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- manga · June 9, 2026 · 2026-06-09
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- game · June 5 · Japan · 2026-06-07
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2h ago
Nijisanji released a short video for the second volume of its "Absolutely Won't Let You Sleep ASMR Voice" series, featuring livers in scenarios meant to keep listeners awake. Among them, pachinko enthusiast Nes Sakaki's entry is a pachinko date where he holds the machine's handle instead of the listener's hand, and tells them to grip the handle even if they fall asleep. The voice is priced at 2,500 yen and goes on sale July 31 via the Nijisanji official store.
2h ago
Inside published a roundup of cosplayers from the May 5 session of acosta!@Ikebukuro Sunshine City, featuring 11 participants in costumes from games, anime, and VTuber groups. The lineup includes Saber Alter from Fate/Grand Order, Anis from Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, Galbrena from Wuthering Waves, Nijisanji members Yuhi Riri and Rain Patterson, Vspo! members Tachibana Hinano and Shinomiya Runa, Kitagawa Marin and Kuroe Shizuku from My Dress-Up Darling, and Maru and Ivi from Descendant 2. A second roundup covers the May 6 session with nine cosplayers, including Nefer from Genshin Impact, Red Hood from NIKKE, Jill Valentine from Resident Evil, and Laffey from Azur Lane. Photography is credited to tama. The next Acosta event is scheduled as Ultra acosta! 2026 from September 4 to 6. The article also links to earlier Acosta Ikebukuro coverage from April and May sessions.
3h ago
VTuber Yuki Sakuna released her first original song, Re,bloom*, on YouTube on August 8. The song was written and composed by Jin, known for the Kagerou Project, with arrangement by Jin and Sukurosu. The animated MV features illustrations and direction by Masaotsu, choreography by Wata, and character supervision by fellow VTuber Samekomori.
3h ago
Nijisanji VTuber Sakyo Itsuki apologized on July 30 for a post made after the July 28 Kumamoto earthquake that included an inappropriate emoji. The post postponed a scheduled announcement and ended with a "ruined house" emoji, drawing criticism. Itsuki acknowledged the expression lacked consideration for disaster victims and pledged to prevent recurrence.
10h ago
Sanuki VTuber Fest 2026 will be held November 1 at Rexam Hall in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture. The regional collaboration event features exhibition booths, stage events, and live streaming, with free admission. Crowdfunding runs until July 31, and exhibitor applications close August 31.
11h ago
VTuber Aoi Sakura, founder of re;BON Inc., launched a new streamer agency called re;ALIZE in a joint project with Entarfans Inc. The agency recruits both VTubers and live-action streamers, with auditions open to applicants aged 18 and over, no experience required. Starting in September, re;BON will also support artists and streamers beyond its VTuber focus.
15h ago
VTuber Hairpin Mamire's plushie, made in a video that surpassed 570,000 views, is now commercialized under her supervision. Kadostore is accepting pre-orders for a luxury set that includes the plushie replica, an acrylic diorama of her creative room, five clear cards, and an autographed metal card with a serial number.
18h ago
viviON announced on August 8 that the VTuber group Kemomimi Refle! will join its virtual creator community Vtuber High School City, known as VHS City, as a new partner group. Kemomimi Refle! is a virtual relaxation salon where kemomimi, or animal-eared, girls provide healing through a virtual world. The group consists of three members: Uno Sakura, Komae Nadeshiko, and Nekoma Karin, and is celebrating its fifth year of activity this year. As part of joining VHS City, the group will collaborate with viviON on producing a music video for a completely new original song titled Sweet♡Dream, and will also run a special collaboration advertisement at Comic Market 108. The music video for Sweet♡Dream is scheduled to premiere on August 14 at 19:00. VHS City is described as a community centered on the worldview of a town built on the internet, with the concept of bringing the virtual into everyday life. It aims to be a place where creators interact closely with each other, removing existing barriers such as affiliations and production companies, and co-create various collaborations and unpredictable entertainment. With Kemomimi Refle! joining, the exchange between creators across group boundaries is expected to accelerate further.
19h ago
Good Smile Company is releasing 1/7 scale figures of Hololive VTubers Shirakami Fubuki and Ookami Mio under its Good Smile Collection brand. Both figures, priced at 22,000 yen each, are scheduled for September 2027 release.
23h ago
A VTuber creator using Blender to build a VRChat-ready 3D model of their character kyunrobo hit a major snag: VRChat only supports humanoid rigs. The multi-jointed arms and four legs did not fit the Humanoid standard, forcing a redesign with dummy bones and manual weight painting before the avatar finally worked in VRChat.
23h ago
Kuzuha, a Nijisanji VTuber with 2.2 million channel subscribers, released the music video for Odō on August 7. The song is the first track on his second mini-album Adamantite, released July 29. Ayase, known for YOASOBI, wrote the lyrics, composition, and arrangement. The MV features illustrations by Kei Mochizuki and video by Cymo.
1d ago
NIJISANJI EN's Vox Akuma ran a test stream on August 7 featuring real-time translated subtitles. His English speech was automatically translated into Japanese and Simplified Chinese, with the captions displayed on screen. He adjusted settings with viewers and plans to use the feature in future solo streams, acknowledging translation accuracy is not perfect.
1d ago
Entergram announced on August 6 that the Steam version of 'Okayu Nyuum! R' would be delayed. The game was scheduled for release on August 7, but due to various circumstances, the release has been postponed. The new release date is undecided and will be announced later. The previous game's Steam version was also delayed just before release.
1d ago
Nnnimanity LLC opened pre-orders on Friday, August 7, 2026, for birthday commemorative goods celebrating Yuna Oshimi, a member of the VTuber project Nnnimanity. The goods are available at the Nnnimanity official BOOTH shop until Monday, September 7, 2026, with shipping scheduled to begin sequentially from mid-November 2026. The lineup includes a Celebration Full Set priced at 10,000 yen, which bundles an acrylic panel, acrylic smartphone stand, acrylic stand, can badge, and mouse pad, plus a signed postcard as a purchase bonus. Individual items are also sold separately: the acrylic panel at 3,400 yen, the acrylic smartphone stand at 2,200 yen, the acrylic stand at 1,900 yen, the can badge at 500 yen, and the mouse pad at 2,000 yen. The illustration for the goods was drawn by Mumu*. Oshimi is described in her profile as a bright and straightforward reliable leader who guides her companions, with a birthday on August 7. Nnnimanity LLC, established in September 2024 and based in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, operates the VTuber project, which features streamers from a world where magic and science coexist.
1d ago
KMNZ announced the performers for KMNPARTY vol.8, a club event at WOMB in Shibuya on September 13. The lineup includes KMNZ, Rim, Getty, P*Light, DJ Noriken, NUROJUNK, DJ TAKUYA the bringer, Capchii, Synthion, Ren, Nemonoika, and LAKU. Tickets go on sale August 8 at noon.
1d ago
The VTuber agency Haconect will begin selling 'Haconect Midsummer Festival Voice 2026' on August 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM JST through the official Haconect BOOTH. The voice content was recorded by members of the agency under the concept of 'the excitement and festival mood unique to summer.' Eight members participate: Akai Akame, Hoshinone Koron, Amami Kurine, Meido Shirone, Kato Cherie, Shizukawa Nanoka, Suimori Atori, and Uyuzuki Meo. The main content is priced at 1,000 yen including tax, with a bonus option at 500 yen including tax. Audio is delivered in wav format. The sales period runs from August 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM through September 6, 2026 at 11:59 PM. The product page is listed at the Haconect official BOOTH. The agency, operated by analog inc., began activities in June 2021 and provides management and support for affiliated VTubers, including streaming assistance and merchandise development.
1d ago
VSPO! EN member Arya Kuroha will host the invitational Apex Legends tournament KUROHA × INZONE INVITATIONAL, sponsored by Sony's gaming gear brand INZONE. The event gathers 60 participants, including pro players, streamers, and VTubers from Japan and abroad. Scrims run August 6, with the main tournament on August 9. Casters are former pro players NiceWigg and Euriece.
1d ago
The third Niconico Old-Timers RUST event, a survival game gathering for streamers and video creators active on Niconico for over a decade, announced its full roster of 83 participants on July 31. New names include Shaka, Kizuna AI, and kson. The event runs August 7-9.
1d ago
Independent VTuber Misumi Hao announced on July 30 that her home collapsed in the Kumamoto earthquake, forcing an indefinite hiatus. She apologized for the timing, six months after her debut, and asked fans to direct support to disaster-stricken areas. She cited power, water, and network outages, and urged subscribers to cancel.
1d ago
Houshou Marine's 7th anniversary 3D live will feature a guest appearance by Kaguya from the Netflix film Super Kaguya Hime!. The free stream runs August 11 at 9 PM on her YouTube channel. It is their first time performing together, per the announcement on July 30.
1d ago
Sega announced on July 30 that it will stream a joint special live broadcast on August 5 from Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, combining its two RGG Studio programs, Ryuu Star TV and Ryuu Star TV Free Information Office. The two-part show covers the Like a Dragon collaboration with the tower and the stage play Like a Dragon: Kamurocho Hachiden, then reveals the exhibition content for STRANGER THAN HEAVEN at Tokyo Game Show 2026, which opens September 17.
1d ago
Lisa Hanabusa, a Vspo! VTuber, announced on July 30 that she will resume activities starting July 31 with a talk stream around 6 PM. She suspended activities on April 24 due to a doctor's advice to rest and receive treatment for poor health. She reported on June 3 that her condition was stable but recovery would take time.
1d ago
Virtual singers Tao and Saku mark their first anniversary with debut albums. Tao's COUNTER WAVE releases July 29 and Saku's REVERSE WAVE on August 26, each with five new songs plus five prior singles. The albums are designed to connect, with Tao's tenth track leading into Saku's first and vice versa. Producers include Suiso, Daoko, Pa's Lam System, and KOTONOHOUSE.
2d ago
Tochigi Prefecture announced a video promotion campaign featuring Hololive VTuber Laplus Darkness. Starting July 31, roughly five-minute Vlog episodes will tour the prefecture on the official YouTube channel 15Tube, promoting locations as pilgrimage sites. A digital stamp rally across 25 spots runs through January 31, 2027, with prizes including regional goods and Laplus Darkness merchandise.
2d ago
ANYCOLOR announced new Nijisanji concept voice products on August 7. Ganbaranai Voice features 120 livers from Nijisanji and NIJISANJI EN. Sokubaku Voice Vol.2 is a route selection voice with 113 Nijisanji livers. Both sell at official stores from August 14 to 31, with voice visual cards and wallpaper bonuses.
2d ago
V live communication app IRIAM will hold a collaboration event with the design series Home Economics Dragon, which marks its 25th anniversary in 2026. The event, named IRIAM x Home Economics Dragon, runs from August 18 to August 24, with participation applications opening on August 6. Participants must have streaming experience on IRIAM. During the event, users earn event points that determine rankings, with prizes such as the Black Cloth Armor (Apron) and Black Wing Carry Bag (Napsack) for winners. Additional rewards include streaming backgrounds and gifts for reaching point thresholds. A separate cooking class contest runs on X from August 11 to August 24, where users post photos of their own cooked dishes with the hashtag IRIAM Cooking Class Contest. The IRIAM operations team selects five winners per category, totaling 15, who receive a real Home Economics Dragon apron and a premium badge. Home Economics Dragon is a design series known from middle school sewing kits and napsacks, and remains widely recognized as a nostalgic dragon across generations. IRIAM is operated by IRIAM Inc., a subsidiary of DeNA, and has accumulated 6.4 million downloads since its October 2018 launch.
2d ago
Brave group's next-generation Virtual esports Project Vspo! has been appointed as the official support ambassador for Capcom's Street Fighter League JAPAN 2026 for the second consecutive year. Five Vspo! talents will serve in the role: Ren Kisaragi, Kupi Kaminari, Ema Aizawa, Hanabi Choya, and Moka Amayui. The announcement was made on August 7, 2026. In the previous season, Street Fighter League: Pro-JP 2025, three members held the position: Kisaragi, Choya, and Amayui. For the 2026 season, Kaminari and Aizawa, both active players in Street Fighter 6, have joined the ambassador team, expanding it to five members. The ambassadors will promote the tournament through activities such as mirror streams, player interviews, and content introducing the league. Street Fighter League JAPAN 2026 marks the ninth season of the official Capcom team league, with all 12 teams competing for the championship. The tournament will be broadcast live on the official CAPCOM Fighters JP YouTube and Twitch channels. Ahead of the main rounds, a pre-opening division match featuring 48 players from 12 teams is scheduled for August 10 and 11, 2026.
2d ago
Vstone's Hellowa Lab unit announced Ugokun, a Bluetooth speaker device that moves objects placed on its platform in sync with audio. It targets VTuber use, supports up to 500 g, and offers USB programmability. Development is ongoing, with feedback and usage examples being solicited.
2d ago
VTuber Baacharu announced their retirement on August 6 via their X account. The announcement came with a characteristic mix of humor and seriousness, as they wrote, "The thumbnail looks like a joke, but it's not a joke; it's real." Baacharu also apologized to their fans, the Umagumi-san, saying, "I'm really sorry that I can't keep going forever." The specific timing of the retirement and the reason behind it have not been disclosed. Baacharu said these details will be explained during a birthday stream scheduled for August 9 at 15:00 JST. That date is significant because it marks the ninth anniversary of Baacharu's first YouTube video, posted on August 9, 2017, titled "World's first!? Male Virtual Youtuber 'Baacharu' is born." Baacharu is affiliated with .LIVE, a VTuber production company operated by Upland Inc., and is known for their horse mask and blue suit. They debuted in 2017 and have called themselves the "world's first male virtual YouTuber." Beyond their own streaming, Baacharu produced the VTuber group Idol-bu, launched in 2018, and has hosted numerous official streams and events.
2d ago
Unitcom is running a campaign from July 24 to August 17 for the Shinonome Umi collaboration gaming PC in its iiyama LEVEL∞ series. A web coupon code offers 5,000 yen off, and purchasers can enter lotteries for signed collaboration PCs and signed side panels. The lineup includes desktop and laptop models with current-generation CPUs and GPUs.
2d ago
COVER Corporation announced a new NoonX collaboration pop-up store, "hololive production Midsummer｜Kenting Travel Diary," opening August 11 at Top City Taichung and running through September 9, 2026. The event features Shirakami Fubuki, Houshou Marine, Tsunomaki Watame, Kobo Kanaeru, Hakos Baelz, and Juufuutei Raden in a tropical seaside theme with exclusive merchandise and interactive activities.
2d ago
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.
2d ago
YouTube will hold YouTube Music Weekend 12.0 from Friday, August 21 to Sunday, August 23, 2026, a three-day online festival featuring live performances and music videos from 113 artists, streamed live or premiered at once. The 12th edition gathers artists from anime, games, and internet culture, with Korean virtual boy band PLAVE serving as the Day 1 headliner. Other headliners include Vocaloid producer DECO*27, the Pokemon feat. Hatsune Miku Project VOLTAGE collaboration, singer Ado, and a Haruomi Hosono x Puppet Sunsun act, alongside a BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War collaboration with jo0ji and 9Lana. From the Pokemon feat. Hatsune Miku project, the event will release 10 songs of footage from Pokemon feat. Hatsune Miku VOLTAGE Live!. The performer roster includes numerous VTuber scene acts: from KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO, Meito, Azusagawa, Isekaijoucho, Kaf, Haibu, and Empty Old City; from Hololive, Sakura Miko, ReGLOSS, and Hakos Baelz; from Nijisanji, VOLTACTION and 3SKM; and from RK Music, KMNZ and VESPERBELL. Kizuna AI, Otonono Nono, Peanuts-kun, and Shigure Ui are also scheduled. All performances are viewable via the YouTube Japan official channel playlist and each artist's official channel.
3d ago
Cover announced that the next in-game event for the rhythm and RPG "hololive Dreams" ("Holodori") will feature the unit miComet, consisting of Sakura Miko and Hoshimachi Suisei. The event, titled "Syncing Summer Sparkle," is scheduled to begin on August 7, 2026, at 12:00. Alongside the event, three songs by the duo will be added to the game, and players can obtain miComet event memories by participating. The announcement follows a teaser on the official X account that hinted at the two talents with an ocean background and icons on their outfits. The first in-game event, "Hello! Brand New Summer!," ended on August 5, and details for the next event were scheduled to be revealed on August 6 at 18:00. "Holodori" is the first official smartphone game for the VTuber group hololive, developed jointly by Cover and QualiArts, and released on July 23. It surpassed 1 million downloads the day after release. The game is available on iOS, Android, and PC via Steam with a free-to-play model.
3d ago
Professional esports team VARREL, operated by CELLORB, announced on August 6, 2026, that AITuber LUMA has joined its Streamer division and will begin activities that day. LUMA is described as a VTuber with its own personality, knowledge, and values, growing through AI-based conversations and streams. VARREL positions AITubers not as replacements for humans but as new talent characters, collaborating with pro gamers and creators to draw out their appeal. LUMA is characterized by an obsessive love for manga in addition to esports, aiming to bridge the two communities. The debut collaboration stream was held at 20:00 on August 6 on the Twitch channel of Mago, a professional fighting game player in VARREL's Street Fighter 6 division. During the stream, LUMA discussed Mago's achievements and detailed episodes of player Nuki, an old acquaintance of Mago, surprising viewers. The technical specifications, such as the language model and speech synthesis software used for LUMA, were not disclosed as of the announcement. LUMA's official X account has been opened.
3d ago
Hermestage Inc. announced the 7th edition of V-Plane, its immersive planetarium event where VTubers guide audiences through a star-filled sky. The event is scheduled for August 29, 2026, in Tokyo, with this year's theme being "Summer Festival." Performers include Hanano Elenoa (Quintin), Kokona Miko (Espoiris), Kazahana Nozomi (Espoiris), Yamitsuki Ririmu, Hinanogi Maya, and Kuzirano Aika, with Kasuga Nozomi joining as a guest voice actress. Kuzirano Aika handles planning, while astronomy commentator Karasaki Kenji provides supervision and Planetarium Works LLC cooperates on the production. Ichijuku drew the main illustration, Hiiragi Mamo the deformed illustration, and Nickel Ame designed the poster. To promote the event, newly drawn main posters will be displayed at 40 post offices across 21 prefectures from August 18 to August 30, 2026. Commemorative goods, including tenugui-style cloth posters, acrylic keychains, glass wind chimes, acrylic stands, and happi coats, went on sale August 6 at 18:00. The venue will also feature photo panels of over 50 VTubers, a lottery for life-size panels, and a limited quantity of special uchiwa fans for visitors.
3d ago
CCMC Co., Ltd. announced on Thursday, August 6, 2026, that the Steam store page for Decorate! Hololive Sticker Battle, a sticker book management strategy game developed by Preapp Partners Co., Ltd., is now live. The game is scheduled for release on Thursday, September 3, 2026, and is published under holo Indie, the fan-made game brand for hololive production. The auto-battle game lets players decorate hololive talents with stickers, form a team of up to three members, and aim for 15 wins. It features 12 hololive talents, including Sakura Miko, Shirakami Fubuki, Ookami Mio, Nekomata Okayu, Inugami Korone, Usada Pekora, Shiranui Flare, Shirogane Noel, Houshou Marine, Fuwawa Abyssgard, Mococo Abyssgard, and Ichijou Ririka. Players choose one main talent at the start, then add others as they progress. Stickers, over 150 types, can be placed anywhere on a talent, but placing them on designated spots increases their effect. Coins earned from battles buy new stickers at the shop. Ranked matches pair players of similar rank, with wins earning rank points. The planned price is 1,280 yen (tax included), and the game supports Japanese, English, and Chinese (Simplified/Traditional).
3d ago
The ENILIS VLiver Project, operated by Brave group subsidiary ENILIS, has taken first place in the Growth Award category at the IRIAM Agency Awards 2026 H1, an honor announced on August 6, 2026. The award recognizes agencies whose sales contribution grew the most year-over-year on the IRIAM live-streaming platform. The project launched in May 2025, just over a year before the win, and consists of three VLiver agencies: brossom, LELOMO, and SYNTHE. Each label supports streamers who use character avatars rather than showing their faces, with brossom serving as the top label for leading livers, LELOMO as a female-focused agency, and SYNTHE as a male-focused agency. ENILIS attributes the growth to initiatives such as selling goods and displaying posters at gaming cafes, running sponsor-participation campaigns with prizes, and securing magazine and station advertising placements. The company also provides character illustrations, pre-debut preparation support, and dedicated managers for affiliated VLivers. The IRIAM Agency Awards, established this year, honors three companies per category twice a year among agencies contracted with IRIAM. Other categories include Top Agency Award, Sales & Marketing Award, and Event Award.
3d ago
Mouse Computer's gaming PC brand NEXTGEAR announced on August 6 that it will sponsor Nijisanji Koshien 2026, a baseball-themed event involving VTubers from Nijisanji. To mark the sponsorship, the company began selling a limited-time "Nijisanji Koshien 2026 Support Model" lineup of desktop PCs, available from August 6 at 11:00 AM through August 31 at 11:00 AM. The lineup includes four models total, spanning two desktop configurations, each offered in black and white. The first model, the NEXTGEAR JG-A7G60, is priced at 239,800 yen and features an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card, 16GB of memory, and a 1TB NVMe Gen4x4 SSD. The second model, the NEXTGEAR JG-A7G6T, is priced at 299,800 yen and steps up to an AMD Ryzen 7 7700 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti (16GB) graphics card, with the same 16GB memory and 1TB SSD. Both models include a liquid-cooled CPU cooler and are configured for gaming, video editing, and streaming. Each comes with a three-year send-back repair warranty and 24/7 telephone support.
3d ago
Epic Games announced that VTuber Ironmouse is joining Fortnite Battle Royale as a collectable Sprite in Chapter 7 Season 3, granting players a special ability when equipped. The item launched with boosted drop rates on Tuesday night. Fortnite also revealed two new Bleach collaboration cosmetics for Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin, launching Friday.
3d ago
The official website for the romance adventure game Kimi Iro Patora IF, planned and starring VTuber Suou Patora, has launched. The site reveals the story, game systems, pricing, and release details. Pre-orders begin on July 30, and the game releases on November 26. The protagonist is a university student struggling with job hunting. One night in Akihabara, he meets a girl who looks and sounds exactly like his favorite VTuber, Suou Patora, but she has no memory of herself. He decides to help her recover her memories, and the two begin living together in summer Akihabara. The game has four parts: a novel part where the story progresses and Patora's expressions change based on player actions, a map selection mode where the player explores Akihabara for memory clues and her personality shifts accordingly, a shooting game at the game center fully supervised by Patora, and an ASMR part at the end of each day that features different expressions and possible physical contact as the relationship deepens. ENTERGRAM, known for Okayu Nyuum!, handles production, with original art by Ayuma Sayu and SD illustrations by Chiimo. The game is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Steam, with the Steam version download-only. Three editions are offered: a download version at 3,000 yen, a complete limited edition at 9,800 yen, and an official BOOTH Edition at 19,580 yen.
3d ago
ME Campus, the online school run by Edutainment-Lab Inc., began accepting applications on August 3, 2026 for its new VTuber-Ready! Character Design Major. The course is supervised by creator and VTuber Eha Mashiro, with Live2D modeler SeraCrom contributing production know-how. It teaches character design concepts for VTuber avatars, covering illustration plus VTuber-specific skills such as planning for Live2D range of motion and part division that keeps the character visible on streaming screens. The curriculum starts with CLIP STUDIO PAINT basics and moves through personality, motifs, colors, hairstyles, and costumes. It also trains students to verbalize character traits, a skill the school says is often handled intuitively. Learning combines video materials with individual coach meetings and chat support from community managers. The target audience includes beginners new to digital illustration, freelancers seeking VTuber project commissions, and people who want to create their own avatar. Enrollment is open on the official website, and free online consultation sessions are available for prospective students.
3d ago
Lighthouse Studio, a CARTA HOLDINGS group company that operates the game strategy site Kamigame攻略, announced the debut of five first-generation members of its new VTuber agency, Uralogi Game Company. The five characters, who "reverse isekai reincarnated" from game worlds to modern-day Shibuya, will debut on August 19, 2026. A teaser PV was released on August 4, and outdoor advertising will run in Shibuya from August 10. The concept is "more game more fun," aiming to rediscover and share the fun of games. The talents are Toba Lila (president, accounting and management), Eikoku Nema (creative lead, film studies), Yakushiji Mei (science and medical lead, chemistry and pharmacy), Rokujo Mikoto (legal affairs lead, law), and Uzuki Awai (archive lead, art research). Each will run their own channel with planned videos and live streams, using high-end 3D models. The agency plans content beyond game playthroughs, including analysis, verification, video production, real events, and publishing. The project is part of the media project Uralogi Company, and the talents will debut in relay format.
3d ago
On August 4, 2026, uyet, an IP content trading company based in Shibuya, Tokyo, and led by representative director Taiki Kajita, began a city promotion project with Hokota City, Ibaraki Prefecture, using VTubers. The project is part of the "Machi Supa Channel Project," which aims to introduce VTuber fans, mainly in their teens to thirties, to towns they can support as a "second or third hometown." The initiative has previously been implemented in eight municipalities, including Hokota City, Hachimantai City in Iwate Prefecture, and Niimi City in Okayama Prefecture. Participating talents include Inaba Haneru and Uruwashi Ririri from the VTuber agency Nanashi Inc. The project includes developing and selling collaborative products with local businesses, an agricultural experience event called "~Minna de Kyoryoku!? Nochi Kaitaku Ensoku~" for harvesting local specialties, two promotional live streams on YouTube scheduled for September 2026 and March 2027, and three vlog-style promotional videos planned for July 2026 and February 2027. Details on products and schedules are still being adjusted. Hokota City Mayor Shigeki Ikawa noted this is the third year of the collaboration, expressing hope that more people will visit the city.
3d ago
BiPSEE Inc., a Tokyo-based health tech startup, participated in a University of Tokyo-led research project that surveyed 193 VTubers affiliated with the agency bond Inc. The study, conducted with bond's cooperation, examined how VTubers engage with their avatars and how that relates to self-expression and psychological burden. Of the 193 participants, 168 reside in Japan and 25 overseas. Using four indicators (avatar identification, idealized avatar, acting tendency, and expression of the true self), the researchers identified four statistical profiles: Buffered Self (42 people), Fusion (43), Puppeteer (31), and Inherited Self (77). The results show that self-expression and psychological burden coexist in different combinations depending on the profile, rather than falling into a simple benefit or risk dichotomy. For example, the Fusion type had the highest self-expression but also the highest role conflict and elevated depressive symptom scores. The paper, titled "Latent Profiles of Avatar-Mediated Streaming and Mental Health in VTubers: A Four-Profile Typology," was accepted at HCI International 2026 and presented online in the poster program Cluster 14: Healthcare, Well-being, and Aging.
3d ago
The VTuber group Shinengumi announced on July 30 that it will disband its project on September 30, 2026. Management cited the deterioration of the project's financial situation as the reason, explaining that they judged it difficult to continue stable operations and activities in the future. Shinengumi is an entertainment project focused on streaming and cultural exchange, described as transcending borders in two dimensions and beyond. The announcement also detailed the future of its members. Suzukaze Shitora, Kotaki Rairi, and Wadami Yohira are scheduled to transition to individual activities starting in October. Shaneru is considering whether to make the same transition. Harusame Yuni will graduate at the end of September. The group also outlined the shutdown of its services. The official website is scheduled to close by the end of December 2026. The official YouTube channel and official X account will stop updates after October 2026. The BOOTH shop will stop accepting new orders after October 2026, excluding some products, and is scheduled to close after a certain period. The Discord fan server is also scheduled to close at the end of December 2026.
3d ago
Meta Produce LLC, a Tokyo-based company founded in 2022, has taken over the VTuber agency MAHA5JAPAN from Rentracks Co., Ltd., effective July 17, 2026. MAHA5JAPAN began as the Japan project of MAHA5, a VTuber agency originating from Indonesia. Its affiliated VTubers are active mainly on YouTube, where they stream games, sing, chat, post short videos, and take part in events and corporate collaborations. Meta Produce said it will prioritize the continuation of talent activities and stable content delivery to fans after the transfer. The company plans to gradually strengthen operational support, content production, merchandise and IP development, and corporate tie-ups. It also intends to build planning, production, sales, and management functions to support creators. Representative member Yuya Sukeda said in a statement that Meta Produce will build an environment where affiliated talents can focus on creation and streaming with peace of mind, and will construct systems so that content and IP are loved for a long time. The transfer date is July 17, 2026, and the official website is jp.maha5.com.
3d ago
viviON Inc. announced on July 29 that Shichihachi Putera, a new VTuber from the production Bebop High School, formerly Vebop Project, will debut on August 1 at 19:00. The debut marks the first new member introduction since the production rebranded. Shichihachi Putera is an explorer from space who landed on Earth for a mission but cannot remember its purpose. She plans to be active mainly on YouTube and Twitch, with a focus on games. Ahead of the debut, a teaser video was released on July 29, followed by a self-introduction short video on July 30 and a singing video on July 31, both at 19:00, building up to the first stream. In her comment, Shichihachi Putera expressed happiness about working with the seniors at Bebop High School and her love for games. Original merchandise, including acrylic stands, acrylic keychains, and can badges, will go on sale on August 1 at 12:00. The production is part of the virtual creator community VHS City.
3d ago
viviON Inc. announced on July 30 the launch of a new YouTube experimental program called Vcom, designed to help VTubers find collaboration partners. The company simultaneously opened applications for VTubers and streamers to appear on the show. Vcom will bring together multiple VTubers selected through public recruitment, who will deepen their interactions and ultimately choose partners they wish to collaborate with in the future, proposing specific collaborations. Game streamer Maza3 and VTuber Kagura Mea will serve as MCs, overseeing the proceedings. The program is planned to air in two parts, totaling four episodes, with the broadcast date yet to be determined. Applications are open to individuals aged 18 or older active as VTubers or streamers, including those working independently or who have just started their activities. Applicants must be available for recording on August 29 from 13:00 to 19:00, be able to use Discord, and have equipment capable of streaming from a PC. Those affiliated with an organization must obtain permission to apply and appear. viviON states it places more importance on the desire to take on new challenges than on activity history or subscriber count. The application deadline is August 16 at 23:59, with selection results communicated individually to candidates.
3d ago
ClaN Entertainment announced on July 28, 2026 that DubsteP, a new member of its global VTuber project IZIGENIA, has debuted. The debut stream ran from 12:00 to 12:30 JST on July 28, with a corresponding PST slot on July 27. DubsteP's character design is by JINKEI, and the Live2D model is by Gumi Fuyuno. Activities will center on YouTube and X, with the character's official channels already live. IZIGENIA is a Japan-originated global VTuber project that aims to develop VTuber IP following manga, anime, and games, delivering Japanese culture to worldwide fans primarily in English, while also incorporating Japanese and other languages. The project is based on a sci-fi worldview where two factions, Outriders and Aliens, clash over desire and evolution. Each character is developed as an independent IP. Activities center on YouTube and Twitch, with future plans for 3D live performances and virtual space expansion. ClaN Entertainment is an entertainment company with the slogan 'Entertainment that changes lives.' It operates influencer businesses including VTubers, and through IZIGENIA, it is advancing VTuber IP development with a global market in mind.