Creator

VTubers, or virtual YouTubers, are online entertainers who use computer-generated avatars to deliver their content. The trend began in primarily Japanese-speaking online circles but has achieved global recognition and popularity. Most VTubers models use Japanese animation aesthetics in their designs regardless of their regional origin.

Due to their virtual platform, VTubers can transcend the constraints of real-world gender, sex, and even physical limitations. Many creators have elaborate backstories, otherworldly or animal characteristics, and magical properties not possible in the real world. As a result, the trend gained widespread appeal as a form of escapism and a platform for unique parasocial relationships.

Vtuber History

Before coining the term "virtual YouTuber," the practice's conceptual predecessors began in the early 2010s. The earliest occurrence of a computer-generated avatar dates back to February 2010. Visual Novel Producer Nitroplus began uploading YouTube videos using a 3D animated model of their mascot, Super Sonico. In June 2011, vlogger Ami Yamato began posting blogs with an animated avatar speaking directly to the camera. The trend picked up in 2014, with VOCALOID weather girl Airi getting her own motion capture show and the creation of Eilene's first YouTube channel, which would eventually host Mirai Akari.

In 2016, Kizuna AI made her debut and first coined the term "virtual YouTuber." Within her first year, Kizuna reached 2 million subscribers, proving to many the viability of this content creation style. After the success of new VTubers Kaguya Luna and Mirai Akari in 2017, the trend saw a major uptick in activity. In 2018, the number of VTubers doubled within a two month period. Future major VTuber agencies, such as Ichikara Inc.'s Nijisanji and Cover Corp's Hololive Production, started building up their activity. By the end of 2019, many of these companies started international branches in Indonesia, South Korea, and China.

By 2020, the number of active VTubers surpassed 10,000. The year saw the rise of more English language VTuber agencies, such as VShojo in the United States and the HololiveEN branch. In 2021, the increase of accessible modeling and motion capture software made it easier than ever for creators to transition into the role of VTuber.

Typical Activity

While VTubers can engage in a wide range of content, they tend to fall into the category of variety streamers. Especially for members of large-scale agencies, the talent is expected to have some degree of singing talent as well as an aptitude for gaming. With these shared attributes, it is easier for VTubers to reach an audience with set expectations and collaborate with other creators.

Gaming

Video games have been a popular topic for YouTubers since the rise of Let's Plays in 2007. Since the 2018 VTuber boom, most creators live stream gaming content as an easy way to connect with viewers through their chat. Certain titles gained popularity among the VTuber community and became almost industry standards as a result. These typically include online, multiplayer battle royale games, like APEX Legends, and open-ended sandbox games, like Minecraft. Horror games became a popular genre due to the often comical, immersive experience it allows for viewers and VTubers. Regardless of their regular content, VTubers also tend to play casual mainstream games after their release, such as major Nintendo titles.

Singing

Due to the heavily vocal nature of VTubers, many end up posting song covers over time. Japanese language VTubers usually post covers under the term "utatte mita," borrowed from the song cover community on the NicoNico Douga app. Most covers feature popular songs from anime or VOCALOID producers and special illustrations for the accompanying video. Talented VTuber singers may expand their activity to include karaoke streams or original music. Several individual VTubers and VTuber groups have signed to major record labels to distribute music outside of their channel.

Popular Vtuber Companies

While the majority of active VTubers operate independently, most of the widely popular VTubers work under a management company. Smaller studios continue to form as the trend rises, but the two major agencies are the Japanese companies Hololive Production and Nijisanji.

Hololive Production

Hololive Production, usually shortened to Hololive, is the virtual talent agency under Japanese tech entertainment company Cover Corporation. The name Hololive originally referred to the company's 3D streaming app released in 2017. In 2018, the brand expanded to include Cover's first wave of female VTubers. Through the next year, Cover created several sub-groups, such as Hololive Gamers and Holostars, their male VTuber division. However, at the end of 2019, all virtual talent activity was consolidated into one agency, Hololive Production. Hololive manages some of the most popular VTubers active today, including Gawr Gura (Gauru Gura), Inugami Korone, and Minato Aqua.

Nijisanji

Nijisanji is the virtual talent agency from Japanese tech entertainment company Ichikara Inc. The group formed in January 2018, launching their first talent wave in February that year. Nijisanji uniquely refers to their talent as "virtual livers" or just "livers," a Japanese and English heteronym for their streamers. Through 2018, the company debuted talent in semi-segregated waves. These waves included the main group, Nijisanji Gamers, and Nijisanji SEEDs. By the end of the year, Nijisanji dissolved the group distinctions and integrated their members together. In June 2020, Nijisanji launched their official English YouTube Channel with translated clips of popular streams. As of May 2021, their most popular VTubers are Kuzuha, Tsukino Mito, and Kanae.

Table of Contents

Kizuna AI is the world's most famous VTuber. Many credit her with pioneering the genre, allowing for new possibilities in virtual reality entertainment. Currently, Kizuna continues to push the boundaries of virtual idols by appearing on national tv broadcasts and conducting v...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Mirai Akari debuted in the birth of the VTuber trend alongside big names Kizuna Ai and Kaguya Luna. Originally conceived as a time traveler, she won over fans with her energetic attitude and dirty sense of humor. Today, she has started the transition to virtual idol with a major ...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Natsumi Moe is an English-speaking VTuber that is considered to be a member of “Eilene’s Family” and a part of ICETEA, a company owned by a VTuber named Eilene that includes several other VTubers.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Yomemi is a Japanese-speaking VTuber that is a part of a group that is often referred to as “Eilene’s Family”. Like most others in this group, Yomemi is affiliated with ICETEA, a company that was founded by Eilene after she left ENTUM in June 2018.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Kaguya Luna had one of the most explosive debuts for a virtual YouTuber. Her wild antics and cool design earned the adoration of hundreds of thousands of fans. At her peak, Kaguya was the second most popular VTuber, surpassed only by the VTuber pioneer, Kizuna Ai.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Akai Haato is a VTuber from Hololive’s 1st Generation that debuted in June 2018. Although she streams games and holds karaoke streams much like other members of Hololive, Akai Haato has managed to craft a unique brand of content that has resonated with a large audience.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Natsuiro Matsuri is a VTuber that belongs to Hololive’s 1st Generation. She first debuted in June 2018 and has since charmed well over 900,000 people with her positive, outgoing personality and playful nature.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Aki Rosenthal is a member of the Hololive 1st Generation and made her first debut in June 2018. Although she had a notably rough start during the beginning of her career as a VTuber, Aki Rosenthal eventually managed to find her own niche among the VTuber community and has reached...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Yozora Mel is a member of Hololive’s 1st Generation and made her debut on YouTube in May 2018. She has since charmed many viewers with her lovely voice and sweet, caring character. Although several members of Hololive had debuted before Mel, she was the first Hololive VTuber to h...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Minato Aqua is a member of Hololive 2nd Generation and, through her endearing airheadedness and stubborn determination, became one of the few VTubers that have surpassed one million YouTube subscribers.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Oozora Subaru is a VTuber and a member of Hololive’s 2nd Generation and after her debut in September 2018, has gained an impressive base of followers that enjoy her for her seemingly endless energy and tomboyish personality. As of April 2021, Subaru has amassed over 800,000 subsc...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Nakiri Ayame is a member of Hololive’s 2nd Generation and, after her original debut in September 2018, has earned herself a name in the Hololive and greater VTuber community as a whole with her cheerful personality and infectious laughter.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Murasaki Shion is a member of Hololive 2nd Generation that debuted on YouTube in August 2018. Her smug and often overconfident personality made her stand out against many other VTubers and has led her to reach nearly 700,000 subscribers as of early 2021.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Yuzuki Choco is a member of Hololive’s 2nd Generation and made her first debut on YouTube in September 2018. Throughout her VTuber career playing games, singing, and chatting with viewers, she has charmed numerous fans with her mature, feminine charm and playful, yet calming voic...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Usada Pekora is a VTuber that is a part of Hololive’s 3rd Generation of their Japanese branch. After her original debut in mid-2019, she quickly became known for her unusual laugh, chaotic antics, and conniving pranks. As of early 2021, Pekora is one of the few VTubers that has r...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Houshou Marine is one of the five different VTubers from Hololive Japan’s 3rd Generation and debuted along with other VTubers like Usada Pekora, Shirogane Noel, Uruha Rushia, and Shiranui Flare. Through her passion for singing, art, and otaku culture, Marine has gained a substant...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Shirogane Noel is a female knight VTuber from Hololive Japan’s 3rd Generation, also known as Hololive Fantasy. With her kind, caring personality and unwavering determination to see things through to the end, she has gathered a devout fan base and following in the VTuber community...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Uruha Rushia is a petit necromancer girl that is a member of Hololive’s 3rd Generation. Although she often tries to portray herself as a pure, kind, and timid girl, she can be quick to fly into rage under the right circumstances. Despite her bursts of outrage, however, Rushia has...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Shiranui Flare is a half-elven woman VTuber from Hololive’s 3rd Generation, which is also sometimes referred to as Hololive Fantasy. Although not quite as popular as other members in her generation like Uruha Rushia and Usada Pekora, Flare’s unwavering kindness, and humility has ...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Kiryu Coco is a bilingual member of Hololive’s 4th Generation and is often seen as one of the VTubers that helped bridge the gap between the Japanese and English speaking audiences. Furthermore, Coco is one of the most Super Chat’ed (YouTube’s form of donations) individuals on th...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Amane Kanata is a Japanese VTuber that is a member of Hololive’s 4th Generation. Her kind-hearted, friendly demeanor and impressive vocal range led her to become very well respected among other members of Hololive and many fans in the Hololive community.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Tokoyami Towa is a Japanese VTuber that is a member of Hololive’s 4th Generation, which includes other VTubers like Amane Kanata, Kiryu Coco, Tsunomaki Watame, and Himemori Luna. Although she claims to be a devil, her sweet, caring personality and emotional, powerful voice has re...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Tsunomaki Watame is a Japanese VTuber from Hololive’s 4th Generation and is known for her soft, friendly voice and her focus on music based content on her channel. Since her debut at the end of 2019, she has gained an impressive following in the VTuber community.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Himemori Luna is Japanese speaking VTuber from Hololive’s 4th Generation that is primarily known for her gaming streams as well as her pampered, child-like personality. Although she is not quite as popular as other members of her generation, her love of games and music have cause...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Shishiro Botan is a Japanese VTuber from Hololive’s 5th Generation and is largely known for her calm, yet bubbly personality, experience with first-person shooters, and knowledge of computers.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Omaru Polka is a Japanese VTuber from the 5th Generation of Hololive and has enamored many viewers in the VTuber community with her seemingly unlimited energy, impressive vocal acting range, and chaotic antics.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Yukihana Lamy is a Japanese VTuber from Hololive’s 5th Generation, which also includes members like Omaru Polka, Shishiro Botan, Momosuzu Nene, and Mano Aloe (now retired). Since her debut in summer 2020, her soft-spoken nature, motherly personality, and love of alcohol have allo...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Momosuzu Nene is a Japanese-speaking VTuber and member of Hololive and is a part of the agency’s 5th Generation along with Omaru Polka, Shishiro Botan, Yukihana Lamy, and Mano Aloe (now retired). Since her debut in August 2020, she has strived to achieve her dreams of becoming a ...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Sakura Miko is a Japanese VTuber that is managed by Hololive and is a part of the agency’s “0th Generation”. As one of the first VTubers to come from Hololive, Sakura Miko helped forge the path of success for many of the members of Hololive that followed, making her quite an impo...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Tokino Sora is the very first VTuber that was produced by Hololive and is known throughout the Hololive community for her kind, yet playful attitude and her passion for her idol work. As the very first member of Hololive, she is often credited for paving the way for every other H...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Hoshimachi Suisei is a Japanese VTuber that is currently a member of Hololive. Although she did not formally join Hololive until December 2019, Suisei was originally an independent VTuber that specifically had the goal of becoming a virtual idol from the very beginning, making he...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

AZKi is a Japanese speaking VTuber that is currently the sole member of Hololive Production’s music label brand, INoNaKa Music (often abbreviated to INNK Music) and is the last member of Hololive’s “0th Generation” to make their debut.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Roboco-san is a Japanese VTuber that is a part of Hololive’s “0th Generation” and was the second VTuber to be produced by the agency after Tokino Sora. As one of the founding members of Hololive, Roboco-san helped the agency become what it is today with her calm personality and s...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Inugami Korone is a Japanese VTuber that is a member of Hololive GAMERS and, through her adorable mannerisms, interesting game choices, and attempts to reach out to an international audience, is often credited as one of the members that helped bridge the gap between Hololive’s Ja...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Shirakami Fubuki is a Japanese VTuber that debuted with Hololive as a member of its 1st Generation but later transferred to Hololive GAMERS. In addition to her individual and collaborative VTuber activities, many other Hololive members and fans see Fubuki as an incredibly support...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Nekomata Okayu is a Japanese VTuber that is a member of Hololive GAMERS, a group of Hololive members that focus on gaming rather than singing and other variety streams. With her playful antics and casual personality, Okayu has become one of the few VTuber that have reached over 1...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Ookami Mio is a Japanese VTuber and a member of Hololive GAMERS, a group within Hololive that focuses mostly on streaming video games, as opposed to singing and other variety streams. Although she may not be as popular as the other members in GAMERS, Mio’s calm, motherly nature h...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Kanade Izuru is a male VTuber from Holostars that is known for his musical talents when it comes to singing and playing instruments. As such, he is known for his karaoke streams and song covers, though he sometimes plays games on his channel as well.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Gawr Gura shook the VTuber fandom with her rapid rise to stardom. In four months, the shark girl gamer became the only VTuber aside from Kizuna Ai to reach 2 million subscribers. Fans love her streaming banter, boneheaded behavior, and her laid-back attitude.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Mori Calliope is an English speaking VTuber with some Japanese fluency from Hololive English that immediately became popular after her debut, which included the release of her first original song, “Excuse My Rudeness, But Could You Please RIP?”, which has over 17.5 million views ...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Watson Amelia is an English-speaking VTuber from Hololive English that, with her high energy and chaotic moments, has caused her to gain a sizable following in the VTuber community.

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Ninomae Ina’nis is a VTuber and a member of Hololive English that primarily speaks English, though she has some Japanese skills that let her do collaborations with her Japanese-speaking seniors. As of April 2021, she has charmed over 900,000 people with her calm, wholesome person...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Takanashi Kiara is an English, German, and Japanese-speaking VTuber that is a member of Hololive English. Due to her fluency in both English and Japanese, she often acts like a bridge between the Japanese and English-speaking viewers of Hololive, making her an invaluable member o...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Ayunda Risu is a primarily Indonesian-speaking VTuber that is a member of Hololive’s Indonesian branch. Although the Indonesian branch of Hololive is not as popular as the English and Japanese branches of Hololive, Risu’s quirky, high-energy personality has reached an impressive ...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Kureiji Ollie is an Indonesian, English, and Japanese speaking VTuber that is affiliated with Hololive Indonesia, one of the three branches of female VTubers managed by Hololive Production. Since her debut in December 2020, she has blown away many viewers with her explosive energ...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Moona Hoshinova is an Indonesian and English speaking VTuber that is a member of the 1st Generation of Hololive Indonesia. While Hololive Indonesia does not get as much attention as the agency’s other branches, Moona has still gained a significant amount of followers in the VTube...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Shigure Ui is a Japanese VTuber and professional illustrator that is known for creating the design of Hololive Production’s Oozora Subaru. Aside from creating Subaru, Shigure Ui is also credited as the character designer and illustrator for the light novel series Osananajimi ga Z...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Kagura Mea has a reputation as one of the more polarizing VTubers. She received frequent backlash during her early years for her treatment of other VTubers. Her vulgar and sometimes questionable content can be too much for fans of more laid-back, mild content. However, her gap ap...

Last updated at, 07 May 2021

Page 1 of 3