A TV anime featuring 30 VTubers including Mirai Akari, Siro, Nekomiya Hinata, Tsukino Mito, Tanaka Hime, and Suzuki Hina! In a creative collaboration Anno Hideaki, the six primary cast members will appear in Evangelion costumes. The theme song is composed by producer Nakata Yasutaka, sung by Kizuna Ai in the first six episodes, before being taken over for episodes seven through twelve by the main cast as the special VTuber unit dubbed “Virtual Real”. An original 3DCG animated project with an omnibus format designed to put the personality and charm of VTubers on full display. – Crunchyroll
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Episodes: 12
Source: Various (various virtual YouTube stars)
Episode Summary: The virtual world is populated by all sorts of interesting folks. The virtual idols, whose viral fame has ushered in an entirely new kind of fandom, spend their days together navigating the strange quirks that their internet existence has to offer.
The series centers on 6 primary idols who perform in the bulk of the skits, while other moments feature various other virtual YouTube idols in supporting roles.
Impressions: There’s a strong temptation for me to call this episode “bad” because I just have no idea what’s going on. As I’ve gotten older I’ve wondered when the time would come that I’d come face-to-face with some aspect of anime fandom that I find completely incomprehensible. I’ve made it my goal to be open-minded about each new fandom frontier, and thus far I feel like I’ve been able to weather most new subgenres and character tropes with the best of them. If Virtualsan-Looking is any indication, though, I feel like my days may be numbered.
I’m kidding. The issues with this episode aren’t based around the fact that its stars are “known” 3D characters with established followings; ever since the ascendance of Hatsune Miku to virtual stage-presence I’ve kind of wondered when a series like this might come along. The problem is more that the show makes attempts at goofy non-sequitur humor, forcing its huge cast of characters into a half-baked improv show that they seem ill-equipped to navigate.
After poking around the internet, I’ve seen the show compared less-than-favorably to Pop Team Epic, and unfortunately perhaps that’s the best way to talk about its flaws. Love it or hate it, Pop Team Epic‘s strength came from the way its various contributors worked together, creating something odd and singular from a lot of disparate-looking pieces. The different voice actors, animation styles, and gags all contributed to something that was focused on having fun with a very simple concept, and that was something that shone through no matter who was at the steering wheel. This series, on the other hand, reads like one of those indulgent fandom fantasies – the unrestrained character crossover. What seems fun on paper is often not so great in execution, because different universes don’t often play that well together and the various protagonists all end up vying for the spotlight.
“Vying for the spotlight” is a good way to talk about the episode’s main segments, since they’re mostly just a dialog onslaught of different characters talking over one-another, freaking out about whatever scenario they’re caught in (in one, their classroom is suddenly positioned on an erupting volcano). To me, this isn’t really entertaining; I’m not all that interested in listening to famous personalities interact with one-another without direction, and that’s what most of this is.
While it’s pretty clear that this show just isn’t my thing, this episode chooses to further emphasize that fact by parodying that scene from the first episode of Goblin Slayer, complete with a gag involving a goblin-like creature trying to pull off one of the characters’ outfits. The scene is presented like an unfinished animatic for reasons unknown (it’s not apparent whether it was actually unfinished, or if this is just “part of the joke”) but either way, that’s a big “Yikes” from me.
This series really defies any sort of rating and for once I feel ill-equipped to pass judgment. I imagine any affinity toward the virtual idols featured in the show would go a long way toward one’s enjoyment of series, but since I have no such loyalties I’m just sort of unimpressed and baffled by it.
Pros: I enjoyed one character segment where a “Grandma” character tells the story of a toilet paper shortage.
Cons: Unfocused humor. Some gags in poor taste. Too many characters trying to talk over one-another.
Grade: