General Discussion for Virtual Youtubers / Vtubers / Chuubas - it's okay to be a simp for 2D, just don't thirstpost.

[deadtofaunus]

I know Homolive is supposed to be an "idol agency", but I always saw that as more of a meme than anything. Idols often tend to be thrust on to a pedestal where they're expected to walk and talk in a certain way lest they earn the ire of their own "fans". And even when we're not referring to idols in the formal sense but "influencers" like Pokemane or xqCow, I get the sense they still end up adopting a certain behavior that their viewers expect from them.

I watch entertainers for the entertainment they provide, but the facade many streamers put on doesn't sit well with me when it feels like it's been dictated by the audience. A recurring example is streamers letting their broadcast be influenced by backseating in chat. Or even the current state of the comic book industry, which has effectively driven itself into the ground with all its pandering.

Where some of the chuubas differ in my opinion is that they seem to be more honest despite the mask they wear. Or maybe I should say because of it, as I think that layer of separation and anonymity is what's helped them stay true to themselves.

Pekora for instance will often lean into the mischievous prankster image, but at the end of the day she still feels like her self-actualized chuuba self rather than an idealized version of whatever chat thinks she should be.

Sorry for the long post; have some Polkora (@0:21):

 

[Cubanodun]

Now I'm curious to see the pic

 

[Thomas Talus]

Vtubers by playing behind an avatar, has an additional layer of protection and separation. Sure, their real life will eventually bleed into their characters like what we see on the holo girls. But the avatar they used will always be there to remind us and the streamers that everything we see here is nothing but a "dream", anime characters are not real after all. But until the stream ended, they are

I think another aspect of vtubing is that the entertainment industry is so heavily dependent on looks, but with an avatar someone who has actual talents, rather than "talents," can level the playing field. It's also an easier point of access for those who are shy (we know a decent number of the holoJP girls are in this boat, and I suspect Gura is as well to some degree) or who need to live remotely for whatever reason. This expands the field of people who can effectively make a living singing, playing video games for an audience, and generally just being funny and entertaining. What we're seeing is an infusion of real talent into a field that has heretofore been dominated by those who rely on their looks. You can even see this a bit in Pokimane's dabbling in vtubing, which she has said is because she want to use it on days where she isn't all made up for the camera.

Basically, hololive girls are to Alinity what Projekt Melody was to camgirls.

 

[Mister O.]

What do these people not get about this whole gimmick

I assume they're doing this to thirst-trap, right? Has to be.

Also Domo definitely looks like a guy who would send unsolicited schmeat pics and other sexually-harrassing DMs.

 

[deadtofaunus]

What do these people not get about this whole gimmick

I assume they're doing this to thirst-trap, right? Has to be.

That and vanity I'm sure. As though getting more likes for their appearance validates their success as a vtuber somehow.

 

[SteelPlatedHeart]

I’ll say if the Vtuber is okay with their real identity being out there, then it’s fine. But if they’d prefer it stay private, then it’s kinda shitty to dox them. Especially since they’re not being a lolcow or anything.

 

[Cubanodun]

Also Domo definitely looks like a guy who would send unsolicited schmeat pics and other sexually-harrassing DMs.

Give it a couple of months, he will end with a thread here

 

[pleasegoaway]

Give it a couple of months, he will end with a thread here

Nah, he seems like a run of the mill self absorbed loser, not anything special enough for a thread.

 

[5t3n0g0ph3r]

Nah, he seems like a run of the mill self absorbed loser, not anything special enough for a thread.

You seem to misunderstand something: eventually, everyone gets a thread on The Farms (halal or otherwise).

 

[Cubanodun]

Nah, he seems like a run of the mill self absorbed loser, not anything special enough for a thread.

He actually believe he is the center of the Vtuber indie scene, like he is some kind of autistic YAGOO, mark my words he is going to do something retarded and then someone will drop the spaghetti about how a degenerate he is

 

[rikochi88]

Speaking of the "idol image", can i just talk about how good the vtuber character designs are, especially the ones in Hololive?

I've always liked Japanese idol aesthetics, but you'll never see me pick up your typical idol gacha because there's no way I'm sacrificing my sanity for a png. Plus, the idol girls/guys in those kind of games generally fall under that bishoujo/bishonen sameface.

But with Hololive/Holostars, for example, there's a lot of diversity in design. Perhaps it's because everyone has a different artist, as well as a different "backstory" for their character, so everyone stands out in their own way. But at the same time, if you line them all up together, it somehow doesn't clash too hard. Rather, they blend into one another almost perfectly.

 

[negativlad]

View attachment 1717715

"Domo" arigato for posting ha ha

 

[Deluxe]

I made a quick tier list of holo members ordered by how often they talk about their backstage lives on stream and how many things they had to change to fit their streamer identities. It's closer to a circle than a spectrum, since people like Sora have been in the scene for so long that it's become a part of them. Sora has talked on stream about how she can't do her natural voice without struggling because of years of voice training. Suisei invented her own persona as an independent.

This isn't to say that characters like Luna or Korone are two faced or lying; they just have streamer identities that require a lot of commitment and are far from what we know about them through second hand information. Obviously, one can't be a dog-girl, clown or yandere necromancer all the time off-stream. Even down to earth streamers like Coco and Subaru have to change their voice or personality for the role. Fundamentally no different from how all public figures put on a persona or image of how they want to be perceived.

This is just my opinion so don't take it seriously. It's impossible for an outsider to truly know what is an act and what isn't. I made it to show the diversity of how members choose to play their roles because new people often have the misconception that they're all performance artists like Korone.

 

[tiredchuba]

I’ll say if the Vtuber is okay with their real identity being out there, then it’s fine. But if they’d prefer it stay private, then it’s kinda shitty to dox them. Especially since they’re not being a lolcow or anything.

The only positive I see of it is I keep feeling like I don't have enough of a character and I'm not sure what to do for promoting since I think I need more but seeing all these people that can't be assed to maintain their character really helps me just say fuck it and just keep doing it how I want.

 

[Least Concern]

do you guys think that becoming a vtuber, whether indie or within an agency, in the next 5 years or so will be a good idea at all?

This is a fad. Do not make it your day job. Expect not to become popular. Expect that, if you become popular, the bottom will fall out of the market in a few months to a few years anyway. Don't make any plans to make a life-long living off of this.

You seem to understand this already, but I just had to reiterate.

because during my "black metal phase" in high school I blew out a vocal chord (or something like it, I used to be able to do high notes, now my voice just gives up if i try lmao). I am knowledgeable about niche topics that i could probably squeeze a few hours chatting about, and I know English/Spanish.

Are you sure you didn't just go through puberty?

can someone honestly explain me what is the appeal of watching vtubers, i don't really understand

Hey, look, it's me two months ago.

 

[Rezza]

View attachment 1717715

Yeah, definitely SEA, or at least related to people from SEA since he looked more like SEA-chinese than pure SEA people would looked like

 

[Rezza]

What do these people not get about this whole gimmick

I assume they're doing this to thirst-trap, right? Has to be.
View attachment 1717736

Also Domo definitely looks like a guy who would send unsolicited schmeat pics and other sexually-harrassing DMs.

Okay, now this is pure idiotic
Did these people never knew what is the core values of vtubers are?

 

[Potatohead]

Hey, look, it's me two months ago.

2 months ago I was barely aware of Hololive save the occasional widespread clip (Miko GTA). A week or so passes, I get hooked into Pop City shark, and now I’m scheduling my sleeping pattern around the EN/JP Among Us collab in...5 hours? Scary stuff.

Okay, now this is pure idiotic
Did these people never knew what is the core values of vtubers are?

This is what happens to everything fun — start out with a small dedicated core of fans, normies find and invade your space, fans get pushed out and the fun thing goes to shit. Happened to comics, is happening/has happened to vidya, and now chuubas as well. There’s a reason so many fuckers tried to jump on the HoloEN bandwagon.

Gatekeep your hobbies, lest they be taken from you.

 

[PorkeyDuck]

 

[negativlad]

I made a quick tier list of holo members ordered by how often they talk about their backstage lives on stream and how many things they had to change to fit their streamer identities. It's closer to a circle than a spectrum, since people like Sora have been in the scene for so long that it's become a part of them. Sora has talked on stream about how she can't do her natural voice without struggling because of years of voice training. Suisei invented her own persona as an independent.

This isn't to say that characters like Luna or Korone are two faced or lying; they just have streamer identities that require a lot of commitment and are far from what we know about them through second hand information. Obviously, one can't be a dog-girl, clown or yandere necromancer all the time off-stream. Even down to earth streamers like Coco and Subaru have to change their voice or personality for the role. Fundamentally no different from how all public figures put on a persona or image of how they want to be perceived.

This is just my opinion so don't take it seriously. It's impossible for an outsider to truly know what is an act and what isn't. I made it to show the diversity of how members choose to play their roles because new people often have the misconception that they're all performance artists like Korone.

View attachment 1717833

That's an interesting way to think about it. From top down from natural to conceptual, or another way, from mumblecore to Andy Kaufman. It probably helps the naturalists that their characters are just "idol" and I wonder if Nene and Kiara will eventually go down that route, given their pasts. It seems hard to carve out a niche in your gen when you already have Gamer, Artist, Genki, and Coom-bait archetypes covered but can't flex your idol muscles quite yet.