Japan's VTuber Subculture Gains Ground with Sold-Out Hollywood Debut

Cover Corp's hololive expands into North America, leveraging advanced digital technology and English-speaking talent to compete globally.

Mori Calliope, a popular VTuber under Cover Corp's hololive brand, performed in a sold-out concert at Hollywood Palladium, marking the agency's first solo event outside Japan.
Cover Corp has established a US office and increased its focus on English-speaking talent to accelerate its expansion into the North American market.
The VTuber industry, driven by advanced motion capture and hologram-like effects, is projected to grow to nearly $4 billion annually by 2030, according to QY Research.
South Korea's highly trained digital performers pose a competitive challenge to Japan's dominance, particularly in the US market, according to Cover Corp's CEO Motoaki Tanigo.
The industry emphasizes the importance of human talent behind VTuber personas, with Cover Corp rejecting the use of generative AI to create new virtual characters.