Is VTube an actual social network in Japan, or is it a trope made up for animes?

Question

In animes, I've seen several times characters mentioning "VTube" , a social network just like Youtube, but with a slightly different name. If I recall correctly, one anime I've seen it is in one episode of Kaii to Otome to Kamikakushi, I'm sure I've seen it in other animes I dont recall right now, and a new anime just appeared called VTuber Nandaga Haishin Kiri Wasuretara Densetsu ni Natteta , so that's another.

My question is, is this a real social network in Japan, and anime it's just reflecting japanese culture, or is it an anime trope made up to avoid having copyright issues with Youtube?

Answer 1

There is, as far as I can tell, no such social network. DenchiSoft has a software product called VTube Studio, but that's unrelated. Instead, it's likely that this is being used as a parody brand to avoid trademark issues (which, like copyrights, are a form of intellectual property, but are more relevant when talking about brand names). This is a very common occurence in anime and even live action, where characters will frequently eat at WcDonald's and do their homework on laptops with a Pineapple logo.

Answer 2

VTube is just using a virtual avatar on YouTube and other sites.

VTuber

A VTuber (Japanese: ブイチューバー, Hepburn: BuiChūbā) or virtual YouTuber (バーチャルユーチューバー, bācharu YūChūbā) is an online entertainer who uses a virtual avatar generated using computer graphics. Real-time motion capture software or technology are often—but not always—used to capture movement. The digital trend originated in Japan in the mid-2010s, and has become an international online phenomenon in the 2020s.[1][2] A majority of VTubers are English and Japanese-speaking YouTubers or live streamers who use avatar designs. By 2020, there were more than 10,000 active VTubers.[3] Although the term is an allusion to the video platform YouTube, they also use websites such as Niconico, Twitch, Facebook, Twitter, and Bilibili.