Virtual YouTubers, human-operated digital avatars with channels on the YouTube video sharing site, are broadening the realm of their activities beyond the internet.
Noting the trend in so-called VTubers, TV broadcasters are not only working with them but are also creating their own original virtual characters.
A person wearing motion capture equipment controls the motion and speech of these computer-generated avatars, which tend to be female, with quintessentially cute appearances and voices.
The VTuber boom began around 2017, with over 5,000 characters believed to be active. The most-watched VTuber is Kizuna Ai, who has more than 2.2 million subscribers. Other popular VTuber channels boast nearly 1 million subscribers.
Prompted by such popularity, satellite channel BS Nittele began broadcasting a variety show presented by Kizuna Ai in April. The program, which changed its name to "Nobangumi" on Oct. 26, airs at 11 p.m. on the last Friday of every month.
From July, a talk show presented by a VTuber and featuring VTuber guests, "Virtual Buzz Talk!," has been broadcast on Tokyo MX TV at 1 a.m. on Saturdays. And now virtual avatars created by TV stations, such as Chukyo TV's Miya Kimino and TV Tokyo's Taku Nanase, have started to appear.
Although there are operating costs involved in shooting and editing VTuber content, through view-count based advertising revenue, business opportunities for popular characters and other avenues, income can be earned beyond traditional broadcasting.
On Oct. 19, anime character Yatterman No. 2, also known as Kaminari Ai, made her VTuber debut. At the hands of Tatsunoko Production Co., an anime production company affiliated with Nippon TV, the female lead character of classic sci-fi TV anime "Yatterman" was given a fresh new look. New video clips featuring the character are being posted once or twice a week. The anime studio is planning to create a VTuber based on a male character as well.
According to Tatsunoko Production, the company decided to turn characters from one of its popular releases into VTubers during discussions on how to make the best use of its major works, including "Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman" (Gatchaman) and "Jinzo Ningen Casshan" (Casshan).
"As the character Kaminari Ai develops as a VTuber, I hope viewers will take an interest in the old anime as well," said Shunsuke Nakajima, who is in charge of VTuber development at the company.
TV Tokyo business program "World Business Satellite" on Aug. 28 aired a segment on VTubers, featuring a digital avatar of presenter Yuka Aiuchi that was much talked about.
Aiuchi does regular vocal exercises by reading newspaper articles aloud in five different tones of voice, one of which sounds like an anime character. With no rehearsal and getting fully into the character, she voiced her avatar in an anime-style tone and said: "I am a TV Tokyo presenter. This is my 11th year at the company. My age is ... a secret!"
"With the help of the character, I could say things I usually wouldn't be able to. I could be a completely different person," she said. "I think there is great potential [for VTubers]. It could be interesting if we made a program in which the real Aiuchi interacts with the virtual Aiuchi."
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