Pokimane Debuts A Vtuber Persona, Which Is Making People Very Angry For Some Reason
Pokimane, the popular Twitch streamer who is evidently a magnet for controversy announced she would be returning to streaming after a short break caused in part by LeafyIsHere's supposed "content nuke" on her and her secret romantic relationship, but with that announcement came an interesting twist: she had developed a Vtuber persona.
Pokimane will employ the new persona for no-cam streams, which can be taken as a reasonable step considering how much pressure and attention is placed on Pokimane's looks; she once received intense criticism for streaming without makeup.
“I don’t want to offend anyone by using this, or [make] anyone feel like I’m trying to encroach any community … I just think it’s such a cool thing to do for when I don’t feel like being on cam,” she said
In her announcement, she credited artists @TeruPancake and @AnntanDesu for helping put the character together. Her initial stream as a Vtuber saw her encouraging viewers to look into other Vtubers if they enjoyed the virtual Pokimane.
huuuuge credits to
terupancake</a> for making the amazing 3D model 🤩<br>AND <a href="https://twitter.com/AnntanDesu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">AnntanDesu for the incredibly cute reference sheet 💖 pic.twitter.com/t6oM0ioxRx— pokimane (@pokimanelol) September 13, 2020
Despite all this, a swath of people was very, very angry that Pokimane was dabbling in Vtubing. "Pokimane" trended on Twitter today, as users bemoaned the switch as "the death of Vtubing" and criticized her for "clout chasing."
Pokimane is becoming a vtuber.This is it.This marks the beginning of the end of the vtuber era.
— ♠️Ender | BLM✊🏽 (@SpadesEnder) September 13, 2020
I log back and the first thing I see is Pokimane as a VTuber I'm deactivating on god pic.twitter.com/gpznRl2xNc
— gabcro – Kingdom Heart's bitch (@cro_gabs) September 13, 2020
Pokimane becoming a VTuber spells the end for the popularity of VTubers.Its gonna be the new thing to hate.
— Poe's Law = Onigga-Chan (@LivingScribe) September 13, 2020
The reaction seemed over-the-top, to say the least. Those in Pokimane's favor were exhausted by the fact people wanted to gatekeep the Vtuber community.
To all those saying Pokimane is gonna kill VTubers… Shut up, you're gatekeeping who can and can't become a VTuber. VTubing is still a new concept and it's very groundbreaking. Anyone can be a VTuber if they want to. Pokimane isn't gonna "kill" VTubing.
— Olivia 💙 Boltsy's Other Half 💜 (@Umbrus_) September 13, 2020
pokimane looks like she's having fun, i'm happy! she's not "stealing views", she's VERY established already. if anything, her becoming a vtuber opens the door for more people to find out about us!that's tons of people who now know what term to search if they enjoy it 💖
— marsy 🐭 vtuber (@maroony__) September 13, 2020
Weebs thinking that Pokimane becoming a Vtuber is awful and going to ruin vtubers reputation pic.twitter.com/JFpORSJgcV
— Starseed Taster (@shrimpimpin) September 13, 2020
It seems like, as with all things Pokimane, the reaction is incredibly heated, but it seems doubtful this will have a negative impact on the growing popularity of Vtubers and those who prefer the current popular streamers as they are.
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DooDoo
I think that vtubers are angry because they entertain people with their personalities and other stuff they do without showing their body/face, unlike pokimane. Her entertainment mostly relies on reacting while saying " uhhhh, i think [insert popular and normalized opinion here]" then she turns around for some reason and makes sure everybody on stream sees that thicc a$$.
also after i saw a stream vid where her big ego cant even take fair and non-edgy criticizm (unlike leafys) she copyright stirkes the video where shes being criticized just made me understand that shes trash after all, and she profits from dramas like you cut one of hydras head and it grows back 2 heads from the wound
mammon
On the side note, let's wait until the 3D model of her avatar got leaked then get turned to SFM R34.
Haha i wonder how triggered she and her fans will be after that happens.
mammon
Internet loved Vtuber because of their personality, and trust me when you had a rotten personality people will simply just go away from your content.
Onion Man
I don’t think it’s going to help her much. People love V-Tubers for their DESU KAWAII ANIMU voices. Pokimane probably can’t even get a good “EEKUM BOOKUM” out
sborbl
The reason why people are mad is because she's attacked other creators in the past – including vtubers.
TL;DW people are worried she'll be a toxic influence or start drama. And if not her, then the people who follow in her wake will.
sborbl
In case that video didn't make it clear; here's her belittling ItsAGundam for using an avatar while going after his sponsors.
For further context, ItsAGundam was criticizing her overzealous fans more than he was criticizing her; the video was called "Simp willingly goes homeless for Pokimane." She still got his sponsors to pull out. People don't want to see a repeat of this happening to a community that's been largely drama-free.
kraas
am i the only one that finds vtubers kind of off-putting?
i mean im not trying to shit on anyone elses enjoyment but i just dont get it.
d23
Let me preface that it's fine not to like something and you're not attacking the idea. I personally don't like streamers that are just there to be cute (I don't watch Pokimane for long periods so that might be her but I don't know) and I don't like "e-sports" or the like. I find either one needs something else present for me to like them. That's all my own personal preference in streaming. There is a lot going on to satisfy different people.
Again, it might not be your bag, but vtubers have allowed some really good streamers to join the platform. There are some that are great but just too shy to use their own likeness or voice. There are also some vtubers, like ironmouse, who can not go on camera because of her situation (you can look up online what she faces medically) and her absence on twitch if she wasn't there would be a huge loss.
There are good vtubers and bad vtubers just as there are good and bad streamers. And there are different tastes. But I think vtubers have their place because they are bringing wonderful and entertaining personalities that add to the platform. And after seeing all the drama surrounding pokimane and seeing clips I don't think I would watch her either way. However there are entertaining personalities like bunny_gif who uses her model on some days and doesn't other days and I watch her either way. That's my personal viewing opinion as not liking to watch vtubers is yours.
El Lugubre
First of all, she is free to do as she pleases beause this is not illegal nor directly damaging to anybody.
That being said:
When people who are already popular try to enter a new "medium" where people are starting their own careers is damaging to the people who have been in said medium and the "rising stars" who try to become popular as the new genre becomes popular as well.
Like the time Jack Black started doing Let's Plays. I know, i understand, he did it to have fun and to get closer to his fans. He is not a bad person, but by jumping into it, he was taking views and fans from other people who could also had them. This is partially a zero sum game, most people don't have time to watch more than one streamer and trumping his star power is not something most growing streamers can do.
Or when Ellen DeGeneres tried to make the "React" format into her show, which prompted the Fine Bros to try to secure the rights and become the sole propietors of the format when they were pretty lax about it beforehand.
Again, if it's not illegal, then i won't oppose them and it isn't. But it has a negative effect on those people who saw a new gay of making it big only to be told "Sorry kid, this seat's already occupied"
Nico
Well I would argue it is how it's being handled. If she keeps the same persona as she always had then everything will remain the same but it could also get new people into searching other vtubers as well
El Lugubre
Most of the fans a popular person brings stick with them. Yes, they do add more viewers, but the questions is how many do they take.
And yes, i do feel like a jackass for bringing this up because they are free to do as they please but i believe this to be true and a problem that doesn't have a clear solution without assholey telling people to "stay in their lane"
Aurora Helvetica
Can someone tell Pokimane thats not how V-tubers work?
When the booty is too good
Her being a vtuber, for starters, completely invalidates the core reason why people even have started to do it for themselves in the first place. If anything, it even invalidates Pokimane's own reasons for wanting to do "off cam" instead of on cam too.
Bitch she's LITERALLY JUST USING HERSELF AS HER "PERSONA". She even went as far as to tell the artist she commissioned from to give little samples to how her 3D model's ass looks like. For someone who got so sensitive over people being judgy over her IRL looks, this is just fucking stupid. As for invalidating other vtubers, at least I can give other vtubers the credit for not wanting to be quite exactly like themselves. In the end, they are actual, CREATIVE personas. Pokimane is so full of herself, but it's to be expected when your entire following rides on simping whales.
shogungari
Yeah, while I'm indifferent to her in general, comparing it to other VTubers I notice right away this seems less like creating a cute cartoon persona to be and more just…her as a 3D model. It's like playing a game of D&D and you just make yourself as a fighter.