Something I did not know until recently: in Japan, your blood type is considered to be as indicative of  your personality as, say, your horoscope. So, just as in America, people check compatibility by astrological sign, in Japan, some people screen potential dates by blood type. People list it on their online dating profiles, there are speed dating events geared towards specific blood types, and there’s even a word for blood type discrimination: burahara. Of course, there’s absolutely no scientific credibility to this, but then again, ditto astrology, and that hasn’t stopped Susan Miller from being eerily accurate every damn month. So! If you’re in the market for yet another set of criteria by which to judge a potential mate (or your own dateability), read on to see how your blood type affects your dating life (according to Japanese culture). TYPE A Type A people are earnest, sensible, patient, and reserved. Good partners. Reliable. Will answer text messages. Possibly not thrilling in the sack, but great at dinner with the folks, emotional support during stressful times at work, Season 2 of Breaking Bad on the couch, parenting. Really good qualities that more than make up for the fact that Type A people are also fastidious and tense. Type B Wild, passionate, creative, strong, and The Blood Type to Be Avoided, in Japan, anyway. No one wants to date Type Bs: too seflish and irresponsible. (I think a lot of Japanese hearts have been broken by sexy Type Bs, over the years….) Type AB Cool, collected, rational, sociable, adaptable. Very easy to date, but the type of person who will never love you back as much as you love them. They just don’t lose their heads over people like that. But whatever: they’re good companions, the type of people you don’t have to worry about at a party. (They’re a wee bit critical though, so be prepared for a dig or two, if they’re in a bad mood.) Type O Agreeable, social, optimistic. Type Os are warm, and lovely, and will squeeze your hand while you walk down the street and make sweeping romantic gestures and spontaneously make out with you when you least expect it. But they’re also jealous, vain, and arrogant. And they will check your phone to see who you’ve been calling.