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Imane "Pokimane" Anys maybe one of the most popular streamers in the world at the moment, but of late, she just can't seem to catch a break.
The 24-year-old Twitch star recently made her much-awaited return to streaming after a month-long hiatus, with the hope of starting afresh.
Considering the controversies she's found herself embroiled in lately, which range from her boyfriend rumors to her 'simp' army of fans, many believed that a break was best suited for her. She returned on the 12th of September, amidst much fanfare and seemed to be in a chirpy mood, interacting with her fans and even going on to stream Among Us.
However, she now seems to be facing the heat from a section of the online community yet again, courtesy to her recent Twitter post where she announced her debut as a Vtuber:
The Vtuber phenomenon has exploded over the internet of late, especially during the pandemic, where streamers are using a digital avatar of themselves to interact with fans.
While some praised Pokimane for her new approach, a large section called her out for attempting to cash in on the trend, at the expense of the original Vtubers.
What is a Vtuber ft. Pokimane
One of the hottest trends on the internet right now is that of a Virtual YouTuber or a Vtuber. Featuring high-end technology and motion-capture artists, it seems as if the Vtuber phenomenon has taken the VR world by storm.
A phenomenon that typically involves an anime-inspired digital avatar of a live-streamer. The Vtuber trend is immensely popular in Japan and now seems to be gaining a stronghold in the West.
One of the most popular Vtuber agencies is Hololive, which is expanding its reach with a new subdivision called Hololive English. Some of the most popular Vtubers include the likes of Kizuna AI and Kaguya Luna.
The Vtuber industry is one of the most profitable ones in the world, and considering the reach and popularity of anime as a global phenomenon, this is only the beginning. Vtubers are leading the charge towards a digital revolution, which has the potential to alter the very way we see consumer forms of art and entertainment.
Keeping this trend in mind, one of the biggest names to recently hop on to the bandwagon is Pokimane.
Twitter reacts to Pokimane's debut as a Vtuber
Alongside her announcement, Pokimane also credited the artists who helped create her digital avatars online:
As soon as her announcement went viral, the internet was sent into a tizzy as several reacted to this latest development.
While her simp fans expressed disappointment at not being able to see their queen's face, a large section criticized her for attempting to steal the spotlight from those who started as Vtubers.
Check out some of the reactions online:
Pokimane attempted to defend herself with the following response:
However, that didn't seem to be enough, as several others began to criticize her:
While on the other hand, some jumped to her support and welcomed her to the Vtuber community:
The entire Pokimane Vtuber fiasco seems to have been summed up by one particular Twitter user:
With the backlash she currently seems to be facing online, it remains to be seen what the longevity of Pokimane's Vtuber career ultimately ends up looking like.
