Kson

Kson (pronounced keison) is an English and Japanese-language VTuber. While originally independent, she is currently a member of VShojo. She streams primarily on YouTube and occasionally on Twitch.

Background
Kson originally produced game playthrough videos on Japanese site Niconico Douga. Her earliest video was part 1 of a SIREN: New Translation playthrough, uploaded on 1 May 2016. Kson described herself in the video title as a foreigner who speaks poor Japanese. Her Niconico Live community, co3340513, was established shortly afterward on 12 June 2016, with her first livestream there a Biohazard 7 test stream on 3 March 2017.

A character wearing a business suit appeared in the introduction to a game video posted to Niconico Douga on 20 June 2017. "Kson-sensei" taught Japanese viewers the English idiom "son of a bitch." In the video description, she introduces herself as the kumichou (boss) of class 3B. Kson described her gameplay videos and streams as a way for her to practice Japanese language.

Kson's YouTube channel was created on 17 March 2017. She streamed or uploaded that year, although these early videos are no longer available.

2018
On 10 February, Kson appeared in person as a host at the Niconico Toukaigi live event. The costume she wore would appear later that year as Kson's 3D live model during VR games.

Although she did not make an official debut, the earliest surviving appearance of Kson's original 3D VTuber model is an Ark video uploaded to Niconico Douga on 15 November. Its first surviving appearance on YouTube is a few days later on 18 November 2018.

2019
Kson continued to upload videos to Niconico Douga in 2019, including 30 short videos (mainly English lessons) between May and October, and a 30-episode Lets Play series of Boku no Natsuyasumi Portable: Mushimushi Hakase to Teppen-yama no Himitsu!! which concluded on 28 December. These videos were also uploaded to YouTube.

She also streamed on Niconico Live 28 times that year, often also simultaneously streaming to YouTube. She variously appearing on camera or using a VTuber avatar. In a Niconico Live stream on 18 September, she first described herself as "Sometimes a Vtuber, when my face is too f**ked up for streaming."

2020
Kson livestreamed to her Niconico Live community 32 times in 2020, last doing so on 3 June, with simultaneous broadcast on YouTube. She did not upload videos to Niconico Douga in this year.

On 21 August 2020, Kson made a YouTube stream celebrating her channel reaching 100,000 subscribers. This would be her last YouTube stream that year.

2021
Kson made a small number of streams on YouTube in the first half of this year. She did not upload to or broadcast on Niconico this year.

Around 12 May, Kson reached 200,000 YouTube subscribers.

On 16 June, Kson reached 500,000 subscribers, following a massive spike in her subscriber count during the previous week.

On 1 August, Kson announced her intent to begin streaming regularly again on YouTube. Her first stream was a horror visual novel 「白羽つきみ 消えたVtuberを知ってください」, "Shiraha Tsukimi: Please Get to Know the Missing VTuber." She began streaming on a daily basis.

On 3 October, Kson celebrated 893,000 YouTube subscribers. This milestone is significant to Kson as the number 893 is goroawase (Japanese number code) for "yakuza."

On 5 October, Kson announced an upcoming official debut on 16 October, at which she would reveal a new model. She also announced the upcoming release of merchandise. Her re-debut stream subsequently took place on 16 October, revealing a new bōsōzoku-style outfit.

On 19 October, Kson began presenting a satirical Morning News Digest called GMMF (Good Morning My Fans). Parodying a news anchor, Kson presents news related to her, as well as calling other VTubers to make friends with them. GMMF was livestreamed on her channel on weekdays at 7:00 AM JST before discontinuing.

On 10 November, Kson reached 1 million YouTube subscribers.

On 25 December, Kson debuted a new, chibi-styled model to use alternatively to her normal one. This model comes with at least 2 different sets of clothes, several facial expressions and hairstyles, a hat and a pair of glasses. Chibi Kson also adopts a father-daughter relationship with the viewer.

On 31 December, Kson revealed her second 2D costume, a pyjama outfit based on her pyjamas in real life, which she had worn on streams before. Kson also revealed a new pouting face animation on the outfit reveal stream as well.

2022
On 5 January, Kson updated her Twitch account, stating her intention to start streaming on Twitch starting from 2022.

On 18 January, she announced the retirement of her original 3D model, as V-Katsu (the service which she used to create it) had ceased support and rescinded all rights for users to use their models going forward.

On 9 April, Kson made her Twitch debut.

On 11 May, she announced that she would cease streaming on Mildom after the end of the month, citing difficulties in balancing her streaming schedule on three different platforms. However, she also stated that she would keep her channel up as an archive.

On 10 June, she announced that she would be revealing a new 3D model on 26 June. On 19 June, she also announced that she would allow others to mirror this stream and wanted to see the various live reactions people had to it.

Alongside the 3D debut, she also announced a new Live2D outfit on 13 July, a 3D music video on 29 June, a photo booth for Comiket 100, and a pop-up store that would open from 11 to 23 August, as well as a potential teaser for an additional 3D model.

On 2 July, it was announced at Anime Expo that Kson would join American VTuber agency VShojo. A redebut stream for Kson, and a debut stream new Japanese VShojo member, Amemiya Nazuna, were announced for 16 July.

On 13 July, she held a new outfit reveal stream, in which she unveiled a black and yellow bikini.

On 16 July at 8PM PST, or 17 July at noon JST, she held her VShojo redebut stream on her Twitch channel. It reached a peak concurrent viewership of 33,540. It was shortly followed by Amemiya Nazuna's debut.

On 16 October, Kson held her one year anniversary with a 3D concert. On 17 October at 00:00, she released her first original song "YOUR DREAMS NEVER END."

2023
On 29 January, she held a new model reveal stream, this one with a decidedly more punk theme with a removable black-and-white sweater, a fishnet top and a half-skirt with one-legged pants.

Fans

 * Before kson's re-debut on 16 October 2021, kson's fans were referred to as the kson-gumi Kouseiin (kson組構成員, lit. kson's associates)
 * After her re-debut, the fans were rebranded as the kson-gumi Shin'eitai (kson組親衛隊, lit. kson's bodyguards, elite guards, imperial guards)
 * Those that joined kson's YouTube Tier 1 Membership were referred to as Kanbukai (幹部会, lit. board of directors)
 * Some time after kson ceased streaming and suspended memberships on her Mildom channel, kson created a Tier 2 Membership level on YouTube. Those that joined that were referred to as Teppoudama (鉄砲玉, lit. hitman)

Relationships
Notable units that kson is a part of includes: Pajako/ PJK
 * "GuRiSon", along with Guutara (Streamer) and Rika (utaite).
 * Her best friend is a girl by the nickname of Pajako, or PJK in short (due to her love for wearing pajamas). Kson referred Pajako as her closest friend, and have gone travelling together on several occasions.

Quotes

 * "Good morning motherfuckers!"
 * "Daddy, I wanna take over the world!" - Chibi Kson
 * "Staying positive is what I learned from being a VTuber, and that's what I think you guys should do. Staying positive, smile every day. Don't attach to the negative, because it's gonna eat you every time. It's gonna try to eat you every day."
 * "Always stay positive! And if people are negative, beat the shit out of them!"

Trivia

 * Despite the description on her YouTube channel and Twitter account, Kson is not actually from Atlanta, Georgia. She is from Dunwoody, Georgia, a northern suburb of Atlanta incorporated as a city in 2008. She says she is from Atlanta because, in her own words, "No one knows where the fuck Dunwoody is".
 * Kson based her name on the character Ka-son from the sketch comedy television series MADtv, which is her favorite TV show.
 * She is a fan of the Yakuza video game series.
 * Her title "kumichou" means "boss", especially a yakuza boss.
 * Her birthday of August 93rd is a reference to 893, the yakuza number. So is her height of 189.3 cm.
 * A poster of Projekt Melody has appeared in her VTuber background.
 * She has done "2.5D" streams, where she puts the head part of her VTuber model on herself.
 * Unlike most VTubers, the appearance of her avatar is based on her real appearance. She made an on-stage appearance in cosplay as her avatar when it was announced that she would be joining VShojo.
 * Kson has stated that she makes her cosplay costumes from scratch for her cosplay streams and that she's particularly really good at sewing.
 * Originally an independent VTuber, Kson later joined VShojo. In March 2022, Kson met VShojo management by coincidence during unrelated business, and began discussing the Japanese VTuber industry. She was inspired to join by VShojo's "talent first" attitude. She didn't have to apply or audition. On 2 July 2022, Kson announced her membership with a surprise in-person appearance at Anime Expo.

Media

 * kson ONAIR - YouTube channel
 * Kson組長 - mildom channel (no longer active)
 * ksonsouchou - Twitch channel
 * @ksononair - Twitter account
 * co3340513 - Niconico community
 * kson-schedule - Fanmade schedule site for kson & friends

Twitter hashtags

 * #ksononair / #kson総長 - Stream tag
 * #ksonART / #kson総長ART - Fan art (English/Japanese)
 * #ksonMemes - Meme tag
 * #ksonclip - Tag for Youtube/Twitch clips
 * #ksonARKserver - Ark server