Two-Hit Combos: hololive EN 4th Concert “Serendipity”

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For the past four years, I had been lucky enough to attend the first three hololive English concerts in person. This year, things did not pan out so favorably. Between the relatively late announcement and my having already gone out to California in February for Drawn to Dawn, it was inevitable that Serendipity would end up being an online experience for me. 

hololive English 4th Concert Serendipity took place on July 3 and 4 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. It was the second full EN Concert held in LA, after the inaugural Connect the World back in 2022. This year’s special focus was on duos, with some being established fan favorites, others relatively new, and one inevitable trio (FUWAMOCO + Raora Panthera). To say that this was shipper fuel would be an understatement, but even setting that aside, it was still an opportunity to see some fun combinations mix things up a little. I for one was excited to finally see BaeRyS on stage together.

A part of me regrets not being able to witness those moments in person, but I’m also well aware that there are a lot of benefits to watching the stream, not least of which is the immersiveness. hololive has done a lot to improve the theater experience, but the flat screen can still compromise some viewing angles, and it can be hard to concentrate on the performances with everyone around cheering. Watching online is less a consolation and more an alternative, and I appreciate that. 

Performances

I am not trying to sound like a cheerleader when I say that Serendipity was just packed with fantastic and memorable performances, whether it was the solos, the duets, or the bigger group numbers. Some went all out with recent originals, others paid beautiful homage to other members of hololive, and there was just a general sense that everyone had some real experience under their belts at this point and were ready to show how much they’ve improved.

Because there are so many talents involved, I try to think of the best way to discuss the concert within a reasonable length of space. To that end, I think focusing on the signature pairs makes sense.

BaeRyS

Hakos Baelz and IRyS were each in the free sections on separate days, and individually showed why they’re among the premier performers of hololive. “Snake Eyes” can truly be described as Bae’s biggest hit ever, and I found myself desperate to try to not miss a single moment of her exciting and challenging choreography while also admiring the increasing comfort with which she sings. IRyS’s “Be My Flame” saw her continue her Eurobeat journey, and it conveyed to me both her complete embrace of the genre and the way her deceptively powerful voice suits it so well.

Individually, the two are great. Together, they were one of the top acts across both days. I know they’re historically one of the most popular ships, but for me it goes beyond simply pretending that they’re in love or whatever. They have such a wonderful dynamic, and their strengths as performers have always complemented each other beautifully. Even their MC section came across as the unvarnished bantering of two close friends, the kind who finish the other’s sentences half the time, and then get it wildly wrong the other half.

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Since their very first interactions, Cecilia Immergreen and Gigi Murin have been one of the best combos in hololive. Their chemistry comes from how they build on each other’s improvisational energy while also shoring up the other’s weak points, and this applies even to their abilities as idols. “CCGG Madness” is their first original song together, and its lyrics describe the way their joint efforts can quickly veer off whatever bare tracks they might have laid down. Cece also has a very controlled voice and a ladylike elegance to her movements, while the energetic and nimble Gigi has a voice that always feels like it’s on the edge of breaking but somehow never falls apart.

Gigi’s choice for her solo song, an original called “Enough,” spoke to the remarkable depth in her heart and mind that she often tries to hide by playing the buffoon. It was one of the few performances that utilized a projection of background dancers, and was the most creative among them by displaying the “outward” facade that masks her doubts. Cece meanwhile covered a song from hololive’s Nakiri Ayame, incorporating both a folding fan and her signature violin for a classy and elegant experience.

Bloodraven

Of all the pairings in hololive, none have been as embraced on most fronts as that of Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame and Nerissa Ravencroft. It’s baked into their starcrossed VTuber lore as starcrossed rivals and songstresses, there’s always a steady stream of Bloodraven fanart, and the ladies themselves two love to play into it, whether it’s in audio dramas, streams, or other media. That was the case here too, as they did a shared MC with a Liz on bended knee at the start, a couple near kisses, and even a flustered exclamation of “I LOVE YOU!!” from Nerissa that felt like it came right from the depths of her soul. While their song of choice together wasn’t quite romantic, the classic “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” was fantastic coming from them. They just worked very well together while sporting similarly theatrical yet tonally different singing styles. It’s also fitting that their first cover together was also from a trippy anime of the 90s, Utena.

In terms of solos, Nerissa went with the English version of her original “Oyome Holic,” as opposed to the Japanese one she performed at 7th fes. The song was intentionally designed to have official lyrics in both languages, and I’m impressed that it manages to convey such a similar feel across both. Liz came in with a direct strike on my heartstrings by actually covering “ChikuTaku.” Amelia Watson is my favorite from Myth, and I was overjoyed to see members still celebrating her legacy. It was also cool to see a vocal powerhouse like Liz tackle a song that was made for a more limited range like Ame’s, and give it her own spin.

Rocku Wawa

Aside from a mutual love of the 6-7 meme, I see Koseki Bijou and Takanashi Kiara as being quite different from each other. Biboo first made a splash in hololive thanks to her gaming skills, but has really dedicated herself to grinding her singing and dancing. Her voice has become noticeably fuller and richer, whether she’s singing Hoshimachi Suisei’s “Ghost” or her parts in the Advent song “Rebellion.” Wawa, on the other hand, made her idol qualities known well before she ever got a 3D model to show them in full, and has grown only more comfortable and confident over time with her streaming and yapping while also pushing her singing and dancing to the next level. You could see the fruits of those efforts in her performance of “Martyr.”

I get the impression that both Biboo and Wawa have strove to become complete packages in VTubing, or at least develop skills they didn’t have before. Their performance of “Tententengokujigokugoku” is where they met in the middle, and their efforts resulted in something where both stand out while not necessarily outshining the other.

BFF

As the only designated Serendipity trio, BFF (Beeg, Fluffy, & Fuzzy) inherently brought a different experience. Their choice of song, “Inu Neko Seishun Massakari” by Wasuta, was clearly picked because of the matching dog and cat motif, but Raora Panthera, Fuwawa, and Mococo are all powerful otaku, albeit with different influences and nerd origins. The conventional poppy idol feel of the song was a nice way to sync up the bouncy energy they all possess.

FuwaMoco always perform at least twice together at every event, which gives them a bit more freedom. Here, between their tried-and-true introductory song “Born to be ‘BAU’dol” and their more recent and harder-sounding “Demon’s Residence,” they got to show off their range and versatility. Raora went with her second original, “Draw,” and gave a far different impression from her first (“Gacha Gacha Adventure”). The lyrics reference the way that making art has enriched her life, making for an emotional song that was even more touching on stage than in the official release.

Last Writes

Cool ladies and dorks are in no short supply in hololive, but two of the simultaneously coolest and dorkiest are Calli and Shiori. Both individually and collectively, they brought some of the most spirited performances of the concert, notably their unit cover of Man on a Mission’s “When My Devil Rises” from Jujutsu Kaisen. The song fit their respective images, and they maintained the intensity needed to make it work. Their closing transition, where they both ran past each other while disappearing, was a first for 3D live performances in the company. 

Similar to Liz, Shiori also sang something from one of my favorite hololive talents: “Red Heart.” Haachama has had a difficult year, and while I don’t know if Shiori was sending a message specifically to the Worldwide Traveling (née Strongest) Idol, I still feel blessed to have witnessed two faves get their songs. Calli, who probably has the largest discography in all of EN, performed a medley that gave a taste of how extensive her ourney has been and how much she’s come into her own as a musician and songwriter.

I also think it’s important to mention Shiori’s MC sections, which were filled with ribald shenanigans. She seems to be collecting more and more kisses from her peers, and while she claims she’s going to stop, I feel like we might get something even more eye-popping in the future.

Octo Clock

Ninomae Ina’nis and Ouro Kronii are both members who did not specialize in singing but have put in the work to create a surprising amount of music during their time in hololive. Their choices thus reflected their respective journeys. Ina, coming hot off “Drawn to Dawn” challenged herself with a song from one of the company’s best former vocalists in Amane Kanata. Kronii performed “Way 2 U,” the main single from her EP, a pop song showing gratitude for her fans with a notable amount of unguarded sincerity.

Despite not being a “singer” duo like some others, their performance was one of the most memorable of the weekend: a cover of “Bad Apple.” The callback to a certain period of weeb culture, as well as the Touhou fandom that feels in many ways like a progenitor of VTubers. Truly they know ball.

Guests and Group Songs

The solos and units were not the only performances at Serendipity. 

Four guests from outside of EN made appearances: Ookami Mio and Tsunomaki Watame from hololive Japan, as well as Vestia Zeta and Kobo Kanaeru from hololive Indonesia. All of them are well known for being excellent performers, and it was great seeing them included in group numbers for both their own songs as well as others. Zeta is the standout to me because I feel like she’s criminally underrated, and seeing her in both “Make It Break it” and “Break It Down” (naming coincidence?) really brought home how skilled she is on stage.

We also saw all four EN generations do current full-gen performances. Myth did a medley of some group songs (included a favorite of mine, “The Show Goes On!”), Promise had their own medley featuring original individual songs they sang as one, and both Advent and Serendipity sang group originals. The latter two also made a deep impression at the start of Day 2 by having an Advent performance of “Rebellion” immediately followed by Justice on “Above Below.” It was functionally just two songs done back to back, but the transition was so smooth and surprising that just watching that part alone is weirdly satisfying. 

It’s also where, thanks to having so many prior performances of both songs, you can really hear the work all the girls have put into their singing: Biboo and CC especially brought new fire to their voices, while Shiori’s voice sounded more comfortable (and situation generally in the middle) compared to previous performances.

A few other interesting combos and some full-EN performances to close things rounded things out. All three ENigmatic Recollection songs were great, whether it was a new and mellower rendition of “Start Again,” an opportunity to bask in the classiness of “MOSNTER,” or a chance to see some really nice choreography thanks to “Freaky Deaky Love.” The concert’s namesake song is also impressive for the way it makes singing the word “serendipity” sound a lot less awkward than expected.

Miscellaneous Notes

Watching online and watching in person are significantly different experiences, and a big part of that is what you do (and don’t) get to see. At a live performance, the eyes are allowed to wander and observe things that aren’t necessarily the thing meant to be focused on. It’s a double-edged sword, as it then creates more missed opportunities that a dedicated camera can focus on. However, there are plenty of instances, including at Serendipity, where the camera actually missed something vital. 

One change I saw to the online experience was the greater use of wide-angle POVs that can capture the entirety of a group performance without pulling the camera all the way back, though at the expense of some visual distortion. There are many examples I could find where having the camera on one person misses the cool moments of another, and this solves the issue in a fairly satisfying manner. It’s one of my favorite developments for hololive concerts.

Another thing I have to give kudos about is the graphics. Unlike all past concerts (including JP and ID), the girls popped on stage with their name logos appearing first, as opposed to a generic symbol or flash of light. This meant that you could easily identify who was coming next and figure out what you wanted to do in response to that information. Similarly, the special videos showing off the next guest performer or Serendipity duo were all really great for building hype and anticipation. I really hope they keep this idea going forward.

Final Thoughts

I said this last year too, but I really wouldn’t mind the concert being somewhere besides LA and NYC, if only to give more fans the opportunity to experience these without costing them an arm and a leg. 

Despite the odd timing of the concert and my inability to attend in person (as well as my struggle to stay awake during an eventful July 4 weekend), I consider Serendipity to be a real success in terms of performance and presentation. The pairings that made up this year’s “gimmick” worked in terms of both celebration and experimentation, and whenever the blu-ray for this comes out, I predict I will be watching certain performances over and over again. Also, a part of me felt that if I actually went this year, it would make me feel compelled to attend every concert in person from this point forward. My wallet thanks me, even if my FOMO does not.

The free sections are available for everyone to watch, and the paid VODs are still available for about another week. I, for one, think it’s worthwhile.

Phew, the Witch Hat Atelier Anime Turned Out Amazing

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One of my most anticipated anime adaptations of the past few years was Witch Hat Atelier. The manga is, without exaggeration, one of the greatest masterpieces of comics and fiction in general for how wonderfully it weaves together great characters, a fascinating world, and a powerful story that both excites readers and challenges us to think about difficult philosophical and political questions.

But while production on an anime was officially confirmed back in April 2022, it only came out in April 2026 after multiple delays—including one that was declared to be “to present the charm of the project at an even higher quality.” That’s literally four years for this thing to get out in the world, and I would expect people to ask, “Does it even live up to the hype after so long?”

The answer is a resounding “hell yes.” If you haven’t ever read the manga, this is a fantastic opportunity to get into one of the best works of fiction you’ll ever see. And if you have read the original manga by Shirahama Kamome, this anime does such a fantastic job of bringing it to the screen that you will likely want to see how the characters and the world move, breathe, and live. Also, while it’s more or less a direct adaptation, it does add a few things here and there that help it work better in animation.

Over the decades, there have been so many anime based on gorgeously drawn manga that have utterly failed to capture what makes their art so exquisite, and there was always a fear in me that Witch Hat Atelier would suffer the same fate. Seeing it all in motion lifted a weight off my heart, and renewed some of my faith in the industry. I know not every manga will be this fortunate, but I’m glad we have such a great example of when things go right. 

Juufuutei Raiden Has a Thunderbolt Fantasy Collab?!

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Juufuutei Raden watching a video of herself, which has an elaborate puppet version of her on screen.

I never expected a crossover between the Taiwan-Japan puppet series Thunderbolt Fantasy and arts and culture VTuber Juufuutei Raden of hololive, but it seems the world favors me specifically. 

Raden recently showed on stream a video of her trip to Taiwan and a visit to Pili: the studio behind Thunderbolt Fantasy with a long history of doing elaborate, action-packed puppet shows for TV and film. It’s a perfect fit for Raden, who not only has degrees in art and art history, but whose enthusiasm for the topics has helped drive traffic to galleries, and is even currently doing collaborations with museums around the world. They even made a special Raden puppet, based on the yandere princess Cháo Fěng.

I actually interviewed Pili last year at Anime Central, where they screened the finale of Thunderbolt Fantasy. (You’ll even see some of the same faces that appear in Raden’s video!) I got a lot of insight into their thought process and methods, but this video tour along with Raden’s own commentary provides some awesome new details that help give me an even better understanding. For example, there’s a lot of footage about puppet construction, including how they paint the faces and how they construct the weapons from acrylic. I didn’t know they use 3D printers to make the models either!

The video is only in Japanese, so unfortunately, not everyone is going to be able to understand what’s being said. However, there are a lot of visual details that I think it’s still a learning experience worth watching.

As part of this collab, the Raden puppet will be on display in Yurakucho, Tokyo July 25–August 9, where they’ll be selling limited edition merch! Right now, it looks like the only way to get anything, and I won’t lie when I say I’m really tempted to try, despite tariffs and all the other headaches right now. An exhibition will also follow in Taipei from September 12–October 12.

She also did a watchalong of the first season!

Incidentally, one of Pili’s other works was recently released officially in English on blu-ray: Legend of the Sacred Stone. I hope this opens up a path for a physical release of Thunderbolt Fantasy too, and the long-shot prospect of getting to see the Raden puppet in person as well.

Independence Concert Hall: Found Futures and Doki Doki Rewind Time

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The dream of the 3D concert is a unique aspect of VTuber culture, and I’m glad that there exist organizations that help make the goal feasible for creators who aren’t part of big companies. One such group is Fantastic Reality, and this past July 4 weekend, they helped produce two in-person concerts: Found Futures and Doki Doki Rewind Time. 

Found Futures

Taking place on July 2, Found Futures was an eclectic mix of indies who ranged from decently well known to top names in the scene, with a welcome diversity of music genres. There was even a bit of opera!

Among the participants were former members of the now-defunct Vshojo: kson, Henya, Matara Kan, and Zentreya. All of them might be better known for their charming banter than their singing ability but clearly strived to put on a good show (with the notable exception of Zentreya, who uses text-to-speech and doesn’t really sing, per se). Matara was also joined for one song by Densetsu.exe (albeit not using their main 3D models).

LilyPichu (whose fame predates VTubing by a number of years), performed three original songs with her signature gentle voice and a quiet confidence that elevated both her and the other talents. I recall first learning about her as an amateur voice actor gaining notoriety, and now she’s a veteran of her space! What a world we live in.

But personally speaking, the most notable acts of the night were Emiliya Fell (along with her half-IRL, half-VTuber band Virtual Signal) and Kou Mariya. Emiliya is one of the organizers of Fantastic Reality, and I admire the initiative she has taken to create this platform. I also have to shout out her song choice of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” from Tears for Fears, because there’s a tendency in VTubing for covers and karaoke choices to be post-2000s fare or stuff that has gotten popular online in recent years.

As for Mariya, she is literally another identity of Emiliya Fell—a fact she herself revealed last year, and I am inclined to believe was referenced when Emiliya sang a refrain of “Maaariya” in one of her songs. She had previously talked about having issues with retaining the rights to Mariya after V4Mirai, but things have since been resolved, and now she is simultaneously both personas. In other words, in another parallel with the world of pro wrestling, VTubing now has its own version of the time Mankind, Cactus Jack, and Dude Love all fought in the same Royal Rumble.

Doki Doki Rewind Time

In contrast to Found Futures, Doki Doki Rewind Time had a much clearer identity upfront: a “retro music” concert helmed by the two Dokis, Dokibird and Chibidoki, the former of whom was also celebrating her birthday. The two marquee names are not exactly renowned for their singing skills, so the concert was mostly about good vibes with cool people and just enjoying these “older” sounds. 

The fact that songs I perceive as relatively new were part of a nostalgic throwback did make me feel quite old: “Sk8r Boy,” “Pen Pineapple Apple Pen,” “A Thousand Miles,” “Caramell Dansen,” etc. Despite my now acute awareness of the passage of time, I can forgive it for being a great experience overall.

Among the guests were some of the biggest Indie names, many of whom had legacies that went well past their current identities. If I were to look at things objectively, the most significant appearance was that of Shachi: an artist and singer who had never been featured in a live concert as we currently know her. 

While technically not a VTuber, she was at least given a visual presence in the form of a punk-rock orca with a spiked collar. Shachi sang two duets with Dokibird, with her vocals on “Thnks fr th Mmrs” being especially moving to listen to. She and Dokibird have both talked about being long-time friends, and I think it’s wonderful that they finally got to perform together.

If we’re going by my personal biases, however, I was most excited to see Doki and Dooby perform together! While they had already been on stage together at Fantome Thief’s Revenge, this felt extra special as a duet. Their cover of “99 Red Balloons” was a nice choice, and fit their voices well. 

When the concert reached its encore, Doki appeared on stage with Dooby, Shachi, and the rest of the Sloppy Sisters (Mint Fantôme, Snuffy, Limealicious). Seeing all of them in one place felt special in a way that’s hard to fully describe, but it felt like both a reunion and the sign of a newer age. I only wish that Nimi Nightmare, who was part of the pre-show, could have joined them here as well.   

Miscellaneous

What follows are some other thoughts and observations:

Apparently, there was a pre-show for Found Futures that wasn’t streamed. As a fan of Michi Mochievee, I wish I could have seen it.

I don’t know if something happened, but the models seemed to be missing some of the typical shading/rendering one usually sees from these models, and that’s something I’ve only ever seen happen at hololive Gen 5’s Twinkle 4 You concert a few years back. The one who seemed to end up looking best under these circumstances was Dooby, and I have to wonder if she just took a different approach compared to everyone else when designing her 3D model.

The mix of live and virtual for the band accompaniment was cool to behold, and it gave a lot of positive energy to both concerts. I already knew about Starlight Daryl from her work composing songs, but to hear her shred on the guitar was really awesome too. I heard she had some serious health scares not long after, so I wish her well in healing as well as continuing to bridge this gap between 2D and 3D.

See You Again

Both concerts are still up until this Friday, so anyone interested has a couple more days to check them out.

Also, a lot of the talents in the Fantastic Reality concerts are set to be part of a number of upcoming concerts, including Skyline Serenade in August in New York City. I look forward to what they have in store.

Pain and Pleasure: The Phase Con Concerts

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I don’t always know what to make of Phase Connect. It has a (not entirely unearned) reputation for being unhinged both in terms of its talents and its audience, yet it appears to be the most stable and enduring of all North America–based VTuber companies. I think Phase’s aura may be one that straddles the line between underdog success story and big player, and each of the girls conveys this in a different way that appeals to their viewers. And over the past five years, I’ve become a fan of quite a few of them myself, charmed by each in different ways.

One gateway has actually been their 3D concert; I attended one at Anime NYC 2024, and it was a nice (if at times confusing) introduction to all the performers. So while I didn’t attend the inaugural Phase Con, I did buy streaming tickets for all three of its concerts: Grand Passage, Fifth Orbit (a Gen-1 5th anniversary celebration), and Bon Voyage. Notably, these concerts featured the 3D debuts of Phase Connect’s first-generation Japanese members and the entirety of its second generation. 

First things first, I have a couple small complaints to get out of the way. First, Kaneko Lumi’s solo performance was cut from the stream, presumably because of rights/permissions issues. Given that she’s the best singer among Invaders Wish, I wish I could have seen it! Second, I wish there was a package deal for the concerts so I didn’t have to pay three separate processing fees. Otherwise, the tickets were pretty affordable overall, and I was glad to support the talents overall.

Those inconveniences aside, I enjoyed the concerts. There’s a nice balance where it feels polished without being too perfect, and I think it matches well with the general Phase Connect vibe. I also liked the way each girl played to their fanbase while also being accessible to curious newcomers. As with so many VTubers, there was a spectrum, from dedicated performers to those who strived to live up to the spotlight despite it being unfamiliar territory. 

Fujikura Uruka, for example, is one of the music-specialized heavy hitters in Phase. Whether it was singing “Mephisto” from Oshi no Ko solo or delivering a compelling cover of “Jane Doe” from Chainsaw Man with Lumi and Amanogawa Shiina, Uruka’s low vocals are a joy to listen to. But while her voice was an obvious strong suit, I also got a kick out of the way she moves on stage. Uruka went from big swinging limbs and bouncy steps to smooth body rolls, and looked good doing it all.

Then there’s Dizzy Dokuro. I truly mean this with no ill intent, but I am a fan of how hard she tries to make up for her lack of vocal ability with effort and planning, despite the emotional and physical toll she inflicts on herself. “The Real Folk Blues” from Cowboy Bebop was definitely an unexpected choice, and her sultry moves matched the tone of the song. Her duet on “Brave Heart” from Digimon Adventure has also put Chisaka Airi on my radar, and I definitely would enjoy seeing them together again. 

Unlike Uruka and Dizzy, I only got into Amanogawa Shiina relatively recently. My gateway was actually her banana outfit; between this and the hot dog Shiori Novella from hololive, and I might be a sucker for silly costumes. With Shiina’s performances, I felt like this was a girl who can really dazzle an audience both on stage and on stream. The entirety of Phase Origins JP (Nasa, Michiru, and Iori) also ended up catching my attention. My exposure to them before this was fairly sparse, but I like their designs overall and thought their performances were really cute. 

As an aside, one thing I find interesting is that someone’s first 3D model doesn’t have to be their first design. This was the case with Dizzy and her nurse uniform, but Shiina was also wearing a later outfit as well.

I think the most iconic moment of all was the first song for the Bon Voyage concert:a group performance of “Pippa the Ripper,” originally (and reluctantly) by Pipkin Pippa. A lot of VTubers eventually become embarrassed about their early songs and creative output, but unlike, say Calliope Mori and the way people cover it out of a pure sense of admiration, things are a little more complicated in this case. It simultaneously acts as a badge of shame for Pippa, a fan-favorite tune, an opportunity to troll Pippa, and an anthem of sorts for Phase as a whole. Starting off with just Uruka and Lumi, more and more of the talents kept joining in as Pippa’s voice could be heard loudly protesting until she ended up on screen and heavily conflicted and ready to fight everyone. The whole thing was really Phase Connect in a nutshell.

I don’t know if I’ll ever attend Phase Con itself, or what the future holds for them. Nevertheless, it’s been a blast seeing each person getting their 3D and then shining on stage. And for those who still want to watch, the concerts are still available to view on SPWN for a couple more days.

Thoughts on mekPark, the Newest hololive Experiment

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As one of the biggest names in VTubing, hololive has done a great deal of growing and expansion in recent years, and part of that process has involved experimentation. Some things have worked out after some bumps (such as the musical performance–focused DEV_IS branch), while others have been canceled or downsized for better (the holoEarth metaverse) or worse (Holostars). One of the latest projects goes in a new direction: a kind of preliminary branch called mekPark, where the talents are not technically part of hololive proper but have a visible and public path to there. 

Recently, the two inaugural groups announced for mekPark back in May—Unit A (aka ACHRORA) and the still unnamed Unit B—finally all debuted. Given that, I wanted to give my thoughts on the endeavor thus far. 

The Perils of Being at the Top

The size and fame of current-day hololive can be a double-edged sword. As with so many forms of entertainment, there is something charming and special when the stakes are lower, things are less polished, and there’s fewer expectations overall. A lot of moments become beloved memories because things aren’t perfect, and what’s missing in “refinement” is made up for in entertainers and audiences willing to bridge that gap and give some grace. I will sometimes watch the first and second hololive fes concerts, and they feel like they come from an entirely different era in a good way. 

I think there’s a magic in such times that can be hard to re-capture once something becomes too big and professional, and some talents even try to fight against this. Gawr Gura was especially good at maintaining that amateur feel, and Gigi Murin revels in purposely allowing “scuff” into her streams as opportunities for laughs.

Returning to Basics

I find mekPark to be an attempt to re-create the relatively humbler roots of hololive and VTubers, albeit in a way that’s relatively safe for its company, Cover Corp. None of the girls involved have full models, which can feel unfair to them, but it also means that they can’t rely too heavily on the magic of more thoroughly rigged and animated VTuber models. Essentially, mekPark seems to be a relatively low-risk space to try new ideas and technologies, while also a way to put the focus on the talents’ personal qualities. In many ways, it reminds me of the developmental programs found in pro wrestling, whether it’s the Young Lions of New Japan Pro-Wrestling or WWE NXT. They’re given fewer resources and are allowed to do less, but they ideally learn the ropes. 

Nijisanji has something similar called the Virtual Talent Academy, but one key difference seems to be that mekPark places a far greater focus on group cohesion. ACHRORA and Unit B are explicitly presented as small teams, with one channel shared by the same members of a unit, and I suspect this is because hololive has noticed how much they benefit from making sure genmates have rapport and that they feel they’re in this together. Both Advent and Justice from the English branch have mentioned actually spending time together in real life (including in Japan!) prior to their debuts.

The mekPark Girls

As for the mekPark units themselves, there’s a very clear difference in philosophy behind each one. Unit B (which actually debuted first) is made up entirely of people who have backgrounds in music and performance, but very little in streaming. Neon is a singer with a personality that’s extroverted in a way that extends to her offline life (sort of like Matara Kan). Lyra is a singer-songwriter with a passion for composing. Mira is classically trained in piano, and has been playing since she was very little on account of her parents both being pianists too. 

In contrast, the ACHRORA girls clearly have experience as streamers because they convey a sense of ease that’s almost impossible to have if you’ve never done it before. Sayana has a unique voice that comes across as honed without being forced. Rirara banters with chat and her fellow unit members very smoothly. Hinami’s gentle voice (reminiscent of voice actor Hayami Saori), silly sense of humor, and debut preparation have all stood out.

Essentially, Unit B and ACHRORA represent the two paths that hololive talents tend towards, where you’re basically either a musical performer who streams sometimes (e.g. Hoshimachi Suisei) or you’re a steamer who does musical performance on the side (e.g. Inugami Korone). Both are valid paths, but in the context of mekPark, it’s going to be interesting to see how the two sides develop in comparison to each other. A music-forward approach has greater potential to appeal across language barriers, but we’ve also seen that making a human connection through activities like chatting and gaming can be crucial for getting more people to tune into you in the first place, like with AZKi and GeoGeussr. At the same time, having a less “broadcast-ready” voice can come across as more natural.

Closing Thoughts

As mekPark continues to move forward, a couple questions come to mind. First, can something as big as hololive really evoke that smaller feel it seems to be aiming for? Second, if one or more talents are faltering and floundering in some way, what will happen, especially if cutting them might be the best solution? While I really believe all six girls (and presumably their less visible managers) are doing great so far, I have to wonder about bad or awkward scenarios.

For now, I’m still optimistic, and I hope that remains the case.

A Spirit for Revenge, the Sculpted Physique of a Pollo: Rooster Fighter

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Rooster Fighter is an anime and manga whose title is both self-explanatory and woefully inadequate for capturing its full scope. The rooster indeed fights, but he also does so much more.

Cut from the same cloth as classic manly action series like Fist of the North Star and Golgo 13, the simple twist of Rooster Fighter is that its gruff and grizzled hero is the literal cock of the walk. Keiji is a chicken seemingly without peer, and the very fact of his existence could be enough to carry a comedy series. However, as tongue-in-cheek as it can be, Rooster Fighter plays itself mostly straight, and the result is a surprisingly good overarching story that continuously escalates and delivers shock and awe in the best ways. 

My initial impression just from promotional material was that this chicken is much larger than normal, a la Chicken Boo. I was wrong; he’s a normal-sized bird. So what does this small Rooster Fighter fight? Why, giant house-sized Demons of course. How does he fight them? With talons, but also a super cock-a-doodle-doo beam (or kokkekoko in Japanese). Why is he fighting Demons? Because one of them kidnapped his little sister. Of course.

The series is somehow able to hit every trope you can think of while also feeling oddly fresh and exciting. For example, Keiji slowly gathers a crew (whether he wants to or not), and they pretty much slot in perfectly with Kenshiro’s group. You have the kid sidekick, the girl who’s more about gadgets and intelligence, and so on…yet while they certainly give Keiji the biggest spotlight, the rest of the team is shown accomplishing feats and making up for his oversights and shortcomings. On top of that, every twist is legitimately surprising, possibly because “standard character detail or story development” takes on an added wrinkle when you follow it with “and also they’re all chickens.” For instance, the hen can communicate with humans using a smartphone???!

Rooster Fighter is a ridiculous work, but the most ridiculous thing of all is how legitimately good it is. If you turned everyone into humans and kept everything largely the same, you would still end up with a well above average battle series. Making everyone a bunch of cluckers elevates it beyond satire and irony into the realm of hyper sincerity, where most series wish they could be.

Cooked Like Hot Dogs: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for July 2026

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This month, I feel incredibly fortunate to have a good life, and I wish to have a country that could provide good fortune to others, now more than ever. I don’t know how long it would take, but I hope we can someday live in a place where all the xenophobia, sexism, racism, and continuous trampling of the poor are no longer systemically baked into everything. I want people to love and thrive and not be so punished for things beyond their control.

Thank you to my Patreon members below for their generosity!

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from June

20 Years Late to the Party: Thoughts on Pokémon Champions and VGC Double Battles

Competitive Pokémon used to be one of my biggest loves in life, so revisiting it through Pokémon Champions has been a time.

Does a Noble Cause Embiggen the Smallest Man?—Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe

My review of the second Gundam Hathaway movie. My review title is a little tongue-in-cheek, but I promise that it’s not a big joke.

Dooby3d’s Big Ears

Happy Birthday to Dooby.

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights June 2026

Kio hits some interesting topics this month…

Closing

There are a lot of VTuber concerts this month, including from hololive, so I get the feeling I’m going to be writing a lot about them. I don’t intend to make July nothing but those, but no guarantees!

Also, I watched the first episode of F.D Signifier’s Goon World, which is about the sheer unavoidable volume of pornographic material that people encounter these days, and the myriad complexities that come out of living in that world. It’s a topic I’ve been thinking a lot about myself in recent years (especially with how the internet encourages parasocial interactions), and I’m glad someone like F.D is tackling such a difficult topic.

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights June 2026

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This month, Kio comments a bunch on his titles for the Monthly Afternoon 40th Anniversary exhibit. 

Also, it turns out that he drew a short comic about how he became a fan of futanari.

Manga author panpanya drew the final web bonus for Rakuen, which involves exploring a store based on all the different Rakuen titles. Kio comments “Heh-heh-heh, what a suspicious store this. How wonderful…”

The Afternoon 40th Anniversary exhibit has Genshiken acrylic panels for sale, featuring panels from the original manga.

The Afternoon exhibit highlights Kio’s Yonensei, to which Kio responds that he can feel his blood pressure rising.

https://twitter.com/kimirito/status/2064583194926801264

To celebrate the 500th issue of Young Comic, the magazine interviewed various creators about their fetishes, and Kio drew a short informational comic about his fondness for futanari. Kio comments that the preview thumbnail makes it look like he’s calling himself a futanari. 

(I’ll probably write a summary of Kio’s entry and post it to the blog in the near future.)

Anniversary exhibit entries for Genshiken Nidaime and Hashikko Ensemble. Kio thinks the color is strange on the Hashikko Ensemble cover.

Kimi Rito (author of The History of Hentai) comments that Kio’s love of futanari was conveyed quite yell, to which Kio responds with hearts.

Kio comments further that it was supposed to be futanari but he wandered off topic some. Nevertheless, it was a fun gig.

Exhibit entry for Gonensei.

https://twitter.com/kioshimoku1/status/2067627453183594622

Kio went to the exhibit for Parasyte. He still finds it to be a most bizarre and interesting work.

Having watched the World Cup match between Japan and the Netherlands, Kio says that getting a tie score demonstrates that the Japan team isn’t just for show, and that they have what it takes to win.

Watching Ueda Ayase play is also apparently quite the rollercoaster.

Kio started trying out “hard light layers” for color illustrations, and it’s working surprisingly well.

Dooby3d’s Big Ears

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Dooby3D is one of my favorite VTubers. As an independent creator, she had a lot of say in her own design, and something I find really charming and noteworthy about her look is her large ears.

In a field where it’s more common to find animal ears (like those of a cat girl or dog girl) on top of the head or elf-like knife ears on the side, it’s actually quite rare to have two honkin’ huge ones like hers that are both cute and comedic. They tie into Dooby’s lore by hinting at a jerboa’s rabbit-like ears, but the more human appearance straddles the line between realistic and cartoonish. Heck, I have relatives with ears almost that big. 

There’s a lot more to Dooby than just her looks (like her laid-back attitude and her creativity with 3D and 2D anime) but I just wanted to highlight this small but effective element of her design.

Happy birthday to Dooby! I never tire of her antics.