Kizuna AI is in her 10th anniversary year, active across music, VRChat events, and brand collaborations. A VRChat collab with creator Tokoroba ran on September 21, 2026, after the pair's planned Tokyo Game Show 2026 stage program was cancelled when the event was called off as Typhoon No. 25 approached.
Kizuna AI has been active through 2026 on two tracks: a 10th anniversary run and a set of virtual-world appearances. The anniversary anchor is the June 30 birthday live "A.I.Party! 2026 ~My Love to u~," where "My Love" was performed and released digitally. She wrote the lyric and Nor produced it, her first collaboration with Nor in eight years. The event also included a game tournament with 10 guests, including Sakura Miko and Mori Calliope, and followed a return from a three-year hiatus in February 2025. Kizuna AI Inc. announced on August 6 that it will deepen its collaboration with ASOBISYSTEM, following parent company Activ8's decision to join the ASOBISYSTEM group. The partnership builds on an agency contract signed in March 2025 and covers support for the "Kizuna AI WORLD TOUR GO TO 2027." Production and creative policy stay with the Kizuna AI team, with ASOBISYSTEM taking a larger role in publicity and sales.
Music and event bookings run alongside that. NIGHT HIKE 2026 in Makuhari added Kizuna AI in a second wave announced July 24, part of a 47-act lineup on October 31 and November 1 at Makuhari Messe Exhibition Halls 9 and 11, with Kizuna AI billed on Day 2. In VRChat, she announced "Kizuna AI Escape" on July 21, a live event giving active VTubers one hour to find her and collaborate on the spot; she moved locations as participants found her. A birthday-week stream and a 9th anniversary Denonbu Shiro stream put her in the same room as other VTubers from different eras.
Merchandise and licensing moves filled out the first half of the year. Infinite Loop released the Desktop Mate Kizuna AI DLC on June 30, priced at 2,200 yen on Steam for Windows and macOS, with animations produced by Kizuna AI Inc. Gugenka released a digital figure in the KAMATTE AI costume on X Market within the Holomodel 3D viewer app from June 1, and Diana ran a second in-store promotion for 14 days before her birthday. The most recent turn was the September 21 VRChat collab with creator Tokoroba, which replaced a stage program at the VRChat booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026 after the event was cancelled as Typhoon No. 25 approached. The pair visited a makeup world, the Hatsune Miku Yozora Program 2026 venue, and a purikura world.
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Kizuna AI and VRChat creator Tokoroba streamed a collab in VRChat on Monday, September 21. The two had been set to appear in a stage program at the VRChat booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026 that day, but the real-world event was cancelled as Typhoon No. 25 approached, and the program was called off. They visited a makeup world, the Hatsune Miku Yozora Program 2026 venue, and a purikura world.
Kizuna AI celebrated her birthday on June 30, 2026, with a 3D live and collaboration stream featuring Sakura Miko, Mori Calliope, and others. The pioneer of the VTuber scene, active since November 29, 2016, is approaching her 10th year, prompting a two-part analysis of whether VTubers are idols.
TRIBALCON. announced the second wave of performers for NIGHT HIKE 2026 in Makuhari on July 24. Ten acts join, including Kaf, Kizuna AI, Shinichi Osawa, and the Utsu-P meet siinamota tribute project with Sou on guest vocals. Combined with the first wave, 47 acts are confirmed for October 31 and November 1 at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Halls 9 and 11. Sana Natori and KMNZ, announced earlier, also perform.
Kizuna AI Inc. announced on August 6 that it will deepen its collaboration with ASOBISYSTEM, following parent company Activ8's decision to join the ASOBISYSTEM group. The strengthened partnership builds on an agency contract signed in March 2025, and is expected to expand Kizuna AI's overseas performances, music festival appearances, and global promotion efforts, including support for the upcoming "Kizuna AI WORLD TOUR GO TO 2027." The tour was announced at the 10th Birthday event "A.I.Party! 2026 ~My Love to u~" held on June 30, where the 10th Birthday Single "My Love" was performed for the first time and released digitally. Despite the expanded collaboration, Kizuna AI's production system and creative policies will remain with the Kizuna AI team, with ASOBISYSTEM taking a strengthened role in publicity and sales. The relationship between Kizuna AI and ASOBISYSTEM dates back to the 2019 song "AIAIAI (feat. Yasutaka Nakata)," which has recorded approximately 20 million views and remains Kizuna AI's biggest hit. Activ8's group participation is described as a step on the extension of this long-standing relationship of trust.
The music and art festival NIGHT HIKE 2026 in Makuhari announced its second wave of performers on July 24, adding 10 acts including Kaf, Kizuna AI, Shinichi Osawa, Sasuke Haraguchi, and Kento Kocchi. The total lineup now stands at 47 acts. The event will take place on October 31 and November 1, 2026, at Makuhari Messe Exhibition Halls 9 and 11 in Chiba. This marks the first time the festival, which started in 2023 at Shibuya WOMB, has expanded to a 10,000-person scale at Makuhari Messe. The second-wave lineup also includes Utsu-P meet siinamota, a tribute project commemorating the 10th anniversary of the passing of Vocaloid producer siinamota, with Utsu-P as bandmaster and singer Sou as guest vocalist. Other additions are JAMBORIDE (BANVOX & SEKITOVA), Melty & Mr. Napuru & Andromeda-ko, okadada, and KOTONOHOUSE. The daily lineup was also revealed: Day 1 (October 31) features DUSTCELL, muque, Kairiki Bear, and others; Day 2 (November 1) includes Kaf, Kizuna AI, Shinichi Osawa, PinocchioP, and Natori Sana. Limited early-bird tickets are on sale until July 29, with general tickets priced at 11,000 yen for a one-day pass and 20,000 yen for a two-day pass.
VTuber Kizuna AI announced a live VRChat event called "Kizuna AI Escape" on July 21, giving active VTubers one hour to find her in the virtual space and collaborate on the spot. She moved locations multiple times during the event as participants found her.
Kizuna AI performed her new song 'My Love' at the June 30 birthday live 'A.I.Party! 2026 ~My Love to u~' and released it on streaming services July 1. The music video arrives July 20. The track, written by AI herself and produced by Nor, marks her first collaboration with Nor in eight years.
Infinite Loop Co., Ltd. released the Desktop Mate Kizuna AI DLC on June 30, 2026, which is also Kizuna AI's birthday. The paid DLC, priced at 2,200 yen, is available on Steam for Windows and macOS. It includes the largest number of motions of any Desktop Mate DLC to date, with all animations produced by Kizuna AI Inc. The DLC reproduces Kizuna AI's signature greeting "Hai Doumo!" and features different reactions for standing and sitting poses, along with emotional expressions for interactions like petting, poking, and the alarm function. The alarm notifies the user with a pop-up and a spoken time announcement in a casual format rather than a strict clock reading. The base Desktop Mate app is free, and the DLC requires it. The macOS version entered open beta on June 24, 2026, and supports Apple Silicon chips.
Denonbu Shiro will hold a 9th anniversary stream on June 28 featuring Kizuna AI, Hololive's Tokino Sora and Hakui Koyori, and independent VTuber Fuji Aoi. The stream, titled "Legend Emergency Summon! Future Summit," will discuss the future of VTubing as the scene approaches its 10-year milestone.
Infinite Loop announced on June 23 that it will release a Kizuna AI DLC for the PC desktop mascot platform Desktop Mate on June 30. The DLC costs 2,200 yen and is available on Steam. It includes the largest number of motions of any Desktop Mate DLC to date. All animations were produced by Kizuna AI Co., Ltd., faithfully reproducing the virtual talent's gestures and expressions. The DLC features her signature greeting "Hai doumo!" along with different reactions for standing and sitting, and emotional responses such as "happy," "flustered," and "proud" triggered by petting, poking, or alarm interactions. The release date coincides with Kizuna AI's birthday. Desktop Mate is a platform that lets users place 3D characters on their desktop, where they can sit on windows, interact with mouse movements, and tell the time. Previous DLC characters include Hatsune Miku, Zundamon, and Kotonoha Akane. The Kizuna AI DLC supports Windows 10 and 11, requires 8GB of RAM, and is available in Japanese and English.
Kizuna AI announced a birthday mini live on June 30, 2026, featuring new costumes and songs, plus a game tournament with 10 guests including Sakura Miko and Mori Calliope. The event marks her 10th anniversary since her debut in November 2016, following her return from a three-year hiatus in February 2025.
NHK E Tele variety show Numahama will broadcast its fourth VTuber special, VTuber Num, live on June 20 at 8 PM. Guests include VTuber pioneer Kizuna AI and Nogizaka46 member Mayu Tamura. The episode marks the first VTuber special in about four years.
Diana Co., Ltd. is holding a second in-store promotion featuring virtual talent Kizuna AI for 14 days leading up to her June 30 birthday. New visuals show Kizuna AI wearing +diana sneakers and a DIANA bag. Customers spending ¥10,000 or more receive a clear file or sticker, and a 3D model of the sneakers is available for free on BOOTH for VRChat use.
Gugenka Inc. announced a digital figure of Kizuna AI in the 'KAMATTE AI' costume from the song 'KAMACHO' is now available for purchase on X Market within the Holomodel 3D viewer app. The figure costs 3,850 yen and is on sale from June 1, 2026, to commemorate Kizuna AI's birth month.