Kano - VTuber

Kano boasts a fruitful career as an utaite spanning over a decade. In addition to covers, Kano frequently performs anime theme songs and original compositions. She decided to make the transition to VTuber in 2020, expanding her reach as a musician.

Kano Background

Kano is a female Japanese VTuber and utaite. She started her activity as strictly a Nico Nico Douga utaite with an anime avatar. However, she began using a motion capture 3D model in 2020, transitioning into VTuber activities. Kano is well known for her soft, breathy vocals, giving her a sweet and childlike sound.

Kano History

Initially a doujin artist, Kano started posting song covers on video-sharing websites in 2010. Along with covers, she started producing Vocaloid music in 2012 with the song "Toumei Ningen no Nihilism." In 2014, she posted her first hit cover, "Hello/How Are You," her first video to surpass one million views.

Kano made her major-label debut under Warner Bros. Home Entertainment in 2015. Her first major single, "Stellarium," was featured as the opening theme for the anime Wish Upon the Pleiades. She released her first major album, Nowhere, on May 11, 2016. The album peaked at number 11 on the Oricon weekly music charts. In 2018, Kano switched labels, signing with Imperial Records. Under her new label, she's released two singles, two full-length albums, and one mini-album.

In February 2020, Kano announced her debut as a VTuber and unveiled a 3D model based on her avatar, Bambi. In March 2021, She performed in the Dimension Label Virtual Music Festival alongside fellow VTubers Tenjin Kotone and Kagura Mea. As of May 2021, she has over 300,000 YouTube subscribers and over 60 million cumulative views for her content across platforms.

Kano Physical Description

Kano's model resembles a short teenage girl with chin-length light brown hair and sky blue eyes. Referencing the kanji for deer in her name, she wears small antler barrettes flanking her head. As a 2D avatar, Kano wore several outfits matching the theme of her cover or music video. Since becoming a 3D model, she wears a blue and white short sleeve dress. The dress features an empire waist with a pleated blue skirt and a white bodice accented by a blue peter pan collar. Around the waist, the dress features a sheer, white skirt overlay that reaches past the main skirt hem. The overlay features gold trim and two-star accents on the hem. A gold star motif repeats throughout the design, appearing on her bracelets and the buttons on the dress bodice. Around her neck, Kano wears a simple red ribbon tied in the back.

Kano Personality

As a strict utaite, Kano rarely showed much emotion outside of her singing. As she started gaining exposure, she began to share more of her thoughts with fans via blogging. She revealed her hardworking nature and desire to connect with others beyond biases and barriers via music. On her YouTube description, she states her belief that songs and love can transcend language. In her effort to reach more people through music, Kano also performs songs in Chinese and English. Since becoming a VTuber, Kano is more open with fans, sharing her warm, wholesome nature.

Notably, Kano is often confused with the former Hanayori Girls' Dormitory VTuber of the same name. While there are rumors that they are actually the same person, Kano has tweeted support of the Hanayori VTuber to dispel confusion.

Associated Company

In 2015, Kano signed with her first major label, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Under Warner Bros., she released four singles and two albums and started diversifying her activities outside singing. In 2018, she quietly made the switch to Imperial Records. Under Imperial, Kano continued her activities started under Warner Bros. and made the decision to become a VTuber.

Notable Releases/Videos

Most of Kano's covers are hosted on the NicoNico Douga app. However, many of her popular covers have been reposted to YouTube. Since 2015, Kano has strived to become a musician and a more established producer. Her original works reflect her growth and prowess as a professional artist.

Yuanfen

Yuanfen is Kano's fourth full-length album released on March 4, 2020. She announced the album on her tenth anniversary as a creator during her debut live stream as a VTuber. On the album's release date, she held a commemorative live stream event where she also unveiled her 3D model. The album marks the first time Kano is credited as the lyricist on every original song. The only exception is the album's final track, recorded as the theme song for the anime "Azur Lane." Yuanfen is her second most commercially successful album since her debut, peaking at number 20 on the Oricon charts.

Stella-rium

Stella-rium is Kano's major debut single, featuring the song of the same name. She posted the official music video on YouTube on May 19, 2015, the day before its commercial release. The video features still illustrations of Kano's Bambi avatar navigating an animated starry sky background. As of May 2021, the music video is her most popular post on YouTube with over 6.2 million views. The song started her long-running collaboration as an anime theme song performer.

Other Activities

As she transitions from utaite to VTuber, Kano has experimented with different streaming formats. In addition to celebratory and promotional chat streams, she started a variety program titled Bambino Radio in August 2020. As of May 2021, she's only streamed three episodes of the series, the most recent of which in January 2021.

Merchandise

On January 26, 2021, Kano announced her first scale figure from the manufacturer Anigift. The figure captures her 3D model design, boasting two facial expressions and delicate painting detail. The figure is scheduled for release in December 2021.