Although the golden age of Vtubers is not the same as it used to be, that doesn’t mean they can’t be successful in the streaming space. The big Vtuber boom was late 2020 into 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred.
Nowadays, despite concern that the market is oversaturated with people trying to stream anime avatar characters, I think it is still a niche in content creation.
I am not sure if Vtubing will ever hit its past peak or become more mainstream In pop culture, but I don’t think it was ever meant to be.
For whatever reason, I compare it to a Netflix Show I recently finished watching, Love is Blind. It’s not to the same extent, but it is interesting to see what people think of others by just listening to their voices and talking.
A Vtuber uses a character avatar, usually with anime characteristics, instead of streaming with a regular webcam.
From gaming to singing to drawing to much more, there are so many options on who to watch and the type of content Vtubers creates for the most part. Their personalities usually shine through the medium without seeing their face. Vtubing breaks the barriers of the stigma around streaming and provides a venue for unique content innovation as a creative outlet.
I think that is why I got into watching Vtubers about three or four years ago.
Tech for Vtubing
For a video on Vtuber content creation, Shiori Novella from Hololive-EN Advent has an informative short video covering the tech gear side of vlogging and other gadgets used in Vtubing.
To become a Vtuber, there are a few basic but, most of the time, intricate software and hardware resources to start. In general, the quality shouldn’t be the concern at the start. Building an audience and fanbase on Twitch and YouTube is the most challenging thing for a new content creator. Getting into the streaming industry nowadays is more complex but still possible.
A quality PC with high-speed internet is the biggest thing for streamers, and even the best computers, depending on the Wifi, have latency issues occasionally. Ideally, a desktop with at least eight GB of RAM is good enough.
A Motion Track webcam is usually used for Vtubers, such as a Logitech Pro or Microsoft LifeCam, to track upper body movements. You can upgrade to Virtual Reality with a VR headset setup to track even more body movements. Many streamers, including Vtubers, use OBS Studios or Streamlabs as their program when streaming on YouTube and Twitch.
Vtubing Software like Facerig, Luppet, VSeeFace, VTube Studio, Wakaru, 3tene, and Puppemoji are common recommendations. 2D models can have their face movement tracked through phone apps. But that doesn’t apply to 3D. But for any model, you must draw your own or commission an artist if you are an indie streamer.
Vtuber Agencies vs. Indie Streamers
Indie Vtuber Dokibird has a stream discussing the differences between being an agency and an indie Vtuber. With an infectious gamer laugh, she also mentions some behind-the-scenes elements of becoming a Vtuber and gives some advice.
Applying to corporations or agencies will require a considerable time commitment to the application process before auditioning.
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Being a part of a Vtuber Agency with 2D models is a different case, where you are often given a model through the agency, which hired an artist to design it. Rin Penrose from the Vtuber Agency Idol-EN has plenty of great YouTube shorts showcasing the ins and outs of being a Vtuber and a few tips.
I will recommend a few of the ones I occasionally watch, including the biggest Vtuber agencies, like Hololive and Nijisanji. Both companies have branches originating from Japan to Indonesia, along with their English branch. Another company includes VShojo, an English Vtuber agency based in San Francisco.
Vtubers I Watch and Recommendations
There is so much lore on each subdivision or wave or generation for each branch that there will be too much here. But I will first recommend watching or listening to this podcast to hear them yapping about whatever.
Even though I watch less than I did in 2020, turning a stream on in the background while working or doing something else is always great to watch and look forward to.
The first Vtubers I ever watched were Hololive-EN Myth, and Mori Calliope was a fan of. Hololive-EN Promise and Hololive-EN Advent more recently came after, but I genuinely enjoy watching all of them whenever I can.
Nijsanji-EN came next with Lazulight, then OBSYDIA, and then Ethyria. That mainly covers the female Vtubers I watch that I haven’t mentioned, other than a familiar ghost maid, Mint Fantôme.
I do watch male Vtubers, but just not as often. For Holostars-EN, there is Tempus Vanguard and Armis, which debuted last year.
Nijisanji-EN also has male-only waves, like Luxiem, Noctyx, and Krisis. Nijisanji-EN they have three mixed generations of Vtubers, including ILUNA, XSOLEIL, and TTT. This means it’s guys and girls in the same wave.
Although industry Vtubers have been the wave, I think indie streaming will make somewhat of a comeback, but at the same time, both have always coexisted on YouTube and Twitch.
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