Out of tens of thousands of streamers, who are the internet’s most popular vtubers?
Streaming using a virtual avatar started gaining traction in the mid-late 2010s, but it exploded in popularity in 2020. Generally, vtubers tend to gain fame through auditioning and contracting with big-name companies like Hololive and VShojo. But that doesn’t mean that independent creators or those who belong to other companies can’t make a name for themselves too.
With almost 50,000 active accounts as of 2023, here are the most popular vtubers by subscriber count on both YouTube and Twitch.
10. Nyatasha Nyanners
Total followers:
2.46M+
Main platforms:
YouTube
and
Twitch
Debut year: 2020
Nyanners went from an independent streamer to part of VShojo to a member of Mythic Talent. Though not the only catgirl here, she appeals to fans particularly because of her alternating purity and crudeness as well as trailing tangents.
9. Kobo Kanaeru
Total followers:
2.54M+
Main platform:
YouTube
Debut year: 2022
With five original songs under her belt, Kobo Kanaeru earns her place as one of the most popular vtubers on the internet. She’s part of Hololive’s relatively new Indonesian branch and must learn to fully control both the rain and her virtual image.
8. Usada Pekora
Total followers:
2.74M+
Main platform:
YouTube
Debut year: 2019
Pekora is a self-proclaimed royal rabbit girl known for mischief and often subsequent misfortune. She’s known both as a comedian and a “war criminal” for her gaming tactics, but never as the serious streamer she wants so badly to be.
7. Shoto
Total followers:
2.87M+
Main platforms:
YouTube
and
Twitch
Debut year: 2021
After being blessed with a heightened sense of smell and isolated because of it,
Shxtou
became one of the most popular independent vtubers in the world. He both makes music and streams horror RPGs to his many fans. Maybe something good came out of his exile and demonic attacks after all.
6. Kizuna Ai
Total followers:
3.01M+
Main platform:
YouTube
Debut year: 2016
Kizuna Ai is known best for being the first to use the term “virtual YouTuber.” Maintaining her place as the most popular vtuber until 2021, she has released several albums of original songs. Additionally, Kizuna speaks and sings exclusively in Japanese.
5. Ironmouse
Total followers:
3.13M+
Main platform:
Twitch
Debut year: 2017
Ironmouse has been more open than others about
her real life
outside of Twitch and is an inspiration for many dealing with chronic illnesses. As the demon queen, she enjoys singing in an operatic style and is one of the original founding members of VShojo.
4. Houshou Marine
Total followers:
3.33M+
Main platform:
YouTube
Debut year: 2019
Another Japanese vtuber, Houshou Marine is a Hololive contemporary of Usada Pekora. She has won three different vtuber awards for her music and makes both original songs and covers. Though she’s had trouble with YouTube for the lewdness of some of her content, Marine still has quite a large fanbase.
3. Filian
Total followers:
3.74M+
Main platform:
YouTube
Debut year: 2021
Notably. Filian never made an official debut. Instead, she started in VRChat and transitioned into Twitch and YouTube from there. She constantly changes her 3D model and uses a full-body tracker while she streams video games, challenge content, and her “inevitable descent into insanity.”
2. Nimu Spacecat
Total followers:
4M+
Main platform:
Twitch
Debut year: 2020
Nimu Spacecat streams exclusively in Spanish and is the most popular independent vtuber. Much like Filian, she started not on Twitch but instead on Facebook Gaming. An important note is that Nimu is not the girl, who is named Centi, but the alien blob on her head. It’s the blob who now engages in chat and reaction streams.
1. Gawr Gura
Total followers:
4.5M+
Main platform:
YouTube
Debut year: 2020
The darling of Hololive EN and the most popular vtuber in the world, Gawr Gura maintains her 4.5 million strong following through a friendly demeanor, a skill for rhythm games, and an obsessive love of sharks. For those looking to
become vtubers
themselves, Gura provides a great example of an interesting personality and character design.
Streaming is a fickle business, and it only takes a few thousand subscribers to completely shake up any most popular vtubers list. Still, there are more than enough followers to go around.
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