Weekly NewsDrop #14—Week 50

It’s the third week before the year ends, and we have more VTuber news to cover and discuss. This follows a week after XSOLEIL debuts and HoloTempus’ Noir Vesper returns.

• In Japan, we learned that Koyomi Shiratori, one of the board members at the VR-centric organization NPO Virtual Rights, has resigned from the board for personal reasons.
• On a positive note, our friend Andrew Amos wrote a lengthy piece for Dexerto, putting focus on how trans creators are using VTubing to fully express their gender identity safely. Interviewed VTubers include Captain Dandyfloss, Minty Yukime (whom we’ve interviewed on Spotlight), and Cambionkami.
• In addition, Twitch Recap and Youtube's 2022 Creator Year in Review are here! You can now check the numbers on Twitch based on three perspectives: Twitch in general, as a viewer and as a streamer. If you are a VTuber, this is important.

The Latest on NewsDrop

• Metal music VSinger Futakuchi Mana is the subject of our latest NewsDrop Spotlight: learn more about her music direction, collaborations, and preferences in her performance.
• Our team at NecroNews has released a feature covering the results of The Game Awards (TGA) and our very own Kawa Game Awards; as well its 23rd issue, including a dive to the infamous ‘Bill Clinton’ kid.
• Jay reports that VTubers once again dominate this year's list of the most-superchatted personalities on YouTube according to Playboard.
• Our fourth edition of the VTuber Music Recap is here, featuring the latest in original and song cover tracks in the VTubing scene.

As part of her deal with Universal Music Japan, Hololive’s Mori Calliope has officially released her latest album titled “Sinderella” on December 16. The album is composed of ten songs, with a bonus track included in the standard version. The track list includes:

• Taste of Death (produced by KIRA)
• Wanted, Wasted feat. The Oral Cigarretes (produced by Takuya Yamanaka)
• I’m Greedy (produced by JP THE WAVY)
• Internet Brain Rot (produced by Nicklas Eklund & Molly Rosenstrom Nasman)
• NEZUMI Scheme (produced by FAKE TYPE)
• Soul food (produced by Kenichi Sakamuro & Ida Pihlgren)
• CRINGECORE (produced by Louise Frick Sveen & Albin Nordqvist)
• Dance Past Midnight feat. AmaLee (Nicklas Eklund & Jordyn kane shankle)
• Death Sentence (produced by umru and DJH)
• Glass Slipper (produced by Pretty Patterns)

Following the release of the album, Sinderella has been recorded to have peaked at fourth place in the worldwide iTunes album chart before settling now at 6th place worldwide.

• The album also peaked at #2 in the Hip-Hop category of iTunes in the US.
• Mori Calliope was also featured in a latest TV commercial for Spotify in Japan.

Our second top story for this week concerns the abrupt departure of Yugo Asuma from Nijisanji EN. On December 14, ANYCOLOR announced the ‘graduation’ of Yugo, marking the first graduation from the English generation of the agency.

• The company said that they have held multiple discussions with Asuma regarding his standing as a VTuber talent company. They have noted that these discussions included many aspects of his activities and behavior which are deemed ‘unacceptable’.
• As of this writing, Asuma’s YouTube channel had all of his videos either set to private or deleted, though the main channel is still up.
• Meanwhile, his Twitter profile has been locked already, as the sale of merchandise and voice content will also be suspended.

His fellow Noctyx members are shocked with the immediate decision, and appreciates everyone's patience and understanding as they grieve:

• Alban Knox: "We know everyone has a lot of questions, but we’re also still trying to take things in as well [...]"
• Fulgur Ovid: "[...] Wherever our DJ next chooses to perform I'm sure they'll bring more light and love to all those around them. [...]"
• Uki Violeta: "[...] Our hearts are hurting, and we know yours are too. [...]"
• Sonny Brisko: "Noctyx has been left with a scar that will never heal. [...]"

Fans have questioned the agency over the sudden nature of the announcement, especially how the term ‘graduation’ has been used when some interpreted it as a form of ‘termination’. We’ll save this discussion for later in a separate story. For now, we hope Asuma will be fine wherever they are.

Mito Tsukino, the first Nijisanji VTuber; and Mysta Rias from Nijisanji EN Luxiem, have both reached the 1 million subscriber milestone on YouTube.

• ANYCOLOR has released congratulatory messages for both Mito and Mysta, as per official press release. They are the 4th and 5th Nijisanji members to reach the milestone respectively.
• Both talents have also released their personal handwritten messages, thanking the fans for their support.
• Multiple Nijisanji talents have already reached said milestone this year, including Hyakumentabara Salome and Vox Akuma.

Birthdays and Anniversaries Galore!

Featuring Evelyn (or Epel, as she's mostly called)

Over time, we've noticed that A LOT of Birthdays and Anniversaries are happening this month, but before we get to the celebration list, we'd first like to congratulate Evelyn (Hai Halo Epel!) a very happy 4th Birthdanniversary last December 10.

• Evelyn started her VTubing career in 2018 and was the first-generation member of agency Re:Memories. (She went independent April 30 this year)
• She debuted her new model last Saturday, reaching 9,800 views and counting as of the time this is being written.
• This was followed up with a reaction stream where 20+ content creators in Indonesia and overseas (including Pikamee, Finana Ryugu, Kureiji Ollie and Mika Melatika) reacted to her new look.
• Above all of these, she celebrated her birthday with her fans at a local KFC!
• More importantly, please be advised that she has a unique laugh. She also has a VTuber Wiki page with extensive data.

Now to Our List of Birthday Celebrants!

• Roha Lee, Oh Jiyu, Millie Parfait, Shikinagi Akira, Hiiragi Emuri, Verudemi, Penelope Wiseman (December 12)
• Ex-YashinLive Maddie, Nova Aokami, Nanasu Anone, Nakiri Ayame (December 13)
• Other Birthday Celebrants include Tenma Maemi (December 3), Akuma Nihmune (December 11) and Asahina Akane (December 15).

...And Here Are the Ones Celebrating Their Anniversaries!

• Nico Nico Douga (16th anniversary, December 12)
• Luxiem (debut, December 17)
• Iekushi Chapipi (debut, December 21)

In Other News...

• Usada Pekora has released a new model, a huge difference from her standard form. The bunny dress done by Hikosan gave Pekora a leveled-up look.
• Suki Sekine was banned for about a day, citing that a hacker got access to her Streamkey, causing the ban. She has been unbanned ever since.
• In one of the most humorous anticipations this year, Phase Connect’s Pipkin Pippa has finally did a feet reveal stream after joking about the dare when she reached the 100,000 subscriber milestone. She finally did the stream–and fans are all in for it.
• PC builder Ironside teases more VShojo-themed PC cases featuring Zentreya, Amemiya Nazuna, Haruka Karibu, and Kson.
• Hololive has announced the launch of their in-house virtual space collaboration function, allowing talents to collaborate in virtual spaces even at the comfort of their own homes.
• MAHA5 Japan is collaborating with Monolis as they will be exhibiting their virtual avatar robot at the Yokohama Robot World 2022 event.
• Here’s an interesting event: the University of the Philippines-Diliman’s Anime Manga Enthusiasts (UP-AME) recently did a livestream talking about VTubers as part of its Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE). Guests included popular indie VTuber Ywuria, Live2D artist Kira Omori, and Daychu.
• Nijisanji has put out a warning for those trying to imitate and sell Nijisanji JP and EN voice packs, as they have noticed some of them included sexually explicit content.
• A lengthy statement representing artist bealuminescence has been released by Cygnus Sonolumen, calling out Nijisanji EN talent Ren Zotto for not crediting the artist’s artwork at multiple occasions. The talent has since then responded to this, apologizing for his actions and rectifying the past mistakes.
• Hololive’s Yukihana Lamy is back at it again, working with the Meiri Shurui brewery on another sake collaboration.
• Japanese VTuber duo Moemi Yomeno & Yomemi Yomeno from the ICETEA group got their channel compromised by cryptohackers. The channel has since then been terminated, and the duo has since migrated to new channels.
• Nijisanji’s Nornis unit did an interview with RealSound to discuss the production of their first single “Transparent Blue”.
• Onigiri has announced a collaboration with craft high protein ramen brand Vite Ramen, which officially drops January 22 next year.
• Nijisanji will open its “Luxiem 1st Anniversary Only Store” at Animate in South Korea, Thailand, and North America.
• Nijisanji’s ChroNoiR will be getting a short anime adaptation, as well as appearing on advertisements across the Tokyo Skytree Town.
• Following a slew of graduations on their end, Chinese VTuber agency AuroraLiveVR has released their official statement, stating that they have also optimized and adjusted the staff for their English branch.
• Brave Group’s Palette Project announces the release of their sixth single “Dream in Bloom”.
• Here’s a heart-warming story for you all: Ironmouse has been featured in the website Plasma Heroes, where she details the importance of her getting regular immunoglobulin (Ig) replacement therapy infusions.
• A very unlikely collaboration: the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District or also known as BART hosted its first-ever livestream on Twitch, with guest VTubers Yuuna and Synthion.

We are closing this week's NewsDrop with an important forecast from Ninomae Ina'nis: "Forecast for January 8th is a 99.5% chance of WAH and 0.05% of raining cookies."

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