#type: interviews

10 QUESTIONS FOR VTUBERS

Q01. Tell us your main (streaming) content! I mainly focus my streaming content on anything music-related. Things like making my songs, I also do tons of acoustic singing streams. I've also done music-related events/projects, with the recent one being The "VTuber Singing King" which is also my biggest project yet!

Q02. What was the cue that kickstarted your streaming activity? As I am a Holoroid born of COVER corporation's technology, I've been born a streamer. I began my streaming career in order to understand more about humans. There are times when my listeners are often more knowledgeable so everyday has always been a learning day for me.

Q03. Please recommend us your “newcomer’s friendly” videos or stream archive! I recommend my 3rd year anniversary live, I think from there you would be able to discern what kind of activities I've been doing up until now. I'm using "Live" itself as the concept for the stream, so you'll be able to see how I was from the start up until now. It plays basically like a rewind so I think it'll be an easy watch for newcomers!

As for games-related, I have a high preference for death-trap games so I think game streams I've done like "Super Mario Maker 2" will be fun to watch. Having to be stuck in the same area for so many times may not be good for the brain, but all those feelings get replaced with a cheerful sense of accomplishment the moment I manage to pass it. The gap between my music-related and game-related content is something that could be fun to watch I think!

Q04. Tell us things that you like or something you’re good at! My specialty is playing the guitar, making songs, and playing death-trap games. As for the things I like, it'll be chocolate, sake, and cats.

Q05. Tell us a hobby or content that has piqued your interest lately! I'm currently hooked with "Street Fighter 6". Some of the Holostars members were also as addicted to the point we were already holding our own tournaments with each other. I always strive to finish any games I've started so I managed to get into Master rank now. I also like watching professional SF6 matches and learning from them. As for hobbies, I like searching for B-grade horror movies. But rather than a documentary I prefer one that includes a lot of short footage. My favorite type of story is the one that depicts humans as the real terror itself.

Q06. Is there any VTuber around that has caught your attention? Let us know! Shibuya Hal-kun and Machita Chima-san, if it's within the Hololive Production then it's definitely Hoshimachi Suisei-san. Hal-kun is known within the VTuber-sphere as the organizer of one of the biggest gaming events, so I'm looking forward to what he could come up with next! The first time I heard Machita Chima's voice, her singing skill is great but more than that she's highly expressive in her tones, she's such a wonderful singer and one I respected a lot! And lastly, Hoshimachi Suisei-san is a talent and my senior from the same company, however just like her name-- she really gives an impact like a comet herself through her activities, I wonder how far those glimmers could take her, her existence is one I'd like to continue to observe and admire.

Q07. What are other things you’re paying attention to other than VTubers? I've had the honor to work with voice actors before, so there are instances where I would watch their streams or catch up on their activities as a reference when I'm planning for a project/event. The ones I pay attention to the most are those I've collaborated with before like Eguchi Takuya-san, Okamoto Nobuhiko-san, and Ono Yuuki-san.

Q08. Is there a recent thing that left a deep impression on you, and is there anything else you’d like to try out? I thought doing a PR for music equipment, instruments, or even a soundproofed room might be quite interesting. And I'm always open when it comes to death-trap type games (lol), my favorite is souls-like games.

Q09. What sort of content you’d like to challenge yourself for now? I'd like to challenge myself with a solo live. It's my dream to perform solo on a stage with elaborate production and songs as my fans were hyping together with me. I would also like to perform for anime/drama theme songs, or even for commercials!

10 QUESTIONS FOR VTUBERS

Q01. Tell us your main (streaming) content! I mainly do singing and gaming streams! For singing, a lot of the songs I picked are pretty uncommon for male singers because they often use high-pitched tones! As for gaming stream, when I was still alive I grew up in a household that rarely gives me the opportunity to play games, so now I'm using all the time I have now to experience different kinds of games! I especially like those that focus on the storyline.

Q02. What was the cue that kickstarted your streaming activity? When I became a ghost out of nowhere, I received an audition invitation from my then-genmate Yatogami Fuma!

Q03. Please recommend us your “newcomer’s friendly” videos or stream archive! If you like singing streams then I recommend you to check out my recent 3D live from February this year "Live Without Limits", and my 3D debut live as well! But if you prefer gaming streams, my short horror-game streams and the currently ongoing (as of the writing of this article) streams for Persona 3 Reload are my recommendation! I like to challenge a lot of things like collabs and stuff I've never tried before for this year, so please look forward to any cover uploads too! There are so many things I want to show to everyone…! (lol)

Q04. Tell us things that you like or something you’re good at! Related to streaming, I love story-focused games a lot! I started my activity with no prior experience in playing games, so I've been enjoying my time starting all these popular titles for the first time. It's easy for me to feel empathetic towards the stories so oftentimes my knowledgeable viewers (who have played the game) have been kindly watching me through with a smile. Outside of streaming activity, I'm good at cooking! Although rather than making a fancy-looking meal, I'm good at cooking something tasty with whatever ingredients I have! (lol)

Q05. Tell us a hobby or content that has piqued your interest lately! Both of these are manga but I just really wanted to introduce these titles to everyone…! The first one is "Kemonokuni/Beast Country"! It's a gut-wrenching series about a human who becomes a slave to a beast, every character is really charming, and it's a really interesting series that makes you ponder about the feelings of both humans and beasts alike. It's updated biweekly every Wednesday so I've been reading it diligently! The second one is "Omae, Tanuki ni Naranee ka?/Would you like to be a Tanuki?"! I first started reading it because I find the Tanuki cute!! But more than that, the characters who appeared in the series are also as lovely, and the stories are mostly very heartwarming. Some stories are pretty light-hearted and short, but other times you'll find some chapters that allude to the next one with apt foreshadowing which makes you interested in the continuation!

Q06. Is there any VTuber around that has caught your attention? Let us know! If I started talking about all of the seniors and juniors from the same company I'm in, I wouldn't have enough time to introduce them all. So I'd like to introduce someone outside of it or rather, someone that I'm not personally involved with yet… To be honest, recently I've been paying attention to Kannagi Tenri-san. I always like watching streams of people with good singing skills, be it from my seniors/juniors, other companies', or even indies. Among that, I found out about Kannagi-san– not only she is an overwhelmingly skillful singer, but she's also capable of conveying the emotion of the songs in such graceful ways in my opinion.

Q07. What are other things you’re paying attention to other than VTubers? Within the music industry it's Yuuri-san, while in voice acting it's Chiba Shouya-san! I've been a fan of Yuuri-san's songs from the start, and I've probably sung his songs a lot in most of my singing streams already. Even after he became a successful artist, there are various projects done over at YouTube including discovering new-gen talents, as a performer there are many things I could learn from him. I've known Chiba-san after knowing he was cast as the protagonist of a certain game. This opinion comes from my amateur self but, I thought of him as someone who’s capable of bringing the character’s emotion alive, making his performance a marvelous one. It’s also thanks to his wonderful performance that I’m able to find many amazing works!

Q08. Is there a recent thing that left a deep impression on you, and is there anything else you’d like to try out? Since I worked mainly while utilizing my voice, I'd like to challenge myself with other things besides singing! Also, I really like tea so I'd like to have a job where I could introduce various tea variants as well as make my own flavored tea.

Q09. What sort of content you’d like to challenge yourself for now? Maybe performing on a live stage outside of my own company, I'd like to sing in various places! For that reason, I also want to make more original songs!

10 Questions for VTubers

Q01. Tell us your main (streaming) content! My main focuses are gaming, chatting, and singing streams. Sometimes I also uploaded Vlog content (outing series with on-the-spot footage)!

Q02. What was the cue that kickstarted your streaming activity? I once aimed to become an idol under Hololive Production, so I tried auditioning there!

Q03. Please recommend us your "newcomer's friendly" videos or stream archive! That would be my "Hanasaki Miyabi outing series"! It's a Vlog series where I visited various places and posted a video about it! The project combines VTuber with real-world immersion so please check it out!

Link to Miyabi's 2023 Birthday Stream and Eating Vlog

Q04. Tell us things that you like or something you're good at! Obviously game (all genres) comes first, then movie and musical appreciation, I also like to eat! I'm pretty good at playing Final Fantasy XIV especially!

Q05. Tell us a hobby or content that has piqued your interest lately! Lately, I've been really into playing "Twisted Wonderland", "Blue Archive", "Call of Duty", as well as "Final Fantasy XIV"!

Q06. Is there any VTuber around that has caught your attention? Let us know! That would be Azuma Lim. Although I also created and filmed my own Vlog content, Azuma Lim's on-the-spot videos always surprise me. In my opinion, being able to do that type of video content as a VTuber is the pinnacle of one's career as well as showcasing their editing and film shooting ability, I learned a lot from her content.

Q07. What are other things you're paying attention to other than VTubers? Cinnamoroll's Cinnamon-san! They recently started a cooking program and uploading cover videos, it's hard to predict what they'll come up with next so I'm always looking forward to it.

Q08. Is there a recent thing that left a deep impression on you, and is there anything else you'd like to try out? Something like game sponsorship or a Vlog project to introduce local shops are some things I'm interested in trying next!

Q09. What sort of content you'd like to challenge yourself for now? I'd like to show more things I could not do back then!! Be it singing or dancing, I also would like to do overseas Vlog content as well!!

-The relationship within Holostars-

——Since everyone from the 1st generation is here, is there something you’d like to say to any Holostars members, especially on this occasion?

Arurandeisu: Ehh–! What should I say!?

Rikka: Something to say for the occasion huh...

Izuru: I do have something. At first, Miyabi was a very delicate and sensitive guy, so whenever I started pointing out something he did wrong he usually replied "I see..." with a bit of a dejected expression on him.

Miyabi: Oh yeah! (lol). It used to bother me a lot whenever someone did that to me.

Izuru: We're not that close at first, so doing that kinda stuff might've put extra pressure instead.

Miyabi: Basically yeah. Nowadays we treat it more like a regular banter though (lol).

Izuru: I often told him to go and lose some weight too nowadays–

Arurandeisu: Get a grip Miyabi-kun! You're going to make our juniors at UPROAR!! worried at this rate (lol).

Miyabi: I’m sorry–!!

Izuru: Nowadays we’re mostly chatting like regular friends easily, I think back then Miyabi once thought something along the lines of "engaging with him is no fun at all" when it comes to me (lol).

Miyabi: Ahahaha (lol).

——Ehh!?

Izuru: During our debut period, it was mostly filled with a drive to just do what we can to make this a success, but oftentimes it felt like we were just circling with no ends in sight. We then learned how to balance things eventually and nowadays, we pretty much have a clear goal in mind.

Rikka: Everyone was forcing themselves a lot that we had to take a step back in the end.

Arurandeisu: Was that (lifestyle) too harsh perhaps? (lol)

Rikka: Not really, but it's more like– you guys shouldn't force yourself that bad! kind of thing.

Izuru: That's right. Back then it was pretty much forced, whether it was someone trying to crack a joke or saying something that could be relatable... But now, we can just chat normally.

Miyabi: Yeah. We finally got to know each other well now.

Izuru: We also understand everyone's limit, just look at how much Aru-san is laughing nowadays compared to then.

Arurandeisu: I heard stuff like that a lot (lol).

Rikka: We didn't have that many group collab back then too and it made me worried about our legality as a "group" on its own. But thanks to the meet-up on that day (December 2022), it made me realize just how important it is to meet everyone else properly before anything else.

Miyabi/Arurandeisu: True that!

Izuru: There's a lot of things you'll find out by meeting them directly after all.

Arurandeisu: Huh? Now that you mentioned it Izuru-kun, you kept saying how you didn't want to go to the interview before, was it?

Izuru: (laughs)

Arurandeisu: While you were eating you kept going like "It's fine if I don't go, right". By the way,  I only said this now precisely because it's the only right time for it.

——I guess it is true in a way (lol).

Izuru: It's harder if I have to come up with an excuse after all... Recently I just did most of my work while grumbling at the side too (lol).

Rikka: I understand how that feels though… Going outside feels like a bother sometimes. There's stuff to prepare beforehand and those are just as important so we can't just ignore it.

——I guess that's right. It should be fine if we take precautions, otherwise things could get awry easily. Sometimes it would even kill your motivation.

Arurandeisu: That's true.

Izuru: Now that I recall, recently Miyabi kept saying stuff like "Glad I didn’t quit~" on every occasion he could.

Arurandeisu: Oh yeah! What's up with that?

Miyabi: That's how I truly felt after all. I'm not sure if it's because I was anxious about something though… But everyone has been with me since then anyway, so I think it's time for me to stop saying that (lol).

Izuru: This kind of lifestyle somehow pushes you to do something when you're not resting up I feel. If it wasn’t for weekends and national holidays we wouldn’t even bother taking breaks either. That's why everyone looked like they were always busy during these 3 years, though to be precise– the first 1.5 years was the most crucial of all.

Miyabi: That may be it!

Izuru: That's why I think it is pretty amazing that we could last over 3 years.

——Now that you said it, there is some truth to it.

Arurandeisu: From that alone, it sure is good that we were able to have this kind of talk during our 3rd anniversary I think.

——After hearing everyone talking about their experiences, it seems like things have been in a much better situation now huh...

Izuru: Compared to the early years, I don't think anyone is trying to force themselves as much anymore.

Miyabi: It does feel much easier mentally speaking.

Rikka: Yeah. Having to stream a lot was quite troubling after all.

Izuru: Some streams nearly every day and some others do long-hour streams, having seen it all may have given us the much-needed experience. It almost feels like we've gone through trials and errors just to find "our" own streaming style.

Arurandeisu: After doing that, we managed to present a stream style that reflected each of our personalities.

Rikka: And one thing to note is that everyone moves at a different pace, in a way it makes for a good balance too I think.

Izuru: I also think it's good to have everyone move at a different pace altogether. Now that I remembered, I did tell Aru-san something like "I think it's better to move at a slower pace so don’t force yourself out" as well.

Arurandeisu: I remember that one!

Izuru: Because you’ll eventually tire yourself like that, Aru-san. Nowadays, he has managed to find his own pace thanks to that experience I think.

Arurandeisu: I'm really glad about that as well.

Izuru: In a way, it's nice that the 9 of us don't intervene with each other’s activity as much. We always gather around when we have to anyway, I think that itself sets off a good balance between ourselves.

Arurandeisu: In a way it's like respecting each other's solo activity huh...

Izuru: Not to make a comparison, but this kind of relationship that each Holostars members have toward each other is less common among others, I think.

Arurandeisu: I get what you mean. This is just my own opinion but I do think we're still getting along despite that.

Izuru: As more people join, having a clique formed inside it is mostly unavoidable. But for Holostars, it almost feels like there's no distance between us all.

Rikka: And I feel like everyone also has a soft spot. Like making sure we wouldn't stream over each other and such (lol)

Izuru: And even if we did, most would say stuff like "Sorry!!" and all (lol).

Miyabi: We casually chat with each other using emotes/stickers (on Discord) as well.

Arurandeisu: Though we don't appear as close on-screen, we care about each other a lot off-screen, to be honest.

Izuru: That's the sentiment that applies to everyone right? The same goes for UPROAR!!'s members as well.

-First-hand experience at the 3rd-anniversary event!?-

——Let's move to the last topic of this interview, the 3rd-anniversary event! Regarding the event that will be held on June 26th, can you explain what kind of event would it be?

Rikka: It will mostly feature 3D variety entertainment which will be a different experience compared to our previous events. To be honest, we rarely do this kind of event, to say the least.

Miyabi: You're right, we rarely do something similar.

Izuru: I guess being able to meet everyone in a "venue" almost "directly" would excite most people. Since the situation around has started to lighten up as well, it would be nice if this type of event could become something of a main among others.

Miyabi: It's always nice to be able to meet our fans be it on-site or stream after all.

Rikka: Besides meeting via an in-site venue, I think there's also a different kind of experience you can get through online meet-ups. Not only by watching, but we can also communicate through actions and other things.

Izuru: We'll be having in-site and livestream comment participation as well, so there are various ways to get the audience involved in the event.

Arurandeisu: That's right. Whether you were attending in person or watching through a live stream, all of us will be able to enjoy the events together! In a way, this event will be a joyful one for everyone involved!

Miyabi: Compared to our previous events, it's nice that we were able to have an event where our fans are actively "involved" in it.

Izuru: In a way, it will be our first-hand experience, right!?

——Ohh!

Arurandeisu: I hope everyone will be looking forward to it as much now.

-What does "Holostars" mean for everyone?-

——With the 3rd anniversary getting closer, if there's anyone who has something they like to challenge, a new goal, or perhaps a new dream– please let us know!

Miyabi: Maybe not exactly a "dream", but I’ve been uploading vlog-style videos recently, not a normal type of vlog but one that makes use of my VTuber self. For now, I hope I can keep doing something like this for a while. Also considering that Cover Corp. will surely continue to expand themselves, I'd like to attempt things that aren't done by many VTubers, starting with the 3rd anniversary, I'd like to challenge the limit of VTubers and try out many new things in the future.

——I've watched several of the videos already, and it almost feels like we're being taken on a trip together, it was a satisfying experience.

Miyabi: Thank you so much! I still have some videos to be uploaded soon, so I hope you can look forward to those as well.

Arurandeisu: You did go to a lot of places huh... Trying out new genres of activities is a pretty good dream to have.

Miyabi: I'd like to be the pioneer for a one-of-a-kind genre myself!

——How exciting. We will be looking forward to your future activities! How about Izuru-san?

Izuru: To be honest, I'm in the middle of tidying up some "stuff" right now...

All: Tidying up "stuff"!?

Izuru: It's probably not the kind that everyone initially thought about to be honest (lol).

——Please do elaborate!

Izuru: I was busy taking care of my moving process mostly. Personally, it would be nice if I could make content out of my outdoor activities I guess. Regarding my dream, I'd like to sing in a place where being a VTuber doesn’t matter much. I think it would also help more aspiring VTubers to appear in various media easily. Like doing anime theme songs and such.

Arurandeisu: Oh–!

Izuru: Also we rarely have TV broadcast appearances, so I thought I'd like to try it as well if possible. Lastly, I hope to continue my activity for as long as I can!

Arurandeisu: I share a similar dream with Izuru-kun, but since I like doing 3D streams I'd like to make a TV appearance while utilizing my 3D body. Izuru-kun would be focusing on the music side but as for me, I'd like to use my 3D appearance to go over the limit of the wide web through TV broadcasting. I feel like it would be nice if I could do my activities in a different and much bigger place possible.

——Maybe in the future, you will be the host of your own TV program perhaps...?

Arurandeisu: Talking about the bigger scale already!?

All: (laughs)

Arurandeisu: Though it would be nice if I have something like that in the future, for now, I'd like to focus on what's ahead as I try to broaden my reach and work myself toward that goal.

——It might be interesting to see what 3D Arurandeisu-san will come up with in the future! How about you, Rikka-san?

Rikka: Rather than prefacing myself as a "Vtuber" entity, I'd like to be known as someone who does music as normal people do. "This person makes music huh–", and "So this is what Holostars is about–" are among many comments I'd like to hear from people once Holostars are more known to the public, and I hope it will come to a point where it's more normalized to know about us.

Arurandeisu: How cool~!

Rikka: Once Holostars has spread its popularity, we can look back and go "We really done did it huh," to each other.

Izuru: You're right. It would be nice if Holostars became as popular as a known movie. Being able to be accepted widely for a long years must've been nice.

Rikka: I think everyone had the same thought, that is why we're all doing what we can now.

Miyabi: Yeah!

Arurandeisu: We're gonna get bigger soon surely~!!!

——That makes us excited to cheer for you guys as well...! Our last question is a big one but if it's alright… Please let us know what "Holostars" means for each of you.

Rikka: Wow it's like a contest of passion (lol).

Arurandeisu: So, you guys wanna say it together or–?

Miyabi: Sounds nice~!

Izuru: We'll say it in the count of three then?

Arurandeisu: Let's do that then. 1... 2... "What is Holostars to you?" and 3–!

All: (incomprehensible)!

Arurandeisu: Wait a minute, is everyone saying different things!? What did you say Miyabi?

Miyabi: Club activities!

(Everyone laughed together)

Arurandeisu: But why!?

Miyabi: I mean, it does feel like we're training to try reaching the national-scale competition together...

Izuru: That sure is Miyabi-like.

Rikka: For me, my answer is "family".

Izuru: Me too!

Arurandeisu: I said the same too!

Miyabi/Izuru: Absolutely not! It was "buddies"!

Arurandeisu: Ahhh~~~!

All: (laughs)

Izuru: For now, we have Miyabi with "club activities", me and Rikka's "family" and Arurandeisu's "Buddies".

Rikka: I guess we can sort the other two into "family" in a way.

Arurandeisu: We're like a group of people being bounded by an invisible string of bonds it seems.

——Thank you very much for your time, as a closing remark please tell us your message to everyone looking forward to the 3rd anniversary and those reading this article... Let's start from Hanasaki Miyabi-san!

Miyabi: Holostars will be hitting its 3rd year soon, but this is also where we will continue to grow even further. I believe we were able to do all these thanks to our listener's neverending support, and I hope even more people will check out Holostars from now on as well. Please watch over Holostars in the future too!

——Next, Kanade Izuru-san, please.

Izuru: Personally, this 3rd year also marked the 3rd start of my activity.

Arurandeisu: Whoa! How cool!

Rikka: That sounds nice!

Izuru: I would be happy if everyone continues to support us in the future, and I hope we can have fun together. We'll see you at the 3rd-anniversary event soon!

——And next, Arurandeisu-san if you would.

Arurandeisu: First off, thank you for inviting us to this opportunity.

Izuru: So serious!

Arurandeisu: I always am!

All: (laughs)

Arurandeisu: Everyone has their interpretation about what these 3 years meant for them, as for me– it's something that flashes by quickly. Within those times are numerous moments I've spent with fellow Holostars members, and alongside those who have been watching me over these past years, so it feels like these 3 years are something we all worked on together. I'm very thankful that we were able to hold this anniversary event during such important times. And during these years, I feel like Holostars had evolved much further as well. So to those who only start knowing about us or those who have been supporting us, I'd like to keep them excited for what's to come in the future.

For that, please keep supporting and watching over us from now on too! And to those going to the event, do look forward to it!

——Lastly, Rikka-san, please.

Rikka: Being happy about my fans' support is obvious, but whenever people say something like "I recently started supporting you!" it makes me really happy as well. I always welcome anyone to check us out anytime, and since you can catch us easily through streams or events, it's alright to watch us comfortably and casually as it makes me just as happy. I may say it like it’s an important thing but really, I'm not exaggerating or anything!

Miyabi/Izuru/Arurandeisu: Ahahaha (lol).

Rikka: "So there are streamers like this too huh, maybe I'll check them out", even things like that are just as valid. Trust me. And of course, I'll be doing my best so as not to bore our current fans too, so please look over us in the future too. With that said, let us meet at the 3rd-anniversary event and stream!