Vtubing has grown more and more successful in recent years, but as vtubers continue to work to connect with fans and build audiences, some have come rely on parasocial relationships to achieve success. But why does this sometimes seem more of an issue with vtubers than with traditional streamers, and is it problematic for the long-term health of the industry and its performers?
The streaming industry focuses primarily on the connection of viewers to their favorite streamers. Streamers emphasize various means to cultivate these relationships and ensure the viewers remain hooked. Vtubers have some barriers between them and their fans, however; they must form a personal connection with viewers without showing their faces and, in some cases, without even using their natural voices. They don’t typically talk about their personal lives, a common means for traditional streamers to establish connection and empathy, instead simply displaying a model that viewers must relate to.
Gawr Gura
This hasn’t stopped some of the top vtubers, including Ironmouse and recently graduated Gawr Gura, from becoming big names in streaming and even crossing over into mainstream digital culture. But it does raise the question of whether vtubers rely overly much on parasocial relationships with their followers.
The extreme parasocial relationships some vtubers cultivate can lead to obsessive behavior, and that can lead to dangerous situations for performers and fans alike.
A parasocial relationship is defined as a one-way rapport that a person can create with a public figure, typically without that public figure even knowing the person on the other side. It’s a relationship that can lead to obsessive behaviors that sometimes take a turn for the worse.
Vtubers in particular may feel pressured to keep up their persona even when they begin to receive negative or unwanted behaviors from fans. Many vtubers use a specific type of personality to captivate viewers, one that can be cloying or overtly flirtatious. There’s nothing wrong with that on its face, but it can also contribute to unwanted attention from fans. And we’ve unfortunately seen multiple examples of this very dynamic.
Vox Akuma is a vtuber whose fans once harassed another vtuber Vox wanted to collaborate with. Some of his fans even tried to bribe the vtuber to avoid the collaboration. One fan in particular claimed to have an intimate connection with Vox and referred to his ASMR streams as “their special time.”
Vox Addressing The Parasocial Fans…
Other examples abound. Camila took a break from social media in 2024 due to the massive backlash she received from the community after she showed her support for fellow vtuber Froot, who had come forward with a story of abuse.
Froot is herself a prime example of how unhealthy the dynamic between viewers and vtubers can become if left unchecked. The content creator was massively trolled and received hate after being accused of cheating on her former partner. Camila was just one of Froot’s supporters who was caught in the crossfire and mercilessly harassed by some fans.
Ex-Hololive vtuber Uruha Rushia is yet another example. The vtuber has gone by other names, but while performing as Uruha Rushia she was apparently married to the signer Mafumafu, and a leaked Discord message led to her being mercilessly harassed by fans who didn’t want the vtuber to be partnered with someone.
While the very nature of many vtubers and their streaming is likely to continue to create parasocial situations, it’s possible to avoid some of the more extreme issues that can come with it through the use of healthy boundaries and consistent moderation.
Vtubers can establish clear and firm boundaries that can better protect them and their fans. They can make a clear distinction between their streaming persona and their personal lives, and they can also make full use of the moderation tools that most streaming and social platforms have available to cut off fans who are displaying concerning behaviors.
Projekt Melody
These aren’t perfect solutions, but consistently applied, they can go a long way to ensuring a safer environment for all. And while it may feel counterintuitive to some creators to cut off or block their most fervent fans even in the face of problematic behavior, it’s ultimately for the best for all parties. Leaning into parasocial relationships may be lucrative in the short-term, but it’s likely to create problems in the longer-term.
While problematic relationships are a significant issue in the vtubing industry, they don’t only exist for vtubers. Traditional streamers have also dealt with their fair share of harassment, and even extreme cases that involve stalking. Streaming overall is an intimate medium, and streamers strive to connect with their viewers to create new fans. This can give some of those viewers the wrong idea, creating a problem that is likely to remain difficult to avoid.
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