Why are grown adults splashing cash on anime girls in YouTube? Welcome to the world of VTubers

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — Maybe you have stumbled upon VTuber clips before on YouTube: a snippet of an anime girl chatting with her viewers while playing a video game, watching a movie, or even cooking.

Maybe you've seen that anime girl interviewing your favourite movie stars, who looked slightly baffled while doing so. You may have even heard her songs played in a video game store without knowing it.

You may have wondered, “why?”. And that was before you found out that viewers are sending money to them in return for the entertainment.

Welcome to the world of VTubers, as Malay Mail guides you down the rabbit hole.

What is a VTuber anyway?

No, the “Tuber” part has nothing to do with potatoes or yams. The word is a portmanteau for “virtual YouTubers” — with the YouTuber part referring to talents who stream through the online video sharing platform.

The “virtual” part refers to how VTubers are actually real persons behind their online avatars, rather than a piece of animation. We’ll explain more on how below.

VTubers create a variety of content, including live streams, gameplay videos, and other forms of entertainment, much like traditional YouTubers.

Some have also branched into “real life” — appearing in talk shows, singing opening songs for animes, and releasing music just like normal artists do.

The phenomenon began in Japan — as it always — and has since spread across Asian countries like South Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia, before gaining momentum in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

What magic do Vtubers use to move their avatars??

To put it simply: motion capture and facial tracking. These are used to track the performer’s movements and expressions, translating them into the avatar’s actions.

3D modelling and animation tools then create and rig these characters, while real-time rendering software ensures their animations are displayed live.

Some VTubers even use voice modulation to match their voice with their character’s persona.

Finally, streaming software like OBS enables them to broadcast their performances on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch, making the virtual experience accessible to fans around the world.

For grand events, big VTuber agencies even have massive studios that can capture several VTubers at the same time — sometimes with them wearing motion capture suits, just like for blockbuster films.

So why does my boyfriend/son/brother spend hours watching them

To be frank, it could be your girlfriend/daughter/sister too.

Despite the fanbase initially being male-dominated, VTubers now attract a diverse audience across all ages and languages. The audience also has a big overlap with fans of anime, manga and video games.

Many viewers find VTubers engaging and entertaining because they find the talents relatable. Many talents display and develop their quirks openly, and are not afraid of appearing nerdy, clumsy, or ditzy — a refreshing change from the curated and perfect image pushed by celebrities.

There is also something for everyone. There is a diverse array of talents with vastly different personality, focus, and traits — from a lion girl who is an ace at first-person shooters to a Lovecraftian priest who does chill drawing streams — that there is bound to be one that a viewer can identify with and idolise.

Just like other Japanese idols, fans usually call their favourite talent their “oshi”.

On the other hand, talents are drawn to VTubing since this approach allows creators to maintain their privacy and keep their private life separate while adopting various personas.

The growth is also fuelled by new revenue streams like YouTube’s paid membership and Super Chats — that allow fans to “donate” cash to their “oshi” directly — and sales of merchandise, in addition to ticketed events such as concerts.

So how do I, ahem, start finding my ‘oshi’

Since the debut of arguably the first VTuber, Kizuna Ai, in 2016 — there has been an explosion of new talents from across the world.

The top two agencies are Hololive Productions and Nijisanji, which have branches for talents in English-speaking world, and even neighbouring Indonesia. There are also hundreds of independent talents.

In Malaysia, some have also tried taking the plunge, with agencies such as Projek Hikayat. Even AirAsia had attempted to cash in on the trend before.

For new fans, it’s usually less intimidating to watch clips of the VTubers — which mostly tend to be funny, absurd, or absurdly funny — rather than watch a stream that can sometimes stretch for hours. You can also watch music videos of their song covers, or stream their original music on Spotify.

Once you start, just leave the YouTube algorithm to take care of it.

Recommended reading:

Yes, Malaysia has its own VTubers, too! What does it take for them to make it?

Yagoo created one of Japan’s top idol agencies — Here’s why Malaysian Hololive fans are stoked for their ‘best girl’ coming here