vtubers and why "it’s not silly to be an anime girl on the internet"

About this episode

<p>VTubers, or Virtual Youtubers, are growing at a rapid rate in the United States. Just last month, 1200+ fans paid up to $180 each to attend Fantastic Reality, a live VTuber mini-festival in a packed theatre in Los Angeles. But what exactly is VTubing? Can you ever truly build a connection with someone you don&rsquo;t actually see? Dexter talks to Kou Mariya, a 6,669-year-old blonde vampire anime girl and one of the headliners of Fantastic Reality. She explains what attracts people to VTubing and the practicalities of portraying a virtual character. Plus, as one of the producers of Fantastic Reality and a co-founder of Emerging Technology Company, Spencer Burnham joins the show to walk us through the music culture side of VTubing.</p> <p>Got something you&rsquo;re curious about? Hit us up <a href="mailto:killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc">killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc</a>, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.</p> <p>Read + Watch:&nbsp;</p> <p>Dexter&rsquo;s article in WIRED, <em>Anime Girl VTubers Are Selling Out Concerts, but Are They &lsquo;Real&rsquo;? Depends on Who You Ask</em>: <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/anime-girl-vtubers-are-selling-out-concerts-but-are-they-real-depends-on-who-you-ask/">https://www.wired.com/story/anime-girl-vtubers-are-selling-out-concerts-but-are-they-real-depends-on-who-you-ask/</a></p> <p>Fantastic Reality Website: <a href="https://www.fantasticreality.live/">https://www.fantasticreality.live/</a></p> <p>Kou Mariya&rsquo;s YouTube Channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Kou_Mariya/videos">https://www.youtube.com/@Kou_Mariya/videos</a></p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>