Why was VTuber Yozora Mel terminated from Hololive? Controversy explored

Popular VTuber Yozora Mel (Mel Channel 夜空メルチャンネル), boasting a substantial following of over 884K subscribers on her YouTube channel, has recently been removed from the renowned VTubing management agency Hololive. This development surfaced today (January 16) following an official announcement from Cover Corp.

A statement has been issued on the Cover official page, disclosing that Yozora Mel has been removed due to the unauthorized sharing of private information with third parties. The specific details of the leaked information have not been disclosed in the statement:

"It has been confirmed that Yozora Mel has been engaging in acts that violated her contract by leaking information that she acquired from the company to third parties. As a result, we have determined that it has become difficult to continue managing and supporting her and, with agreement from the talent, we have elected to make this decision."

They also disclosed that they will close Yozora's membership with Hololive and YouTube channel "by the end of February 2024." The statement read:

"We will be closing Yozora Mel’s YouTube channel and membership by the end of February 2024."

Cover Corp's official statement regarding Yozora's departure (Image via cover-corp.com)

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What did Yozora Mel say about her departure from Hololive?

VTuber Yozora Mel promptly addressed the recent developments by announcing them on her official X page. In her statement, she confirmed her departure and expressed regret for her actions.

The update was made earlier today. As a Japanese-speaking VTuber, Yozora conveyed her message in her native language. Reddit users (r/Hololive) subsequently provided translations for the benefit of a wider audience. The message read (translated from Japanese):

"To everyone I sincerely apologize for causing anxiety and discomfort to many people due to this incident. I deeply regret my careless actions."

Furthermore:

"I had a dream that I wanted to make come true with all the Kapumin. I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise. But that doesn't mean the memories I have with Kapumin and Holomen will disappear. I will never forget this. I'm always watching over everyone. I love you forever. Thank you for what you have done. And I'm really sorry."

Yozora opens up following latest controversy (Image via X/Yozoramel)

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The VTubing community engaged in extensive discussions about the situation, drawing parallels between Yozora's circumstances and another VTuber, Uruha Rushia, who had previously faced a similar controversy.

Uruha, like Yozora, had her association with Hololive terminated for breaching her contract by leaking company information and engaging in inappropriate communication over social media. This caused reputational damage to the company through the dissemination of falsehoods to various parties.