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| {{Flag|JPN}}
| {{Flag|JPN}}
|Kizuna Ai Inc.
|Kizuna Ai Inc.
|A.I. Channel: 2,790,000<ref name="userlocal"/><br>A.I. Games: 1,490,000<ref name ="userlocal">{{Cite web|url=https://virtual-youtuber.userlocal.jp/document/ranking|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-03|website=UserLocal Virtual YouTuber Ranking|title=ファン数ランキング {{!}} バーチャルYouTuberランキング|publisher=UserLocal|language=ja}}</ref><!--Need a source that supports adding the two Kizuna AI channels together as a total subscriber count-->
|A.I. Channel: 2,790,000<ref name="userlocal"/><br>A.I. Games: 1,490,000<ref name ="userlocal">{{Cite web|url=https://virtual-youtuber.userlocal.jp/document/ranking|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-03|website=UserLocal Virtual YouTuber Ranking|title=ファン数ランキング {{!}} バーチャルYouTuberランキング|publisher=UserLocal|language=ja}}</ref>
|-
|-
|{{ill|Kaguya Luna|jp|輝夜月}}
|{{ill|Kaguya Luna|jp|輝夜月}}
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|HIMEHINA Channel
|HIMEHINA Channel
|{{flag|JPN}}
|{{flag|JPN}}
|Tanaka Corp.
|Tanaka Engineering Corporation
|599,000<ref name="userlocal"/>
|599,000<ref name="userlocal"/>
|-
|-
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|{{ill|Himawari Honma|jp|本間ひまわり}}
|{{ill|Himawari Honma|jp|本間ひまわり}}
|{{Flag|JPN}}
|{{Flag|JPN}}
|NIJISANJI
|Nijisanji
|480,000<ref name="userlocal"/>
|480,000<ref name="userlocal"/>


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|375,000<ref name="userlocal"/>{{better source needed|date=August 2020}}<!--for her vtuber career-->
|375,000<ref name="userlocal"/>{{better source needed|date=August 2020}}<!--for her vtuber career-->
|-
|-
| [[Projekt Melody]]{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}<!--Both for her inclusion as a vtuber and for her subscriber count-->
| [[Projekt Melody]]{{better source needed|date=August 2020}}<!--UserLocal lists her as one but none of the sources on the enwiki page call her a vtuber-->
| {{Flag|USA}}
| {{Flag|USA}}
|Independent
|Independent
|290,000<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=個人勢 個人制作・未分類 バーチャルYouTuber一覧(ファン数順)|url=https://virtual-youtuber.userlocal.jp/office/personal|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-04|website=Virtual Youtuber Ranking|publisher=UserLocal|language=ja}}</ref>{{cn|date=August 2020}}
|290,000<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=個人勢 個人制作・未分類 {{!}} バーチャルYouTuber一覧(ファン数順)|url=https://virtual-youtuber.userlocal.jp/office/personal|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-04|website=UserLocal Virtual Youtuber Ranking|publisher=UserLocal|language=ja}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Sally Amaki|Sakura Fujima]]
| [[Sally Amaki|Sakura Fujima]]

Revision as of 10:49, 4 August 2020

File:Tukino Mito.png
Nijisanji Liver Tsukino Mito, an example of a virtual YouTuber

A virtual YouTuber (バーチャルユーチューバー, bācharu yūchūbā) or VTuber (ブイチューバー, buichūbā) is an online entertainer, typically a Japanese speaking YouTuber and/or live streamer, who is typically represented by a (usually anime-inspired) digital avatar generated by computer graphics such as Live2D.[1]

History

On 13 June 2011, UK based Japanese vlogger Ami Yamato uploaded her first video, which featured an animated, virtual avatar speaking to the camera.[2][better source needed] Four years later, in 2015, Mattel began uploading videos of Barbie Doll as a teenage vlogger onto YouTube.[3] Then, in late 2016, Kizuna AI, considered to be the first VTuber,[4][3] made her debut on YouTube. Voice-acted by Nozomi Kasuga,[5] Kizuna AI created a sense of "real intimacy" with fans as she was responsive to their questions. Within ten months, she had over two million subscribers and would later be made a culture ambassador for the Japan National Tourism Organization. AI's sudden popularity sparked a trend of VTubers;[4][3] In two and a half months, the number of active VTubers doubled from 2,000 to 4,000. Of these, Kaguya Luna [jp] and Mirai Akari [jp] followed AI as the second and third most popular VTubers, with 750,000 and 625,000 subscribers respectively. Nekomiya Hinata, another early VTuber, gained a following of 500,000 in six months.[4] In October 2018, Kizuna AI's appearance on an NHK show interviewing Japanese recipients of the Nobel Prize sparked controversy concerning the depiction of women in Japanese culture.[6]

Evaluation and Trends

VTubers are responsible for a variety of experiments, validation, conversations, knowledge transfer, and their activities include communication, game play, singing and dancing. They specializes in providing original songs and VTubers, and has a strong affinity with music. The company is also making progress with the music industry by establishing a music label and holding VR live shows.[7]

The total number of VTubers exceeds 10,000, [8] and as of July 10, 2018, registered The total number of users is 12.7 million, and the video has been viewed more than 720 million times.[9] They are considered to have great appeal in that they "can be who they want to be" and "can overcome restrictions," and many of them engage in activities that are unconstrained by real-world gender (sex and gender) and appearance (demi-human).[10]

According to the BBC, VTubers are unique in that they are "not constrained by personal or identity issues," and the popularity of VTubers worldwide is due to their "large customer base outside of Japan who love Japanese culture and anime".[11]

Campaigns involving Virtual YouTubers

Due to their immense popularity, companies and organisations have used VTubers as a method of advertising or bringing attention to a product or service. When SoftBank announced the release of the iPhone XS and XS Max in 2018, Kizuna AI appeared at the event as well as promoting it on her channel.[12] She is also currently the ambassador of the Japan National Tourism Organization.[13] Another virtual star was debuted by the Ibaraki Prefectural Government called Hiyori Ibara, with aims for the Virtual YouTuber to become a symbol of Ibaraki. Hiyori is the first VTuber to be used by a municipal or prefectural government.[14]

On June 24, Virtual YouTuber Kaguya Luna, in a collaboration with Nissin Foods, held a livestream (noted by Guinness World Records as being the livestream recorded at the highest altitude) by attaching a smartphone with her stream playing to a helium balloon. By the end of the stream, Kaguya Luna reached an altitude of 30 kilometers above sea level, breaking the previous record of 18.42 kilometers above sea level. This was done to advertise Nissin's Yakisoba UFO noodles.[15]

In August 2018, Wright Flyer Live Entertainment, which is owned by Gree Inc., released a mobile application that allows virtual stars to live stream videos while monetising them and connecting with their viewers. In a news conference in Tokyo, the head of Wright Flyer Live Entertainment stated that the firm wanted to help virtual stars, but that “just increasing the number [of virtual star] is not that effective. We want them to keep on doing their activities. (To do that), gaining fans and monetization are essential. So, we are providing a platform to support that.”[16] This follows a ¥10 billion ($89.35 million) investment by parent company Gree into VTubers, as well as a ¥10 billion profit target by 2020.[1]

Notable virtual YouTubers

User Country
of origin 		Affiliation YouTube subscribers
(as of August 2020)
Kizuna Ai  JPN Kizuna Ai Inc. A.I. Channel: 2,790,000[17]
A.I. Games: 1,490,000[17]
Kaguya Luna [jp]  JPN VIC inc [jp] 994,000[17]
Shirakami Fubuki [jp]  JPN hololive [jp] 749,000[17]
Mirai Akari [jp]  JPN ZIZAI [jp] 721,000[17]
Dennou Shojo Siro [jp]  JPN .LIVE [jp] 700,000[17]
Inugami Korone  JPN hololive 606,000[17]
HIMEHINA Channel  JPN Tanaka Engineering Corporation 599,000[17]
Minato Aqua [jp]  JPN hololive 596,000[17]
Tsukino Mito [jp]  JPN NIJISANJI [jp] 578,000[17]
Nekomiya Hinata [jp]  JPN Independent 546,000[17]
Kiryu Coco [jp]  JPN hololive 503,000[17]
Himawari Honma [jp]  JPN NIJISANJI 480,000[17]
Inuyama Tamaki [jp]  JPN NoriPro 375,000[17][better source needed]
Projekt Melody[better source needed]  USA Independent 290,000[18]
Sakura Fujima  JPN 22/7 62,000[citation needed]
Super Sonico  JPN Wright Flyer Live Entertainment/Nitro+ 61,300[17][better source needed]

References

  1. ^ a b Nagata, Kazuaki (17 July 2018). "Japan's latest big thing: 'virtual YouTubers'" (in Korean). The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  2. ^ Ami Yamato (13 June 2011). Trying this out... YouTube. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Lufkin, Bryan (2 October 2018). "The virtual vloggers taking over YouTube". BBC. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Otmazgin & Ben-Ari 2020, p. 77.
  5. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (25 April 2020). "Nozomi Kasuga Confirms She is Kizuna Ai Voice Actress". Anime News Network. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Kizuna AI's NHK appearance sparks debate on social media". The Japan Times. 23 August 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  7. ^ "活況のVTuber市場、音楽シーンへの参入も相次ぎ19年はさらに隆盛極めるか". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  8. ^ "ユーザーローカル、バーチャルYouTuberの1万人突破を発表　9000人から4ヵ月で1000人増". PANORA. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  9. ^ "バーチャルYouTuber、4,000人を突破 動画再生回数は合計7億2千万回に". Mogura VR. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  10. ^ "WEB特集｜なりたい自分になる。VTuberが拓く!—". 日本放送協会. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  11. ^ "The virtual vloggers taking over YouTube". BBC. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  12. ^ "【SoftBank】新型iPhone発売セレモニーにお邪魔しました！！【XS / MAX】". YouTube. A.I. Channel. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  13. ^ "Come to Japan with Kizuna AI". Japan National Tourism Organization. Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  14. ^ "Ibaraki's virtual YouTuber first in Japan used to promote a prefecture". The Japan Times. 13 October 2018. Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  15. ^ Morrissy, Kim. "Virtual YouTuber Kaguya Luna Breaks Guinness World Record By Holding Livestream at Highest Altitude". Anime News Network. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  16. ^ Nagata, Kazuaki. "Gree-owned firm launches app aimed at boosting Japan's booming world of 'virtual YouTubers'". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "ファン数ランキング | バーチャルYouTuberランキング". UserLocal Virtual YouTuber Ranking (in Japanese). UserLocal. Retrieved 2020-08-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "個人勢 個人制作・未分類 | バーチャルYouTuber一覧(ファン数順)". UserLocal Virtual Youtuber Ranking (in Japanese). UserLocal. Retrieved 2020-08-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Further reading

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=VTuber&oldid=971132031"