It’s not rare for Japanese subcultures to expand overseas<\/a> and then explode in the West. Manga, anime, and video games<\/a> are just a few Japan exports reaching the Western world and beyond. When it comes to entertainment, new cultural phenomena follow one after another in a no-holds-barred battle to win over an ever-widening audience. And while some new Japanese trends<\/a> may make the more conservative crowd raise an eyebrow, there’s no denying that more than once, Japan has been ahead of its time, launching pioneering ventures and succeeding in transforming interesting ideas into international phenomena.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The virtual artists we’re going to meet in this article are not 100% made-in-Japan: in fact, the idea of creating online content using 3D avatars had already inspired the first adventurous entrepreneurs as early as 2010. It was in Japan, however, that the phenomenon grew exponentially starting in 2016. Thanks to the foresight of some companies, some of the virtual influencers of today, called VTubers, are increasing staggering numbers and boast collaborations with major organizations<\/strong>, including the Japan National Tourist Office (JNTO), which has gone as far as appointing one of them as a tourism ambassador to Japan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what you need to know about the VTuber phenomenon<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n