How VTubers like Hakos Baelz and IRyS are a lifeline for fans in Hong Kong and worldwide
VTubers, or virtual YouTubers, are online avatars of anonymous content creators, with many managed by agencies like Japan’s Hololive
On a humid summer day, a long queue of people snakes outside a hotel ballroom turned concert hall in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, light sticks in hand.
But they are not waiting for a chart-topping Cantopop star nor a viral K-pop sensation. Instead, this is a concert headlining virtual YouTubers, or “VTubers”.
Originating from Japan, a VTuber is an online persona that uses a virtual avatar, typically an anime-style character, to create and stream content. The person who controls the avatar in real time using motion capture and face-tracking software remains anonymous.
Although the name reflects its YouTube roots, VTubers are found on various digital platforms such as Twitch, Bilibili and TikTok.
They play games, sing and interact with fans in their live streams, and their connection and bond with their followers is often described to be “more real” than that between traditional celebrities and their fans.
13:35
VTubers: how virtual stars are redefining culture, fandom and performance
Some VTubers operate as independent content creators, managing all the work themselves, while others join agencies such as Tokyo-based Hololive, considered the world’s largest of its kind, with 89 talents and more than 97 million subscribers in total.