Akihabara News (Tokyo) — Virtual YouTubers (VTubers) are gaining ever-greater visibility within Japan. In addition to their growing number of viewers and subscribers on the internet, they are now being commonly utilized as “ambassadors” for the tourism industry and other public relations gigs.
VTubers are web video producers who appear as computer-animated avatars.
Kizuna AI is often cited as the world’s first VTuber, launching seven years ago and gathering over three million subscribers on YouTube.
A lot has happened since then. Today there are thought to be more than thirteen thousand VTubers who have collectively vacuumed up more than two billion views.
The ten most popular VTubers boast a combined subscriber base of over twenty million fans.
The current leader of the pack is Gawr Gura with 4.3 million YouTube subscribers.
Like most VTubers, she is a female anime character who mainly delights her fans with livestreams of games such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Minecraft, or Grand Theft Auto V.
The rise of VTubers has been recognized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Governor Yuriko Koike appointed the three VTubers–Miko Sakura, Mori Calliope, and the aforementioned Gawr Gura–as official tourism ambassadors for the capital city.
Their future activities are expected to include appearances in PR videos and participation in tourism promotion events organized by the metropolitan government.
Television appearances by VTubers also signify how they are gaining increased recognition within the country. At the end of last month, a new music show featuring VTuber Oozora Subaru was launched by Nippon TV.
For her part, Kizuna AI made her television debut five years ago.
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