“Oshikatsu” involves all actions in which fans support their favorite idols, and is an increasingly popular trend. In general, an idol is considered an “unattainable figure” for a fan. However, there are some who develop romantic feelings for their “oshi,” which can even turn into an obsession.

And the object of adoration is not always a real person. A recent Yahoo! News Japan article commented on “Rex-san (れっくす)”, who fell in love with VTuber “Emu Alice”. and who purchased all of their products, including a life-size acrylic panel valued at 330,000 yen (over US$ 2100). The guy has also stated that he has no intention of marrying anyone other than “Emu Alice” and in his live streams he often comments “Please don't fool me too much!“.

However, these situations have not always been positive, considering the numerous cases of harassment against VTubers in Japan. Problems with these people include the fact that they almost never get what they want, such as “dating” or “marrying”, envy when they see how other fans respond to them, and lack of interest in people in general, while everyone around them is living together or getting married. Rex-san nodded and said, “I went through this too“but he added: “Now I have overcome this and am beyond. I have learned to control my feelings so that I can continue to love my oshi permanently.“.

Rex-san was attracted to the avatar of VTuber “Emu Alice,” who debuted four years ago, and began watching her live streams. He was also drawn to her voice, and within a week, he declared himself “madly in love.” Now, he spends between one and three million yen a year on her (between $6,000 and $20,000) and posts daily about how great she is. Because of his passion, he gave up his career and changed jobs to work at a restaurant. Thanks to this, he was able to successfully make his establishment collaborate with his oshi.

How did he reach a state of “sense of control”?The key is to determine whether your actions are to please yourself or others. Even paying a large donation to a VTuber has a completely different meaning if you do it because you want attention or because you want to support that person.“. The appeal of VTubers is that they can communicate interactively through live commentary, making it easier for people to recognize the individual. While the reason for their emergence was a “resounding success,” he says, “I’m not sure it was a success.In the end, most people fall in love with the person. Even if the “soul” goes to another body, the fans will follow wherever the “soul” goes.“.

VTubers also face a dilemma when it comes to their most dedicated fans. According to a VTuber affiliated with a company, the number of radical people demanding something in return for their support as fans is increasing. If they are told they are free to do so, they will act aggressively to approach them, but if they are told to stop, they will lose fans or even harass them. If taken too far, this can lead to annoying behavior like replying to every Twitter post, sending mass messages, or approaching people posing as colleagues to ask for collaborative projects.

In this context, Rex-san says: “The current situation is that it is difficult for agencies to expel the most obsessed fanatics. Fans are also frowned upon by the people around them when they perform their oshikatsu activities. Both parties find themselves in a situation where they cannot talk about the issue. These fans continue to agonize and worry alone, and end up becoming a nuisance.“.

As a measure to avoid annoying behavior, Rex-san reiterates that “the question of action revolves around whether it is for the other person or for oneself“. The form of support varies according to the occupation.”Think about what the “best support” is for that person at that moment.“.

Source: Yahoo! News Japan