>>33931999I've always been personally fascinated with the interaction between "real" and "fictional" people. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Westerners reacting to Hatsune Miku, Japanese Yuru-Chara culture, etc. My interest in vtubers definitely has the same root here, the idea of fans interacting with a "real live anime girl", both sides understanding the reality of the situation but preferring to indulge in the perfomance aspect and the fantasy of it. We know full well that the person on the other side of the screen isn't a big titty dragon girl or a loli demon, but both sides get enough enjoyment and fulfillment out of the interaction that they're willfully suspending their disbelief in order to enjoy the narrative to the fullest.
Ironmouse, in many ways, is like the vtuber ambassador to the rest of the world (in regards more to general practices rather than hard numbers or perceived clout). She's a bridge that connects the vtuber world with the "real world" of streamers and content creators. She's approachable and instantly likable. I bet that the vast majority of the irl streamers she's collabed with or interviewed at some point forget entirely that the person they're interacting with is "fictional" and just see it as just being with a friend or someone you respect. I think other vtubers don't have this approachable aura about them because there is always this barrier between themselves and their fans in the form of their persona and their strongly self-enforced anonymity. When it comes to Ironmouse she seems to have perfectly blended her irl persona and her fictional persona into something that feels very genuine and allows her to be more open and connective with her fans. Ironmouse fans are some of the most loyal fans in all of vtubing, imho, owing in no small part to her openness and vulnerability even though she herself has one of the most adamant stances on not revealing her irl identity. Fans don't mind being kept out of the loop in that regard because they don't feel she's hiding anything that would make them like her less. I think Ironmouse was destined to become a vtuber, and is one of the ones I think that vtubing came around specifically so they could have a platform and an audience.
One of the best streamers? I'm not sure, but definitely one of the most likable.
