Popular YouTuber Kizuna AI is virtual. The screaming fans are not
Created in 2016, Kizuna AI is among the first modern VTubers and has more than 3 million followers on YouTube
With flashing lights, choreographed dance moves and fans singing along to her songs, Kizuna AI commanded two days of sold-out concerts in front of thousands in Tokyo, Japan, like any pop idol.
Debuting in 2016 under digital entertainment firm Activ8, Kizuna AI is often credited with popularising the term VTuber and paving the way for virtual entertainers with massive live-stream audiences.
Voice actor Nozomi Kasuga revealed in 2020 that she was the voice behind Kizuna AI – a rare move, as VTubers typically keep their real identities hidden. For some, a VTuber’s virtual nature is part of the appeal, making them more relatable and accessible than human idols.
Kizuna AI is adored by more than 3 million YouTube followers today, maintaining her popularity even after going on hiatus in 2022. She resumed activities in February 2025.
“I love Ai-chan so much, and I was really sad not being able to see her during her hiatus,” says Guo Zhaoheng, 26, who went from China to see Kizuna AI’s comeback show in Tokyo in September. “I even wore this outfit that she loves. I was so happy to come that I almost cried.”