NewsDrop Digest

Weekly NewsDrop: AstraLine debuts, GEEGA Joins VShojo

This is your Weekly NewsDrop #49 for September 3, 2023.

Jay Agonoy

• 5 min read

August has been terrible to all of us, but September shows an optimistic start for the VTubing scene. Look at what we've got:

  • AstraLine—Merryweather Media's own VTuber agency—has debuted.
  • General GEEGA is now part of the VShojo family.
  • HEYU, the VTuber group under Southeast Asia-based Brand New Company, has debuted its first generation of VTubers, RE:NEGADE.
  • HOLOSTARS English will celebrate its first anniversary since debut with TEMPUS Week.

These, among several new outfit reveals, are this week's banner stories.

Latest on NewsDrop

Here is the latest stock market update for select VTuber companies listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as of September 1, 2023.

VTuber News of the Week

Introducing AstraLine

"I created AstraLine because I wanted a family. I saw all of my friends in NIJISANJI, VShojo and hololive, INVICTA... they are all having so much fun having a family—and oftentimes I felt kind of left out; felt like there was really a place for me. I felt like... I couldn't really, fully share my passion."

It's clear for lore master and Ringo Awards nominee Lucius Merryweather that he longed for a family of his own. He and his studio has done work for the big three VTuber agencies for so long—that's on top of producing works on Webtoon such as the Ringo fan-favorite Clinic of Horrors.

  • Through AstraLine, Merry shares his vision with other content creators such as Nick Nocturne, Fredrik Knudsen, Alfhilde Odinsdottir, alongside his cousin Lumi.
"... and I asked them, 'wouldn't you like to be a VTuber with me?,' and to my surprise, all of them said yes very quickly! I didn't even have to convince them—they didn't even have to think about it! Every single one of them said yes instantly."
  • Ducky interviewed AstraLine for Dexerto, encapsulating what this venture is: "Speaking to all of AstraLine’s VTubers, there’s one unified focus: bringing traditional YouTube storytelling to VTubing."

GEEGA's Now an Agency VTuber

Meanwhile, GEEGA's entry into VShojo was a surprise for some fans as they were looking forward to seeing someone else there, but it is a welcome development given the cohesion between her and the current VShojo roster.

  • Needless to say, GEEGA—an avid supporter of male VTubers—gave her all for her 'anti-debut' debut for VShojo. You should watch the first moments of her agency debut stream, it's quick, drives things straight to the point, unexpected, and yet it has this familiar feeling.
  • She said this in her first YouTube video after her agency debut: "I'm excited to the things I wanted to do at a faster rate than I could before, and I'm really excited to do stuff with my friends."

Shuffle at South Korea's LIT Media

LIT Media, home to Shabel Tonya and virtual group LUVDIA, suspends its activities. Following this, LUVDIA is now managed by 3Y Corporation, which also manages Stardays.

  • In an announcement posted on X August 28 (and summarized by Tonya), the company's CEO is going through a lawsuit because of personal problems—hence the decision was made. The company collaborates with 3Y to continue LUVDIA's merchandise, such as first album, voice packs, 3D models, visual novel and other events.
  • There was no official word about Tonya at the moment, but we expect to hear from them soon. Given that this is Tonya's first company, she has mixed feelings about the situation: "There's so many things unanswered and unresolved but I'll try to figure out the best way possible."

and Japan's Re:AcT

Re:AcT has announced the graduation of one of its talents, Himekuma Ribon, on September 30 due to personal reasons.

  • The agency has also announced that one of its talents, Kashiko Mari will stop her activities at the agency by said date as she moves to another agency.

Meanwhile, at hololive...

We are looking forward to the reveal of hololive's newest project, DEV_IS. It's been a week since they have teased the new project to us, and fans are taking their guesses.

  • What we know is that its trademark is filed in the Japan Patent Office last August 2 and is pending examination. Looking at the NICE classes it would like to be registered as, DEV_IS may cover a wide variety of merchandise.

HOLOSTARS English will host a TEMPUS Week from September 5 to 11 every 10:00 am (Japan time).

  • This will be a collab relay among the current roster, starting with Regis Altare and ends with Josuiji Shinri. A group stream will be done the following day after Shinri's.
  • Fans are sharing their thoughts regarding this, and how sooner this will happen following the graduation of Noir Vesper and Magni Dezmond last August.

Fans in Japan are already on holoplus, the VTuber agency's latest app providing relevant information about its talents. English language support is coming soon.

Lastly, Gawr Gura won the VTuber category in this year's Streamy Awards. CEO Motoaki Tanigo is proud for the shark girl VTuber's achievements.

In Other News

  • Holocure developer Kay made it clear that they are not endorsing the use of mods for the game: "If you make or use mods, we can't provide support or endorse it. We can only worry about what our team creates."
  • Asmongold continues to dive deep into the VTuber rabbit hole with the latest video of him reacting to Hoshimachi Suisei's history, as well as reading through several charts showing the explosion of VTubers in the streaming field.
  • A Japanese newspaper, Shimotsuke Shimbun, is launching its own VTuber. Unibirth is hosting an audition for it all month long.
  • MAHA5 Indonesia opens auditions for its 5th Generation talents.
  • Japanese VTuber Whale Taylor is now the head of his music production company, Infinity Goal.
  • Malaysia's Toys, Anime Games and Comic Convention (TAGCC) will host HOLOSTARS English's Axel Syrios and Banzoin Hakka, as well as hololive English's Ceres Fauna and hololive Indonesia's Vestia Zeta.
  • Anime-Con Argentina will host Yume Girls' Virtual Dream Live concert.
  • In China, two VirtuaReal talents who were set to debut will no longer appear.
  • Momo Mischief is now signed to Mythic Talent.

Graduations/Stream Breaks/Hiatus

Our flagship newsletter Weekly NewsDrop is released every weekend. Subscribe for free to receive this in your inbox.

Subscribe Now to Receive Updates

For news tips, tweet or message @vtubernewsdrop on X, email news [at] vtubernewsdrop.com or fill up the web form.

The views and opinions written on NewsDrop do not necessarily reflect those of its partners. Read our Editorial Policy for more details.

Banner Photo: GEEGA on YouTube

NewsDrop Digest