I gotta say, my biggest problem making my VTuber design was trying to be so original that no one had a similar design to me to the point that I was overly stressed someone would think I was copying another bigger VTuber. I finally got to where I had friends encouraging me to just make what I want and worry about not being like others if the time comes. So for those who were like me, try not to overthink your design, either.
I think the biggest thing with indie VTubers is: centering your brand around "VTuber Culture" is useless unless you already ARE or plan to go with an agency in the near future. You are just minimizing your audience and nerfing your own reach. Worrying about what people want to see out of "VTubers" and not what you want to make is just going to cause you to burn out one way or the other. People don't go to indies to see what the agencies are already doing successfully, they go to indies to see something a bit different. I kind of got myself into the loop of (admittedly really half heartedly) attempting to keep up with VTuber culture when I first started, but I'm much more comfortable AND better performing now with my success in being lowkey as a streamer and more focusing on building my brand around things I like.
Vtubing is a medium, not a culture. We need to get away from assuming vtubing is the same as japanese idol culture. The current clashes we see in the vtubing community is from western streaming culture clashing with japanese idol culture. The sooner we as a community realise that what binds us together is the medium of vtubing, and let our own personalities shine through the medium, then the horizons widen and the world becomes so much much larger to live in.
your model looks absolutely gorgeous btw, but yeah as much as i dont think im ever planning on being a vtuber myself, its always fascinating watching your videos with your insight on this matter. even though i dont think i'll have much use for this information, at least for now, it gives me a new level of appreciation for the depth of this medium that i already love watching so much as a casual. i dont navigate social media outside of watching my favorite vtubers so seeing the social side of things as you have understood is insightful too. if i ever decide to get into this stuff, perhaps i'll come back to your videos with a lot more than just curiosity and me loving to listen to you talk about literally anything
Maybe this is a bit of a silly proposition, but can we normalize being up-front about your intentions when approaching other creators? I've seen the Friends vs Colleagues argument thrown around ad nauseum and I'm just like... "Can we not just agree that talking about it up front is healthy communication?"
its sooo true that you dont need the "anime VT look" my vt is a ragdoll no sharp ángeles, kinda chibi and people love the theme, cute little chibi doll, not overly detailed (also chibi models tend to be cheaper) unique design + story/motive for it = interesting first impretion
Another banger, helpful video!! Definitely agree with the second one, I've seen so many put more focus on getting attention on twittter and never put that focus elsewhere and then getting upset and losing motivation when their engagement just doesn't change at all. Twitter is not the be all end all and shouldn't be pushed as such, especially considering how the space has really changed from when a lot of the bigger folks giving this advice started
Thank you for your insight in this vid. I'm tip toeing into vtubing to see if its what I want to do. I've been a fan of vtubers for a while but I wanted to be some kind of content creator way before that. I don't care about climbing. I don't care about "blowing up". I just wanna share my avid love of video gaming and singing with other people online. Regardless of what happens i took this to heart. Gl in your journey as well 👍
Fantastic video! Huge on the twitter point. I fell into that when I first started and once I realized twitter audience does not translate over to youtube/twitch etc. things got much better! Twitter I find is good for notifying your current audience and just being silly.
While my Vtuber does have a more traditional anime style, that's cuz I'm making a game with a more JPRG/anime-esque plot and she's here to promote it -- so it makes sense to try to draw in some of that Corpo/Vtubery audience. BUT not everyone is making anime-adjacent content or even likes anime. So yeah, 100% agree with that point Also, if I didn't say it last time: I LOVE your new model's lineart and coloring. It is SO PRETTY AHHHHH 😍😍😍
My main inspiration as a Vtuber is Mayu Shibuki. Not only does she do gaming streams, but she also does J-pop and anison covers on the chromatic harmonica (the one with the button on the side). She also does originals with her singing and playing the chromatic. She inspired me to become a Vtuber with the diatonic harmonica (the one without the button) not as a joke, but as the focus of my content. I also have used pre-made Live2D avatars and assets from Nizima/Booth so I could dive into content creating without losing a lot of money. I'm mainly doing this as a hobby right now, but I hope that I can make this a full time thing.
genuinely, ive found making non-anime vtuber models much more fun and interesting! my own sona is going through another redesign, but thats only so i can fix their silhouette and lean more into the punk/goth style i love irl! i mean, cmon, ive not SEEN another bunny-anthro with a punk aesthetic!
That's the reason I've been using a PNG model because 1 I am just vibing really and 2 I do not stream enough to justify having a live 2d or anything fancy though I will say thank you to Murdock for making me a 3D and for Starlight for the PNG and helping me discover myself. I also only use Twitter to let people know what's happening and to support friends but other than that I mostly forget I have Twitter lol. As far as branding goes Starlight Akari helped me discovered what I wanted and most of what I wanted is what i liked. I like the color purple, cats, glasses and stars and moon. And yes I knew being a cat vtuber would be risky because so many of us BUT I like to think of us like a large cat village aha. But lately I realized why be one thing when I CAN BE OTHERS! I am plotting to perhaps do two other ideas I was hesitant with because why not
it's a good thing to note too, u don't have to start out as a 'rigged' model either. pngtubing is so much more accessible if funds are a huge issue and there's lots of amazing artists and tools to make pngtubers just as 'lively' as rigged models (pngtuber plus is fun! but could be daunting to figure out for very very beginners) (also i'll never understand the emphasis within the culture that people see xyz type of model as 'better' or 'end goal' than other types bc i think pngtubing is so much fun and so versatile. live2d modeling CAN be but it's a ton more work and more costly if ur not an artist/rigger and i've always been less interested in 3d models (for myself, idc if other people use them) but it seems having a 3d model is more coveted? than other models. it's weird lol like what difference does it make how a model is made, it's the creativity and how u use it that counts imo)
I mean, I've kind of done both in the sense that my naming is JP-inspired, but my model resembles my actual ethnicity because I didn't want to hide it. Part of my choice for the branding was deliberately aiming for the disconnect of looking like a slick corpo VTuber, but in reality being an uncool South Asian gaming dad. But it's complicated too because while I don't want to mask who I am, VTubing is also a mask where I don't want people to watch me for who I am, but what I make. I'm sure culturally we share something in common, but I want to make things about retro video games, Japanese literature, cheesy B-movies, and silly ghost hunting shows-- things I hope to share across many cultures.
I went with a Japanese first name because I'm a fcking WEEB I love anime and Japanese food and their architecture and fashion and all the weird wacky stuff they get up to. I wanted something to alliterate with Kobold, and I love frogs, so when I found Kaeru means frogs in Japanese I latched onto it immediately :3
I will say your third point isn't as cut and dry as you make it out to be. There are many vtubers out there that already do what makes them feel good the issue is they never make it big enough to actually get eyes on them hence why many of the bigger vtubers go straight for the known money making method because is bring in the viewers as vtubing originally started a a niche inside the anime/manga community and that's where it took off. If you want to get at least some eyes on you getting as you, and some other "designers" say, get the generic anime model then when you think your big enough the switch there is nothing wrong with doing that because its a proven thing that works you can due your own thing as other vtubers have done but the barrier to enter is drastically harder.
The second tips have i used alot, and i can say it's stressing me out, felt like spamming. I found it much easier to just write your thoughts on other peoples posts rather than to say "please can we be friends?" 😗
Unscripted ADHD video, hope you enjoy!
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I gotta say, my biggest problem making my VTuber design was trying to be so original that no one had a similar design to me to the point that I was overly stressed someone would think I was copying another bigger VTuber. I finally got to where I had friends encouraging me to just make what I want and worry about not being like others if the time comes. So for those who were like me, try not to overthink your design, either.
I think the biggest thing with indie VTubers is: centering your brand around "VTuber Culture" is useless unless you already ARE or plan to go with an agency in the near future. You are just minimizing your audience and nerfing your own reach. Worrying about what people want to see out of "VTubers" and not what you want to make is just going to cause you to burn out one way or the other. People don't go to indies to see what the agencies are already doing successfully, they go to indies to see something a bit different.
I kind of got myself into the loop of (admittedly really half heartedly) attempting to keep up with VTuber culture when I first started, but I'm much more comfortable AND better performing now with my success in being lowkey as a streamer and more focusing on building my brand around things I like.
True
Vtubing is a medium, not a culture.
We need to get away from assuming vtubing is the same as japanese idol culture.
The current clashes we see in the vtubing community is from western streaming culture clashing with japanese idol culture. The sooner we as a community realise that what binds us together is the medium of vtubing, and let our own personalities shine through the medium, then the horizons widen and the world becomes so much much larger to live in.
your model looks absolutely gorgeous btw, but yeah as much as i dont think im ever planning on being a vtuber myself, its always fascinating watching your videos with your insight on this matter. even though i dont think i'll have much use for this information, at least for now, it gives me a new level of appreciation for the depth of this medium that i already love watching so much as a casual. i dont navigate social media outside of watching my favorite vtubers so seeing the social side of things as you have understood is insightful too. if i ever decide to get into this stuff, perhaps i'll come back to your videos with a lot more than just curiosity and me loving to listen to you talk about literally anything
Maybe this is a bit of a silly proposition, but can we normalize being up-front about your intentions when approaching other creators? I've seen the Friends vs Colleagues argument thrown around ad nauseum and I'm just like... "Can we not just agree that talking about it up front is healthy communication?"
its sooo true that you dont need the "anime VT look" my vt is a ragdoll no sharp ángeles, kinda chibi
and people love the theme, cute little chibi doll, not overly detailed (also chibi models tend to be cheaper)
unique design + story/motive for it = interesting first impretion
Aw man I'm glad I found your channel! I'm so glad you're making videos and talking about topics about vtubers that have been driving me NUTS!! 🙏🙏
Another banger, helpful video!! Definitely agree with the second one, I've seen so many put more focus on getting attention on twittter and never put that focus elsewhere and then getting upset and losing motivation when their engagement just doesn't change at all. Twitter is not the be all end all and shouldn't be pushed as such, especially considering how the space has really changed from when a lot of the bigger folks giving this advice started
Thank you for your insight in this vid.
I'm tip toeing into vtubing to see if its what I want to do. I've been a fan of vtubers for a while but I wanted to be some kind of content creator way before that.
I don't care about climbing. I don't care about "blowing up". I just wanna share my avid love of video gaming and singing with other people online.
Regardless of what happens i took this to heart. Gl in your journey as well 👍
love the information here, and your videos. always very informative!
Fantastic video!
Huge on the twitter point. I fell into that when I first started and once I realized twitter audience does not translate over to youtube/twitch etc. things got much better! Twitter I find is good for notifying your current audience and just being silly.
Your new model looks great! Definitely more robust!
While my Vtuber does have a more traditional anime style, that's cuz I'm making a game with a more JPRG/anime-esque plot and she's here to promote it -- so it makes sense to try to draw in some of that Corpo/Vtubery audience. BUT not everyone is making anime-adjacent content or even likes anime. So yeah, 100% agree with that point
Also, if I didn't say it last time: I LOVE your new model's lineart and coloring. It is SO PRETTY AHHHHH 😍😍😍
My main inspiration as a Vtuber is Mayu Shibuki. Not only does she do gaming streams, but she also does J-pop and anison covers on the chromatic harmonica (the one with the button on the side). She also does originals with her singing and playing the chromatic. She inspired me to become a Vtuber with the diatonic harmonica (the one without the button) not as a joke, but as the focus of my content. I also have used pre-made Live2D avatars and assets from Nizima/Booth so I could dive into content creating without losing a lot of money. I'm mainly doing this as a hobby right now, but I hope that I can make this a full time thing.
genuinely, ive found making non-anime vtuber models much more fun and interesting! my own sona is going through another redesign, but thats only so i can fix their silhouette and lean more into the punk/goth style i love irl! i mean, cmon, ive not SEEN another bunny-anthro with a punk aesthetic!
That's the reason I've been using a PNG model because 1 I am just vibing really and 2 I do not stream enough to justify having a live 2d or anything fancy though I will say thank you to Murdock for making me a 3D and for Starlight for the PNG and helping me discover myself. I also only use Twitter to let people know what's happening and to support friends but other than that I mostly forget I have Twitter lol. As far as branding goes Starlight Akari helped me discovered what I wanted and most of what I wanted is what i liked. I like the color purple, cats, glasses and stars and moon. And yes I knew being a cat vtuber would be risky because so many of us BUT I like to think of us like a large cat village aha. But lately I realized why be one thing when I CAN BE OTHERS! I am plotting to perhaps do two other ideas I was hesitant with because why not
it's a good thing to note too, u don't have to start out as a 'rigged' model either. pngtubing is so much more accessible if funds are a huge issue and there's lots of amazing artists and tools to make pngtubers just as 'lively' as rigged models (pngtuber plus is fun! but could be daunting to figure out for very very beginners)
(also i'll never understand the emphasis within the culture that people see xyz type of model as 'better' or 'end goal' than other types bc i think pngtubing is so much fun and so versatile. live2d modeling CAN be but it's a ton more work and more costly if ur not an artist/rigger and i've always been less interested in 3d models (for myself, idc if other people use them) but it seems having a 3d model is more coveted? than other models. it's weird lol like what difference does it make how a model is made, it's the creativity and how u use it that counts imo)
This is a great video!
While I don’t really have any plans to be a Vtuber I feel this could also be great content advice as well☺️
8:32 Yes absolutely!! im also Desi, and i would love to watch Desi VTubers, people who i can connect my own culture to
hi thats me im a desi vtuber 🥺👉👈
@@yanaishere Following!!
I mean, I've kind of done both in the sense that my naming is JP-inspired, but my model resembles my actual ethnicity because I didn't want to hide it. Part of my choice for the branding was deliberately aiming for the disconnect of looking like a slick corpo VTuber, but in reality being an uncool South Asian gaming dad. But it's complicated too because while I don't want to mask who I am, VTubing is also a mask where I don't want people to watch me for who I am, but what I make. I'm sure culturally we share something in common, but I want to make things about retro video games, Japanese literature, cheesy B-movies, and silly ghost hunting shows-- things I hope to share across many cultures.
2:47 also you can save hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars if you learn to rig using your model as a porject..! 👀
5:26 Yes I... Kant advise against it enough
All very factual. I been on this road for 2 years now.
I went with a Japanese first name because I'm a fcking WEEB I love anime and Japanese food and their architecture and fashion and all the weird wacky stuff they get up to. I wanted something to alliterate with Kobold, and I love frogs, so when I found Kaeru means frogs in Japanese I latched onto it immediately :3
I will say your third point isn't as cut and dry as you make it out to be. There are many vtubers out there that already do what makes them feel good the issue is they never make it big enough to actually get eyes on them hence why many of the bigger vtubers go straight for the known money making method because is bring in the viewers as vtubing originally started a a niche inside the anime/manga community and that's where it took off. If you want to get at least some eyes on you getting as you, and some other "designers" say, get the generic anime model then when you think your big enough the switch there is nothing wrong with doing that because its a proven thing that works you can due your own thing as other vtubers have done but the barrier to enter is drastically harder.
quite a much simpler video than the usual.
The second tips have i used alot, and i can say it's stressing me out, felt like spamming.
I found it much easier to just write your thoughts on other peoples posts rather than to say "please can we be friends?" 😗