A Complete Guide to Enjoying Hololive: Find your Oshi
Hololive is a VTuber (virtual YouTuber) agency operated by Cover Inc. The company boasts global popularity, with branches not only in Japan but also in Indonesia and English-speaking countries.
Hololive’s VTubers offer a wide variety of content, including live game play, singing, and talk shows, each with their own unique personality and appeal. Their activities go beyond mere video distribution to include the release of music CDs, live concerts, and merchandise sales.
This guide will explain in detail the appeal and enjoyment of hololive. Are you ready to dive into the world of Hololive?
An in-depth look at the appeal of popular VTubers
Many attractive VTubers belong to Hololive, but here we introduce five particularly popular ones. We will explain each of them in detail, including their character settings, distinctive delivery content, and nicknames given to them by their fans.
Sakura Miko
Known as an elite shrine maiden idol, she is popular for her unique language and natural personality. Her distinctive greeting “Nya-hello~” and the unique expression “FAQ” are characteristic of her. Her natural play style is very popular in live game broadcasts.
Gawr Gura
Popular as a shark girl, she is characterized by her bilingual delivery in English and Japanese. Her unique “a” laugh and jokes about sharks are popular. She is also an excellent singer and has contributed many cover songs and original songs.
Usada Pekora
With her distinctive rabbit ears, Pekora Usuda is popular for her video game and singing videos. She is known for her “Peco” endings and her unique laugh “AH↑HA↑HA↑HA↑HA↑”. He has a high sense of comedy and entertains viewers with his funny delivery.
Shirakami Fubuki
Known as the girl with fox ears, she is popular for her versatile talents and cute voice. She offers a wide range of content, including live video games, singing, and drawing. She has a fan community called “Sukonbu,” which means “friend.
Minato Akua
A VTuber based on the motif of a pirate, Akua Minato is well known for her live game playing and singing skills. Her energetic and cheerful personality and her occasional natural side are appealing. Nicknamed “Akutan,” she attracts fans especially with her singing ability. Unfortunately, it was announced that she will be leaving Hololive after the graduation concert scheduled for August 28, 2024.
Find the perfect “Oshi” for you. By following each VTuber’s official YouTube channel and X (Twitter) account, you can check the latest information on their activities.
Enjoying Distribution: Differences between Online and Real Life
The daily activities of Hololive VTubers are live streaming on YouTube. You can check the distribution schedule on each VTuber’s official X (Twitter) or on the official HOLOLOLIVE website. Check the schedule regularly to make sure you don’t miss your favorite VTuber’s delivery.
During the livestream, you can communicate with your favorite VTuber using the chat function and super chat. Chat allows you to get excited with other fans and enjoy the sense of community togetherness. Super Chat is a paid message function that allows you to send messages directly to VTubers.
The beauty of online distribution is that you can participate regardless of your location. You can enjoy it from the comfort of your home or on your smartphone while commuting to work or school. The archive function allows you to watch the stream you missed later.
Realistic Feel of a Real Event
In addition to online streaming, HOLOLOLIVE regularly holds real events, including live performances using 3D models and fan meetings. At these events, you can enjoy performances by 3D models of VTubers you normally see in 2D.
At real events, you can enjoy the realistic sense of excitement with other fans. The attraction is the sense of togetherness that cannot be experienced online. Waving penlights, cheering, and the moment when the entire venue becomes one is an unforgettable experience for fans.
In addition, real events often offer limited-edition goods for sale, making them an unmissable opportunity for collectors. Goods that are exclusive to event attendees may later fetch a premium. However, real events are very popular and tickets can be difficult to obtain. In many cases, there are pre-sales or lottery sales for fan club members, so it is important to keep up to date with the latest information.
How to Enjoy Collecting Goods
Get your hands on new merchandise!
Official HOLOLOLIVE merchandise can be purchased at the official online store. Check the official X (Twitter) and YouTube channels for information on new merchandise releases. Also, each VTuber may announce about their own goods on their personal Twitter.
Popular goods may sell out quickly, so it is important to check the release date and time carefully. In particular, popular VTuber merchandise may sell out as soon as it goes on sale. Be sure to register as a member and enter your credit card information in advance so that you can purchase goods smoothly.
There is a wide range of Hollow Live merchandise available, but some of the most popular items include the following
- Acrylic stands: VTuber illustrations printed on acrylic sheets, ideal for displaying on your desk
- Can badges: small badges that can be attached to bags or clothing and are easy to collect.
- T-shirts: T-shirts printed with illustrations or quotes from VTubers are popular items for everyday use.
- Tapestries: Tapestries with large illustrations are ideal for decorating a room.
- Plush toys: Plush toys featuring VTubers are popular items with a soothing effect.
- Audio goods: Alarm clocks with voices, voice CDs, and other goods that allow you to enjoy the voices of VTubers are also popular.
These goods are not only for owning, but also for showing off on social networking sites or for socializing with other fans of the same VTuber.
How to take advantage of the second-hand market
Rare goods and past limited editions can be found on the second-hand market. Online marketplaces such as Mercari, Rakuma and other online marketplaces. You may be able to find items that are hard to find today, especially event-limited items and early merchandise.
Be wary of counterfeit items, however. Be sure to buy from sellers you can trust. Official merchandise often has hologram stickers or other anti-counterfeiting measures. Knowing these features in advance will help you avoid counterfeit items. Collecting goods is one of the most enjoyable parts of being a Hololive fan. By collecting goods from your favorite VTubers, you will be able to immerse yourself more deeply into the world of Hololive.
The World of Fan Art and Secondary Creation
Secondary creation activities are very active among Hololive fans. Fan art, fan fiction, music covers, and many other forms of love for the VTubers they guess are expressed in various ways. These creative activities invigorate the fan community and deepen the bond between VTubers and their fans.
Fan art is particularly popular, with many works being posted on social media such as Twitter and Pixiv, and VTubers sometimes introduce fan art during their deliveries, much to the delight of the creators.
On the music side, covers of VTubers’ singing videos and the creation of original songs are also popular. Some of them are even officially recognized by VTubers and introduced on their official channels.
Be sure to check the official guidelines of Hololive when enjoying derivative works. It is important to respect copyrights and keep in mind healthy fan activities. The guidelines generally permit derivative works for non-commercial purposes, but there are restrictions on expressions that offend public order and morals and on commercial use.
Secondary creation by fans is an important element that enriches the world of Hololive. Let’s deepen exchanges among fans through creative activities.
Recommendations for Community Participation
The circle of Hololive fans is expanding mainly through social networking sites, such as Twitter and Reddit, where you can interact using #HolololiveEN and the official hashtags of each VTuber. Fans can exchange information and talk about their favorite VTubers.
On Twitter, you can send replies to VTubers’ posts and exchange retweets and likes with other fans, while on Reddit, there is a subreddit called r/Hololive, where lively discussions take place, especially in English-speaking countries. The “hololive Meet” project also provides an opportunity to interact offline with fans from around the world. This is an official fan meeting event organized by hololive to deepen interaction between VTubers and fans, and among fans.
A New Era of “Guessing Life”: The Potential of the Metaverse
Hololive is also expanding into the metaverse (virtual space). The project “Holoearth” envisions a future where VTubers and fans can interact in a virtual space. This project is attracting attention as an innovative initiative that takes the traditional VTuber culture one step further.
The following experiences are expected to take place at Holoearth
- virtual meetups: fans can interact directly with VTubers through their avatars
- virtual live performances: fans can enjoy live performances in a 3D space with a more immersive experience
- virtual goods: Enables fans to collect and trade digital items
- fan interaction: a place to interact with fans from around the world in real time.
With the development of VR technology, the ways to enjoy hololive performances will further expand. In the future, wearing a VR headset may make it possible to experience as if you are in the same space as a VTuber.
Points for enjoying Hololive
1. Find the VTuber that best fits your taste: understand the characteristics and appeal of each VTuber and find the VTuber that best fits your taste.
2. Regularly check the distribution schedule and participate in community and real events: Check the distribution schedule frequently and actively interact with them through chat and social media. If possible, attend live concerts, fan meetings and other real-life events to get a real sense of the action!
3. Enjoy collecting goods: Collect official goods and limited items to immerse yourself more deeply in the world of Hololive. We also recommend expressing and sharing the appeal of Hololive through fan art, music covers, and other secondary creative activities.
4. Keep an eye out for new technologies and platforms: Look for new ways to enjoy Hololive using the latest technologies, such as metaverses.
The world of Hololive is deep, and everyone has their own way to enjoy it. This guide will help you find your own way to enjoy Hololive, which is at the forefront of VTuber culture. Why don’t you come and experience its charm?
