© Mirai Akari Project © KOKOROYAMI PROJECT

Vtuber Mirai Akari’s alter ego KOKOROYAMI makes major music debut; multimedia project launched

Vtuber Mirai Akari and KOKOROYAMI

Mirai Akari ミライアカリ is one of the "The Four Heavenly Lords" 四天王 shitennō of the Vtuber world. For those unfamiliar with the term, although the Vtuber landscape has changed in the last six years, Vtubers who had the most subscribers at the dawn of the Vtuber age, namely Kizuna AI キズナアイ, Kaguya Luna 輝夜月 (retired in 2020), Mirai Akari, Virtual Noja Loli Kitsunemusume Youtuber Ojisan バーチャルのじゃロリ狐娘Youtuberおじさん, and Dennō Shōjo Shiro 電脳少女シロ, were described under the umbrella term "The Four Heavenly Lords" 四天王 (even though there were five) and the title has remained ever since.

Mirai Akari made her debut as a Vtuber in October 2017, winning over fans with her extroverted, positive and energetic disposition and her sometimes racy humor and double entendres. She's also a musical artist, now affiliated with GOOM STUDIO, where she made her major-label debut with her single "Fly to NEW WORLD" and has released many other original tracks. On her official YouTube Channel, she has nearly 710,000 subscribers.

As for her backstory, Mirai Akari was a time traveler sent from the future to the year 2017 but she lost all of her memories. She started her YouTube channel to make connections with humans as she tries to find purpose.

Akari also has a dark alter ego called KOKOROYAMI ココロヤミ*.

*You may have seen her name written Kokoro Yami but we confirmed that the official English version is KOKOROYAMI all uppercase with no spacing. "Yami" or "Yami-chan" can be written in lowercase.

Especially since last fall, she's been making appearances, if only for brief moments, but since December, she's taken over Akari's TikTok and Instagram accounts, not to mention showing off her musical side by rapping short phrases. And today, she hijacked Akari's Twitter account. Now we finally know what it was all leading up to!

grape Japan was able to get some exciting information first hand from Mirai Akari's label GOOM STUDIO about KOKOROYAMI.

KOKOROYAMI to make her musical artist debut!

It's confirmed. Yami is coming out of the shadows and making her major label musical artist debut with a split mini-album called 『ミライアカリ VS ココロヤミ』 ("MIRAI AKARI VS KOKORO YAMI") to be released on April 13th, 2022. The album will contain 6 tracks, including solo songs by both Yami and Akari, as well as collaboration songs and drama (voiced) parts. The mini-album will come with a Blu-ray disc containing exclusive videos.

The new artist visuals for Yami have a dark and cool image, and were created by MONQ, the same artist who created Mirai's latest artist visuals.

The curtain is also set to rise on a major project featuring KOKOROYAMI involving fashion, art, as well as street and music culture. A graffiti mural just went up today in Ura-Harajuku and much more is yet to come. Details will be forthcoming!

Mini-Album MIRAI AKARI VS KOKORO YAMI

Product information

Name: 『ミライアカリ VS ココロヤミ』 (MIRAI AKARI VS KOKORO YAMI)
Release: April 13th, 2022
Price: 4,400 yen (including tax)
BCGA-0006（CD+BD) 4934569551078

CRY TO NEW WORLD music video

Merchandise

A-on STORE / A-on STORE Powered by A!SMART: 2L size bromide with message (reproduction)
Animate: L size bromide feauring KOKOROYAMI wearing an Animate apron and a message (reproduction)
Amazon.com: L size bromide with message (reproduction)
Gamers: Tin badge + L size bromide with message (reproduction)
Tower Records: L size bromide feauring KOKOROYAMI wearing a Tower Records apron and a message (reproduction)
TSUTAYA Online Shopping: L size bromide with message (reproduction)
Toranoana: L size bromide feauring KOKOROYAMI wearing a Toranoana apron and a message (reproduction)
Neo Wing: 57mm tin badge

Some stores won't offer these products. Please check with each store for details on availability.

International Sales

NEW: 『ミライアカリ VS ココロヤミ』 (MIRAI AKARI VS KOKORO YAMI) is now available internationally here at CD Japan. The CD + Bluray set also comes with a perk in the form of a metal badge featuring KOKOROYAMI and Mirai Akari together.

KOKOROYAMI Timeline

Like Akari, she was thought to have amnesia, but perhaps KOKOROYAMI is the only one who has memories of the past. It has been suggested that she may have manifested in the human world with a specific mission.

October 21st, 2021: After Mirai Akari's livestream, we can hear a voice saying: "HELLO...please annihilate the virtual..."
November 6th, 2021: After the end of Mirai Akari's 5th anniversary concert, we hear white noise and then a voice saying: "H-E-L-L-O..."
November 30th, 2021: After the end of Mirai Akari's autograph session, we hear a voice saying: "I'm starting to be able to move without being inside Akari. Now let's start the real revolution."
From December 1st, 2021: KOKOROYAMI takes over Mirai Akari's TikTok account. TikTok, perhaps interpreting it as a hijacking from an outside party, deletes the account Akari was then using but not before Yami leaves a message: "Do you know Mirai Akari?" (The message is not on the current TikTok account but it remains saved on a highlight on the Instagram account).
January 14th, 2022: KOKOROYAMI takes over Mirai Akari's Twitter account for 24 hours

Handwritten message from KOKOROYAMI

As a grape Japan exclusive (at the time of writing), we were able to get a handwritten message signed "Yami-chan," in which she shows off her favorite slogan: "Defeat Mirai Akari!"

Of course, she only means that half-jokingly as a rival, as you can tell from the LOL（笑）at the bottom left...

Stay tuned to Mirai Akari (and KOKOROYAMI)'s social media for forthcoming details on the KOKOROYAMI Project which will make its mark both in virtual and real spaces in the days and months to come!