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Waifu (/ˈwaɪfuː/ ⓘWY-foo) is a term used to refer to a fictional female character toward whom one feelsromantic orsexual attraction.Husbando (/hʌzˈbændoʊ/huz-BAN-doh) is the male equivalent ofwaifu. While the termwaifu was derived from a scene of the 2002animeAzumanga Daioh andhusbando emerged later as its male equivalent, both terms from theanime and manga fandom have been adopted by various other online media communities to refer toany characters toward whom fans feel romantic or sexual attraction.
Thewaifu phenomenon is a form ofparasocial relationship where individuals develop genuine emotional attachments to fictional characters. As of 2025, approximately 38% of anime fans report having awaifu orhusbando. Modernartificial intelligencechatbots also allow fans to interact with digital representations of theirwaifus. People who havewaifus have faceddiscrimination andstigmatization and continue to do so, although the practice has been gaining growing acceptance and popularity in recent years.
The wordwaifu is aloanword that derives from the English wordwife as rendered inJapanese phonology. The earliest use ofwaifu has been traced back to the 2002 animeAzumanga Daioh, where the teacher Mr. Kimura referred to his wife using a phrase that Western anime viewers interpreted asmy waifu.[1] The male counterpart term,husbando (a fictional male character toward whom fans feel romantic or sexual attraction), emerged years later.[2] The term follows the same linguistic pattern aswaifu, deriving from the English wordhusband adapted through Japanese phonology.[1]
The concept gained mainstream attention in 2009 when a Japanese man held awedding ceremony to marry hiswaifu, with the ceremony broadcast live to thousands of viewers.[3] Within anime and manga fan communities,waifus encompass any fictional female character that appeals to fans, often selected based on physical appearance, personality traits, or compelling character development.[4]
Though the termwaifu originated in anime and manga communities, the concept has spread to otherfandoms and types of media. Fans ofvideo games,Western animation,live-actiontelevision shows, andfilms have adopted the terminology to describe fictional female characters they find romantically appealing. The term can apply to characters from any medium, including 2D animated characters, 3D computer-generated characters,science fiction characters, and even real people portrayed in fictional contexts.[4] Video game characters, in particular, are common subjects for waifu relationships, withdating simulation games specifically designed around forming romantic connections with fictional characters.[1]
The term also applies to non-human fictional characters. TheMy Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fandom has adoptedwaifu terminology to describe romantic and sexual attraction to the show's pony characters. In various parts of the brony fandom, particularly on/mlp/ (theMy Little Pony board on4chan), fans commonly refer to their preferred pony characters aswaifus and frequently engage in discussions about romantic feelings toward them.[5]
Thewaifu phenomenon is a form ofparasocial relationship where individuals develop genuine emotional attachments to fictional characters. In 2025, approximately 38% of anime fans reported having awaifu orhusbando, with "decisions about fictional partners matching expectations based on evolutionary mate selection."[1] Modern technology has expanded these relationships throughartificial intelligencechatbots that allow fans to interact with digital representations of their chosen characters.[4] Having awaifu is seen as a possible solution for those who have experiencedtrauma during a relationship.[4]
A 2025 study published in the journalPsychology of Popular Media indicated that sexual connections with fictional characters correlate strongly with physical appearance, while emotional connections develop based on both personality traits and perceived similarity between the fan and character. The study also identified gender differences in these relationships: men tend to form sexual connections with characters, while women more often develop emotional bonds.[1]
People who havewaifus often facediscrimination and are stigmatized with the derogatory labelweeaboo, but a 2024 survey ofJapanese literature students published in the journalLingua Cultura suggested that this negative treatment stems more fromcultural biases against anime fans rather than the specific practice of fictional romantic attachment.[2]