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hololive has indeed cast a long shadow across the landscape of VTubing, a terrain once marked by vivid plurality and unfettered creative expression. In this new epoch, as the behemoth strides, every step reshapes the terrain, making it more amenable to its sprawling architecture of Live2D facades and the relentless debut of new generations. These innovations, while democratizing the medium, have also cast long, opaque shadows under which the luminaries of earlier days—Ai, Akari, and Siro—now flicker dimly.
The homogenization of the streaming format, a blueprint rolled out across hololive's platforms, has been critiqued for its rigid contours. This format, while streamlining production and consumption, clamps down on the creative liberties that once defined VTubing. Creators like Ai and Akari, who once charted their own idiosyncratic courses through the digital cosmos, find these courses now perilously narrowed. The group The JK Gumi, pioneers in their early turn to 3D technology, exemplifies the adaptational challenges faced by segments within the industry striving to remain pertinent in a rapidly evolving field.
It is essential, therefore, to ponder the broader ramifications of such a dominant presence within the market. hololive's towering influence may, even if inadvertently, dictate the trajectory of the entire VTubing industry, curbing innovation among smaller entities and independent creators who find themselves grappling in the shadows of a giant.
In embracing these nuanced impacts, recognizing the journeys and transformations of VTubers touched by these seismic shifts, and deliberating on the significant pivots within the industry with a deep sensitivity to the diverse forces sculpting entertainment media, we forge a path toward a more inclusive and expansive discourse on the future of VTubing. It is in this spirit that we advocate for the preservation of the vibrant mosaic of creativity that initially defined this digital art form.
