Nijisanji (にじさんじ) is a group of mostly 2D-only Virtual YouTubers and also known as "Virtual Livers" (バーチャルライバー Baacharu Raibaa) when posting in other sites outside YouTube such as to NicoNico Douga (a self-made Wasei-eigo word pronounced similar to "alive", not as the "liver" organ) who stream via iPhoneX devices with face capture and Nijisanji's app. This is technically simpler and much less expensive than a full-body 3D-capture equipment, but the resulting motion is mostly limited to facial features, and the technology has been noted to suffer some stuttering and accuracy issues. The group started in Japan in early 2018 and is managed by Ichikara Inc.
There are a large number of Nijisanji members in the Top 100 Virtual YouTubers, with Tsukino Mito having the highest number of subscribers, and the other girls in the JK Gumi being close by.
Activities
2018
On 17 July, they announced Chinese and Taiwanese Vtubers as an expansion into those markets.
2019
On 10 May, they announced the commencement of their Nijisanji NetWORK (にじさんじネットワーク Nijisanji NETTOWAAKU) partnership program which is aimed towards giving supports towards other virtual talents. The first VTubers to participate in the program are Tenkai Tukasa and Fairys Chan.[1] It was first hinted at on 8 May.[2]
On 19 July, their parent company, Ichikara Inc., announced an offshoot of the project in Indonesia named "NIJISANJI id". Audition for the available four virtual YouTubers are open from 19 July until 4 August.[3]
Members
First and Second wave of Nijisanji Virtual Livers (From Left: Alice, Utako, Aki, Kazaki, Chihiro, Ichigo, Hajime, Elu, Kaede, Mito, Rin, Moira, Toya, Gaku, Riri, Mugi, Tamaki and Gilzaren.)
The current members endorsed by Nijisanji include:
First Wave
Second Wave
- Mononobe Alice
- Fushimi Gaku
- Ienaga Mugi
- Morinaka Kazaki
- Suzuka Utako
- Ushimi Ichigo
- Yuuhi Riri
- Kenmochi Toya
- Gilzaren III
- Fumino Tamaki
Gamers
- Kanae
- Akabane Youko
- Sasaki Saku
- Yamiyono Moruru (retired)
- Honma Himawari
- Makaino Ririmu
- Kuzuha
- Setsuna
- Siina Yuika
SEEDs
Main Twitter account here.
- Dola
- Hanabatake Chaika
- Hassaku Yuzu (retired)
- Izumo Kasumi
- Aduchi Momo
- Nakao Azuma (retired)
- Ryushen
- Sister Cleaire
- Suzuki Masaru
- Todoroki Kyoko
- Umiyashanokami (retired)
- Uduki Kou
- Yashiro Kizuku
- Harusaki Air
- Kanda Shoichi
- Amemori Sayo
- Naruto Kogane
- Takamiya Rion
- Asuka Hina
- Maimoto Keisuke
- Debidebi Debiru
- Rindou Mikoto
- Rikiichi Joe
- Machita Chima
- Tsukimi Shizuku
- Sakura Ritsuki
- Achikita Chinami
- Naruse Naru
- Belmond Banderas
- Yaguruma Rine
- Yumeoi Kakeru
- Kuroi Shiba
The groups are later dissolved, merging them into a single Nijisanji group. [1]
VOIZ
Originally a four Virtual Liver ensemble. Only two members of the VOIZ group are continuing with their activities:
2019 Wave
As of July 2019
- Warabeda Meiji
- Kudou Chitose
- Gundo Mirei
- Yuzuki Roa
- Onomachi Haruka
- Kataribe Tsumugu
- Seto Miyako
- Raito Shindo (suspended)
- Otogibara Era
- Inui Toko
- Ange Katrina
- Lize Helesta
- Saegusa Akina
- Aizono Manami
- Lulu Suzuhara
- Mahiro Yukishiro
- Ex Albio
- Levi Elipha
- Hayama Marin
- Nui Sociere
- Hakase Fuyuki
- Hayato Kagami
- Yorumi Rena
Nijisanji NetWORK
Trivia
- Nijisanji can be represented as the number 2434, so this is sometimes seen in their material. Also during live-streams, fans sometimes donate 2434 yen (~$21 USD).
- The company is run by a man named Iwanaga, whose Twitter is here. He sometimes does live-streams as a female-looking VTuber named Iwanaga-chan.
- On March 2019, Nijisanji was forced to abort the debut of a Virtual Liver called Raito Shindo (真堂雷斗) [2]. Apparently, the VA of Raito violated several terms of his contract related to the privacy of his fellow colleagues and other VTubers. The scandal was widely cover by image boards and forums such as 2chan, 5ch and 4chan.
External Links
- Nijisanji's Official Company Website on ichikara.co.jp
- @nijisanji_app - Nijisanji's Official Twitter Account
References
- ↑ Ichikara Corporation. (2019, May 10). VTuberコミュニティサービス「にじさんじネットワーク」始動！VTuberを「流行り」から「文化」へ。 [Press release]. Retrieved from https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000063.000030865.html
- ↑ nijisanji_app. (2019, May 8). 【重大告知 近日公開】 [Tweet]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/statuses/1126049107942858752
- ↑ Ichikara Corporation. (2019, July 19). いちから、インドネシアへ本格進出！「NIJISANJI id」始動！ [Press release]. Retrieved from https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000076.000030865.html
