The popular Spice and Wolf anime character Holo will make her VTuber debut on April 3, 2024, on the TOHO Animation Channel (YouTube) and the Spice and
From the article:
The popular Spice and Wolf anime character Holo will make her VTuber debut on April 3, 2024, on the TOHO Animation Channel (YouTube) and the Spice and Wolf anime official TikTok.
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I couldn't figure out whether the anime VA will also be doing the VTuber duties, or if they have somebody else performing as VTuber Holo. Finally, here is the preview image for her avatar:
This is probably not a great idea. I mean, I do like the idea of it, but I think its only good as an idea. Any kind if execution on this will not really feel proper for this kind of an IP, IMO.
That entirely depends on the seiyuu. I would, for example, trust someone like Takahashi Rie to properly represent their character (or at least decline to do it if she didn't think she could).
Honestly if the actor/actress has good improv skills, I say go for it
Regardless of the actor, the Spice & Wolf IP doesn't naturally lend itself to having a crossover marketing event as a VTuber, as compared to something like Serial Experiments Lain.
It would be like having a Twitch account for Aragorn as a marketing stunt for The Lord of the Rings. It would be funny or whatever, but it would not feel appropriate to the property like a Twitch avcount for Neo from the Matrix would feel appropriate to that property.
Yeah, I wasn't sure what to make of this tbh. I don't really follow the VTuber scene at all, but it is hard to deny its growing influence within the Japanese media landscape, including whole anime based off of VTubing (is that a word?).
I find it's a pretty healthy development in what is basically a branch of the idol industry.
It has enabled indies, and the people doing it have a way better chance at maintaining a healthy work/life balance than idols of old. They can literally "unplug" and live a personal life that they can make as separate or involved as they like.
There's no bullshit about physical appearances like fashion, weight watching, age...
And it's been a delight to see the biggest player, hololive, actually allowing talent to take care of themselves when push come to shove, rather than going through humans like they're some kind of consumable.
But this, taking an IP with established fictional characters, and having them become vtubers? This feels weird.
I'm not sure what it adds? People stick with vtubers because as "unreal" as they are, we genuinely like the people behind the avatars.
Yes, it's acting and performing, but also not. I'm not sure how "hello I'm a character from that franchise you like" would work.
As a big fan of Holo, I'm kinda worried, and annoyed that they'd risk it, that this will affect the character. I don't want to see a fantasy goddess try and fit into the real world, and I'm a little scared of what the real world might turn her into.
I actually thought about crossposting this to a vtuber community, but the only one I know is [email protected] and this doesn't really have a video component, more news.