual products came with white or orange “skins”, which were updated in 2015 to include a more realistic covering that made it look more like human muscle and subcutaneous fat. Hilarious, bizarre, and creepy at the same time, the body pillows were designed to keep lonely singles warm and content, but now they’ve been improved upon again, and this time they’re being released with another use in mind.

▼ Say hello to the Cotton Wife and Cotton Husband 2016 series.

According to Bibi Lab, this year’s body pillows are a perfect accompaniment to the virtual reality games that were recently released in October. With one of these soft bodies by your side, you can now delve deeper into the realism of these computer-generated worlds and scenarios, particularly with games like Summer Lesson, which revolves around the tutoring of a Japanese high school girl.

Improving on designs from previous years, the new body pillows now come with skin-coloured skinsuits that are smooth and soft to the touch.

Using a higher amount of higher quality cotton, the male and female versions are said to look and feel more realistic than ever before.

▼ Which means they’re perfect for cuddling…

▼ …preventing burglaries with their life-like shapes…

▼ …and getting you into the carpool lane.

Despite their faceless features, dressing them in a variety of costumes allows you to create the character of your choice to keep you company in the real world or in the world of virtual reality.

▼ You’ll never be lonely ever again!

Even if you’re spending the holiday season away from family and friends, that doesn’t mean you have to feel alone on Christmas day. If only our Japanese-language reporter Seiji had known about this before he went to his sad and lonely work Christmas party at McDonald’s!

The Cotton Wife measures in at 148 centimetres (4 foot 5 inches) in height, while the Cotton Husband is 162 centimetres (5 foot 3 inches) tall. Retailing for 11,000 yen (US$93.63) plus tax, they can be purchased for local delivery at a cheaper price point from online retailers like Rakuten, Village Vanguard, and Amazon Japan. Cheats to getting a closer look at the schoolgirl in Summer Lesson not included.

Source: Net Lab
Images: Bibi Lab

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