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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.

AutoFister

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.

Ever Brighter Lights: hololive EN All for One

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A photo of the outside of Radio City Music Hall, showing the headling "hololive English 3rd Concert: All for One."

Last year, the second hololive English concert featured 15 VTubers performing together in New York City. 

Last month, All for One took place on August 23 and 24 at the iconic Radio City Music Hall. The third hololive concert also included 15 VTubers in the Big Apple, but all was not the same. The past 12 months have seen the departure of four talents and the introduction of a new generation. Because of all that has transpired, the concert atmosphere conveyed an energy that was about, if not passing the torch, at least sharing the flame so that all may shine.

Overview

In terms of fame and seating capacity, Radio City Music Hall was a major step up from the King’s Theater in Brooklyn. That’s not a knock against last year’s venue, which was overall great, but if hololive EN wanted to send a message, this was certainly the way to do it. One other upside was the efficiency and courtesy of their staff. It was very clear that they were more than accustomed to dealing with large crowds, and none of the delays or long snaking lines that occurred last time were an issue.

One thing that was notably different compared to every previous hololive concert I’ve seen, English or otherwise, was that the setlists consisted entirely of songs from hololive. This was apparently a deliberate decision to highlight all the music that has been created under their banner over the years, and in that respect, they certainly succeeded. Whether it was people singing their own songs or earworms that have turned into Holocure BGM, there was a real sense of history for a company that is both still young and the grizzled veteran organization of this industry. 

That said, I have to admit that I missed the anime covers and what-not a little. While I do write more and more about VTubers these days, I’m still primarily an anime fan at the end of the day, and I get a kick out of hearing virtual people bust out an opening or two.

All for One was also the first time an EN concert had all its performers in idol outfits—before, this was usually reserved for the annual big holo fes. Similar to the music, it does give a sense of unity, but I also enjoy seeing the regular outfits due to how unique they are. Maybe if they modeled the idol outfits to better match the bodies of the default models, I might feel differently. Another aspect of the visual presentation was the inclusion of lasers. They didn’t show up for every song, but when they did, it felt like Ideon launching all its missiles at once.

Lack of anime themes aside, in terms of song choices, I don’t exaggerate when I say that they managed to hit virtually every number I was hoping for. Baelz Hakos performing “Countach”? Hell yeah she did, alongside Gigi Murin and Indonesia guest Kureiji Ollie. “Start Again,” a song that features the top singers of every generation? It literally kicked off the second day. I know the setlist has at least some input from the talents, but however they decided to finalize it, I felt treated to one amazing moment after the next. The way they also mixed things up in terms of song order compared to the previous concerts was also refreshing.

Start Again

The Talents

While last year I wrote about each VTuber and their presence individually, I think All for One is better served by focusing on their generations and narrowing down.

Justice

The four ladies of Justice are the newest additions to hololive EN, and they debuted the 3D models that allow them a full range of motion only recently. All for One was their very first live concert, with all the pressure that entails. But one way or another, each of them showed a real spirit of performance.

Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame is one of the best singers to ever grace VTubing, and the strength and playfulness of her voice commanded attention, whether in her solo cover of “Stellar Stellar” or in group songs such as “Above Below.” Raora Panthera’s boundless energy was infectious, and she would do things like get in a little wiggle while disappearing off stage. During the big group numbers like the titular “All for One,” I even saw her do the monkey once, and also spin around while hopping. Cecilia Immergreen’s “Wind Up” has quickly become one of my favorite hololive songs, which she accompanied with a graceful dance, and a group cover of Aki Rosenthal’s “Shallys” saw her manifest her violin for a brief solo. Gigi Murin’s combination of brashness and silliness served her well, as her songs ranged from cool to comedic. While the latter three don’t have Liz’s vocal skills, they all work well with their limitations.

I also need to give attention to the MC part featuring CC and GG, as I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so entertained by one of those breaks. You could tell that they started from an absurd spot (GG carrying CC while on all fours) and then through improvisation naturally escalated it into anti-humor about stand-up comedy cliches and the inherent absurdity of their fan-favorite pairing name, AutoFister. Even thinking about it now, it still makes me snort in laughter.

Advent

Returning for a second year, Advent is considered one of the newer generations of hololive, but they’re also no longer inexperienced rookies. Their mutual closeness has been one of their biggest strengths: They have released the most group covers out of anyone, and are currently in the middle of releasing a whole series of lore-centric songs. 

The first of those works, “Genesis,” came out a couple weeks before the concert, so I didn’t have my hopes up about getting to hear it live. Fortunately, I was wrong. This performance became one of the highlights of my weekend, and I especially love the way the song plays on each of their official back stories without sounding disparate or forced. Best of all, it’s in the free section of the VOD, so anyone can revisit it anytime. 

Genesis

Like Justice, Advent has one particularly strong singer in Nerissa Ravencroft, who is versatile but especially good at sounding sultry. One of her lines in “Genesis”—“Watch me be your diva/I’m gonna raise your fever”—leaves me actually feeling flustered, with her wide-swinging hips adding to her appeal. The twins, Fuwawa and Mococo Abyssgard, once again showcased their harmonization skills with each other and their thorough embracing of their personas. Diminutive Koseki Bijou appeared dedicated to showing that she has more than a cute side, with a surprising solo choice in Houshou Marine’s “Dead Ma’am’s Chest” and a group performance of another Marine song, “I’m Your Treasure Box.” As for their leader, Shiori, she continued a trend that started last year with her singing in a lower register that might seem uncharacteristic of her but sounds noticeably better, as well as conveying an almost nonchalant charisma that’s both graceful and charmingly awkward.

Promise

The girls of Promise have faced many challenges over the years. They had the unenviable position of following a powerhouse first generation, and if you count their past as Council, they also have lost three members over time—the most of any hololive generation. But their year has also seen some huge positive changes for them as IRyS, Ouro Kronii, and Hakos Baelz have worked to hone their crafts while seemingly less beholden to outside expectations.

IRyS went with “Diamond Girlfriend,” a song that is a culmination of a long and incredible journey that took her from wishing she could have her own Eurobeat song to collaborating with Motsu of Initial D fame. She also came full circle a different way by performing “Gravity” alongside Towa and Kronii. While this was not the first time IRyS had sung it on stage (see Connect the World), this different context brought “Gravity” from a symbol of her “Project Hope” era to a defining work for hololive EN as a whole. With Kronii, meanwhile, the difference between All for One and Breaking Dimensions (or even 6th fes earlier this year) was like night and day. Neither singing nor dancing were her strong suits, but they’re increasingly a part of her repertoire, especially when you take into account the fact that Kronii  lives outside of Japan, and thus away from the main hololive studio and its resources. 

A poster outside Radio City Music Hall showing all 15 current hololive English VTubers. The poster says "All for One" at the top.

Then there was Baelz Hakos. She’s my favorite current hololive EN member, and this concert had me trying my damn hardest to not blink and miss any moment with her. The amount of training she has undergone to improve her physical fitness, her singing, and her already top-tier dancing is hard to overstate.

The result was one unforgettable number after the next. There was the aggressive aura of “RxRxR” with Calliope Mori, her stylish dance moves in “Countach” (a song originally from her fellow elite hololive dancer Hajime), and Bae’s mind-boggling combination of nuance and dynamism for her solo “La Roja.” She even got to be the center for the encore performance of “All for One” to end the whole thing! I am eager to see more people learn about her.

For their group number, Promise covered “feelingradation” from ReGLOSS. This was another favorite of mine from this concert, not simply because I really love the original version, but because the three just felt very cohesive as a unit. It’s also not lost on me that Bae sang not one but two Hajime songs; the Vroom Boom Duo is truly one of the hottest things to ever hit hololive.

Myth

As the generation that started hololive English, Myth are rightfully seen as pioneers. They celebrate their 5th anniversary this month, and a lot of All for One could be seen as giving props to them for laying the groundwork that has allowed later arrivals to thrive. At the same time, they’re in a position similar to Promise’s in that they’ve been down two members after Gawr Gura and Amelia Watson left. The complexion of their generation does feel different as a result, and adjusting to this “new” Myth has taken some time.

Temari

Whatever the situation, it’s pretty astounding how far they’ve come. Ninomae Ina’nis was the first solo performance of Day 1 with her original song “Temari,” and her voice over the years has gone from cute and sweet to being capable of this wonderfully haunting quality. Calliope Mori was originally all about defying expectations of what a VTuber should sound and act like, but has now become a mentor and even a standard of measure. Her music, her singing style, and even her dancing (which includes a surprisingly well-done can-can) have all transformed over time—and her songs at All for One cover that history well. The third Myth member, Takanashi Kiara, may have gotten the most love of all. Not only did she perform a short medley for her solo number, sing her original song “Mirage” with IRyS, and showcase her enticing dance moves, but Kronii also covered “Do U,” the kpop-influenced song that became Kiara’s first breakout hit. 

Chimera 

And as if to add to the fond reminiscence, their group performance of “Seishun Archive,” was a choice deliberately requested by Kiara because practicing for it was when she first really bonded with Gura. 

Towards the end of Day 2, all three did an MC together, and it became a time to reflect on where they came from and where they’ve gone. While a part of me braces for impact when you see this much reminiscing, I think all of them have shown that they’ve come out of the last five years better than ever.

Guests

Although none of them got their own solos, it’s worth discussing how much the guests—Oozora Subaru and Tokoyami Towa from hololive JP, as well as Ayunda Risu and Kureiji Ollie from hololive ID—put on wonderful performances.

Oozora Subaru’s “Hot Duck” and its lighthearted silliness contrasted with a breathtaking performance of Ayunda Risu’s “Alice&U.” The latter has long been considered a tremendously difficult song that was arguably too difficult for others to cover, but Nerissa and Elizabeth showed that they had the technical skill to knock it out of the park. Towa and Calli’s “Queen of the Night” is the best song from the MythMash series in my opinion, and getting to hear it live was a joy. There wasn’t an Ollie-centric song during the event (which is very characteristic of her humility), but the zombie idol brought a welcome energy of excitement. A minor hiccup during Ollie and Shiori’s MC left us all literally in the dark for a few minutes, but this seemed to be more of a random mishap than anything else.

Miscellaneous

There was a whole bunch of ticket shenanigans that happened earlier this year when a bunch of fans tried to outmaneuver the scalpers but ended up making it harder for other fans to buy tickets. Over the weekend of Anime NYC, I saw people online and even at the convention center trying to sell off tickets for heavily discounted prices. While this was done with good intentions, I think one of the major failings was assuming that all fans of hololive are active on Discord or even use it at all.

Moving on from that, each night ended with a credits roll, as is typical. However, one funny thing for me personally is that I recognized the font used: Marker Felt Thin. So if you want to ever replicate the All for One credits, here’s your starting point.

My last unorganized thought is: Houshou Marine sure is popular. Even though she wasn’t involved with the concert directly, she probably got more songs of hers into All for One than anyone else, barring Kiara.

Overall

The stage at Radio City Music Hall. On the center screen is the logo for "All for One," and on the sides are additional monitors showing all the hololive English girls in their official All for One art. The audience is currently getting seated before the concert begins.

To say I was happy with how All for One turned out is a gargantuan understatement. I came out of it with my feet aching but my heart full. Despite all that they’ve gone through, this was a really strong showing for the ladies of hololive English. 

I benefited immensely from All for One being in New York at Radio City Music Hall, but I really wouldn’t mind it being somewhere else—even on a different continent. I want more people to have this experience, and I’m willing to settle for streaming tickets to give it to them. 

hololive’s FLOW GLOW and the Door to a New Direction

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Five anime girls in elaborate street outfits in a city environment. These are the members of hololive's FLOW GLOW.

It’s been a couple months since FLOW GLOW arrived on the VTuber scene. hololive’s rap-focused generation is fairly different from what has come before them, and I want to record my thoughts and feelings now that I’ve had more time to see what they’re about.

(Disclaimer: I don’t know music genres very well, so this might just be word salad). 

On a micro level, all of FLOW GLOW feel ready as entertainers. Rindo Chihaya is my favorite of the bunch, between her gorgeous character design, her love of cars, trombone skills, and deeper singing voice. I also find Isaki Riona to be especially silly and entertaining. In one “mindfulness” stream (i.e. assisted meditation), she asked her viewers to emulate throwing a Kamehameha.

On a macro level, FLOW GLOW does something important for me: It helps clarify the direction of their newest branch, hololive DEV_IS. 

Back when DEV_IS was first announced, it wasn’t obvious what exactly made it different. Don’t holo talents already make music? Weren’t INNK and Project Hope different attempts to focus on music that both ended up closing? Don’t the members of ReGLOSS (DEV_IS’s first generation) stream games and talk with chat all the same? But FLOW GLOW makes it much more obvious where the difference lies. One, the generations are seen even more as cohesive groups of performers. Two, they lean even more into the types of antics one might expect of “talents”—the minor celebrities who appear on variety shows in Japan. That first aspect is what piques my interest.

The fact that FLOW GLOW has a completely different sound compared to ReGLOSS says it all. Instead of trying to follow a reliable formula to the point of tedium, Cover Corp seems to be exploring different avenues with the notion that an increasingly diverse roster can reach different corners, and FLOW GLOW’s K-Pop + J-Eap approach contrasts with the smooth synth J-pop of ReGLOSS. While I’ll admit that I’m not a big fan of their debut song, “FG Roadster,” I’m glad they’re not just ReGLOSS 2.0. Also, their first cover song (of KICK THE CAN CREW’s “Marche”) reminds me a bit of A Tribe Called Quest, and gives me hope that they’re going to try different genres of rap.

It’s funny to think about that combo of K-Pop and J-Rap. Sure, rap is a staple part of K-Pop, but within the specific context of Hololive, each of those halves is represented by the members of TakaMori. Takanashi Kiara’s music is increasingly in the direction of K-pop—an intentional decision according to her. Calliope Mori is the first name in VTuber rapping, and while she’s moved on to different sounds that incorporate pop and rock as well, the influence she had on the business can still be felt. Would FLOW GLOW have gone in this direction if Myth hadn’t ascended back in 2020?

I do wonder if hololive will be able to reach a new audience through FLOW GLOW, and if that audience might even include people who are neither into anime or Japanese pop culture. I’m curious to find out where they’ll take us.

The Insular Nature of VTuber Fan Humor

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I’ve been thinking more about one peculiar quality I see in the VTuber community: the extremely insular humor from the fans.

Sometimes, humor is meant to be broadly accessible, such as how a good stand-up comedian will deliver a joke with proper setup so that even a first-time audience can understand it. A lot of actual VTubers are also skilled in this regard because part of their goal is to grow their community by appealing to new viewers. However, from the fandom side, many things considered funny begin with what is the common refrain of the in-joke: “You had to be there.”

As a hypothetical example, a VTuber might have a four-hour stream, where halfway in, they mispronounce a word in a humorous manner. This might then get clipped into a concise form. From there, it becomes the subject of a hastily photoshopped image, and then another, until it’s so abstracted from the original that it’s nearly impossible to understand for anyone who isn’t in the know.

That’s not to say that this makes such humor objectively bad—there are plenty of VTuber memes that I myself find hilarious. But I also understand that I had to have been watching enough to attune myself to the wavelength of that humor. Unless something is general enough, it’s hard to create new fans when everything looks strange and obtuse.

The interesting thing about all this is the fact that it’s like a marriage between two popular forms of nerd humor—references and image memes—without fully possessing the traits of either. References are often practically reverent to the original source, either some combination of a knowing nod to a quotable line or perhaps a show nudging and winking while essentially saying, “Hey! Remember THIS?” Image memes are often so divorced from their original sources that they take on a life of their own far removed from however it began. But VTuber fan humor is both reverent and transformative, combining the best and worst of both worlds. It’s like Simpsons “steamed ham” memes, only restrained in specific ways to make it grow back in on itself and create an insulated shell.

Take all this as a very light criticism of the fandom. Humor is subjective, after all, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with jokes only understood by those who have the proper context. Ultimately, I think it just means that the VTubers themselves are the ones to bring people down the rabbit hole. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

The Sequel Was Better: hololive EN Breaking Dimensions

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In July of 2023, I went to hololive English’s first full concert, Connect the World. I was grateful for the opportunity to be part of that milestone, and felt that if I never attended another event like this, I would have been content. Who knows if I’d be able to make it again anyway? Then June hit, and Cover corp announced a second concert right in New York City called Breaking Dimensions. It would be the first real-life concert for the third EN generation, Advent, bringing them together with their predecessors Myth and Promise.

Upon hearing the news, I had one thought: Even if I wasn’t able to get a ticket for any of this two-night event, I had to try. Thankfully, with some luck and a good friend on my side, I was able to see both days in person. In the end, I came away with immense satisfaction at what everyone at hololive, as well as the fans, created. 

Changes from Connect the World

Breaking Dimensions took place August 24–25 and improved on its predecessor in virtually every way.

While I certainly enjoyed Connect the World and cherish the experience, it wasn’t without issues. For example, the immersion could falter at times due to what seemed like the quality of the video projection. At Breaking Dimensions, the setup was a lot more convincing, and it felt much more like I was really watching VTubers on stage. I even got to see it from very different seats between Day 1 and Day 2, and they maintained the illusion in both cases.

Connect the World was also a bit regimented in terms of its setlist: group songs purely by generation, individual performances also by generations, and a few big numbers. Compared to the major holo fes concerts in Japan (the biggest live events for the company), there were no interesting talent mixes. Breaking Dimensions fixed all that and more, featuring various duos, trios, and even quartets that had me cheering out loud. Whether it was fan-favorite combos or new experiments, the whole thing was full of pleasant surprises.

The only downgrades from the first concert were the lower seating capacity and the one-hour delay that occurred on Day 1 due to long lines (despite the fact that all seats were assigned). The Kings Theatre can hold about 3,000 people, and over 20,000 tried to get in when tickets first went on sale. I suspect this has to do with the fact that New York City is not a good place for mid-sized venues; you either do something like this or you have to go all the way up to Madison Square Garden/Barclays Center, and the latter locations are not cheap. And one upside of the Kings Theatre is that it’s gorgeous. I saw fans considering dressing up to match, but the summer heat put the kibosh on that idea for the majority of concert goers.

And while this isn’t a problem with Breaking Dimensions specifically, I do wish the colors in the penlights were either more saturated or labeled. As someone with a bit of color blindness, I struggled sometimes with switching between colors, especially when it came to purple vs. violet. There were definitely a few great choreography moments I missed or caught only glimpses of as I struggled with the penlights. 

The Concert Was Simply Great

The whole show fired on all cylinders from start to finish, and by the time I was done, I had absolutely zero regrets about going (despite what my wallet might say).

I’m serious when I say that it had too many great moments to count, so much so that I decided that the next best thing is to give my thoughts on every talent one by one in the hopes of capturing enough of the finer details. I want to give them the respect they both earned and deserved, as VTubers and as people.

Below are my thoughts on each EN member, in order of their first solo appearances. Following that is a section for the guests from hololive Japan and Indonesia.

I also want to reiterate an important point I’ve made in the past about these large group hololive concerts: While there are certainly individuals involved who are exceptionally skilled at performing on stage, it’s not a prerequisite or even necessarily a desired expectation from their fans. hololive is in many ways similar to an idol or music company, but it is not actually either. Sometimes the reward is just getting to see them stand in front of the bright lights, basking in being these identities they’ve built up for themselves.

hololive EN

IRyS

When IRyS appeared as the first solo act on Day 1, there was little doubt as to what song was coming. She had just released her first original in about a year and a half, and this was the perfect environment for it. “Carbonated Love” is a Eurobeat tune directly inspired by the soundtrack of Initial D, and with IRyS being among hololive’s very best singers, my anticipation was sky high.

Her performance was everything I wanted. IRyS generally sounds even better singing in person than in studio-produced tracks, and her melodic voice pierced through the venue, never wavering in its crystal-clear beauty. The addition of some mildly daring gyrations also sent the crowd into a tizzy. And fortunately for everyone, IRYS is in the free section on YouTuber, so everyone can see her in action.

Later group acts on  “High Tide,” “Promise,” and “Blue Clapper” (the last of which was with her fellow CHADCast members + Koseki Bijou) benefited immensely from IRyS’s vocals. No matter what song she was on, she sent shivers up my spine in the best way.

FuwaMoco

As the only twins in hololive, FuwaMoco are generally in a unique situation compared to the rest of the talents, including sharing a Youtube channel. At Breaking Dimensions, neither got a solo performance, but they did have two duets: their original song “Born to Be ‘BAU’DOL” on Day 1 and a cover of “SHINKIRO,” the city pop tribute originally by Houshou Marine and Gawr Gura, on Day 2. The contrast between the peppy cuteness of the former and the wistful melancholy of the latter showed off their versatility, especially because Fuwawa and Mococo sing differently and have to find the right approach together in each case.

This was also Advent’s first IRL concert, and it was great having them in all their glory on the big stage. FuwaMoco’s ability to harmonize with each other is unlike anything else in hololive—the clear product of continuous effort and a life at each other’s sides. Their performance of “Doggy God Street” with Korone and Kobo (humorously called “Wet Dogs,” “Dog Water,” and other similar nicknames) also brought some welcome lightheartedness.

I wonder if we’ll see FuwaMoco split up for some songs in future concerts. Either way, the idol journey of the guard dogs will be something to look forward to.

Shiori Novella

Witnessing Shiori move in three dimensions has been one of the biggest surprises of Advent. One of the fun things about seeing VTubers get their 3D models is learning their body language and movement, but the other Advent girls have acted more or less as expected: FuwaMoco are great at idol dances, Bijou is jumpy and energetic, Nerissa is poised. Shiori, on the other hand, was hard to pin down. 

Between her 3D Showcase and her appearance at Breaking Dimensions, what has become very clear is that Shiori possesses remarkable physical charisma. She’s not a great dancer or athletically impressive, but it’s like she makes every move count ten-fold. Similarly, while her singing is inconsistent, she does decently at her lower registers. Shiori’s solo (“world.execute(me)”) and her song with Kronii and Ina (Tokoyami Towa’s “FACT”) show this well. And her number with Fauna and Nerissa (“Lonely in Gorgeous,” the opening to Paradise Kiss) is one of my favorite performances of the entire concert.

Ouro Kronii

Kronii is known more for her speaking voice and acting skills than her singing, but she was able to not get lost in the shuffle. Having listened to her at Breaking Dimensions, one interesting thing about the Warden of Time is that despite having a fairly deep voice, she actually sings better at higher notes. In that sense, she’s sort of the opposite of Shiori (though I assume it’s just coincidence that their MCing was so unhinged).

It’s no secret that Kronii has a very loyal audience who loves to see her move on stage, but I myself found that she brought some nice flair to her dancing and singing, especially in her solo cover of “Bocca della Verità.” The contrast between her cringing at corny things but willing to throw caution to the wind only makes her stage presence stronger. Kronii’s group performances—with Kobo and Korone, and then Ina and Shiori—are notable for how her “cool” persona provided a different kind of balance in each trio.

Takanashi Kiara

As the best dancer in the 1st gen, Myth, and an experienced hand at performing in general, Kiara always seems comfortable when the spotlight’s on her. Her choice of “Pineapple,” a summery pop song from her album Point of View, let Kiara show a different side of herself while still emphasizing her status as the consummate idol of hololive EN—especially coming off of her world tour performances the Friday before.

One of the biggest cheers in the entire event was when Kiara warped in along with Calli, which only grew louder as the audience realized they were going into their group song, “Fire N Ice.” Playing on their respective motifs of blazing hot phoenix and chilling grim reaper, their performance highlighted two major things: 1) their clear improvement in singing and dancing these past four years, and 2) how truly special the TakaMori pair has become. Sure, it was hololive EN’s first major ship and for that reason still has many dedicated fans, but it’s developed into something much more powerful: close friends who respect each other and have each other’s backs through thick and thin.

Ceres Fauna

Fauna recently released a video short talking about how she joined hololive without knowing how to sing, and that she’s made many missteps up till now. Indeed, it’s true that singing still isn’t one of her strong suits. But despite her limitations, she still managed to draw me in. 

First was the debut of her new song with Mumei based on their goth and emo outfits, appropriately titled “It’s Not a Phase.” Second was her solo—a cover of city pop classic “Mayonaka no Door/Stay with Me” where her gentle voice gave it a soothing quality. And as for “Lonely in Gorgeous” with Shiori and Nerissa, Fauna contributed a delightfully haunting quality to one of my favorite performances.

Gawr Gura

Gura, one of the icons of VTubing, is known for her love of Hatsune Miku, and her childhood dream of being on stage like her Vocaloid idol someday.  Naturally, Gura has tended towards Miku covers for her real-venue performances, but Breaking Dimensions felt like a real “she made it” moment as she sang Miku’s most iconic song, “World Is Mine.”

Gura has two general modes of singing, and she weaponizes them to great effect: smooth+soulful or smug+bratty. She used the former in her “Bibbidiba,” while her cover of “IDOL” from Oshi no Ko with Amelia Watson was the latter. Her rendition of “World Is Mine” leaned towards cute but incorporated both styles, accentuated by the song’s signature high-pitched yells and Gura’s own adorable dancing with lots of tail-wagging antics.

Every appearance she made sent the crowd into a raucous frenzy. Truly, Gura is the queen of hololive EN, whose singing makes you feel like they’re the only person in the room with her, even if you’re in a packed theater.

Baelz Hakos

The chaos rat has become synonymous with top-tier dancing in hololive. I knew that much, coming into Breaking Dimensions. I thought I was prepared, but I wasn’t. She took me for a loop in every performance, especially her solo.

Bae released her first album this year, with each track based on an animal from the Chinese zodiac. Her solo choice, “GEKIRIN,” is written from the perspective of an ancient and prideful dragon. As if to embody that image on stage, Bae coiled and flowed elegantly like a heavenly serpent, occasionally unleashing powerful moves bursting with fire and fury, all while delivering on the singing. The subtleties of her performance could sometimes be hard to see in the crowd, so the online audience had certain advantages. 

As for what’s next, I have my predictions. Given that the fourth English generation, Justice, has a lot of appeal towards Europe, I think the next big concert is going to be in either London or Paris. I don’t think I’ll be able to attend that one, but I’ll be happy to cheer from home, and hope that others will get the opportunity to have as good a time as I did at Breaking Dimensions.

In a later stream, Bae mentioned that the choreography for “GEKIRIN” was not of her own making, and that she was even a little daunted by the sheer difficulty. But the choreographer said to her, “I know you can handle it.” I think that sheer dedication and ability to push the envelope of what is possible in VTuber dance is something truly special about Bae.

An aside: On the morning of Day 2 before the concert, I was wondering what song she would pick, and I actually predicted that Bae would perform “GEKIRIN” from ZODIAC. Because I got her song choice correct, I decided that evening to see if fortune was in my favor and went to play the lottery. As for how it went, there’s a line in “GEKIRIN” that goes, “Oh, you humans so naive and desperate/Enough to think that luck and fate have favorites.” It was a lesson I learned the hard way.

Amelia Watson

I cannot emphasize enough how far Ame has come as a singer. From one karaoke stream to the next, and with each concert, you can literally hear her improve—a far cry from the days where she basically got by on vibes. 

The idol side isn’t her wheelhouse, but the ways in which Ame was celebrated at Breaking Dimensions really struck a chord with me. She participated in a cover of “Puru Puru Pururin”: a callback to her debut 3D appearance at hololive 3rd fes. This time, she was accompanied by FuwaMoco and Koseki Bijou, and it made me realize that we’ve gone long enough with Myth that these returns to old songs actually feel kind of nostalgic. It didn’t come across as a retread either, specifically because she was joined by two of the biggest champions of mid 2000s online anime fandom, as well as a perpetual meme lord. Ame’s cover of Nekomata Okayu’s “Mogu Mogu Yummy” was also a great way to chill out, and it’s also in the free section on Youtube!

Ame’s reappearance towards the end of Day 2 made for one of the most exciting moments throughout the weekend. Seeing her distinctive yellow star appear, realizing she was about to start singing “IDOL” from Oshi no Ko, and then seeing Gura emerge from behind her led to such a rush of emotions in me. The roar of the crowd (one of the loudest across both days) made it clear that my fellow audience members agreed. I also noticed the fact that our resident detective was able to rap in Japanese—no small feat.

Koseki Bijou

The short-statured gem girl affectionately known as Biboo is more famous for her musical memes than her actual singing, and sure enough, she engaged in her most famous cringe earworm, “Sticking Out Your Gyatt for Nerizzler” in one of the MC sections. But even in the actual song performances, Biboo showed up and put herself out there.

If there’s one thing that Biboo’s performance communicated about her, it’s that she appears very comfortable with the prospect of being in front of thousands of fans. Either she’s a brave soul or she’s very good at pretending to be one, but the result is the same. Her choice of a more serious song in Hatsune Miku’s “Love Is War” showcases her willingness to take risks and to play into the chuuni parts of her personality. And in “Blue Clapper,” she didn’t feel out of place at all with Calli, Bae, and IRyS despite the fact that those three have been an established trio (the CHADCast) for a long while.

Ninomae Ina’nis

Over the past year or so, I’ve felt that Ina is on the cusp of really breaking through as an exceptional singer. That characteristic low-energy voice of hers can give her songs an ethereal quality, and it feels as if she only needs a little more refinement to take it to the next level. Ina performed a cover of “Synchrogazer” (the first Symphogear opening), and she demonstrated that she’s able to carry a song and give it a feel that emphasizes those unique aspects of her.

In the group songs, namely “Beyond the way” and “Bibbidiba,” her quieter approach also helped provide a bit of contrast with the other singers. While the Ina-Kronii-Shiori trio had none of hololive’s heaviest hitters in song or dance, it was still very memorable because they’re somehow aesthetically in the same general direction while each being very unique.

Nanashi Mumei

I still don’t quite grasp how Mumei sings the way she does. The way I often describe her is that she sounds like what other people get if you apply a ton of pitch correction and autotuning to them—except Mumei does it naturally. Or it’s like if you tried to trick Mumei into attempting to imitate an AI singer, only for her to beat it at its own game and then some. Alongside the fact that she can also go deep (as heard previously in “Mind Craft” and in the “Breaking Dimensions” song), you have one versatile songstress. 

While many others went with newer works in their catalogs for their solos, Mumei actually sang her very first original, “A New Start.” Because it’s from early on in her hololive career, I think the single itself showed only a fraction of what Mumei is capable of, and the Breaking Dimensions performance highlighted the fact that Mumei has only grown more skillful and expressive. This also came through in “Beyond the way” with fellow birds Kiara and Nerissa.

The stand-out moment for Mumei came in the reveal of her original 2000s-era-inspired goth-emo duet alongside Fauna, “It’s Not a Phase.” She was very good at balancing “Haha silly joke” with “No, I’m as serious as a dark abyss” while making both sound good. As the stronger singer of the two, she helped keep the two sides cohesive.

Nerissa Ravencroft

As the singer of Advent, whose character is premised mainly around the forbidden power of her voice, I think there was a good deal more pressure on Nerissa for her first IRL concert. Even the namesake song, “Breaking Dimensions,” features her in a unique fashion as she harmonizes with the chorus other members sing. But I think she lived up to her reputation and lore here, and even danced remarkably well for someone who literally has a metal rod down her spine due to health issues. Whatever limitations this might impose, Nerissa worked around them very well. 

Nerissa’s tune of choice for her solo was “Sweetest Scarlet,” which she also sang for her 3D debut. While it would have been great to hear something different for variety’s sake, I think having it done in front of a live crowd changes a lot. At times, it almost felt like she could pull in the entire audience into her embrace with her sultry notes. And whether she was the power singer in the holotori EN trio’s performance of “Beyond the way” or the central pillar for “Lonely in Gorgeous” with Shiori and Fauna, Nerissa was an important part of making those songs land effectively.

Calliope Mori

Calli has had a hell of a year, even recently landing on the US’s Billboard Top 100. Her commercial success is admirable, but what really jumped out at me during the concert was just how much her singing has leveled up. She’s been transforming from a primarily rap-centric performer to equal parts singer and rapper, and the fruits of her labor are showing in spades. 

“Go-Getters” might be my favorite song she’s ever done, and part of it is that her vocals can keep up with the ambitiousness of the song. There were points I felt like she might not have the power to deliver on some sections, but she always pulled through. Similarly, I could hear in “Blue Clapper” the greater consistency she developed. And with “Fire N Ice,” her gruffer voice balanced out Takanashi Kiara’s well and even sounded better than the original recording. It also didn’t hurt that TakaMori’s choreography was spot-on.

Calli’s victories are not just in accolades but also real improvement. You love to see it.

JP AND ID Guests

Hoshimachi Suisei

Suisei showed up on two songs, including her record-smashing hit “Bibbidiba” with Gura, Ina, and ID’s Moona. While it’s hard to pick a single best singer in hololive, Suisei is definitely a contender while also being nearly unmatched in terms of mainstream recognition for her music. What isn’t as clear is that she can keep up dance-wise as well. Her star power was undeniable, as every time she came in with her rich voice on both “Bibbidiba” and “High Tide,”  the audience’s cheers would grow ever stronger.

Kobo Kanaeru

I truly feel that Kobo is one of the most well-rounded VTubers, with even greater success only limited by the fact that the Indonesian language is not as ubiquitous as English or as anime fan–oriented as Japanese. A big part of her potential for stardom is her immense singing ability that transcends cultural barriers, along with her peppy dance moves and air of confidence.

For Breaking Dimensions, she sang “HELP!!,” one of her originals and also one of my favorite songs as of late. It was actually the second time she performed it that weekend, thanks to her appearance on the hololive World Tour at Anime NYC. The big difference is that whereas the world tour rendition was a solo, this rendition was as a trio with Kronii and JP’s Inugami Korone. The other two aren’t the singer Kobo is, but it was still an enjoyable experience seeing them all together.

Inugami Korone

Korone brings an energy that few if any can imitate or duplicate. While she didn’t bust out any athletic feats for her original song “Doggy god’s street” or “HELP!!,” her attitude on stage shouted, “I might not be the very best, but I belong here and no one can tell me otherwise.” It was like the world conformed to her existence. While she didn’t perform with Koseki Bijou, I actually think they’re made of similar stuff. 

Moona Hoshinova

Moona appeared for both “Bibbidiba” and her own original song “High Tide.” Unlike her past performances of the latter, she was joined this time by IRyS, Bae, and Suisei.

I believe Moona has the best balance between singing and dancing in all of hololive, and exudes more “diva” energy than anyone else. That’s why having two of the strongest vocalists and arguably the top dancer in the company worked so well for “High Tide.” The body rolls, the powerful notes, and the high performance rate from the quartet was one of the brightest spots in a concert event rife with highlights. 

Big Group Songs

There were five big group songs over the course of Breaking Dimensions: one for each of the three generations, a big finale both days, and then different encores for each concert. 

Myth’s song, “ReUnion” is an okay track that ended up hitting a lot better in front of a live crowd. Promise’s, aptly titled “Our Promise,” has a “grand adventure” motif that sounds lovely but left the crowd a bit confused as to how to chant along because it just isn’t that type of song. “Rebellion,” the debut song for Advent, strikes the best balance, and it was perfect for the stage. 

I must admit that I was listening to “Breaking Dimensions almost nonstop in the lead-up to the concert. I love the way that it emphasizes the particular qualities of each generation—Myth’s trailblazing through the unknown, Promise’s unity in the face of tumultuous times, and Advent’s mold-breaking while standing on the shoulders of their predecessors. One big treat with the two concert performances is that you could see them change things up a little compared to the music video. The chorus sections were sung by all 15 girls instead of sets of 5. Bae changed up her moves during the choruses from body rolls to more of a sway with a head bob. Biboo went from staying in position for her rap portion on Day 1 to walking around a bit on Day 2. And Ame, who strikes the final pose a split second later than the others (to cute effect), actually got the timing right for both days. I cheered especially for her tiny victory, and I wondered if others did the same. 

For the encores (“Connect the World” on Day 1 and the English version of “Our Bright Parade” on Day 2), it was fun seeing and hearing these symbols of hololive EN’s continued success.

Final Thoughts

I try my best to reflect on what I see with a positive perspective without just spouting unalloyed praise, yet I know much of this review sounds like I’m gushing. I truly do think very highly of what hololive accomplished here, and attending it is one of my favorite experiences in the past few years.

Since Connect the World, my opinion of hololive has only gotten better, and I find myself paying attention to so many more talents. That’s not even simply because they’ve literally debuted multiple generations, but because they manage to thread the needle between feeling both very personal and highly professional. The Breaking Dimensions concert really puts this balancing act on full display. It’s like each member gave the audience a solid peek into their various journeys, ones whose paths diverge and intersect over and over. And the fans reciprocate, helping to make these VTubers feel like the superstars they are.

PS: I spotted my support message on the screen while waiting for the concert to start:

Seeing you sll in NYC is a dream come true! hololive makes the lights shine brighter. -Ogiue Maniax

Nico Nico Douga, Natsuiro Matsuri, and Nostalgia for Asynchronous Chat

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In November of 2023, Virtual Youtuber Natsuiro Matsuri celebrated her 5th anniversary by holding a concert themed after the premier Japanese video streaming site of the 2000s, Nico Nico Douga. The homages came in every form, from covers of Vocaloid songs popular in Nico Nico’s heyday (“Senbonzakura,” “Miku Miku ni Shite Ageru”), to jingles and error messages, and of course, the flurry of on-screen viewer comments that was and still is its signature feature. It wouldn’t be a real Nico Nico parody without that.

For those familiar with Nico Nico, it was most surely a nostalgia trip, but I did see some confusion from the uninitiated. They wondered how people could enjoy a chat that obscures the actual video. I mean, isn’t it distracting? 

In short: yes, it certainly is, but there are benefits as well. While not everyone likes the flying commentary (I know people who turn it off whenever possible), it also adds something to the viewing experience while also being a product of an older era of online video.

There are two important aspects of Nico Nico’s unique comment section that make it a boon more than a detriment. The first one is that because the text is on top of the video, it means you don’t have to constantly look away to see what people are saying. The second (and more crucial) one is that it fosters a pseudo-real-time communal experience without having to watch something live.

Similar to many other video platforms, Nico Nico allows for live streaming currently, but that wasn’t always the case. Like Youtube, it used to be purely pre-recorded material. While comment sections were nothing new even then, what Nico Nico allowed was the ability to have a user’s comment come up at a specific time in a video, so it’s clear what that person was reacting to. On top of that, anyone could post a message in this manner whether they saw a video the day it was uploaded or five years later, and they would show up all the same. This means you can feel like you’re watching with a group of people and quipping about what’s transpired despite not actually being together spatially or temporally. 

In other words, Nico Nico created an asynchronous form of fostering community through its chat, and this extends even to the present day when live streams are plentiful. In contrast, Twitch and Youtube constantly make viewers feel like they’re missing out if they don’t watch live. Twitch’s VOD service is an empty husk now, while Youtube only lets you participate in the chat if you watched something live or at least right when it premiered. There is a comment section, and it even lets you put timestamps, but it is considered its own separate space. On Nico Nico, however, chat and comments are one and the same. This approach, I believe, helps to prevent anxiety about FOMO to some degree.

That‘s not to say Nico Nico doesn’t have its flaws. Non-potato video quality, the ability to watch stream recordings after the fact, and even priority for who can even view something at all can be locked behind a premium membership. Youtube is also just more intuitive to browse and use in any language. But Nico Nico found a solution to the problem of not being able to provide a true simultaneous viewing experience, and I think an approach along those lines still has plenty of merit. 

I’m grateful to Matsuri for the reminder. Nico Nico is such a large piece of Japanese internet history, and for good reason. Maybe we can also be at a point where the flexibility displayed by Nico Nico can help people not be as beholden to rigid schedules and fear of missing out.

The Role of Unique Voices in VTubing, K-Pop, and More

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“Is it more important to me for a group song to sound good or have distinct voices?”

This is something that’s been on my mind lately as I’ve been exploring my own feelings about music- and idol-adjacent worlds.

I have an odd relationship with K-Pop. I think it can be good, but it’s also definitely not my preference generally, and as someone who seeks to be open-minded, I keep resisting the urge to write off huge swathes of it. The last thing I want to be is dismissive, so I listen and listen, but it just never seems to fully click. Even with songs that I enjoy, something bothers me in the back of my head. Also confusing is that I seem to end up enjoying songs inspired by K-Pop more than K-Pop itself. Case in point: “Dark Breath” by hololive VTuber La+ Darknesss. That includes both the song itself and the accompanying dance (which I know is part of the appeal of K-Pop).

Speaking of, La+ has been crossing over in all sorts of places: notably performing with non-hololive VTubers, doing covers of songs by the League of Legends K-Pop-style group K/DA (alongside her fellow hololive members) for Riot Games One, and being one of two VTuber ambassadors for the very first The iDOLM@STER/Love Live joint concert. 

And here, despite the hololive performances of “POP/STARS” and “Baddest” being less polished, I also enjoy them more than the originals. I don’t think it’s merely because I know the VTubers, so I’ve been doing a good deal of listening to K/DA for the first time, and revisiting Love Live! in between VTuber songs.

Different franchises and media projects have their own priorities. Love Live! and The iDOLM@STER are both just as much about voice acting as they are music, and being able to easily distinguish between individuals based on how they sound is a big part of helping each character/performer to garner their own fandoms. 

For example, I don’t think you need to have any familiarity with Love Live! to notice that “Cutie Panther” features three very distinct voices. The differences can be exaggerated, but they’re present nevertheless.

Similarly, the start of ReGLOSS’s “Shunkan Heartbeat” has each of the five hololive members singing a part of the beginning by themselves, and it’s because the song is as much an introduction of them as five distinct entities (each with their own Youtube channel). That’s part of the VTuber business model. 

This is not to say that songs need distinct voices to be good, and there’s plenty of music with easily differentiated voices that is lacking in other ways, including within those voice-acting/VTuber/idol domain. But when I listen to Blackpink, for instance, I find it is nowhere near as easy to tell the singers apart. It might just be a lack of familiarity on my part, but I also feel that it might not even be the fault of the singers themselves. After all, if you picked three random people out of a room and told them to all sing, there’s a good chance they’d all sound different from one another, even if they weren’t good.

The culprit, I believe, could be how K-Pop is produced. That industry seems to be built on projecting images of perfection, and the result is that everyone sounds flawless. However, this has the drawback of also removing the quirks in people’s voices and by extension their individuality. And even with K/DA, I feel that their songs do a relatively better job of keeping these qualities, perhaps because the source material was a game with over 150 unique playable characters.

Which is to say: 1) While I don’t think distinct voices can be the only thing a song has, nor a lack of such a quality to be a deal breaker, I think it can add a lot to a song. 2) I think part of the reason K-Pop feels so overproduced to me is because of the way it seems to hone and chisel the music to such an extent as to wipe out those interestingly unique qualities that singers possess. 

And all this leads me down another rabbit hole, which is thinking about the different roles a singer can have when it comes to music. Does the song serve them, or do they serve the song? Are they the centerpiece, or part of a greater sound? With idols, is it that the quality of music is less important than its ability to emotionally connect the fans to the idols? I feel like there are endless possibilities, and perhaps that how much we as listeners and audiences prioritize certain elements is what shapes our tastes.

The Apothecary Diaries Opening Reminds Me of Something

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I watched the first episode of The Apothecary Diaries, and the opening is very reminiscent of a different and much older anime: The 1984 Glass Mask TV series.

Here is that intro:

And here is Glass Mask:

Between the heavy focus on the main heroines, the black background, and even the head movements, I can’t help but see similarities between protagonists Maomao and Kitajima Maya, respectively.

It might just be a coincidence that they’re similar, but I’d love to know if any inspiration was taken.

New Frontiers with Old Lessons: Hololive Advent and ReGLOSS

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The past few months of Hololive have been one major event after the next, and among the biggest were the debut of not one, but two new Virtual Youtuber groups. First was Holo Advent at the end of July, the newest English generation in two long years. Then in September came ReGLOSS, who seem to be the vanguards of an entirely new division. Both groups have now had a bit of time to establish themselves, and they seem to reflect two very different approaches: refinement based on past experience vs. taking an experimental direction that’s a mix of old and new.

Holo Advent

While “lore” and “backstory” matter less and less over time, they are part of the initial impression a VTuber makes and can help to solidify their image in the eyes of fans. And when it comes to the English branch of Hololive, their parent company COVER Corp. chose to make things elaborate. Unlike the relatively simple princesses, idols, and devils of the Japanese branch, the first generation (known as Holo Myth) debuted with an ancient Atlantean shark, a grim reaper, a warrior phoenix, an Eldritch priestess, and a time traveling detective. 

Due to circumstances of timing (a global pandemic) and their own abilities, Myth are the most successful generation of Hololive—and possibly any VTuber group—ever. Their follow-ups, Project Hope and Holo Council, went even bigger by being the representatives and embodiments of abstract concepts: hope, of course, but then also a celestial governing body of space, time, nature, civilization, and chaos. While all of them have turned out to be popular and entertaining individuals, I think the grandiose nature of their lore can be a burden on the girls themselves. It can weigh the VTubers down just as much as it can elevate them, and often the streamers give this facet of their characters only basic lip service.

I believe that knowing how to avoid that awkwardness is the lesson taken from the past two English generations, and I see this in how Advent strikes a middle ground between them. Like Council, they have a group concept unifying them: The members of Advent are all runaway prisoners who were locked away due to their forbidden powers but staged an escape together. However, their individual backstories are all more detailed than Myth yet less so than Council. Shiori Novella is an archiver whose pursuit of knowledge gave her access to the forbidden. Koseki Bijou is a sentient jewel who inadvertently drives avarice. Nerissa Ravencroft is a demon not unlike a siren. Fuwawa and Mococo Abyssgard are twin demon guard dogs locked away for being huge pains.

In practice, this specific level of lore allows them to play into their core characters without having to devote too much of themselves to keep up an act. Shiori encourages creative works and accumulation of interesting stories. Bijou makes rock jokes on the regular. Nerissa sings beautifully. FuwaMoco talk in cute dog voices and bark on occasion. They don’t have to, for example, express primordial chaos. In pro wrestling terms, Advent’s gimmicks are starting points that they can choose to learn into or not without feeling like they’re overdoing or underdoing it.

ReGLOSS

If Advent is a product of calibration and finding a nice lore sweet spot that is neither too sparse or too burdensome, then ReGLOSS takes a far different angle. Like Advent they number five in total, but all of them are supposed to be just regular human girls—not reincarnations or half-wombat people or anything—albeit eccentric in their own ways. Hiodoshi Ao is a handsome manga artist who is now a VTuber to help with new story ideas. Otonose Kanade is an aspiring musician with a penchant for bad puns. Ichijou Ririka is a young gal CEO who loves survival puzzles. Juufuutei Raden is a saucy rakugo performer with a fondness for drinking and smoking. Todoroki Hajime is a short-statured, pastel banchou (delinquent boss) who loves dance and fashion. 

These five have joined together to make music, but what’s funny about this is that most of them are not practiced musicians. A couple have confessed that singing is still awkward to them, and they don’t have the trained vocals of many of their senpai. While there have been Hololive members who start off lacking in this department, there is typically the expectation that they’ll grow at their own pace and fans will love their ability or evenlack thereof. In contrast, ReGLOSS debuted with their own generational song from the get-go.

However, this plays very much into a familiar aspect of Japanese idol culture. Unlike K-Pop, which prefers to unleash its stars when they’re already fantastic, part of the enduring appeal of idol culture is seeing the performers grow. That quality permeates Hololive both naturally and by intent, but it’s never been this concentrated. That said, it’s notable how, while they’re mostly not singers by default, they have other skills and interests they can fall back on. For example, Raden does fine art history talks and Ao did an entire stream about the bullet journal system.

The most unusual thing about ReGLOSS is arguably that they are also the first to be part of a division called holoDEV_IS (pronounced “Holo-dev-ice”), whose true purpose is still unclear. Is it an attempted inroad to other areas of entertainment? Not much is known.

Room to Explore

With any sort of new iteration, there will be those who want something comfortably familiar. Likewise, there will also be those who want something new and exciting. What I think has helped make Hololive such a big player in the world of VTubing is their willingness to provide both while understanding that there is more than one type of success—big numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Advent and ReGLOSS are indicative of this philosophy, and as they continue forward, I will enjoy seeing all their members carve out their own fanbases and finding people who appreciate them.

Hololive’s ReGLOSS Features Refreshingly Simple Character Designs

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Hololive just announced a new group of Virtual Youtubers, collectively called ReGLOSS. Ever since the Hololive Splash Party concert at the end of August, there have been numerous teasers for something called “hololive DEV_IS,” and these new members seem to be the first project under that banner. Now we have both their appearances and a debut music video, one thing that stands out to me: The girls of ReGLOSS have surprisingly clean character designs.

Most VTuber designs take what I’ve referred to as a “maximalist” approach. Typically, a Virtual Youtuber wants their essence to be easily identifiable at a glance, and so most will have things like wild hairdos, horns, animal ears, and complex outfits on display. The most recent Hololive English generation, Advent, features all these attributes and more. While there are exceptions, this is the general trend.

In comparison, the ReGLOSS designs are actually quite subdued. Sure, they’re still pretty flashy, but they’re somewhat less elaborate than even typical IRL human idol or Kpop fare. The fact that all five members’ outfits are coordinated with one another is new and different—rarely have generations looked this cohesive. (And if anything, they kinda look like they stepped out of the anime RahXephon.)

As for why Hololive has decided to go this angle, I wonder if it’s because they seem poised to be a music group first and foremost, and there isn’t as much of a need to go big with the designs. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that another major Hololive singer, AZKi, has herself gotten more elegant redesigns over time. That said, I’d be shocked if they didn’t stream at least a decent amount, as that connection with the fans has been a boon to the followings of all the various musicians in Hololive.

For now, I’m pleasantly surprised. While I appreciate plenty of VTubers with maximalist designs (including Advent), I have wondered if that “arms race” has gone a bit overboard. If ReGLOSS finds success, maybe we’ll see a turn back to simpler and more refined aesthetics (if we ever really had them at all).

PS: While it’s somewhat futile to speculate about what they’re really like, Hololive seems to be very aware of this, and has created an image and hashtag for fans to predict what they’re like. So I figured, why not join in on the fun?

PPS: Hololive has also revealed their casual outfits. Though they no longer match, I think everything I said about their designs still stands—even Raden’s.