What is a vtuber? The streaming phenomenon explained

Becoming a vtuber is one of the newest ways to become a content creator online, but what are they?

Vtubers have been on the internet for far longer than some may think. Japanese companies in the 2010s used 3D avatars of anime characters to engage with viewers. One of the earliest instances of an anime avatar used as a persona on YouTube was from Ami Yamato, a Japanese vlogger living in the UK. However, the term virtual YouTuber wouldn’t be coined until Kizuna Ai’s debut in 2016. Since then, content creators from around the world have hopped on the vtuber train.

They run the gamut from independent creators in America to professionally hired idols in Japan. Yet even now, some people still don’t know what a vtuber is.

What is a vtuber?

A vtuber, shorthand for virtual YouTuber, is a type of online content creator who uses a digital avatar with a fictional persona.

As previously mentioned, Kizuna Ai coined the term in 2016, when she called herself a virtual YouTuber, but the term expanded to creators outside of YouTube. Before the term was coined, most content creators with virtual avatars had no unified term to describe themselves. Ironmouse, one of the most popular female streamers on Twitch, didn’t consider herself a vtuber until she noticed the term gaining traction. Of course, the term retroactively meant the Annoying Orange is technically a vtuber. After all, Dane “DaneBoe” Boedigheimer used the character as an avatar while playing video games in the 2010s.

Gura Sings “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” at Dodger Stadium (Hololive)

While most vtubers are independent, many aspiring creators hope to apply to bigger organizations such as Hololive, Nijisanji, and Vshoujo. The companies semi-regularly call for applications from the community, looking for the next big thing. Some cynical critics often insult vtubers, saying most of them are “probably guys.” Evidence to the contrary has proven those claims untrue multiple times over. The Japanese idol agency Hololive primarily recruits women from a variety of entertainment backgrounds, and curious viewers can easily find the past lives of some of these talents.

While still a relatively young industry, vtubers have undeniably become a part of modern pop culture. Some have interviewed Hollywood stars, while others show up on billboards at Times Square and collaborate with massive baseball stadiums. Far from a fad, vtubers are here to stay for a long while.

Curious about the origins of vtubers? Discover who was the first vtuber and the fascinating history behind this phenomenon.