V
HOLOSTARS English -TEMPUS-, certainly launched with a solid roster in Tempus HQ, but it's the second wave, "Vanguard" that has a special meaning for me. Namely, that's the point where I went from being "a person who sometimes watches VTubers," to a fan who was fully invested in following specific talents, and having an oshi. I think if you ask every VTuber fan, they can point to a stream or two that became the tipping point that sent them down the rabbit hole.
Over the next few months, as with all VTubers, they gradually set into a groove, found their voices, and set the tone both for their creative work, and the audiences they wanted to attract.
Fans come to VTubers for different reasons, just as creators choose the medium for reasons of their own. While some seek out in-character creations, lore, and RP, I think the thing that really connects audience members to their oshi is seeing a glimpse of authenticity. After all, a VTuber is simply a creator with a mask, a layer of abstraction-- it's what they make to create a human connection that defines that link.
From the very first Cooking Simulator stream I watched, I knew I was watching a master at work. Not a master of cooking-- that was very clear from the level of culinary skill on display-- but a master entertainer. Through his Moving Arc, the cryptic "August 19th" superchat turned into running gag, and the disastrous Q Remastered stream that was improvised into something wholly unique, Bettel has always embodied that spirit of comedic craft to me.
Something that will quickly be apparent to anyone who knows me is that Shinri is my kamioshi. Since his debut, his calm demeanor and more mature, settled tone stood out among a sea of streamers producing chaotic, high-energy content. Among his fans, the Koipanions, it's clear that despite bucking the trend for what is commonly associated with VTubers and livestreaming in general, many people do seek out that sort of oasis.
Whether it's a survival/crafting game like Subnautica or
Stardew Valley, or a horror game like Fatal Frame or Hollow
Cocoon, his focus seems to always come back to an appreciation
for the story and characters. Well, that and thirsting after
ghost ladies. I should also mention he's spotlighted several
indie horror games like Firework,
Paratopic,
and Faith: The
Unholy Trinity that have become some of my absolute
favorites of all time.
Aside from the fact that he has much more experience with visual novels and RPGMaker indie horror, Flayon initially appealed to me because our taste in games is so similar. Equally willing to tackle anime fighting games as he is to dust off an old Spider-Man PSX game from childhood, you're never quite sure what you're going to get with a Flayon stream. For vibes as well, Flayon can run the gamut from chaotic, high energy streams like Mega Man ZX, Lies of P, or Bunny Garden, to more pensive and melancholy adventure outings like upcoming otome game Diffraction or Vanillaware's magnum opus, 13 Sentinels.
Though his musical skills stand out first and foremost, it's actually the mixed content he's put out that's by far my favorite. The hilarious bit during his debut that featured Yagoo playing a fictional "Yagoo" denying his attempt to debut as Holostars Spanish definitively set the tone. Whether it's cooking with his mother, or his stint streaming with Shinri from Kobo's place, his laughter and sense of fun is truly infectious.