Sanrio, in collaboration with ClaN Entertainment, announced the initiation of a new VTuber project in Japan. The project also opened its first round of auditions on July 31.
The concept of the project centers around the pet cats, who live in a young witch’s house and have been turned into VTubers by magic. Sanrio is responsible for the conceptualization of the pre-transformation characters, while renowned illustrators will design the VTuber visuals based on Sanrio’s original characters.
Upon debut, the aim is for these VTubers to make appearances at Sanrio’s metaverse event, the SANRIO Virtual Festival, and to feature in TV programs involving ClaN. Future updates, such as illustrator information, will be officially announced via the project’s official Twitter account.
Sanrio and ClaN have opened the doors to aspiring creators to participate in the inaugural VTuber auditions. The auditions are looking for enthusiastic creators who can foster unique fan experiences. With the application period running from July 31 to September 10, the companies are eagerly anticipating entries from those looking to make their mark in the VTuber industry. However, the project is limited to Japan at the moment.
▍Sanrio x ClaN New VTuber Project Overview
The project aims to utilize the strengths of both Sanrio and ClaN, working to deliver a variety of content. After the VTubers make their debut, the plan is for them to actively participate in various events, such as appearing in Sanrio’s metaverse event, SANRIO Virtual Festival, and aiming to be featured on terrestrial programs associated with the Nippon Television Group and ClaN.
Furthermore, the character design process will see Sanrio working on the original character concepts, which will then be brought to life through illustrations by renowned artists. As the project progresses, updates such as information about the illustrators will be announced via the project’s official Twitter account.
▍Concept & Story of the New VTubers
The concept and story of the new streamers present a whimsical twist: What if cats could transform into VTubers through magic?
The Concept
In a curious turn of events, house cats living with a young girl, who happens to be a wizard, are magically transformed into VTubers and begin their activities in the virtual world.
The Story
In a manor somewhere in an alternate world, a young wizard and her cats lived a joyous life. Although the girl spent most of her time contemplating about her cats and video games, it seems that she could cast powerful spells when she was serious. Driven by the intriguing idea of playing games with her cats, she decided to cast a legendary spell on them. Lo and behold, the cats transformed into VTubers!
Key Visual
The key visual for this project is brought to life by illustrator Reekaruru.
▍Details of the New VTuber Audition
Starting July 31, Sanrio and ClaN will commence the audition process to recruit initial members for their new VTuber project. The application period for this audition will be from July 31 to September 10.
■ Eligibility:
Mandatory:
- Female applicants aged 18 and above residing in Japan.
- Ability to dedicate time continuously for broadcasting and talent activities.
- Able to secure a broadcasting schedule for five or more days a week.
- Respect for the team and adherence to rules.
- Skill or passion for gaming.
- Prior live broadcasting experience.
- Willingness to prioritize this activity upon acceptance.
Preferred:
- Previous experience in voice work.
- Ability to talk in English at a conversational level (Other languages are also acceptable).
- Possess a home environment suitable for game streaming or video recording.
- Ability to proactively consider what is necessary to become a popular virtual idol.
- Capable of production tasks (planning, video editing, etc.).
- Regular viewers of VTubers or those well-versed in the culture.
- Confidence in singing ability or possessing some other special talent.
■ Application Process:
Interested candidates can apply for the process through the audition website.