Virtual Nodo Jiman



The NHK Virtual Nodo Jiman (NHKバーチャルのど自慢 Lit. NHK Virtual Throat Pride but meaning "Proud of my voice") is a version of the NHK's Nodo Jiman amateur singing contest show that aired on 02 January 2019, featuring many famous VTubers. The Virtual Nodo Jiman was possible thanks to a partnership of NHK enterprises with DWANGO Co. (through their recent founded studio Lide, Inc.) It was broadcast on the NHK TV channel as part of their programming block Anime World (アニメワールド) with a companion stream (with other fellow VTubers providing extra commentary) on Nico Nico Douga.

Cast
The contest featured as participants the following VTubers:
 * Peanuts-kun and Ponpoko
 * Kenmochi Toya
 * Tanaka Hime and Suzuki Hina
 * Tsukino Mito, Higuchi Kaede and Shizuka Rin
 * Dennou Shojo Siro
 * Tokino Sora
 * Domyoji Cocoa
 * Baacharu
 * Gorilla
 * Fuji Aoi
 * Mirai Akari
 * YuNi
 * The comedy duo America Zarigani (アメリカザリガニ) who debuted as VTubers for this special show.

Additionally Kizuna AI and Enka singer Sachiko Kobayashi (as her Vtuber incarnation Virtual Grandmother Sachiko Kobayashi) were invited as guests and judges, and the show was presented by a virtual avatar of the original Nodo Jiman host, Sen Odagiri.

The companion Nico stream was hosted by Mochi Hiyoko, Roboco, Elu, Suntory Nomu and Shirakami Fubuki with tarento Ryoran Hyakka as the MC.

There was also an "After the Scenes" segment hosted by Oda Nobuhime and Tenjin Kotone, which featured prerecorded videos of other several vtubers.

Overview
Following the premise of the original Nodo Jiman, the contestants are allowed to participate alone, in a duet or a group of three (or more). After a brief introduction (in this case Odagiri giving a brief description of the VTubers), the contestants then state the number that was assigned to them and the song they are going to perform. After they perform the song they chose for a minute, then a tubular bell is rung. The number of bells being rung rate the performance of the contestant(s). If one or two bells are rung, it means the contestant had sung poorly and is eliminated, while a melody of eleven bells means the contestant sang well enough and has passed to the next phase. Then among the winners of the first phase, it is chosen the champion of the week (今週のチャンピオン konshū no chanpion), but in this case the title was changed to MVP (モースト・バーチャル・プレイヤー Mosuto Baacharu Pureyaa Lit. Most Virtual Player, meaning Best Virtual Performer)

The guests who judge the performances of the contestants, also interact with them by giving them advice and feedback. After all the contestants' performances are over, each one of the guests perform a song.

Results
The following table shows the order of the participants and the song each one of them performed. In light green it is shown if the participant passed to the second phase, in red if the participant was eliminated and in golden, the MVP.

Addtionally Kizuna AI performed a rendition of the song Omoide Sake (おもいで酒) by Sachiko Kobayashi, while Kobayashi herself performed her classic Senbonzakura (千本桜).

Trivia

 * Albeit having already a 3D model, Virtual Gorilla appeared with his 2D avatar on the NHK contest. He appeared later on the Nico stream with his updated 3D model
 * The Event become rapidly a World Trending Topic on Twitter with more than one hundred eighty thousand tweets. In this way the NHK Virtual Nodo Jiman joined a myriad of events related with VTubers that were able to do the same feat like the Virtual Werewolf game on Nico Douga.