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The market size of virtual YouTubers (VTubers) in Japan was estimated at 52 billion Japanese yen in fiscal year 2022. It was projected to increase to 80 billion yen by fiscal year 2023. The word "VTuber," a short form for "virtual YouTuber," refers to video content creators that use computer-generated avatars. The term was coined by the Japanese VTuber Kizuna AI and has since been used for similar content creators across various video platforms.

The Japanese VTuber market

A detailed breakdown by segment shows that product sales constitute by far the largest segment of the virtual Youtuber market. It was followed by livestreaming, which generates revenue through advertising, super chats, and memberships. VTubers are particularly popular among Japanese teenagers, who spend nearly two hours per weekday watching video sharing services. The most well-known VTuber agencies in Japan include Nijisanji, Hololive, VSPO!, Aogiri High School, and Neo-Porte. The true scope behind the cheerful anime personalities is vast and expanding as the international community catches up. Fans translate short videos of their favorite VTubers, often making them go viral on social media and fueling dedicated VTubing accounts.

The influencer market in Japan

Influencer marketing has become a significant segment of the marketing landscape in Japan. The proliferation of smartphones and the increasing amount of time people spend online have made online advertising more attractive to businesses. While the most-followed accounts are highly sought after by advertisers, they are not the only ones attractive, since influencers with smaller followings often have a closer connection with their audiences, resulting in higher engagement rates. As the VTuber phenomenon continues to expand, it is likely to assume a more pivotal role in Japan's broader influencer and online marketing ecosystems, underscoring its profound impact on digital entertainment trends.

Sales value of the virtual Youtuber (VTuber) market in Japan from fiscal year 2020 to 2023 (in billion Japanese yen)

Characteristic	Sales value in billion Japanese yen
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Release date

July 2023

More information

Region

Japan

Survey time period

fiscal years 2020 to 2023; the Japanese fiscal year starts on April 1 of the stated year and ends on March 31 of the following year

Special properties

based on sales for business in question at companies operating VTuber management offices or projects

Supplementary notes

*Projection.

This research targets those VTubers to whom the following conditions apply:
1) The performer (including community managers) has the appearance of an anime-like avatar, playing the role as a unique, made-up character.
2) The character has both the properties of an influencer and IP (Intellectual Property).

“Livers” generated and active within livestreaming apps such as “Iriam” and “Reality” are not included in this research, but “AITuber (pronounced ‘itubers’)” that have no performer but are operated by AI language generation and VTubers who have their voice actors’/actresses’ names written as CV (Character Voice) are included.

The market has been categorized into the following four segments:
1) Livestreaming: profits from advertisement, super chat within video streaming, and membership.
2) Events: profits from selling tickets for live performances, concerts, and other events.
3) Product sales: profits from tangible products such as commemorative items, and from music downloads.
4) Business-to-business (B2B): profits from tie-up advertisement, copyrights and merchandising rights business by IP licenses.

100 Japanese yen equal 0.62 U.S. dollars or 0.58 euros as of July 2024.

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