In recent days, An opinion posted on social media about the ephemeral nature of VTuber culture resonated strongly with usersbecoming a trend and generating intense debate. The original reflection stated the following:

• «VTuber culture was initially promoted as something that “being virtual, could last forever.” (although personally I've always been skeptical about this). However, in reality, VTubers retire much faster than real-world talent, and when they do, their previous records are often gone forever. That's a little sad, isn't it?».

Another user added to this opinion by adding:

• «It seems that Kizuna AI aimed for the idea that 'even if the person behind it changed, the avatar's existence would be eternal,' but there weren't many followers who were able to accept this collective fantasy. In the end, it all came down to mere masked talent. Although, for this reason, it was widely disseminated».

VTuber culture, which in its infancy promised a revolution in the way we consume digital entertainment, has over time shown a vulnerability that few anticipated. The initial idea that, being virtual, these characters could exist eternally, beyond the physical limits of their creators, turned out to be more fantasy than reality.

As VTubers have grown in popularity, it's become clear that their life cycle is surprisingly short. While a real-world talent or idol can maintain a career for decades, VTubers face rapid obsolescence. When a VTuber retires, not only does their current presence disappear, but often their entire digital history is erased.leaving a void that contrasts with the promise of virtual immortality.

The Internet community quickly reacted to these remarks, expressing their own opinions:

• «It's very similar to mobile games. When the service ends, the digital records disappear.».
• «There was a Vtuber who tried to change the person behind this to continue forever, but the criticism was so strong that they had to reverse the decision».
• «For reasons like this, I feel like if I get too involved, I'll end up feeling betrayed, so I prefer to act with restraint.».
• «I think that promotion, most people didn't believe it from the beginning... I didn't feel any of that during the Four Kings era.».
• «The pace of consumption is faster than with real talents or idols, right?».
• «Ultimately, I imagined VTubers could be something like Yuna in SAO, a completely independent existence without needing the person behind it, but the reality is that it's still too early for that. It's kind of disappointing.».
• «It's interesting that while VTubers initially seemed to be aiming for something like Hatsune Miku, they ultimately fell short.».
• «This is clear because, in the case of anime or video games, the 'characters,' the 'setting,' and the 'story' are already established, so as long as the story and setting don't change, anyone playing them can be seen as the same character. But in the case of VTubers, the streamer's 'story' is their activity itself, making it impossible to separate it from the personality behind it.».
• «In rough terms, they may be easier to dismiss».
• «When a pet robot was launched, it was also said to be an 'immortal pet', but the maintenance service ended long before the lifespan of a dog or cat.».
• «I heard that being virtual there would be no scandals».
• «I remember it was said that, unlike real YouTubers, there was no risk of controversy, but now there are scandals everywhere. I love».
• «When something becomes a popularity-based business and competition intensifies, natural selection sets in, and since the main stage is live streaming, in the end, all that's left is to withdraw and abandon. Furthermore, I think there are many VTubers who give up quickly because they feel overwhelmed by the gap between their character and reality, and this leads them to illness.».
• «For this to work, it was essential that the avatar had a story and context, but even Kizuna AI couldn't build that.».
• «It's like asking: if all the members of a band change, is it still the same band?».
• «Well, if just changing the voice in an anime already causes controversy, it's impossible to change the person behind it and expect everything to stay the same.».

Ultimately, the evolution of VTubers raises questions about the future of digital personas and our relationship with them. While some imagined a future where virtual avatars could exist independently of any human being, reality has shown that we are still far from achieving that vision. VTuber culture, in its current form, reflects both the possibilities and limitations of the virtual world.reminding us that even in a digital world, human connections remain essential.

Source: Otakomu