I have been out of theVTuberloop for some time. Since the debut ofHololive Englishhalf a decade ago - which introduced characters like Gawr Gura, Takanaki Kiara, Mori, Calliope, Amelia Watson, and a handful of others - the idea of presenting yourself as a virtual character online to play games, have fun, and form a community has become commonplace.
VTubing was once a novelty, and during the early days of the pandemic I remember tuning into a cute little shark girl on YouTube as she played rhythm games and talked with fans, or her ‘Chumbuds’ as they would come to be called. This first generation of Hololive was exciting, pointing towards a future for virtual idols in the online space capable of attracting millions of viewers and creating a wider media phenomenon defined by music, merch, meet-ups, and so much more.
Remember That Behind Gawr Gura Exists A Real Person
Since that time, more and more characters have been introduced under Hololive’s umbrella, while rival agencies and independent creators have taken ample inspiration from the VTuber model to make their own characters and universes. It’s similar to how human streamers are so appealing to the modern generation, and how sometimes it is more fun to watch another person play a game and interact with their community, because it makes you feel like you’re a part of something. But nothing can last forever, as we’ve seen this week with the news that Gawr Gura will officially be graduating from Hololive.
I’m not going to pretend I’m up-to-date with Hololive, because one glance at theroster pagereveals a number of names and characters I’ve never seen before in my life. I tapped out as the first generation was settling into a regular rhythm, but their incredible success meant that it was only a matter of time until Hololive introduced more faces to capitalise on the trend. It saw an entire universe with fanart, shipping, stories, and extracurricular material that people created like these were characters from a popular anime, not streamers playing characters.
Real life identities are kept a secret, while what exactly Hololive members can say, do, play, or promote is dictated by the parent company in spite of the followings they accrue. It feeds into the corporate systems that underpin them, and as creatives themselves, that cannot be an easy ecosystem to operate within.
Gawr Gura and her fellow VTubers who walked away in recent years might feel the same, or, like so many jobs, it was just time to walk away and do something else with her life. She is audibly emotional while giving fans the news, and is going to hold an official graduation stream later this month, which will be a victory lap of all the things she’s done over the past five years. Even as a lapsed fan, I’ll miss her presence.
Hololive Won’t Be The Same Without Gawr Gura
Earlier this week,Gawr Gura uploaded a brief video to her YouTube channelconfirming that she will be graduating - a common term for an idol leaving a company and/or group - on May 1, citing disagreements with management and company direction as her reason for leaving.
Perhaps she wasn’t happy about the direction her character was potentially heading in, what creative plans were put in place for livestreams and content, or she had enough of the grind. Gawr Gura has taken extended hiatuses over the years for illness and personal struggles, so fans are used to seeing her disappear for months at a time, but supported her regardless as it was for the betterment of the real person behind the character. They weren’t just cheering for a cute anime shark girl, but the voice, personality, and presence they had come to know. It’s parasocial to a degree, yet it’s no different from following a YouTuber or a football team.
Amelia Watson, another original Hololive English member, is also set to leave later this year,but will continue to serve the company in some form of affiliate capacity.
Despite creative disagreements, Gura said in her announcement video she remains optimistic about the future and grateful for all the opportunities Hololive has given her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she outgrew its corporate direction and wasn’t willing to put herself out there to such an extent when what she rather enjoys is streaming to fans from a more intimate and less profit-driven perspective. I have to imagine the character belongs to Hololive though, so whatever the person behind the character does next, it will be entirely new.
VTubing once felt like a cute little niche, an odd extension of Hatsune Miku bleeding into the world of online streaming that has since become a media phenomenon all its own. None of it would have been impossible without the original Hololive English or torchbearers like Gawr Gura, and to see them leave this world behind as it lives on without them is bittersweet.
