Tokyo-based Cover has brought its VTubing (virtual YouTubers) phenomenon to US audiences, hosting a solo concert for its 3D avatar, Mori Calliope, at the Hollywood Palladium, with 4k attendance.
Calliope answered questions via her alter ego and says the popularity of anime has helped make VTubing mainstream in Japan, and she sees this spreading to Korea, Southeast Asia and Indonesia.
Cover CEO Motoaki Tanigo says there will be more collaboration with brands and media such as it has done with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Twitch.
Calliope believes that VTubing is a forerunner of the concept of the metaverse, where people can show their personalities behind a mask of anonymity.
Calliope is one of the first English-speaking artists to become a VTuber and has been doing so for five years, she says the support wasn’t 100% initially.
There are hopes that as Gen Z supports VTubing it will become more accepted and popular in the future.
As yet there are no AI performers, but Tanigo says this will likely change in the future.