Should you join a VTuber agency? We break it all down

Twitch is a platform that has allowed many forms of expression. It was therefore no surprise to see VTubing gain popularity in 2019 among English speakers. Although the novelty has faded, this format continues to be popular. VTubing agency, which continues to introduce new talent, and offers one of the most financially secure ways to pursue such content, still hold on to try to harness new talents.

Cover Corporation, the English division of Hololive Production was launched by Cover Corporation in 2020. Hololive’s English debut saw the introduction of long-standing talents in the English community, such as the extremely popular Gawr Gura (the most subscribed-to Hololive talent to date) and Ninomae Ina’nis. Even high-profile content creators like Pokimane pivoted toward using digital avatars weeks after Hololive’s first generation of English talents debuted. Even brands are affected: remember the Tony the Tiger VTuber of August 2022?

As models and equipment were made more available, many creators who jumped into the trend no longer use their avatars. Twitch’s VTuber Takeover campaign, most recently running in August, has highlighted a variety of VTubers. Twitch reported that VTubing content on its platform increased by 350% from January to August 2022. Despite all of this, many have argued the VTubing boom has almost burst.

“I do feel that VTubing has become less novel as the market has become more saturated,” says a streamer with agency Nijisanji who is not approved to speak publicly. “There are obviously some ups and downs when it comes to working with an agency as well, which requires a lot of patience if I’m honest. And there are some decisions that are made that sometimes don’t make a lot of sense.”

VTuber agencies manage the talents of their VTubers. They often give them a personal manager to help organize interview, collaborations and paid promotions. Financial advisors are sometimes available, although this is not the norm. Money made by agencies can include subscription or merchandise purchases.

The source at Nijisanji notes that all talents within the agency are under nondisclosure agreements, which prevents them from sharing information with their audiences that could compromise their identity, or even inform viewers on why they could be graduating — which is effectively retirement for VTubers.

“Seeing agencies like Hololive and Nijisanji shut down entire branches or graduate talents without any real kind of information is heartbreaking for just about everyone involved in the process,” the source says.

Hololive shut down its Chinese Division in 2020. More than a dozen streamers were graduated. Nijisanji recently announced the sudden graduation of Mysta Rias, one of its most notable talents. His decision to leave Nijisanji is due to his burnout. Cover Corporation (parent company of Hololive) announced, in August, that Holostars would soon be graduating two talented artists, barely one year after their debut. Cover Corporation did not release any statements from the graduates outside an official announcement.

In some instances, VTubers do not have a say and may be forced to graduate prematurely. However, the agency does not specify this.

Independent VTuber NagamiMugi feels as though “corporate VTubing” is still a viable avenue for those looking to make a career out of the medium that can support content creation full-time. “I think VTubing content has become kind of stale,” she says. She goes on to mention that a lot of VTubers tend to be boxed into specific kinds of content — playing MinecraftFPS Games like Valorant. “In order for VTubing to continue to grow, VTubers need to branch out and create more content in line with other influencers,” she says.

Mugi says that if VTubers took cues from other content creators and explored options like lore analysis videos or short-form reviews, the scene wouldn’t be as stagnant. Mugi is a VTuber who dreams about going to corporate. After establishing her own shop, where she sells collaborations, merchandise, and other VTubers’ work, Mugi has been auditioning for major agencies. She claims that she was asked by one agency if her business would be closed if they hired her.

This isn’t entirely uncommon, as the source from Nijisanji mentions that some talents have been given strict restrictions as to what content they can and can’t create once their contracts with the agency expire. This can differ between talent, and is dependent on what the agent and the artist agree upon. While agencies may be a viable option for long-term growth, they are often tied closely to the agency avatar. Hololive gives creators little flexibility in the way they present themselves, while newer agencies allow talent to develop their own ideas. While that may feel overwhelming to some, it allows for the talents behind these models to flex their creativity and create a persona that otherwise wouldn’t fit neatly into the clearly defined boxes some agencies slot them into.

“Agencies should allow for talents to experiment, so long as it isn’t hurting anyone,” says the source. “Let people fail and still have that opportunity for growth in the future. More risk-taking and trying to branch out in other ways instead of simply just streaming or following preestablished methods.”

According to both of the people we interviewed for this story, this is an agreed-upon sentiment — that to prevent further stagnation, this not-so-niche form of content creation needs to reinvent itself and allow more freedom to its talents. It will be interesting to see if bigger agencies, like Hololive, which reported a 50% increase in their financial report for 2023 (and Nijisanji), allow the talents of these larger companies to go against the grain.