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For the past few months I have been trying to find a pattern of some sort to explain why Ikkisei has suffered a fate unlike any other JP Gen in Hololive. With the exception of Fubuki, they are all on the lower end of popularity in the fan community and at times forgotten.
>They were forgotten more and more with each new Gen
That sounds plausible...until you consider Gen2, if what holds true for Gen1 then it should also apply for following Gens as each new Gen debuts. However Gen2 has not suffered anywhere near the same fate as Gen1 did even with the debuts of Gens 3, 4, 5 and 6. It can be even argued (setting aside breaks and content lull) that with the exception of Choco that Gen2 is more popular than Gens 4, 5 and even 6.
>Short exclusivity buff period due to Gen2
This next idea I had seemed to have more weight given the fact that Gen1 had a mere 2-3 months tops before Gen2 got rolled out. The fans didn't have enough time to grow attached and more embedded with the Gen1 girls before the new shiny baubles were brought out. Further strengthening this theory is the fact that Gen2 had exclusivity buff for roughly a year until the next full Gen came out with Gen3 (Gamers and Miko were brought in piecemeal in between so they didn't have enough of a wave effect to steal Gen2's buff). Compared to a measly 2-3 months, 12 months is a much longer period for the fans to become more attached to Gen2 girls then they did with Gen1. However...once again this theory falls apart when it consider the gap between Gen3 and Gen4. While not as short as the one between Gen1 and Gen2, there was only about 4 months between the debuts of Gen3 and Gen 4. That would suggest that Gen3 should have suffered a similar fate as Gen1 due to such a short exclusivity buff period not providing the fans enough time to grow attached to them before Gen4 came in to take the spotlight and thunder. However...this didn't happen. It did happen to a certain extent to Gen5 with HoloMyth debuting a mere month after them (a fact that I think at least one of the Gen5 girls mentioned was a sore point for her and depressed her).
>Maybe...it is a blonde debuff?
Okay I know this is a bit of a reach but hear me out. Japan is known for its ethnic monolithism and nearly everyone having black hair. There is also the fact that Japan is notorious for preferring uniformity and not looking kindly to individualism. Gen1 has 3 blondes. They are the Gen with the most blondes of any of them. Obviously this doesn't explain what befell Matsuri but when you look at other blondes in following Gens there is a bit of a point to be found here. Choco in Gen2 has suffered a similar blonde debuff. Flare in Gen3 is the weakest in her Gen so it could be argued she also suffers the debuff to a degree? Watame seemed to buck this trend earlier on in her career but over time has seen herself fall behind Kanata and Towa...is it a matter of time before Luna surpasses her if the blonde debuff is true? Polka and Nene are solid on their own but its undeniable they are the two weaker members of Gen5. Iroha is...a bit of a wild card at the moment. She could still be benefiting from being a fresh face but at times she is the weakest member in HoloX and other times she pulls more into the middle lane in her Gen.
>Not really a Ikkisei thing, just look at Fubuki's success
True but would Fubuki still be as successful if she didn't somewhat separate herself from Ikkisei with the formation of HoloGamers? There is no equivalent Gen to be found anywhere in the rest of Hololive and its sub-branches. There may be an argument to be found that Gamers helped save Fubuki from a similar fate that has befallen the rest of Ikkisei. Which makes me wonder...and I know this is a bit of a stretch and impossible to replicate in the current environment and state of the vtuber economy. Would other Ikkisei members who are struggling benefit and incline if something similar to HoloGamers was founded and they were made into a founding member of a 'half-Gen'? 3 new Vtubers + Aki? 3 new Vtubers + Mel? 3 new Vtubers + Haachama? I'm more curious of the likelihood of success of such a venture rather than anything such nothing of the sort would ever happen.
