Nijikon (二次コン) or nijigen konpurekkusu (二次元コンプレックス), from
English "2D complex", is a Japanese term that appeared in the early 1980s used to describe the affective perception that two-dimensional
anime, manga, and light novel characters are more attractive visually, physically or emotionally than people from the
real world.
Nijikon can be expressed, to some degree, as a genuine sexual orientation in which the person loses interest in real-life people but develop feelings of
love and sentimental attachment to two-dimensional characters.12 They are generally attracted to the behavior and exaggerated physical or facial features of the
anime/manga art style, which are perceived to be "ideal"
human features.