I’m a woman considering joining Universe Club.

I’m in Seattle. I haven’t been doing it lately, but I used to offer A-type arrangements fairly often. I’d look for someone in the same city or nearby. We’d have a proper meal for the first meeting, but after that, sometimes we’d just go to a casual family restaurant in the neighborhood. Someone who’d casually keep me company over dinner when I had nothing else to do—someone who didn’t mind the family restaurants or izakayas that get such a bad rap in the Q&A forum. The allowance was always one unit. Looks-wise, they didn’t have to be drop-dead gorgeous, just my type. If we enjoyed talking, things would continue. I even have one arrangement that’s lasted two years. We also travel together without anything intimate involved—the allowance is around five units. Well, there probably aren’t many oddballs like me, an impotent guy, so I imagine the Universe staff find A-type clients a nuisance since they just create more work for them.

I’m Flagmaker, a column writer. I tried offering an A-type arrangement too, but in the end, I just can’t set aside a separate day for an A-type woman. Work keeps me busy, so I want to fit the dinner date and sex into the same day. She was a lovely person, but I ended up thinking, “Yeah… I really can’t spare the time for a dinner-only date where I have to pay an allowance.” Sorry.

I’m a losing male member who’s gradually switching from specializing in B-type women to specializing in A-type women. I’ve come to like A-type women so much that I honestly wonder why I never noticed how fun they are before. The best part is being able to draw whatever kind of ending I want on a completely blank canvas, and the fact that they’re extremely difficult to win over really gets me fired up. I’m using everything I’ve learned so far and putting my life on the line to compete for the attention of A-type women. ■ Looks Are an Absolute Requirement If you’re registering as A-type, your looks are pretty much an absolute requirement. Since you can’t compete using your body, which is a woman’s biggest weapon, you can almost certainly expect zero offers unless you’re cute. I know this might cause a backlash, but I want to be clear about it. Alternatively, you might be able to pull it off if you have an exceptionally pure and refined appearance. ■ My Goal My personal goals are: 1. Have the woman genuinely fall in love with me 2. Have the woman be the one to suggest an adult relationship (intimate) Those are the two possibilities. The important thing to note is number two. With A-type women, the rule is that the man must not be the one to suggest an adult relationship, so I absolutely never bring it up myself in order to follow the rules. Both are extremely difficult, so I prepare about three times as much as I would for a dinner date with a B-type woman. That preparation is what makes A-type so addictive for me. In my case, I’ve managed with B-type women because I had the cheat code of offering a generous (well-paying) allowance, but lately I’ve started pursuing A-type women after realizing the obvious: “Isn’t A-type much more difficult?” To sum up my answer, I think men who make offers to A-type women are, one way or another, aiming either for genuine romantic feelings or an adult relationship. So if you pretend to be interested in a genuine romance, or hint that an adult relationship is “not entirely off the table,” you may be able to get an allowance from men without an adult relationship actually taking place. Pretending to be in love and hinting at an adult relationship are also the main strategies used by cabaret hostesses, so it’s undeniable that offers are less likely to come your way unless you’re attractive. However, women who look exceptionally pure and refined should still be able to receive offers as A-type women and compete to some extent. What I don’t really recommend is inviting them on a shopping date. You’ll be cut off immediately if you do that, so be careful. Shopping dates are something men are supposed to invite women to. Being invited on one doesn’t feel particularly good.

Maezawa from the CEO’s Office will answer this one too. People who like idols or have a favorite celebrity may understand this. With the AKB marketing model, some people reportedly spent over a million yen on CDs just to get a handshake. If someone has something special about them—such as an attractive appearance—people may be willing to pay a million yen just for a handshake. Whether you have that kind of special appeal is probably what determines whether you’ll receive offers even as a Type A. > I’d like to spend a wonderful time with a wonderful older man. I think it may help to look at it from the opposite perspective. Suppose an older man without any money asked you out on a date. He may want to spend a wonderful time with a wonderful younger woman, but would you accept an invitation from someone who couldn’t give you any money—or who might even expect you to pay? What kind of person would make you say yes in that situation? Once you understand that, you may have a better idea of whether papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) as a Type A is right for you.

I’m Kazu, a male member. I think every man is different. Some men simply want to enjoy tea or a meal with a woman they’re attracted to, while others are happy when an A-type woman is willing to become intimate with them. There are probably many other preferences as well. If everyone could understand men’s psychology just by asking here, and then succeed at papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan), things would be easy for everyone. I also don’t think it’s as simple as automatically getting offers just because you’re open to an adult relationship (intimate).