Japan wants to drive VTuber craze globally as South Korea breathes down its neck
Fans waved glow sticks at an animated character on stage, having packed a sold-out Hollywood concert hall to see their virtual idol perform – showcasing the global ambitions of
Japan 's 'VTuber' subculture.
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Pink-haired musician and live-streamer Mori Calliope looks just like a character from an anime cartoon, brought to life on stage through a hologram-like illusion.
Platforms like Netflix have helped take Japanese anime mainstream – and Calliope's Tokyo-based talent agency wants its roster of virtual YouTubers, or VTubers, to be the country's next big cultural export.
'I don't really like most streamers, but then when I discovered VTubers, I realised, 'hey, you know, I'm actually into this',' said Calliope concert attendee Luigi Galvan.
'They look like anime characters, I like anime, so it was easy to get into the VTuber format that way.'
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The actors behind VTubers use motion capture techniques to communicate directly online with fans, who can pay to highlight their comments to the character and other viewers.
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