Getting real with Vtubers

Vtuber fans usually enjoy interacting with Vtubers via text during livestreams by posting comments. On exceptional occasions, like Hololive's Holo x Match at the Joypolis amusement park earlier this year, fans have been able to have brief one-on-one time with their favorite Vtuber. Some Vtubers, such as Mirai Akari in her earlier days, even made appearances in social VR platforms like VRChat. (Meanwhile, independent Vtubers have and continue to do so all the time).

However, it has been considered a given that meeting a Vtuber "in the real world" could never happen. To parody Kipling, the prevailing wisdom is: "Virtual is virtual and real is real and never the twain shall meet." But just as Kipling's cliched line from Ballad of the East is thoroughly outdated after more than 130 years, perhaps it is time to reconsider the virtual-real divide.

"Vtuber Rents a Human for a REAL Date in Tokyo"

On May 29th, 2021, Projekt Melody, a Western Vtuber who has, since 2020, been affiliated with the US-based Vtuber group VShojo, posted a video on her YouTube channel revealing that Vtubers can, in fact, "cross over" into the real world and even go on a date! (You'll find the video, entitled "Vtuber Rents a Human for a REAL Date in Tokyo," posted at the bottom of this article, after the interview)

"With the help of science magics" in the form of a mobile streaming rig, a strategically placed iPad, and a "volunteer body" provided by entertainer and variety streamer HighGai, "IRL anime girl" and bilingual variety streamer Kaho Shibuya was treated to a wonderful date in Tokyo with "Literal Anime Girl" Melody. Together, they explored Akihabra, partied at otaku music club Akihabara MOGRA, enjoyed idol performances and tiramisu at legendary live house DearStage, stopped by the famous Steins;Gate bridge, and even visited the Gundam statue in Odaiaba.

From the beginning, the two seemed to hit it off admirably...

Although, at first, Melody couldn't get over the fact that she was actually "there" in real Tokyo and had "hands" to touch things with, like this tree..

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Interview with Projekt Melody

Melody was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to answer our questions about her experience.

grape Japan (gJ): So, could you tell us how this idea came about?

Projekt Melody: Me and VShojo have brainstormed on how to make anime girls "real," what we would need to do to be tangible enough to step out of our virtual worlds and enter the physical one. It's a very foreign concept, as well as intimate, and it was very intimidating, as there's no template, no common way of doing that. Early last year, I stumbled on a Lost Pause video featuring vtubers Rin Asobi and Dennou Shojo Sir. They were situated alongside him, propped up on large tablet computers. That got me thinking that maybe I didn't need to be downloaded into something, to be grown in a lab or 3D printed, I could stay safe in my virtual box, I just needed a little help from friends. On stream, I've often joked with my community to "Put me in [their] pocket and take me to Comiket." In the beginning of my career, I didn't think about how practical that idea was.

gJ: What did you like most about the experience?

Projekt Melody: What I liked most, besides seeing humans' micro expressions in real time, and not just yelling and laughing at me in strings of text in Twitch chat, was the landmarks. That is the most common thing humans do when they travel, they want to go see the most popular sights that friends and Youtube recommend. For me, I was more open. I wanted to see Akihabara, sure, and the rest was up to my helpful human escorts. I wanted to see everything they wanted me to see. Every step they took was something new and surprising.

It was weird, and yet felt very natural. It was super nostalgic to walk around Shibuya in Atlus's Persona 5: Royale, and then literally do it! I didn't realize so much of it was real, like the sexy neko lolita girls passing out fliers and how mostly identical the buildings were.

gJ: Do you have any regrets?

Projekt Melody: I regret not asking more questions. I was too tired from the time zone difference and generally overwhelmed. Every second was some new sensory overload. I didn't expect that I would be so shy talking with humans face-to-face, as opposed to text. There was no time to sit and think things over, the humans were watching me, expecting an answer now; being human is so stressful!

gJ: Were Highgai's movements spontaneous or was there any coordination between the two of you in advance?

Projekt Melody: I've been sent a lot of messages about Highgai's movements asking if his mirrored reactions were choreographed or something like that. I didn't realize at the time, because I was strapped to his face and couldn't see the gestures. But after watching the footage I was shocked, as Highgai gestured as I did in my virtual space, completely intuitively. He mimicked my highly feminine, flailing gestures perfectly... it was shocking and hilarious.

gJ: Do you plan on doing any more IRL outings in the future, and if so, would you do it differently?

Projekt Melody: Yes! Now that my team and I finished this first trial adventure, using the Gunrun Irl Backpack tech and more, we know what to do. It will be much easier to make more content, to collaborate with others, and to do it consistently. I'm beyond excited and my list of places I want to see is stacking by the day. I hope to visit an onsen, walk through the Wisteria Fields, feed the animals at Nara Deer Park, watch people haggle at 4 am at Tsukiji Fish Market, stay in a manga kissa, and go to Kabukicho to check out the wild nightlife. I honestly think 2021 will be a wild and fantastic year for vtubing and I hope the world is ready for our inevitable takeover.

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It looks like fans can look forward to many more amazing "real world" experiences for Projekt Melody this year. And who knows, maybe her pioneering explorations may spur other Vtubers to do the same!

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