Category Archives: review

My First VTuber Con: OshiUplink

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Ever since 2020 and the rapid rise of VTubers in the US, they have become an increasing presence in North American nerd conventions. And out of this interest has emerged cons fully dedicated to VTubers, notably Offkai Expo in California. Just like with anime and manga, the west coast is well positioned to get guests and attendees from different parts of the world (especially Japan), but it can be a real travel commitment for lots of people, including myself. 

As if to answer that demand, OshiUplink has appeared. It’s not only Canada’s first VTuber convention, but also a more convenient event for those closer to the east coast. 

OshiUplink took place from May 2 to May 3 at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel and Conference Centre, only a few minutes away by car or public transportation from Pearson Airport. As per its name, it was a hotel with a bit of venue space that could be used for panels, meet and greets, small concerts, and so on. Although it lacked the official heavy-hitting presence of hololive, Oshi Uplink included VTubers ranging from small and new to established major names—notably Dokibird, Densetsu.exe, and Ironmouse. In fact, the announcement of Doki as its first featured guest (along with the con’s location) is what convinced me to attend in the first place. 

The Meet & Greet Experience

Over these past few years, I’ve become a fan of not just bigger names but also many less notable VTubers, so the fact that OshiUplink provided an opportunity to see those more obscure talents was a real boon. I’m the type who doesn’t go all-in on specific characters or entertainers in any of my fandoms (Ogiue Chika is the closest), so the sheer variety appealed to me. One distinction the convention made is between “featured guests who have official events done as part of the con schedule” and “unofficial guests who have a presence through vendors and exhibitors.” The former got to use the Conference Centre rooms, while the latter had to be set up in the exhibit hall or other means, such as an iPad being literally carried around. The official guests also had Meet & Greets that were first come, first serve ticketed events (the prices for which varied according to individual VTubers and what I presume to be their or their management’s choice). This was in contrast to the unofficial guests, where one had to just line up and wait to talk to them, or flag them down if they were part of a more mobile operation.

All solutions for how to handle guests meeting fans have their strengths and weaknesses, and I like that OshiUplink ended up with different approaches because of that official guest vs. unofficial divide. My only complaint is that having the official guest tickets on a separate website from the OshiUplink registration site got confusing: I ended up managing to get a Dokibird Meet & Greet, but only because I had purchased the more expensive Founders Pass, messed up trying to get the Dokibird one during the early sale, then got a second chance during the general sale. Neither of the systems were a lottery either, which one can argue is a fairer method.

In the end, I talked to a number of VTubers: Dokibird, REM Kanashibari, Poma Pom, and Paige Terner from V4Mirai, Roca Rourin and Akugaki Koa from ChromaShift, Eva Ananova, Izumi Teeny, PillowDear, Chroniko, and Nene Amano. And all of it was relatively painless, official ticket shenanigans aside. 

Musical Performances 

I also attended four concerts over the weekend, none of which were full 3D and only some of which were truly live, but were still fun regardless.

ChromaShift held a relay called Aurora Harmonies, the highlight of which had to be Roca’s cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” As the first big morning event of Sunday, I have to wonder if at least a few people were introduced to her incredible voice. Another performance that sicks out to me was Lalabell Lullaby’s “My Heart Will Go On” (Celine Dion being a fitting choice for the first VTuber con in Canada).

The full Densetsu.exe roster—Victoria Roman, Phoebe Chan, and Mint Fantôme—went with a series of duets and full group performances. My favorites were their cover of “Magia” from Madoka Magica, Vicky and Phoebe’s “Lion” from Macross Frontier, and their original song “Densetsu MVPs,” which does a nice job of showing off their respective singing styles. 

The Hyper Link concert was an eclectic mix of VTubers: the aforementioned Nene Amano and Eva Ananova (whom I only learned about the day of!), but also Kirispica, Kiichan, Penny Puffball, Yukinoshita Peo, and rachie. I had varying degrees of familiarity with all of them and their singing, making for a nice variety. Highlights for me were Spica’s city pop medley accompanied by her own piano playing, Nene’s Nico Nico Douga Medley (and yes, I did recognize a lot of the songs), as well as rachie’s English Vocaloid covers, notably “Monitoring.”

I only caught a portion of the OshiUplink Sunday Music Relay due to scheduling conflicts. I saw Yumemi (who was actually there in the flesh and also had merch at the official OshiUplink booth), Lazuli (whom I’d never seen), and Juna Unagi (whom I was introduced to at Fantôme Thief’s Revenge in 2024). I’m glad I got to see at least the tail end.

And while I didn’t get to see it live, I checked out the VOD of the Undercover Encore concert by the VTuber group Vivaria. There were a lot of group songs, and not just Vivaria members, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear “Live and Let Die.” 

A crowd of wotagei lightstick performers were in the audience for each concert I attended live, and presumably all the others as well. I found their participation to range from entertaining to overwhelming. I can appreciate the hard work they put in or the dedication needed to make this all happen, but I also think they can sometimes draw too much attention away from the main show, depending on the circumstances. 

Panels

The majority of my time was not spent at panels, but I did attend a few. 

The group Beastiez did a playthrough of Oregon Trail, which I enjoyed a lot as a kid. They were hilarious, especially when riffing off the various mishaps and bowel-wrecking diseases that afflicted their characters. My only complaint is that they didn’t do the rafting section at the end, which I consider the highlight of the game. It was like seeing someone skip an awesome final boss, though they were technically going overtime, so it may have been a way to quickly wrap things up.

I also watched Dokibird 1v1 her fans in Apex Legends. The way she bantered with fans while gunning them down was classic Doki and a combination of charmingly abrasive trolling plus nervous energy. Her panel was as advertised, and it certainly did not disappoint

By the time I got to the Ironmouse Panel, it was a Q&A, and I could see just how much her fans adore her. Incidentally, I’m the one who shouted “Rhea Ripley!” when she was trying to figure out who’s her second favorite wrestler.

Then there was a group discussion by literal mom VTubers and what it’s like to have children while in this field. In a space where extreme fans can get scarily parasocial and get angry over the very notion that a girl might have a male significant other or even sexual experience, seeing them casually discuss topics like pregnancy, relationships with their children, and even bad exes was refreshing. 

Comparing to Anime Cons

The vast majority of my general convention experiences have involved anime cons, and unsurprisingly, a VTuber one shares a lot of similarities. In fact, OshiUplink actually reminded me more of anime cons from 15 to 20 years ago than what I see today, regardless of size. I think it’s because VTubing occupies a niche space in a way anime used to, and a lot of the interactions between attendees seems to be centered on trying to convey either one’s passion for their chosen subject or to find like-minded fans who understand what makes VTubers special. This has both upsides and downsides, the former of which is a kind of casual atmosphere and the latter is potential for awkward intrusiveness. It can be a double-edged sword for me, personally.

And while there’s a lot in common with anime cons, one major difference to me derives from the inherent differences between storytelling forms such as anime and manga and the way “creator” and “product” are often one and the same with VTubers. An anime con might have some attendees who adore an anime for its characters and world, others who love the artists and voice actors, and so on, and these different groups of fans can be distinct. With VTubers, however, all that divide is blurred to the point of non-existence. It’s kind of like if the author of Frieren was actually Frieren, and you got to talk to her through a screen. It makes the question of whether to attend panels (to learn or to see a presentation) or have direct meetings (so you can talk 1-on-1 and have that more personal experience) both easier and harder. 

Because of the greater connection to streaming, I was worried prior to attending that the vibes of the con would be unfavorable to me. Fandom culture has become one where many people are trying to figure out how to leverage attention for more attention, possibly in order to parlay that into a career. While I don’t begrudge people for trying to figure out how to make life work for them, I’ve heard less than stellar things about events like TwitchCon—particularly the way it can be less of a celebration and more of a networking and clout-chasing gauntlet. I feared that I would see this on a smaller scale. Fortunately, I didn’t really get that sense from OshiUplink, or at least not on a clearly obnoxious scale. I might just be so out-of-the-loop that I wouldn’t be involved in those circles where it happens. 

Miscellaneous

Similar to many hotels of its kind, being near the airport means being a good distance from the more popular and populous areas. I spent the Friday before the convention traveling to downtown Toronto and enjoying the food, namely getting some Jamaican food at Allwyn’s (beef patty with slaw in coco bread, along with some curry goat on rice) and having a side-by-side peameal bacon sandwich comparison between Carousel Bakery and Paddington’s at St. Lawrence Market. Personally, I ended up liking Carousel’s more because it was more tender and easier to eat.

Doing all that required grabbing the hotel shuttle bus to Pearson Airport, then catching the UP Express train to Union Station. The trip was actually quite convenient, all things considered, and only took about an hour each way total, but that’s not time I wanted to use during OshiUplink itself, especially because the hotel shuttle only ran every 30 minutes. Fortunately, the food options around the hotel were not the worst, and many were within 10 to 15 minutes of walking. I got to try Harvey’s, a Canadian fast food chain that serves burgers, fries, and poutine. I got a buffalo chicken poutine and a Skor shake, though I wouldn’t recommend the latter: The toffee would either get stuck in the straw and make it a challenge to drink or end up at the bottom needing to be scooped out. 

The hotel itself also helpfully provided some fairly quick food options. They were of course overpriced, but not as bad as I thought. I tried the in-restaurant hotel breakfast (another peameal bacon sandwich!), as well as the to-go Indian butter chicken, and both were very solid. 

The artist alley was a little more crowded than I liked, but I did end up buying some official merch, as well as a Dooby3D sticker.

Final Thoughts

As I was winding down Sunday evening, it occurred to me that as far as I could tell, OshiUplink ended up running incredibly smoothly—especially for a first-year convention. I suspect the staff and perhaps even the volunteers had significant experience with events like this, and I give my highest compliments to them; things can go very wrong, very easily. Perhaps it was because the fan base skews older, but the way the concert audiences would actually listen to the reminders to not run into the main events room made it feel like everyone was on the same side. 

I don’t know if there are plans to bring in those heavy-hitting companies. If they do, they might need a larger space or an attendance cap at this Sheraton. I’ve also read some complaints that at least one of the panel rooms were extremely small (around a 40-person capacity), which meant certain events, especially concerts, filled up fast. But even if a bigger venue isn’t in the cards, OshiUplink seems to be in a pretty good situation. I personally got to meet a lot of VTubers I’m a fan of, learn about ones I was largely unfamiliar with, and feel a combination of forward-facing optimism and a sense of nostalgia for times gone by.

Will I attend next year? It’s uncertain, as I might end up prioritizing other places for travel, just because May is turning into a really stacked month for cool things to do. But even if I myself don’t go, I really do hope OshiUplink comes back for the benefit of the fans, the creators, and the VTubers.

Boys Curry: Simple, Classic Dishes in Jinbocho

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A cup of soup, bowl of Japanese curry, a plate of white rice, and a plate of ginger pork with ketchup spaghetti and cabbage.

While walking in Tokyo, I happened upon a restaurant that had pages from a manga on its windows. Upon closer inspection, the comic was actually depicting that very restaurant: Boys Curry.

Located in Jinbocho—which is something of a curry epicenter in Tokyo—Curry Boys looks and feels like a restaurant from another generation. That makes sense, since it turns out to have started in 1982.

Going in, you’re immediately greeted by a horseshoe-shaped counter, and everything from the cooking to the service was done by an old man and an old woman. I love restaurants like this, as it reminds me a lot of Manhattan Chinatown, especially in years past.

The menu was about as simple as it gets, and I ordered their recommended combo: curry rice, ginger pork, and ketchup spaghetti with a side of broth for a nice hot drink. It wasn’t a mind-blowing experience, but everything was incredibly solid and for a decent price of 1,300 yen. If there was a quintessential Japanese curry that wasn’t trying to keep up with current trends, this was it. Flavorful but not very spicy, it was a welcome throwback, as was everything else.

This was actually my very first time eating ginger pork, despite the fact that it’s apparently second to tonkatsu in terms of Japanese pork dishes! I definitely understand the appeal now, and it’s not nearly as gingery as I was expecting based on the name.

A comics page from Boukyaku no Sachiko in the restuarant window. The character Sachiko is enjoying the food at Boys Curry.

At the end, I asked the owners what the manga on the windows was, and they told me: Boukyaku no Sachiko. It’s been running since 2014 in Weekly Big Comic Spirits, and it’s currently over 25 volumes! I haven’t read it at all, but I’m considering doing so and maybe even posting my thoughts on the blog.

Libido Limbo: The Climax of Spotted Flower

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For nearly seventeen years, Kio Shimoku’s Spotted Flower has been a uniquely thrilling and terrifying rollercoaster of a manga. The series defies easy categorization: It’s very much a drama featuring otaku, but even more an exploration of varying sexual dynamics and relationship types. While cheating becomes a major plot point in the series, it’s not the fetishized NTR kind, albeit the series does delve into plenty of fetishes in general. What began as a tongue-in-cheek, off-brand Genshiken romantic what-if proceeded to transform over time into an increasingly complex and sprawling web of a relationship chart that ensnared and entangled its characters.

Now, Spotted Flower has ended—or at least the physical magazine in which it was serialized has come to an end. There seem to be some vague rumblings about its future, but there’s no word yet. And I am going to spoil the final (?) two chapters 50 and 51 immediately, because 1) I bet anyone who’s read it over the years is curious, whether morbidly or otherwise, and 2) it acts as an important preface for the rest of what I want to discuss.

The Finale

When last we left off in Chapter 49, everything seemed to come home to roost for its protagonist, the Husband (i.e. Not-Madarame). His Wife (Not-Kasukabe), fully aware of his act of infidelity, gives him an ultimatum: Get hard or get out. It’s also important to note that despite his getting railed by their genderqueer friend Asaka-sensei (Not-Hato) in the past, the Husband remained flaccid during that act, which is one of the reasons the Wife has even given him a chance to redeem himself. 

Chapter 50 focuses entirely on a conversation between the Husband and the Wife. She recalls in the present the events that first truly brought them together: a discussion over drinks where she brought up the time he was confessed to by a bunch of the girls (just like in Genshiken Nidaime). She admitted to feeling relieved that he didn’t choose anyone, and from there convinced him to get a hotel room. In the present, the Husband expresses his frustration that he honestly wants badly to get an erection, but it just doesn’t seem to be happening. The Wife, rather than getting fed up, tells him they have plenty of time, and goes to sit down. 

However, when she goes to sit down, the moonlight hits her hair in such a way that it reminds him of her younger self (back when she dyed her hair), and something sparks inside the Husband. He even goes as far as having her roll up a fake cigarette, and this image of the past she’s inadvertently presenting gets him to talk about just how much he used to masturbate to her, and that he started since the very first day they met. While the Wife is not a fan of how very detailed the Husband is about describing his past fantasies, the results can’t be denied, and she notices that he’s downright throbbing down there. 

Chapter 51 then winds up being 33 pages of explicit scene of the two going at it hot and heavy, interspersed with scenes of the rest of the old club discussing whether or not they were basically a “sex club” in practice (probably not, but it’s difficult to discuss over the moans of the other two), and then the boys all getting together to play fighting games. I would very much like to share even a single page from this chapter, as the images of sex juxtaposed with dudes having some (actually) innocent nerd fun is quite striking, but I would end up having my Patreon age-restricted. 

Thoughts (and Many of Them)

The Husband has rediscovered his libido and deep lust for his Wife. What began as a pseudo spin-off about a horny pregnant woman trying to get her man hard became a story about feelings of male inadequacy, only to loop back to the original premise. All’s well that ends well, right?

And yet, the journey to get here was so tumultuous that some readers (according to online comments) jumped ship partway through. It became too difficult to continue reading Spotted Flower, as the darkness and betrayal began to ruin Genshiken for them in the process, despite it being “non-canon.” Madarame and Kasukabe was a popular fan pairing that didn’t pan out in Genshiken (Madarame ends up with Sue), at least among Genshiken diehards, and it was like their consolation prize was a poison pill. The fact that Kio kept introducing more character analogues only served to create a sense of doubt about the intentions of the story: What if this is the actual Genshiken canon, and we were all played for fools?

I also believe that there’s another factor compounding all this: We increasingly live in a time when feelings about NTR/cuckolding/cheating in general have become more extreme. I personally don’t prefer it as a genre, nor do I think it should be outlawed or anything, but what I have also seen is that a complicated mix of emotions related to fetishes, fear of emasculation, and moral panic has left us in a state where things like “girl dates one guy over the other” is incorrectly described as “cucking.” While I highly doubt that most of the people obsessed with these labels were reading a manga as obscure as Spotted Flower, and the series literally came out over 15 years ago in a rather different period culturally, it is certainly a manga that doesn’t consider vanilla monogamy to be a sacred cow. 

But as it turns out, Spotted Flower isn’t just a series that inflicts pain, either in a malicious or sadomasochistic NTR sort of way. Instead, it is a disorganized world of adults who all have their own types of relationships where some are monogamous, others sleep around, and others are engaged in some form of polyamory or another. And here’s another messy outcome, where the Husband disastrously cheats on his spouse out of a sense of inadequacy, only to end up rediscovering his lust for her amid social pressure from friends and acquaintances. The Wife, meanwhile, has to actually forgive him and give him this chance in the first place. We see not a defense of cheating or an encouragement of it, but ultimately a marriage that has been rocky. I won’t necessarily say it’s “realistic,” but it’s the kind of relationship you rarely see in manga. 

(And if you want that kind of hurt, read Kio’s Gonensei instead.)

That all said, I understand that most series that bring up cheating—and have it actually happen—don’t finish on a happy note. One can even argue that both Genshiken and Spotted Flower “copped out” by giving Madarame and his doppelganger a relationship at the end, but I don’t see it that way.

Not every plot thread is fully resolved, but I’m satisfied by where they leave off. The Wife’s Ex-Boyfriend (Not-Kohsaka) still seems to have some unrequited feelings for the Editor. Yet, it almost seems like what he was really missing in his life (and what he was trying to find with all his philandering) was that friendship and camaraderie from the old days, given that he was the one who kicked off the fighting game session. Most of the other couples seem happy where they are.

As for Ogino-sensei (Not-Ogiue) and her two spouses, a supplemental chapter released online continues teasing at the possibility of a real threesome—this time by having Ogino suggest that if both her and her Assistant fiancee (Not-Sue) have kids with her Editor fiancee (Not-Sasahara), the two girls can share a connection by having their children be related. Sure, why not.

Closing Comments

A part of me can’t believe that I started writing about Spotted Flower almost two decades ago, and we’re only finally seeing it ride off into the sunset. Sure, a lot of that is due to the very slow release schedule, but so much has happened in my life since that first chapter came out. I literally moved to Europe and back, had multiple jobs, got married, and went through a hopefully once-in-a-lifetime pandemic (during which Kio himself started posting on social media). In a way, I’m more attuned to the maturity of the series than ever before, even if I can’t relate to the specific circumstances of the characters. 

It’s been a wild ride, everyone. Hope to see you for the next nerd life milestones.

Large Friends, Bigger Comrades: Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to Be a Kamen Rider

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When the anime for Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to Be a Kamen Rider was announced, I didn’t realize it was based on a manga by one of my favorite authors, Shibata Yokusaru. Previously known for works like the martial arts battle series Air Master!! and the bizarrely wonderful shogi title 81 Diver, Shibata is a master of mixing absurd comedy with excitement and tension. So even though I’m not a particularly big tokusatsu head, I had every reason to check out this show. 

The story: Ever since childhood, Tojima Tanzaburo has carried a burning passion for the original Kamen Rider, and he’s dedicated his entire life to becoming as strong as its titular hero. But while he’s built up his strength and martial prowess to an almost superhuman degree, Tojima is profoundly saddened by the fact that he can never use it to fight Shocker—the villainous organization from the TV series. However, when a string of robberies occur by thieves dressed like Shocker’s minions, this might finally be his chance to make his dream home true. Only, he’s not alone, and it turns out there are other Kamen Rider super fans who have decided to emulate their favorite heroes.

One of the beautiful things about Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider is the juxtaposition between fandom as a catalyst for achieving greatness and fandom as a delusion that weighs people down like an anchor. Tojima really is “training to beat Goku,” so to speak, and the result is a guy who manifested the highly choreographed and predictable fighting style of Hongo Takeshi into reality. All he does is throw the same punch over and over, but he is the embodiment of the classic Bruce Lee line, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” 

However, he also encounters Kamen Rider fans who have actually trained in real martial arts, and the difference in technical skill becomes a point of friendly yet intense competition. In other words, Sometimes being the biggest dork is the greatest superpower, and sometimes it just isn’t. The characters are essentially doing the most deadly serious LARP ever—one they’re convinced is as real as their own flesh and blood. Over the course of the series, this belief spreads out to more and more characters, developing in unexpected ways.

There’s one curious thing that immediately stands out with this anime adaptation: The characters and artwork are generally good, and that is totally not what Shibata’s art normally looks like. He has a very off-kilter sense of perspective and human proportions to the point of looking beyond amateurish, and the anime makes a firm decision to mostly hew away from that. I could understand the desire to make this change, but I did worry that it would lose some of the heta-uma magic that I so adore in Shibata’s manga. The solution is that the Shibata style comes out in certain moments, such as in characters’ exaggerated expressions or for the sake of comedy. It’s a decent compromise.

One last note: Tojima Tanzaburo Wants to Be a Kamen Rider makes a brief reference to Air Master. If we get more anime, I’m hoping to see 81 Diver get some love too.

Orangey Orange, Grapity Purple: Drawn to Dawn Concert Review

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“Solo live.” “Duo live.” Whatever you call it, Drawn to Dawn was something special. An in-person VTuber concert at the Wiltern in Los Angeles held on March 27 and 28, the event featured two of the founding members of hololive English: the spirited phoenix diva Takanashi Kiara and the low-key eldritch priestess Ninomae Ina’nis. While both have years of experience performing in front of a live audience, they also have never had the spotlight dedicated to just them. They join their gen mate Calliope Mori in being among the few EN talents to star in concerts of this kind.

And in the months leading up to the event, I kept waffling between excitement and buyer’s remorse.

While I greatly admire and support both Kiara and Ina, I’m also nowhere near being the most diehard fan of either. Was I denying a bigger KFP or Takodachi the opportunity of their life? Was I spending my money wisely, given the cost of tickets and overall travel expenses? Was I really going all the way to LA just to do this? The doubts lingered, but one thing I told myself was that if ever there was a time to show my appreciation for these Myth girls, this was it.

I’ve seen my fair share of VTuber concerts, and multiple talents typically means alternating between the performers from song to song. To my surprise, however, they instead each had their own dedicated sections before crossing over for a big finale. Kiara started for Day 1 (and thus appeared in the free preview online), while Ina opened on Day 2. The approach differed significantly from the generation-focused concerts (e.g. NePoLaBo’s and holoFantasy’s) by emphasizing them as individuals more than their identity as a group, which ended up very effectively showcasing their differences, allowing each to shine in their own unique ways and at their own paces.

Takanashi Kiara

As the owner of one of the largest discographies on the English side, Kiara has always made clear that a concert like this had been one of her dreams. However, it has been an uphill battle for her, having started in hololive at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and having spent the great majority of her tenure living outside of Japan. As later generations have debuted with even more stage experience than her, it felt like her star might not shine quite as brightly among the multitude. Despite these challenges, she persevered and honed her craft, and her resulting performance truly felt like she was pouring all of that passion and determination onto the stage. I have never seen Kiara move better or sound better than she did for Drawn to Dawn. 

Kiara has always had the most “pop star” energy of her generation, and her setlist embodied that. Every single one of her 20 numbers had its own unique choreography, with only a few slow enough to even arguably be considered “restful.” She even included more complex formations with back-up dancers, who themselves had newly revealed designs that took them from shadow silhouettes to full-fledged characters. And in a first for hololive, the dancers actually have two unique designs instead of just one.

Not to be outdone by her own back-up, Kiara debuted a new 3D outfit herself. It was exactly what she was wearing on the official promotional art for the concert, and also happened to be one of the best VTuber outfits I’d ever seen, both from Kiara and in general—and that’s factoring in the fact that I adore her other outfits too. (I may have a dirndl bias, though.)

It was also quite remarkable to hear her bring her current singing ability and some of the flair she uses in “Do U” and “Mirage” (one of my favorites), to her older songs, such as “Hinotori” and “Fever Night” (another favorite). And when she slowed down the tempo for “Blue and Gold,” a song dedicated to her former genmates Gawr Gura and Amelia Watson, the weight of the history they (and we) share felt palpable. 

During one of her MCs, Kiara read a letter she wrote to her past self. She recalled the time she performed in front of an audience of just one person (who wasn’t even there for her), and wanted to congratulate the younger “Kiara” on not giving up. She also brought up the development of her music style—which she cheekily called “K-pop” (short for Kiara-pop)—and the way she has shifted from a more cheerful J-idol sound to a more mature K-pop presentation. She was honest in stating that she personally prefers the former, but understood that the latter was getting her more notice, and that mix of passion, pragmatism, and bluntness is what I think draws fans to Kiara. 

I have to wonder if the rise of “Kiara-pop” simply comes from her fan base being younger than her now (whereas it would have been older than her in the past), and whether Kiara will find a way to unite the two sides of her music into something greater.

Ninomae Ina’nis

In many ways, Ina is the opposite of Kiara. With her more subdued personality, she’s known for things like her professional-level art skills, her comfy chatting style, and her love of puns. To Ina, music and stage performances have not been life-long pursuits, but rather something she has come to learn and appreciate as part of hololive. The size of her discography is only a fraction of Kiara’s, but Ina’s artistic sense comes through every time in her choice of music style and the aesthetics of each music video, and she brought that same creative unity to Drawn to Dawn.

Whereas Kiara’s staging drew most of the attention to herself and the dancers, Ina’s was almost like a series of paintings in motion. Each of her original song performances was unified by a single thematic color that reflected the contents of the song, and often its implications in both the official lore of Ninomae Ina’nis and the identity she has created with her fans. As she sang and moved about the stage, it was as if she was integrating herself into each art piece.

Ina also revealed her own new 3D outfit matching the official promotional art, which resembles something like occult priest robes but with some extra pizzazz. It was sharp and elegant, but there was an additional surprise: the robes could be removed to reveal a more casual long-sleeve and short skirt ensemble. Social media was abuzz with the comments about how her lack of high heels and somewhat larger thighs gave a different (yet welcome) impression to Ina’s appearance. Incidentally, Kiara’s thighs also seem to have been made larger, and attractiveness aside, I can’t help but wonder if this is some kind of trend. (Then again, even the original and official character designs of hololive members often don’t end up perfectly matching their VTuber models in proportions, be they 2D or 3D.)

While Ina doesn’t have a ton of range to her voice, she used it well across all her songs, especially when taking into account that all her originals are quite different from one another. “Violet” is quiet and gentle, “Meconopsis” has a heartrending and forlorn quality that I particularly love, “ “Tako Takover” is silly and hypnotic, and so on. Because she doesn’t have nearly as many songs as Kiara, she filled out some of her setlist with covers of other hololive members’.

As Ina explained in an MC section, she had no experience singing and dancing in this way prior to hololive. However, that has made her journey to Drawn to Dawn special in its own way. Rather than it being the culmination of a continuously striving performer, Ina’s path is one of new discovery and the realization of another facet of herself. Together with Kiara, they exemplify two types of idol journeys, and this juxtaposition strengthened both women’s respective approaches.

Miscellaneous

There were a few technical issues that occurred during the event. The line on Day 2 took so long that some people did not even get the chance to see the first few songs. I managed to get in on time, but only because I went around asking employees about the early entry line, and that was only because a friend reminded me that there was supposed to be early entry in the first place. Apparently some of the Wiltern workers didn’t realize that, and put everyone on the same massive line, which wrapped around the venue. 

This isn’t the first hololive concert that had issues of this kind, and I think it might come down to unfamiliarity with attendees who want to carry their entire fan collection with them. Each venue exists on its own, so we have to repeat history over and over. Day 2 was better in the sense that they just delayed the start. 

I also realized something myself. I’m actually not a huge fan of penlight stuff, especially when it’s supposed to be a detailed and coordinated choreography. When I have to make a conscious effort to do it, I end up having a harder time concentrating on the actual performers, who are my main focus. There was more than one occasion at Drawn to Dawn where I found myself fumbling to do the “right” thing and missed a dance move or accidentally zoned out. I appreciate penlight formations and all that, but I end up distracting myself. At the most, I just want to vibe along with it at my own pace. 

Speaking of penlights, one bizarre thing happened to me (and apparently a few others) during “Blue and Gold.” As per Kiara’s instructions, we were supposed to set our Penlights to Myth colors during the final chorus, and I had mine set to Gura blue and Ame yellow. Venue security actually came up to me during the song and asked me to turn off the yellow, mistaking it for an Ultra Orange glowstick. This is despite multiple Ultra Oranges being deployed by other people during the concert with seemingly no consequence. I was a little annoyed to have the moment tarnished by this interaction, but I understand that security was just trying to do its job and didn’t understand the difference—hell, I only recently learned about it in greater detail.

Final Thoughts

While I was initially unsure about whether attending Drawn to Dawn was the right decision, I don’t regret it one bit now that I’m on the other side. I enjoyed the hell out of it, and was happy to be part of something so unique. I ended up making a lasting memory and growing my appreciation for both Kiara and Ina.

At the end of each day, both girls asked the audience to quiet down so that they could shout out with their voices unmic’d. Despite some audio mishaps and audience confusion, getting to hear the fact that two of them were really and truly present with us in that concert hall is a treat I’ll cherish forever.

Loose Connections: Soul of Chogokin Shinkalion E5 Hayabusa

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I have a hard time believing that Shinkalion is over a decade old. It feels like just yesterday that I first saw a live suit actor performing as a train robot at an event as a precursor to the anime. But last year, the Soul of Chogokin toyline released its version of the Shinkalion E5 Hayabusa to commemorate the franchise’s 10th anniversary, so there’s indeed proof. And now I have this physical manifestation of train marketing for myself.

Only 10 years to get a Soul of Chogokin rendition is remarkably fast for any mecha series; some have needed 40 or 50, if not more. While Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion isn’t the most amazing anime ever, it’s fun and tries to bring together viewers young and old. Also, the design is pretty cool overall, and I’m glad they tackled a relatively modern mecha. That said, one of my criticisms of Shinkalion has always been that nearly all the robots across multiple series transform in much the same way and look largely similar, so it can get a bit repetitive. Just one SoC is enough, I believe.

The figure comes in shinkansen mode as two separate trains, which are then bent and contorted to become the upper and lower halves of the Shinkalion’s body. The end product makes quite a striking impression, though I need to mention that transforming it is both a figurative and somewhat) literal pain.

Upon looking at the instructions, one thing stands out: the amount of warnings about notches, pegs, and slots that can easily break off or get worn down if you’re not careful. There are also many areas that have to join together in just the right way, or else things just start falling off or risk snapping. And because the design of the Shinkalion is so spindly, there are pointy edges everywhere, and I could feel them stabbing into my thighs when I was trying to get two pieces to connect. Now that I have it as a complete robot, I probably won’t ever change it back to train mode.

I don’t own and have never touched the higher-quality figures from the original Shinkalion toyline, so I can’t make a firsthand comparison, but based on the videos I’ve watched, the SoC figure sacrifices a good deal of the playability in terms of transforming it back and forth in favor of getting closer to how the E5 Hayabusa looks in the anime. For example, the double-layered pauldrons recreate how the shoulders come together in the show’s transformation sequence, but this also means the arms have to be attached to the body in a more finicky way. Even posing it can be tricky, as pushing too hard in one direction or another can easily make a limb fall off. A delicate touch seems necessary.

However, I can’t deny that the end result looks both really sleek in a way that should be familiar to Shinkalion fans. It’s just an aesthetically pleasing robot, at least from the front. The rear view shows a lot less detail, but that’s just part of the mecha itself from its source material. I find that goofy and charming in its own way. 

I also enjoy how the lower half is mostly just one hefty piece filled with diecast metal, especially in the hip joints, as it makes for a stable and poseable figure overall. The large pieces that attach to the legs help give the figure a more pleasing silhouette.

I do have one other small criticism, which is that the instruction manual is unusually sparse. All of its space is dedicated to teaching how to transform the Shinkalion, whereas other SoC figures’ booklets will have things like a history of the original show, early drafts of the mecha design, older toys, etc. While Shinkalion is a relatively young franchise, there should still be some kind of material worth including. I’m left to wonder if this has anything to do with either the length of the instructions provided, or perhaps some kind of copyright issue.

When I look at the SoC Shinkalion E5 Hayabusa, one thing I think about is the fact that there were kids who grew up with Shinkalion, who came to it because of a love of trains or even learned to love trains because of Shinkalion. Perhaps this figure is a test of their maturity 10 years down the road—can they handle this figure now that they’re teenagers and adults? Well, provided that they have the money to buy it, of course. This thing is still a premium figure at the end of the day, and we might need another few years for those kids to have the disposable income to make a purchase like this. 

Seeing the Influence of Tsuge Yoshiharu and Nejishiki

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I first learned about the influential manga artist Tsuge Yoshiharu thanks to that seminal book on Japanese comics, Manga! Manga! by Fred Schodt. In his goal of showing how diverse manga can be, Fred includes images of Tsuge’s most famous work, Nejishiki, also known as “Screw Style.” Now, thanks to Drawn & Quarterly, I’ve gotten the chance to read it in English, as well as other works by Tsuge. 

I had originally written this review with plans to eventually publish it when the time felt right, but then news came that Tsuge had died at the age of 88 on March 3. So here it is.

Tsuge’s work is hard to describe. It’s never straightforward, and each story seems to exist in the space where rationality ends and passion begins. His characters aren’t “characters” in the traditional sense, but rather agents of deep-seated desires. They’re dark and succumb to their (often sexual) vices, and feel like people who are meant to be relatable, though far from admirable. Originally published in Garo, Nejishiki has become practically the go-to example of experimental comics-making in Japan. It’s not surprising to see why Tsuge’s comics would make an impact back in the 1960s and 70s. 

What is perhaps surprising is that they can still shock today. In a sense, the changing morals and ethics of society over the past few decades make the questionable decisions all the more eyebrow-raising, as well as thought-provoking. Even putting aside the sex, violence, and sexual violence (none of which are portrayed with excessive detail, yet feel more visceral), the seeming density is haunting and reminds me more of something like the ambient moments in Serial Experiments Lain or Evangelion.

Reading Nejishiki also puts another creator in a new light for me: Panpanya. It’s clear now that the author of Invitation from a Crab and Guyabano Holiday draws from Tsuge in a big way, whether directly or otherwise. The simplistic character design juxtaposed with the detailed backgrounds, the surreal and seemingly non-sequitur stories—the big differences are just that Panpanya’s “avatar” is cuter (one might say kawaii) and that the narratives are relatively clearer. 

There’s a long essay by Ryan Holmberg in the back that I’ve been slowly working through. In it, he gives the friendship and working relationship between Tsuge and Mizuki Shigeru (author of Kitaro) a lot of attention, describing how the two mutually benefited from each other. Tsuge worked as an assistant to Mizuki, used some of Mizuki’s other assistants for his own work, and exchanged ideas. What I think is fascinating about this connection is that Tsuge is basically the patron saint of unorthodox manga, whereas Mizuki has been a household name for over half a century. While the comparison I’m about to make isn’t quite the same, it reminds me of how the two directors of the Sailor Moon anime ended up on two unique paths, one highly experimental (Ikuhara) and the other conventional yet still profound (Sato). 

Drawn & Quarterly also published a picture diary by Tsuge’s wife, Fujiwara Maki, which details their life together with their young son. In contrast to the image of her husband as this legendary figure of Japanese comics, Fujiwara’s portrayal often paints him in a less glowing light, especially when it came to his abusive misogyny towards her. Fujiwara, who passed away in 1999, was an avant-garde actor herself before having to abandon that career to be a housewife. Tsuge himself even said that Fujiwara meeting him was probably ultimately to her detriment.

Still, Nejishiki is worth at least knowing, but even beyond the historical significance, it holds up in its own way. Tsuge’s manga result in art that can be challenging to approach, and the act of grappling with it can be its own reward. 

I Actually Met the Author of Genshiken! Kio Shimoku Live Drawing Report

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A close-up of a drawing of a woman's face from the nose up. It is the wife from Spotted Flower. She's wearing bunny ears.

This past February, Kio Shimoku did a live drawing event with fellow Rakuen: Le Paradis manga artist Minoda Kaidou as part of a series called “Oekaki no Jikan Desu,” or “It’s Time for Doodling.”

And by amazingly fortuitous coincidence, I happened to be in Japan at the time, and I couldn’t let this chance slip by. So I actually got to see Kio Shimoku in person for the first time!!

The Venue

Tonarimachi Coffee is a short walk from Nakanobu Station, and is located in a shopping district, down a short staircase. A number of attendees had already lined up when I got there, and unsurprisingly the audience was mostly older men. The seating area included trays to put your personal items. The “camera” used to capture the drawings for viewing was just a smartphone jury-rigged into a projector. Classic American music played on the speakers before the event started as well as during the break in between, such as “Stand by Me,” “Be the One,” “My Sharona,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and “Oh Carol.”

A coffee shop counter, with coffee cups on shelves in the back.

Event and Guest Details

Photos and video weren’t allowed in the event, so I took notes as the guests drew and talked to each other. Due to a combination of not having the best listening skills and them talking a lot of inside baseball, I didn’t catch everything, so if anyone happened to watch (in person or via the stream) and has more to add, I welcome clarifying comments.

The event was MC’d by a “navigator” (their term), Iida Takashi, who was a gray-haired gentleman in a nice suit and spoke with a fairly authoritative air. I later found out he was the editor of Rakuen: Le Paradis, with a long career working for the manga publisher Hakusensha. His experience includes working for magazines such as Young Animal and Hana to Yume, and he currently does freelance editing after retiring in 2020. 

Kio was a slender guy with gray hair. He had on a sweater, a scarf, and slim pants, as well as flip-top glasses. Later, they mentioned that the weather was fluctuating a lot that day, so it was hard to dress for. 

Minoda Kaidou’s Turn

Both Minoda and Kio drew bunny girls, which seemed to be both the theme of the event and something that other manga artists have done for Tonarimachi Cafe. I didn’t know this going in, but they announced that they were going to give every attendee a copy of the drawings at the end! Iida asked if regular copy paper was okay, to which Kio replied that it’s fine, and he’s had experience doing doujinshi on cheap photocopy paper (copybon).

Minoda was up first, with Iida and Kio providing additional commentary. They used a 2H pencil for the initial, which was so light that it didn’t quite show up on camera. Kio pointed out that a lighter pencil is easier to erase, but Minoda said it’s just what they’re used to. As they continued to draw, Kio got distracted by the fishnet stockings of Minoda’s bunny girl. 

(Iida briefly referenced the author of Houkago Play, Kurosaki Rendou, who was also published in Rakuen. I couldn’t catch it all, but Kurosaki does draw a lot of bunny girls, so maybe that’s why.) 

The topic of pens came up, and Minoda said that round pens are easier to use. Kio followed up by saying that digital art can’t capture the special feel of the G-pen, which is fun and has unique quirks. The digital G-pen setting has no feedback the way analog does. However, digital is great for filling blacks and applying screentones. Minoda and Kio also hold a G-pen differently from each other. Minoda said they probably do it wrong, but Kio basically said different strokes for different folks.

Kio said his right wrist was hurting, and that the wrist bone on the pinky side has issues. He mentioned that it was taped or bandaged, but I didn’t see the actual tape. Genshiken was drawn entirely analog, and Kio basically did it all himself. In fact, he was at a gathering at Kodansha, where Iida pointed out that Kio is one of the few creators who don’t use assistants.

Most younger artists apparently draw digitally now. Kio thinks it’s possibly because of COVID.

The drawing was going fairly quickly up to a certain point, when the pace slowed down because Minoda started meticulously drawing the fishnet stockings details. They really like drawing the S-curve of a woman’s waist and hips. Minoda likes to use a Tentel brush pen with refillable ink for doing blacks.

Gundam and GQuuuuuuX came up briefly. Kio may have also drawn a Gundam doujinshi at some point.

Kio said that artists often struggle with how much ink to put in their pen. While Genshiken linework was drawn analog, coloring was digital. Back then, he didn’t know how to use layers in Photoshop. Someone then brought up the fact that Sadamoto Yoshiyuki, when working on the Evangelion manga, would apparently mke drawings and then discard them over and over.

The topic then shifted to Rakuen Issue 50 (the final print volume), and Iida said the art for Spotted Flower looks amazing, especially when it comes to all the different “connections” being shown. I didn’t understand this at the time, but now that I’ve read it, I can see what he means. (More on that in a future post.) Kio talked about how Spotted Flower started with only a few characters, but the cast kept growing. 

During this, Minoda was adding little dots to the intersections of the fishnets. With the finishing touches done, everyone got to see their drawing up close. We then got a 10-minute break before the next session started with Kio’s turn.

An empty space showing a projection screen and two tall, round tables with tall stools near them.

Kio Shimoku’s Turn

At the start, Kio was asked what some of his preferred drawing tools are. His answer: Air-in erasers and Prockey pens. One thing I noticed is that Kio extends his fingers and grips the pen high when drawing.

He also asked who he should draw as a bunny girl, to which Minoda replies “the wife” from Spotted Flower because they love that character. 

During this session, Minoda accidentally got a bit of water on their own drawing because Iida was advising to erase the pencil and Minoda accidentally bumped a cup of water. 

Kio said he wished he could take a screenshot, but that this was analog. When asked about their own process, Minoda does their manuscripts digitally. However, they do drawings analog but backgrounds digital. 

Kio got to inking really quickly compared to Minoda, taking only 11 minutes. His head kept accidentally showing up on camera and blocking the drawing, until he was informed by staff. Kio showing he’s not afraid to draw hands at odd angles.

Other bits of information: Minoda finds taking a blank page and filling it with black very satisfying. Iida’s manga god is Toriyama. 

Iida and Minoda were very impressed by Kio’s drawing. The wife has sexy curves and wide hips. He used different copic markers with different grays to add shading. Minoda also found Kio’s thin gray lines to be amazing. 

Kio struggled some with erasing the pencil: the perils of working with paper. Iida then talked about using screen tones in the 90s, and about non-photo pencil—a kind of blue pencil that doesn’t show up when copying and printing. Iida also pointed out that grays are easier with digital. [Personal query: Is it because they automatically can become tones when printed?]

When asked how he feels about drawing analog these days, Kio replied that while he does all digital for his work these days, he has drawn analog for signboards. He uses Copic on those.

Seeing both Minoda and Kaidou draw, Iida was reminded of those shows on NHK where they show the old vs. new way of doing something. Minoda mentioned that being so up-close to Kio was a learning experience. Iida meanwhile was impressed by the details on the hands in the drawing.

Late into the drawing, Kio commented that it kept getting more erotic. He also added the little dots to the fishnets. Minoda brought up the angle of the eyebrows on their own bunny girl, possibly because they wanted to fix them. Other revisions they would make if they could do it again would be to have more of the legs and less of the bunny ears. Kio responded that he can’t draw legs well aside from the thighs. After some finishing touches (including some white out), his drawing was done. One really cool thing was that Kio actually used a hand mirror to look for errors, like a low-tech version of the “canvas flip” command in Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint.

At the end, they took questions from the audience.

Q&A

What is the fate of the artists of Rakuen?

Iida: Can’t say anything yet. Wait.

I’ve never seen a bunny girl before. How do you draw the chest, upper body details? 

Minoda: I do what I want to see.

Kio: But there are photos you can reference. 

What software do you use? 

Both: Clip Studio Paint. Kio uses version 4 from when it used to be Comic Studio.

(There seemed to be a question about one of their manga, which is set in Hokkaido.)

Minoda: Seeing people wear not much even in the cold of Hokkaido shocked them.

Will you draw a sequel to your Hokkaido work?

Minoda: Yes. Wait for it.

Kio, did you feel your drawings change from doing adult work? 

Kio: Not really, but it made me really impressed by everyone else who does 18+ material.

Minoda and Kio then made some closing statements:

Minoda: It was fun getting to draw for everyone. 

Kio: Thank you. Could feel myself trembling as I drew.

Closing

A hand holding a drawing of a bunny girl. The girl has a stoic look, medium-length hair, bangs, hands behind body, and medium breasts. It is signed "Minoda Kaidou."
A hand holding a drawing of the wife from Spotted Flower in a bunny girl outfit, done with an upward perspective. She has a hand one one hip and a smirk on her face. Her hips are also very wide. The drawing is signed "Kio Shimoku."

After all the attendees and I got our copies of their drawings, I decided that this was probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, and I actually went up to Kio Shimoku to talk to him. I told him I was a big fan ever since Genshiken and thanked him for all his work.

As I walked back to the train station that evening, I picked up some discount sushi. As I ate it, I marveled at how lucky I was to have had that experience. If ever there was a moment to be grateful to be a Maniac for Ogiue, this was it. 

A photo of both bunny girl drawings showing that they are on the same large piece of paper.

Curry Land: The Store of My Dreams

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A sign that says in .a mix of Japanese and English the following. Pouch Curry Specialty Shop: Local Curry Curry Land

As I was looking up places to eat in Tokyo, I discovered an incredible place in the district of Jinbocho: Curry Land, a shop that specializes in selling instant curry from all over Japan.

Located in a small side street not far from the main intersection in Jinbocho, Curry Land is a tiny shop with no frills. Past the sliding door at the entrance are three or four shelves filled with pre-cooked curry in reheatable pouches. A woman was running the shop when I visited, and she was very helpful, though I don’t know if she’s the owner or just someone employed there.

A shelf full of prepackaged curry.
Another shelf full of prepackaged curry.

Many of these packages are local types of curry, normally found only in the specific regions from which they originate. There are also other unusual options, such as curries eaten on naval vessels or even a whaling ship. The shop even has its own special curry available!

I bought nine packs in total, which ended up being about 7,000–8,000 yen, with the price of individual packages varying.

Clockwise from top left: Go Go Curry (not actually at the shop but I included it in the photo anyway), Whaling Ship Curry (does not contain whale), Curry Land’s Own Black Wagyu Cream Cheese Curry, Graceful Lady Pink Curry, Iwakuni Naval Flying Forces Curry, Ibaraki Chestnut Curry, Famous Osaka Curry with Worcestershire sauce, Enoshima Naval Curry, Dinosaur Curry (made with chicken), and Spicy Mutton Curry.

Some could be relatively expensive (~1,300 yen), so while this store won’t break the bank (unless you try really, really hard) this is not the place to go if you really care about getting the cheapest options. Nevertheless, Curry Land is basically a dream come true for me, and I recommend it to anyone who loves curry, but also anyone who wants to experience a thin yet broad slice of Japanese food.

I plan to review each curry eventually, but I don’t know if I’m going to devote a separate blog post for each curry, or if I’ll cover a few at a time. I know it’s not exactly anime, but I hope you’ll indulge me.

The Next Moves: Hololive 7th fes. Ridin’ on Dreams

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hololive is arguably the premier VTuber company, and hololive fes is the big annual concert for its female talents. I’ve been watching avidly for a few years now, and it’s become a tradition I increasingly look forward to every time. However, 2025 saw quite a few major challenges for hololive, notably the departure of multiple talents. So while I was just as enthusiastic as ever about watching this year’s 7th fes, I wondered how differently I might end up feeling with so many familiar names gone.

Despite the potential setbacks, I came out of it with generally positive vibes. I always appreciate that we get performances of all stripes, with each talent bringing a story of their own that was created through their experiences as VTubers and the fanbases they’ve cultivated.

Venue and Other Details

This was the first year that the event took place over three days—a change that affected its associated convention, hololive Super Expo 2026, as well. Rather than having two concerts per day over two days, they had one on Friday, two on Saturday, and one on Sunday. Moreover, whereas one of those concerts used to be an “extra” stage that utilized talents from the other three, this time around saw all four concerts featuring unique performers. Watching the stream live meant messing with my sleep schedule, in some ways better compared to previous years and in other ways worse, due to time zone shenanigans and a pesky thing called a “work week.”

Once again, the venue setup used multiple stages as a way to have more people able to get better views of at least a few performances. The mysterious pod from 6th fes did not return, and was replaced by a new moving cart/trolly contraption with screens on the sides, which acted as “windows” to see the VTubers and vice versa. It moved through a diagonally placed lane that cut through the audience section, with the seeming aim of also providing more up-close viewing and interactions with the talents. While it was definitely less confusing and bizarre than the pod, it didn’t have quite the novelty factor, for better or worse.

The Debuts

While it stung to lose some beloved members of hololive in 2025 and to have both Inugami Korone and Haachama not participating, the overall number of performers stayed close to the same as last year thanks to the two most recent generations making their fes debuts: Justice on the English side and Flow Glow on the Japanese side. While the graduated talents were truly special and can never be replaced, the performances by the newest blood kept them well out of their predecessors’ enormous shadows.

Justice showcased each of their unique approaches—Liz’s versatile vocal range, Cecilia’s emphasis on elegance and accuracy along with a violin solo, Gigi’s boundless energy and a singing style that hangs on a razor’s edge, Raora’s bubbly pop. And when Flow Glow hit the stage, they put on a display of why they’re the most stage-focused group ever in hololive thanks to their well-honed skills and experience in singing, dancing, and overall entertainment.

Leveling Up

For the returning fes veterans, their hard work came through more than ever in their performances, with some having come particularly far from where they started.

With her characteristic awkward grace, Shiori Novella sang her recently-released first original song, “Monsters and Men” and came across as more comfortable than any previous performance—possibly because the song was made for her. Biboo (Koseki Bijou) discovered in the past year a method for singing lower, which she utilized for her original song “Rock In” while showing increasing comfort with dancing. Ichijou Ririka took on the challenge of covering “Darling Dance” and its fairly complicated choreography despite having two left feet when she first debuted. Ouro Kronii probably wins the award for greatest overall vocal improvement, showing a different and more vibrant quality as she performed a surprise new original of her own titled “Storm.” And Airani Iofi pulled off an impressive cover of “Unison of Smiles,” the main heroine’s signature song from You and Idol Precure!, emphasizing just how far she’s come in all aspects.

Not everyone comes to hololive as a strong singer or dancer (skill in either doesn’t seem to be a strict requirement), so seeing evidence of the talents’ hard work and progress in these areas gives me joy.

Conquering Great Hurdles

Even those with more experience and ability pushed their limits. Baelz Hakos, already a top dancer, gave a stunning performance of the first Oshi no Ko opening, “Idol.” One stand-out moment was when Bae seamlessly transitioned into a squat as she went into the rap portion of the song, but more significantly, she also threw in a cartwheel and some basic breakdancing moves at the end. These are more acrobatic moves that she has been afraid to do because of the potential head trauma, and for her to confront her fear directly was a real thing of beauty. 

Perhaps the biggest story of all was the astounding recovery made by Kazama Iroha from holoX. In 2024, she was afflicted with a psychological condition that left her unable to speak, and her voice only barely managed to come back by the time 6th fes rolled around. But whereas some of her speech was still noticeably halting and unsteady in 2025, a year of speech therapy and streaming resulted in an Iroha at 7th fes who almost made me forget the tribulations she’s experienced. We saw her sing and dance with confidence, and even have heartfelt and off-the-cuff exchanges with her frequent collab partner (and idol) AZKi. 

Preludes to Upcoming Concerts

Speaking of holoX, they have their big live-attendance concert, First Mission, coming up. They’re not alone either, as Ninomae Ina’nis and Takanashi Kiara from Myth are only days away from their own concert in Los Angeles, Drawn to Dawn. While I can’t be sure how the rehearsal timelines lined up, I really felt that their practice for these major events are evident at 7th fes, especially in the case of Kiara and holoX’s leader, La+ Darknesss.

Kiara’s dancing and singing showed a new level of refinement, while La+ once again focused mainly on singing for her solo performance…and then threw everyone for a loop by humorously and abruptly tossed her prop guitar on the ground at the beginning of her song. When Kiara and La+ then performed together their original, “Glow in the Dark,” they reminded me that 1) Kiara is one of the most versatile talents around, and 2) even as the overall level of dance in hololive keeps going up, there’s really something special about the way La+ moves. At the same time, it felt like both of them were holding back a bit, as if they’re saving the big guns for the upcoming concerts.

IRyS has also just announced her first solo live concert for October 2026. I had thought her incredibly solid performance of her Eurobeat original “Carbonated Love” might have been out of a desire to feature at fes a song she personally adores, but now I also suspect it’s because the majority of her energy is going into this major project.

Other Stand-Outs

There were still other performances that caught my attention.

I feel that the entirety of hololive Indonesia really showed up this year. Moona Hoshinova especially brought some of my favorite performances of the entire event, with “100%,” her song featuring Nerissa Ravencroft, being one of the absolute highlights for me. 

On the Japanese side, Nekomata Okayu’s deep and sultry singing is always a surprise, but it really hit hard this time around. Natsuiro Matsuri can go under the radar, but she appears to have made some incredible strides this year on top of her already underrated skills.

I also got a kick out of Todoroki Hajime’s new solo choreography for “Countach,” and Otonose Kanade’s voice rang out loud and beautifully on  “Greatest.” And while Juufuutei Raden isn’t quite the musical performer of her fellow ReGLOSS members, the fact that she turned a Japanese art history lesson into a song and then had thousands singing along (and thus learning in the process!) really showed me how VTubers can reach people in unique ways.

Final Thoughts

As I finished watching 7th fes, I began to think about the structure of the event itself and what it can accomplish. fes is a gathering of both the hololive talents and their fans, and because these fanbases don’t overlap perfectly, the concerts can also be someone’s introduction to other VTubers. In that context, I end up wondering what kind of first big impression these unfamiliar audience members get. The way this format encourages fans to branch out past their immediate faves by providing this comfortable atmosphere really appeals to me, especially with the live audience there to react. That’s why, despite the fact that fes prices out a lot of fans (and something like the New Year’s Countdown is arguably a better introduction because it costs nothing to watch), I think it can go a long way in igniting someone’s career and helping someone discover a new favorite.

So while I certainly missed the presence of the talents who left or couldn’t be there, it was also an opportunity in many ways. I just hope that hololive can foster an environment that gives these artists the chance to develop their craft in the ways they want, and in ways that keep them healthy in both mind and body.