{"id":94551,"date":"2022-08-09T17:03:06","date_gmt":"2022-08-09T08:03:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=94551"},"modified":"2024-11-25T22:07:21","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T13:07:21","slug":"vtuber-phenomenon-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/vtuber-phenomenon-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"The VTuber Phenomenon: The Virtual Streamers Who Conquered Japan (and the World)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>It&#8217;s not rare for <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/pokemon-phenomenon-japan\/\" class=\"ek-link\">Japanese subcultures to expand overseas<\/a> and then explode in the West. Manga, anime, and <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/3-reasons-retro-japanese-video-games\/\" class=\"ek-link\">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 <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/harajuku-kawaii-culture\/\" class=\"ek-link\">new Japanese trends<\/a> may make the more conservative crowd raise an eyebrow, there&#8217;s no denying that more than once, Japan has been ahead of its time, launching pioneering ventures and succeeding in<strong> transforming interesting ideas into international phenomena.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The virtual artists we&#8217;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 <strong>collaborations with major organizations<\/strong>, including the Japan National Tourist Office (JNTO), which has gone as far as appointing one of them as a <a aria-label=\"tourism ambassador to Japan (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/japantoday.com\/category\/features\/travel\/popular-virtual-youtuber-kizuna-ai-selected-as-ambassador-for-new-%27come-to-japan%27-campaign\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">tourism ambassador to Japan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what you need to know about the <strong>VTuber phenomenon<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ht-block-toc  is-style-outline htoc htoc--position-wide toc-list-style-plain\" data-htoc-state=\"expanded\"><span class=\"htoc__title\"><span class=\"ht_toc_title\">Table of Contents<\/span><span class=\"htoc__toggle\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\"><g fill=\"#444\"><path d=\"M15 7H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1z\"><\/path><path d=\"M15 1H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1zM15 13H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1z\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/span><div class=\"htoc__itemswrap\"><ul class=\"ht_toc_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#What-are-VTubers\">What are VTubers?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#History-of-Virtual-YouTubers-in-Japan\">History of Virtual YouTubers in Japan<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#Who-are-the-most-famous-VTubers\">Who are the most famous VTubers?<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#gawr-gura\">1. Gawr Gura (\u304c\u3046\u308b\u3050\u3089 \u30b5\u30e1\u3061\u3083\u3093)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#kizuna-ai\">2. Kizuna AI (\u30ad\u30ba\u30ca\u30a2\u30a4)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#mori-calliope\">3. Mori Calliope (\u68ee\u30ab\u30ea\u30aa\u30da)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#usada-pekora\">4. Usada Pekora (\u514e\u7530\u307a\u3053\u3089)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#honorable-mentions\">Honorable mentions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#Lights-and-shadows-of-the-VTuber-subculture\">Lights and shadows of the VTuber subculture<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#VTubers-as-an-international-phenomenon\">VTubers as an international phenomenon<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"What-are-VTubers\">What are VTubers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As the name suggests, <strong>Virtual YouTubers (or VTubers, \u30d6\u30a4\u30c1\u30e5\u30fc\u30d0\u30fc)<\/strong> are computer-generated YouTubers or streamers who post their content online by making use of digital avatars, usually in anime style. Just like their real-life colleagues, they vlog, play video games, and chat with their fans on Twitch, YouTube, and <a aria-label=\"NicoNico (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nicovideo.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">NicoNico<\/a>. All of this is made possible by motion capture technology <strong>tracking the movements and expressions of the person behind the avatar<\/strong>, which are then applied to a 2D or 3D model and animated.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/27230110\/vtubers-nijisanji.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94552\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/27230110\/vtubers-nijisanji.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/27230110\/vtubers-nijisanji-500x289.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/27230110\/vtubers-nijisanji-150x87.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Virtual idol agency Nijisanji celebrated its fourth anniversary in 2022. <em>Photo: <a aria-label=\"PR Times (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/main\/html\/rd\/p\/000003188.000016756.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">PR Times<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"History-of-Virtual-YouTubers-in-Japan\">History of Virtual YouTubers in Japan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We can&#8217;t talk about VTubers without mentioning <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/hatsune-miku-vocaloid\" class=\"ek-link\">Hatsune Miku and Vocaloid<\/a><\/strong>: as a matter of fact, it&#8217;s also thanks to the success of the turquoise-haired virtual idol born in 2004 that Japan saw the potential of creating a cultural phenomenon around &#8220;differently real,&#8221; programmable characters who can&#8217;t make mistakes or inadvertently <a aria-label=\"damage the reputation of their agency (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-21299324\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">damage their agency&#8217;s reputation<\/a> \u30fc who, by the way, owns all the avatar image rights. Convenient, isn&#8217;t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the first companies to figure out the potential of virtual idols as content creators was <strong>Activ8 Inc.<\/strong> a start-up specializing in 3D modeling. <strong>Kizuna AI<\/strong>, the first actual VTuber (she herself coined the term), made her YouTube debut in November 2016. However, she&#8217;s not someone using a virtual avatar to hide their real identity; this <em>kawaii<\/em> girl is created and animated entirely in 3D, and, unlike more recent virtual streamers, her videos are pre-recorded following a script.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"\u3010\u81ea\u5df1\u7d39\u4ecb\u3011\u306f\u3058\u3081\u307e\u3057\u3066\uff01\u30ad\u30ba\u30ca\u30a2\u30a4\u3067\u3059\u10da(\u00b4\u06a1`\u10da)\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NasyGUeNMTs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kizuna Ai meets her audience for the first time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the voice actress lending Kizuna Ai her voice (<strong>Nozomi Kasuga)<\/strong> came forward a few years ago, this VTuber is a fictional personality, not traceable to any real-world character: in fact, in her introduction video above, she claims to be an artificial intelligence created in a lab, eager to connect with humans and learn about their daily lives. Until recently, she&#8217;s held the record as the VTuber with the most subscribers on YouTube (3.08 million to date); newcomer<strong><a aria-label=\" Gawr Gura (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCoSrY_IQQVpmIRZ9Xf-y93g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\"> Gawr Gura<\/a><\/strong> overtook her in July 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2017, <strong>Cover Corporation<\/strong>, a company that was primarily involved in virtual reality, noticed the potential of virtual idols heralded by Vocaloid and confirmed by Kizuna AI and launched the smartphone app <strong>Hololive<\/strong>, which uses augmented reality technology to allow users to view live streams of virtual characters. Hololive was a game-changer: virtual talents no longer had to record their videos beforehand \u30fc a feat that often required a large team behind the scenes. Now, anyone could use a virtual avatar to bring their character to the Internet. Just like a real talent agency, Cover held auditions for new (and <strong>mostly female<\/strong>) idols who, unlike <strong>Activ8 Inc<\/strong>.&#8217;s Kizuna AI, would have more creative freedom on their content. It is during this period that <strong>live streaming sessions on YouTube and Twitch<\/strong> spread to become the <strong>most representative VTuber content.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"94565\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94565\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-1-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-1-150x84.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/main\/html\/rd\/p\/000000324.000030268.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"PR Times (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">PR Times<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"94566\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94566\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-2-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-2-150x84.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/main\/html\/rd\/p\/000000427.000053749.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"PR Times (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">PR Times<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"584\" data-id=\"94564\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-3.jpg\" alt=\"Promotional image of the collaboration between cup noodle udon and Nissin\" class=\"wp-image-94564\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-3.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-3-500x285.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214421\/voyapon-vtubers-3-150x86.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/main\/html\/rd\/p\/000000377.000030865.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"PR Times (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">PR Times<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">VTubers are also often chosen for collaborations with well-known brands.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2019, ANYCOLOR Inc.&#8217;s agency <strong>Nijisanji<\/strong> decided to expand to China, Indonesia, South Korea, and the United States, gaining together with Hololive the undisputed duopoly of the virtual content creator industry, which now broadcasted their live streams in multiple languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In September 2020, <strong>Hololive English,<\/strong> the English-speaking branch of Hololive, was born. On October 22, shark-girl <strong>Gawr Gura <\/strong>became the first Hololive idol to reach 1 million subscribers on YouTube, and just one year later she had already overtaken veteran VTuber Kizuna AI. To date, she is the most-watched VTuber in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"674\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214851\/voyapon-vtubers-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214851\/voyapon-vtubers-4.jpg 674w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214851\/voyapon-vtubers-4-500x273.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/28214851\/voyapon-vtubers-4-150x82.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 674px) 100vw, 674px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The number of YouTube channels belonging to virtual personalities is ever-growing. <em>Source: <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moguravr.com\/vtuber-13000\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Moguravr.com<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The number of VTubers has increased exponentially in recent years, partly due to the pandemic that has forced many to seek new forms of entertainment within the walls of their homes. By the end of 2020, <strong>there were already more than 13,000 YouTube channels<\/strong> <strong>belonging to virtual talents.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n[the_ad id=&#8221;99970&#8243;]\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Who-are-the-most-famous-VTubers\">Who are the most famous VTubers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To get an idea of the most beloved Virtual YouTubers in and outside Japan, we&#8217;ll have to take a look at the comprehensive <a href=\"https:\/\/virtual-youtuber.userlocal.jp\/document\/ranking\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"User Local, Inc. (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">User Local, Inc.<\/a> archive, which offers up-to-date information on the world&#8217;s most popular virtual content creators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"gawr-gura\">1. Gawr Gura (\u304c\u3046\u308b\u3050\u3089 \u30b5\u30e1\u3061\u3083\u3093)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>YouTube subscribers: <\/strong>4,030,000<br><strong>Debut:<\/strong> September 13, 2020<br><strong>Biography:<\/strong> <em>\u201cA descendant of the Lost City of Atlantis, who swam to Earth while saying, &#8220;It&#8217;s so boring down there LOLOLOL!&#8221; Gura bought her clothes (and her shark hat) in the human world and she really loves them. In her spare time, she enjoys talking to marine life.\u201d <\/em>Source: <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/hololive.hololivepro.com\/en\/talents\/gawr-gura\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">Hololive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"[DEBUT STREAM] SHAAAAAARK #hololiveEnglish #holoMyth\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dBK0gKW61NU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gawr Gura&#8217;s introduction video.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"kizuna-ai\">2. Kizuna AI (\u30ad\u30ba\u30ca\u30a2\u30a4)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You<strong>Tube subscribers<\/strong>: <\/strong>3,080,000<br><strong>Debut: <\/strong>November 29, 2016<br><strong>Biography:<\/strong> <em>\u201cShe became the first Virtual YouTuber to start up her own channel with her slogan being &#8220;I want to connect with everyone.&#8221; She has also made appearances on television shows and has starred in commercials not limiting herself to YouTube and has become a popular virtual talent not just in Japan but worldwide. She has overcome many challenges and is currently working on becoming a professional recording artist. She is determined to become a bridge to the human world using the 2 leading technologies, VR and AI.\u201d<\/em> Source: <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/kizunaai.com\/biography\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">KizunaAi.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Kizuna AI - AIAIAI (feat. \u4e2d\u7530\u30e4\u30b9\u30bf\u30ab)\u3010Official Music Video\u3011\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S8dmq5YIUoc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nowadays, a musical debut is considered a natural step in any VTuber&#8217;s career.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mori-calliope\">3. Mori Calliope (\u68ee\u30ab\u30ea\u30aa\u30da)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>YouTube subscribers: <\/strong>2,080,000<br><strong>Debut: <\/strong>September 12, 2020<br><strong>Biography:<\/strong><em> \u201cThe Grim Reaper&#8217;s first apprentice. Due to modern medical care causing a decline in the reaping business, Calliope decided to become a VTuber to harvest souls instead. It seems that the ascended souls of the people who are vaporized by the wholesome interactions between VTubers go to her as well. That being said, despite the image her hardcore vocals and manner of speech gives off, she&#8217;s actually a gentle-hearted girl who cares greatly for her friends.\u201d<\/em> Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/hololive.hololivepro.com\/en\/talents\/mori-calliope\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Hololive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"\u3010MINECRAFT\u3011Reaper is BUILDING. (feat. friends?) #hololiveenglish\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TxepfYOKHNQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gameplay videos are another popular VTuber content.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"usada-pekora\">4. Usada Pekora (\u514e\u7530\u307a\u3053\u3089)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>YouTube subscribers: <\/strong>1,960,000<br><strong>Debut:<\/strong> July<strong> <\/strong>17, 2019<br><strong>Biography:<\/strong><em> \u201cHiya-peko! Hiya-peko! Hiya-pekooo! I&#8217;m Usada Pekora, peko!<br>A lonely rabbit-eared girl who loves carrots. She loves them so much that she always brings a few anywhere she goes.\u201d<\/em> Source: <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/hololive.hololivepro.com\/en\/talents\/usada-pekora\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Hololive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"\u3010\u30ab\u30df\u30f3\u30b0\u30a2\u30a6\u30c8\u3011\u30de\u30de\u306bVtuber\u3084\u3063\u3066\u308b\u3063\u3066\u8a00\u3046\uff01\u307a\u3053\uff01\u3010\u30db\u30ed\u30e9\u30a4\u30d6\/\u514e\u7530\u307a\u3053\u3089\u3011\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IW2t52ps27s?start=553&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Usada Pekora &#8220;comes out&#8221; to her mother by revealing she&#8217;s a VTuber.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"honorable-mentions\">Honorable mentions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Other popular VTubers in Japan include <strong><a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaguyaluna.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Kaguya Luna<\/a><\/strong>, who won over audiences with her energy and talkativeness, <strong><a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nijisanji.jp\/members\/mito-tsukino\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Tsukino Mit<\/a><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nijisanji.jp\/members\/mito-tsukino\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\"><strong>o<\/strong>, <\/a>who first led the Nijisanji agency on the road to success, and <strong>Tokino Sora<\/strong>, Hololive&#8217;s very first VTuber who resembles the stereotypical idol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Lights-and-shadows-of-the-VTuber-subculture\">Lights and shadows of the VTuber subculture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since its birth on the web, the VTuber phenomenon has been unstoppable. Perhaps not everyone is familiar with <strong>YouTube Super Chat<\/strong>: this feature released in 2017 allows live streaming viewers to pay anywhere between $0.99 and $500 to add a colored background to their chat messages and pin them at the top of a live stream&#8217;s chat window for a certain amount of time. The feature, which fans use to make their messages more visible to the streamer in the hope they&#8217;ll notice them in the incessant scrolling of the chat, has made the fortune of many YouTubers \u30fc and VTubers are no exception.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"698\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06204359\/vtubers-superchat-1024x698.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94673\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06204359\/vtubers-superchat-1024x698.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06204359\/vtubers-superchat-500x341.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06204359\/vtubers-superchat-150x102.jpg 150w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06204359\/vtubers-superchat.jpg 1212w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In the ranking of the most profitable creators on Super Chat, 17 of the Top 20 (highlighted in the image) are VTubers. <em>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/playboard.co\/en\/youtube-ranking\/most-superchatted-all-channels-in-worldwide-total\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Playboard<\/a>, October 2021<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>What can we say? It&#8217;s hard to resist a pretty girl&#8217;s charm, even if &#8220;differently real.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what happens when the person behind a super <em>kawaii<\/em> VTuber is someone you&#8217;d never have expected? Some viewers had the chance to find out.<strong> Nora Cat,<\/strong> a cat-eared, scarlet-eyed virtual idol clad in gothic lolita clothes fell victim to an unfortunate technical error that led her 55,000 subscribers to discover the real identity of the person behind the avatar&#8230; A middle-aged Japanese man! The episode irked some but intrigued others, and the VTuber is still followed by nearly 85 thousand devoted fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"To the English-speakers who got to know me\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/h9fAETzHW9w?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In this video directed to her non-Japanese fans, Nora Cat comments on the difference between creators and creations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While the VTuber scene has its foundations in entertainment, in funny, spicy episodes, and memes that help consolidate the culture around these charismatic influencers, just like every other niche it has no shortage of scandal and controversy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In September 2020, <strong>Akai Haato and Kiryu Coco<\/strong> (both belonging to Hololive) were suspended from streaming for three weeks for &#8220;disclosing confidential information about their channels&#8217; demographics&#8221; during a live broadcast on YouTube and <strong>BiliBili<\/strong> (the Chinese equivalent of YouTube). The reason for the decision was immediately clear: while using Analytics to find out where their viewers came from, the two YouTubers referred to Taiwan as a nation and not as a Chinese province (like Hong Kong, the island of Taiwan has long claimed its independence from mainland China, which instead still considers it one of its special administrative regions). The episode<strong> left a bitter taste in many fans&#8217; mouths<\/strong>, disappointed to find out that the world of Virtual YouTubers is not exempt from political discourse.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"730\" height=\"410\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06210159\/vtubers-akai-haato-kiryu-coco.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94677\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06210159\/vtubers-akai-haato-kiryu-coco.jpg 730w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06210159\/vtubers-akai-haato-kiryu-coco-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06210159\/vtubers-akai-haato-kiryu-coco-150x84.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Left: Kiryu Coco. Right: Akai Haato. <em>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">PR Times<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"VTubers-as-an-international-phenomenon\">VTubers as an international phenomenon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As we have seen, whereas the VTuber phenomenon has established its identity in Japan, its success is mostly due to the subculture&#8217;s overseas expansion. In 2021, many of the most prominent VTuber still belong to Japanese agencies, but some of Hololive English&#8217;s talents, born and developed for an international audience, have recently <a aria-label=\"made their way into the Top 10 VTuber channels (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/playboard.co\/en\/youtube-ranking\/most-subscribed-v-tuber-channels-in-worldwide-total\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">made their way into the Top 10 VTuber channels<\/a> by the number of subscribers. Even many Japanese VTuber now add subtitles in various languages to their videos, to allow fans from around the world to be a part of the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In recent years, more and more companies have chosen to rely on virtual YouTubers to engage with their fans. Perhaps the most notable example is <strong>Netflix<\/strong>, which in April 2021 introduced <strong>N-ko Mei Kurono<\/strong>, a new Netflix anime ambassador and host of the weekly program <em>The N-ko Show<\/em> on the <a aria-label=\"Netflix Anime YouTube channel (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/netflixanime\/videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Netflix Anime YouTube channel<\/a>, in which she interacts with international fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While to an outside observer, VTubers might seem like a niche phenomenon. However, numbers don&#8217;t lie. In 2020, they were even recognized as one of YouTube&#8217;s most relevant trends by a YouTube Creators report: in October, in fact, the entire category of VTuber on the platform recorded a total of more than <strong>1.5 billion views<\/strong>, a figure that continues to rise.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06210930\/vtubers-youtube-creators.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06210930\/vtubers-youtube-creators.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06210930\/vtubers-youtube-creators-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06210930\/vtubers-youtube-creators-150x84.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Surely this article alone isn&#8217;t enough to cover the VTuber phenomenon in all its nuances, but if the topic has piqued your interest and you want to learn more, don&#8217;t be afraid to start with one of the videos above and embark on a journey into the quirks and delights of this world&#8230; and see how deep the rabbit hole goes. And if late at night, you find yourself watching a live stream of a Japanese VTuber studying English on Duolingo, a rabbit girl drawing fan art, or <a aria-label=\"an adorable dog girl playing Super Mario Bros (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=8YjFjyGOZlw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">an adorable dog-eared girl playing Super Mario Bros<\/a>\u2026 don&#8217;t say we didn&#8217;t warn you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s not rare for Japanese subcultures to expand overseas and then explode in the West. Manga, anime, and video games&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":190,"featured_media":94740,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2201,2050],"tags":[1346,2154,2164],"class_list":{"0":"post-94551","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pop-culture","8":"category-things-to-know","9":"tag-anime","10":"tag-culture","11":"tag-videogames"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>VTuber in Japan: What Are They &amp; Who is the Most Popular?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A VTuber is a computer-generated digital avatar in an anime style. 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Dal 2014 al 2019, ho vissuto a Tokyo prima come studentessa e poi come lavoratrice nell'industria 2D dell'intrattenimento. Ho visto la mia buona dose di stranezze e adoro raccontarle a chiunque mi ascolti. I miei hobby sono giocare ai videogiochi, accumulare Lego compulsivamente e tenermi aggiornata sulle ultime follie della cultura pop giapponese.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/author\/anna\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"VTuber in Japan: What Are They & Who is the Most Popular?","description":"A VTuber is a computer-generated digital avatar in an anime style. 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