Vtubers have started to get noticed by many YouTube and Twitch users in recent years. Even though it looks like Vtubing is a new trend that recently emerged, Vtubing has been creating a crazy storm in the Japanese and Chinese live streaming industry.
Vtubers attract a younger audience from Asian countries because their fans can see the virtual avatar that looks like an anime character speaking and acting like a normal human in front of their smartphone.
If you are interested to know more, then this article can help you to understand more about VTubers on YouTube and Twitch
- What are VTubers?
- Do Twitch Streamers that use a virtual avatar are considered as VTubers?
- How do VTubers move their Virtual Avatar?
- Who is The First Vtuber?
- Why VTuber suddenly become popular?
- Who is the most Popular VTuber on Twitch?
- Who is the most popular English VTubers on YouTube?
- Can I become VTubers on Twitch?
What are VTubers?
VTubers which is shorthand of Virtual YouTubers is a type of content creator that show animated virtual avatar that can move and speak with the help of motion capture technology on their video. Compared to normal YouTubers and streamers, VTubers will always use a virtual avatar instead of showing their real face on their video
Do Twitch Streamers that use a virtual avatar are considered as VTubers?
Even though, in the beginning, the term VTubers refers to YouTubers that use a virtual avatar, it has grown beyond the landscape of YouTube. Streamers that use virtual avatars can be considered as VTubers, even if they stream on Twitch and Facebook Gaming.
How do VTubers move their Virtual Avatar?
VTubers moved their virtual avatar by using two mechanisms. The first mechanism uses real body movement captured by a motion capture system from a webcam or camera. The camera will capture the VTuber’s movement and using software, the virtual avatar will be moved simultaneously. The second mechanism is by pressing shortcut button that let the avatar moved according to previously programmed movement
Most VTubers use both mechanisms to move their Virtual Avatar. The first option can make their virtual avatar move to make it active in front of the viewers. The second option let the avatar do specific action or movement when needed
Who is The First Vtuber?
The first VTuber that use a virtual avatar in her video is Japanese vlogger Ami Yamato. In 2011, she uploaded the first video that uses a virtual avatar on YouTube. But it doesn’t gain much success and was quickly forgotten until Kizuna AI started to upload his first video on YouTube
Why VTuber suddenly become popular?
The rising popularity of VTubers can be attributed to Kizuna AI. Kizuna AI is virtual avatar that capture the appearance of cute anime girl with brown hair and uniform that resemble sailor (which is common in many anime). With 3 million subscribers, Kizuna AI is one of the most popular VTubers on YouTube
Kizuna AI debuted on YouTube in 2016. Kizuna AI herself coined the term Virtual YouTuber, which is still used even on Twitch. She’s not a real person yet has more subscribers on YouTube than most YouTubers out there.
Why is Kizuna AI so popular in Japan?
Kizuna AI captures anime lover fans in Japan with her anime avatar by creating content from singing, interacting with fans, playing games, and many other activities. Her video quality is very high. Even if she doesn’t use virtual avatars, she can still gain the same success on YouTube with her skill.
Many fans love Kizuna AI because she started the trend of vtubers actively interacting with the fans, which still persist until now. All her YouTube content are created for her fans, which always include her interaction with her fans
In 2018, Kizuna AI video was watched by most popular YouTube, PewDiePie. Kizuna AI became popularity skyrocket after the PewDiePie watch her video, and it managed to make many people learn outside Japan what VTubers is
Kizuna AI’s reputation as the “Mother of Vtubers” are cemented when she became the culture ambassador for Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). This proof her popularity among younger audiences on Japan which even Japanese official noticed
HoloLive Make VTubers became bigger in Japan and the rest of the World
Seeing the success of Kizuna AI, many people believe Vtubing is the future of entertainment. Hololive Production, founded in 2019, managed to gain huge success on the China and Japan VTubers community in less than a year, faster than what Kizuna AI managed to achieved
Many successful VTubers that currently known are under the banner of Hololive Production
Why VTubers suddenly become popular in a Western country
Vtubing have become popular in the western country thanks to the localization of English Vtubers by Hololive production. Hololive English program creates a new generation of Vtubers that can speak English and aim western market instead of only targeting Chinese and Japanese.
With the addition of next generation english VTubers like GawrGura, Virtual YouTubers have become popular on YouTube.
The success of Hololive makes many popular Twitch Streamers and YouTubers tried to create their own virtual avatar. VTubers outside of Hololive, with the example of CodeMiko and Ash_On_LoL, managed to gain success on Twitch.
Pokimane is one of the non-Vtuber Twitch streamers that try to create their own virtual avatar. On one of OTV’s Among Us stream, Pokimane use virtual avatar which surprises many of her fans
PewDiePie, the most popular gaming YouTuber, also once create a video using his virtual avatar.
Of course, many people in the VTubers community, especially those who like the original Japanese Vtubers, don’t like Twitch Streamers and YouTubers that attempt to enter the community because they think they do not belong to the “exclusive” Vtubers community.
Who is the most Popular VTuber on Twitch?
The most popular Vtubers on Twitch are CodeMiko and Ash_On_Lol, according to a report by Stream Hatchet. CodeMiko overtakes Ash on the number of followers and views in the second quarter of 2021, becoming the number one VTubers on Twitch.
CodeMiko, unlike other Vtubers, built her virtual space differently. With the help of a skilled programmer and digital artist, she created a Vtubing environment that lets her viewers alter her virtual space easily by donating, subscribing, and sending Bits. Because of this setting, CodeMiko always get a big donation on her stream
No wonder she managed to overtake Ash_On_Lol, which is famous in Twitch for her great personality, cute voice, and simple virtual avatar that is different from other Vtubers on Twitch.
Who is the most popular English VTubers on YouTube?
The current most popular VTubers on YouTube is GawrGura, with 3 million subscribers, overtaking Kizuna AI’s popularity. According to Dexerto, GawrGura is the most popular HoloLive EN VTubers, even though she just debut in less than a year. Her fun gaming and music stream and cute shark avatar capture many fans that want to watch English speaking Vtubers
Can I become VTubers on Twitch?
Yes, as long your virtual avatar complies with the community guideline, you can become Vtubers on Twitch. There is no rule forbidding streamers to use a virtual avatar on their stream. Keep in mind the virtual avatar must be family-friendly, or else you can get banned on Twitch
Conclusion
Vtubing is a relatively new concept on YouTube and Twitch, yet many people like watching Vtubers these days. Vtubing allow streamers and YouTubers to create video content without showing their real face to their fans.