While Japan's konkatsu, or "marriage hunting" boom is into its third year, it seems that Japanese companies are embracing the fact that there are plenty of people out there who are rolling solo. Pulse has looked at a yakiniku restaurant that takes the embarrassment out of cooking meat by yourself, as well as places that serve ramen for one and cater especially to women looking to grab a solo drink and snack on the way home.
For the working woman who simply wants to have a relaxed meal at home with a little — and only a little — company, there's the iPhone app Kare to gohan (Dinner with My Boyfriend). The English version is called PlusBoys. The app has photos of clean-cut young men who each have personality profiles and back stories: Biker and college student Tatsuya is "friendly, but a luck pusher. He likes going to rock festivals by himself." There are photos of each of them whipping up a meal for two, accompanied by screens of cheerful "welcome home" banter. The instructions warn that checking on more than one character might make them jealous. (Is nothing simple?) As you proceed through the stories, you can buy new characters from within the app.
For guys, there are a handful of apps that will liven up a dinner for one – or make you seem popular with the ladies when you're out with friends. That is, as long as your friends don't see who's actually calling: These apps send you "phone calls" from anime characters or, equally unlikely to actually call you, pop stars. A recent version of Dream Call requires you to pick up the phone and make appropriate "I'm listening" noises in response to the recorded pre-programmed chat and scores you on your "mm-hmms" and "I sees."