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VTuber Kizuna Ai Gets Anime Project & AI Spinoff
posted on by Egan Loo
The online "Kizuna Ai The Last Live 'hello, world 2022'" concert announced on Saturday that popular virtual YouTuber (VTuber) Kizuna Ai is launching an anime project.
The concert also announced Kizuna (#KZN), an original singing CeVIO AI (shown above to the right of Kizuna Ai). #KZN is "serving as a hub to connect with everyone and supporting Kizuna Ai and creators while she is asleep." (CeVIO is a suite of software that includes voice synthesis.) Kizuna Ai's original character designer En Morikura designed the AI with character concept art by Keigo Inoue.
Kizuna Ai's staff billed Saturday's concert as her final concert before she goes on an indefinite hiatus. The staff cited an update to "future activities with the goal of further developing Kizuna Ai" as the reason for the hiatus.
The Kizuna Ai YouTube channel "A.I.Channel" first launched in 2016. Since then, she has become the world's most iconic Virtual YouTuber and was on Newsweek Japan's list of "globally respected Japanese people." Her main channel has over 3 million subscribers, and her "A.I.Games" channel has over 1.51 million subscribers. She has since appeared in television programs and commercials, and performed as a musical artist. The existing videos on her channels will be archived. Her Twitter, Instagram, and other social media accounts will also stay online but will not post updates except for "important announcements."
In April 2020, Nozomi Kasuga signed on as an advisor at Kizuna Ai Co., Ltd. — thus formally confirming that she is the voice actress behind the character. The company was formed out of Activ8, the talent agency which managed Kizuna Ai and other virtual YouTuber talent.
Kizuna Ai voiced cameo roles in the Ingress and Magical Girl Site anime, and she also performed the theme song in the Laidbackers movie.
Update: Twitter link fixed. Thanks, sdsichero.
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