"Santa told me it's not a good idea to lie, so I'm going to tell you.🥺 Actually, I'm not seiso. And I'm not a cute girl.🔥 I'm a with a bad mouth and a bad laugh, just a dragon with a pretty voice - But of all the phaseconnects, this is the most seiso💛"Utatane Nasa
Nijisanji L Collection
- Thread starter The Proctor
- Start date
They made a statement.
Archive
[Report on infringement of rights of our affiliated live streamers by external creators]
Thank you for your continued support of the virtual live streamer group "Nijisanji" and "NIJISANJI EN".
On September 1, 2024, an external musician (hereinafter "the subject") secretly photographed the appearance of a person who is said to be a live streamer of our company during an external influencer's YouTube broadcast (hereinafter "this broadcast"), and the photograph was sent to a third party without permission, including defamatory language.
There is also suspicion that the subject used illegal physical force against the body of a live streamer affiliated with our company.
We also immediately began investigating the facts from August 30, when the announcement of this broadcast was made, and have identified some information such as the time when the photograph mentioned in this broadcast was taken, the location where it was taken, and the victim.
As a freelance musician, the Target is involved in providing music, recording, mixing, and mastering (hereinafter referred to as "Music Providing, etc.") to many artists, and we have also requested him to provide music, etc.
Under such circumstances, it is extremely regrettable that suspicions have arisen that the Target committed an indescribable act of barbarism, such as this case, which has hurt our affiliated live streamers and may even shake the foundation of the trust between our company and creators.
We will continue to investigate the facts, but in this case, we suspect that acts that may constitute assault crimes against our affiliated live streamers and violations of the Harassment Prevention Ordinance have occurred, and we intend to take firm action, including the possibility of taking the matter to criminal law.
In addition to terminating the current contract between our company and the Target, we will also take legal action against the Target for breach of confidentiality obligations, violation of privacy rights, defamation of reputation and credibility, and violation of other rights.
We will provide adequate support to our affiliated live streamers who are concerned about this matter, and aim to resolve this matter as soon as possible.
In order to prevent secondary damage, we ask that you refrain from spreading photos or information about this matter, or posting comments mocking our affiliated live streamers on social media or through the comment function during broadcasts.
In addition, there have been some voices on the Internet alleging that our affiliated live streamers and their managers, as well as our company's executives and employees, may have committed this crime, but we have no knowledge of any basis for the claim that our affiliated live streamers or our company's executives and employees were involved in the acts of harm in this case.
Please refrain from assuming that this case was committed by our affiliated live streamers or our company's executives and employees and spreading false information.
We are considering taking legal action against these malicious acts after preserving evidence.
In addition, as content such as "singing covers" involving the subject and posts on social media by our affiliated live streamers who are presumed to have received songs provided by the subject, could be used as a starting point to investigate the victim in this case, we have temporarily made the content private and deleted the SNS posts.
Publishing the list of private content and deleted posts on the Internet, such as on SNS, will lead to secondary victimization of the victim in this case, so we ask that you delete them immediately.
We recognize that something like this should never happen again and that it should never be tolerated. In order to protect the physical and mental health of our affiliated live streamers and allow them to continue their activities with peace of mind, we will make further efforts to improve the working environment for our affiliated live streamers, including reviewing the selection of creators to order from and the criteria for continued orders.
For any inquiries regarding this matter or to provide any information toward its resolution, please contact ANYCOLOR Inc.'s inquiry desk (https://anycolor.co.jp/contact). We ask that you refrain from contacting our affiliated live streamers (including any contact on social media or comments during live streams, etc.).
Thank you for your continued support of the virtual live streamer group "Nijisanji" and "NIJISANJI EN".
On September 1, 2024, an external musician (hereinafter "the subject") secretly photographed the appearance of a person who is said to be a live streamer of our company during an external influencer's YouTube broadcast (hereinafter "this broadcast"), and the photograph was sent to a third party without permission, including defamatory language.
There is also suspicion that the subject used illegal physical force against the body of a live streamer affiliated with our company.
We also immediately began investigating the facts from August 30, when the announcement of this broadcast was made, and have identified some information such as the time when the photograph mentioned in this broadcast was taken, the location where it was taken, and the victim.
As a freelance musician, the Target is involved in providing music, recording, mixing, and mastering (hereinafter referred to as "Music Providing, etc.") to many artists, and we have also requested him to provide music, etc.
Under such circumstances, it is extremely regrettable that suspicions have arisen that the Target committed an indescribable act of barbarism, such as this case, which has hurt our affiliated live streamers and may even shake the foundation of the trust between our company and creators.
We will continue to investigate the facts, but in this case, we suspect that acts that may constitute assault crimes against our affiliated live streamers and violations of the Harassment Prevention Ordinance have occurred, and we intend to take firm action, including the possibility of taking the matter to criminal law.
In addition to terminating the current contract between our company and the Target, we will also take legal action against the Target for breach of confidentiality obligations, violation of privacy rights, defamation of reputation and credibility, and violation of other rights.
We will provide adequate support to our affiliated live streamers who are concerned about this matter, and aim to resolve this matter as soon as possible.
In order to prevent secondary damage, we ask that you refrain from spreading photos or information about this matter, or posting comments mocking our affiliated live streamers on social media or through the comment function during broadcasts.
In addition, there have been some voices on the Internet alleging that our affiliated live streamers and their managers, as well as our company's executives and employees, may have committed this crime, but we have no knowledge of any basis for the claim that our affiliated live streamers or our company's executives and employees were involved in the acts of harm in this case.
Please refrain from assuming that this case was committed by our affiliated live streamers or our company's executives and employees and spreading false information.
We are considering taking legal action against these malicious acts after preserving evidence.
In addition, as content such as "singing covers" involving the subject and posts on social media by our affiliated live streamers who are presumed to have received songs provided by the subject, could be used as a starting point to investigate the victim in this case, we have temporarily made the content private and deleted the SNS posts.
Publishing the list of private content and deleted posts on the Internet, such as on SNS, will lead to secondary victimization of the victim in this case, so we ask that you delete them immediately.
We recognize that something like this should never happen again and that it should never be tolerated. In order to protect the physical and mental health of our affiliated live streamers and allow them to continue their activities with peace of mind, we will make further efforts to improve the working environment for our affiliated live streamers, including reviewing the selection of creators to order from and the criteria for continued orders.
For any inquiries regarding this matter or to provide any information toward its resolution, please contact ANYCOLOR Inc.'s inquiry desk (https://anycolor.co.jp/contact). We ask that you refrain from contacting our affiliated live streamers (including any contact on social media or comments during live streams, etc.).
Sorry for the double post, but:
This source notes that JP Nijifans have been faking images of YAB in Hololive credits to run defense for the company:
Take any and all mentions of Holomem being exposed to this guy with MASSIVE grains of salt unless comprehensively proven to be true, there is a lot of gay ops going around right now
EDIT: Oh JFC, Ienaga Mugi was very very young when she was drugged, potentially even underage. Her twitter post about feeling ill after eating in the studio was in July of 2020, and here's a video of her from April of 2020 talking about how her v-tuber identity got exposed at her HIGH SCHOOL
Last edited:
There appears to only be a single instance of YAB being involved with Cover, and it was a song cover released by Rikka on Nov 16th, 2020.
Kunai Nakasato has decided to graduate with no stream on the 21st
Yeah, that is almost certain at this point, though looking at the backlog, it was clear Kunai was out a while ago.
There's far more than that gone, Ars Almal's Gregorio cover is one I personally confirmed has been privated and isn't on this list. Niji is nuking all attempts to make comprehensive lists of what's gone from the JP side, so it's incredibly difficult to find a real list of what's gone. With that said, there are some safe bets going off of what YAB had posted about on his personal twitter:
-He handled the mixing for a good amount of Niji's 3D lives, and the list mentions that those have been privated:
-He specialized in orchestral mixing and recording (Gregorio involves orchestral backing tracks, for example)
-He has done work on voice packs before. I don't know if anyone here has checked if that stuff has been removed from the store or not; I know I haven't gotten around to it, but here's proof of at least one:
-According to YAB's own post (full disclosure, I grabbed this screenshot from 2ch) he's worked on at least 350 or more individual mixing projects for Anycolor, 400+ including 3D lives.
So we're looking for voice packs, music with orchestral mixing, and live music/3D debuts, and expecting 400+ takedowns. God only knows if we'll ever know everything that got removed, I highly doubt any of it is coming back.
VERY LATE EDIT: After sleeping on it, I wanted to fact check and make 100% sure I hadn't been baited by 2ch with the sheer amount of YAB songs. Fortunately, @Bug Eater was actually first to the draw and archived the tweet itself further back in the thread (damn fine job dude, I'm pretty sure YAB has deleted that post).
This is what my google translate is showing me for this post, which lines up with the 2ch image and what the JP side was saying. Unless I'm misunderstanding something, I think this confirms the 400+ project number.
Last edited:
Anyways, double post since this is important. YAB's first response:
(a)
Translation:
I would like to express my sincerest apologies for any discomfort caused to many of you by YAB's problematic comments and leaked videos on LINE in the past.
I deeply regret that my thoughtless actions have caused such a situation.
I would like to apologize again for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
I take this matter very seriously and will take a sincere response.
We are very sorry.
Pretty fucking horrible as far as responses go.
(a)
Translation:
I would like to express my sincerest apologies for any discomfort caused to many of you by YAB's problematic comments and leaked videos on LINE in the past.
I deeply regret that my thoughtless actions have caused such a situation.
I would like to apologize again for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
I take this matter very seriously and will take a sincere response.
We are very sorry.
Pretty fucking horrible as far as responses go.
Last edited:
Reactions from Roommates
I forget for sure but
Ren and Vivi
Aia
Last edited:
Saw this in Taiwan chink forum, apparently YAB also took some vtuber's virginity as well (not Kurosanji talent, but a vtuber under YAB studio)
Holy shit, Kurosanji is the best work place
Archivist edit: The Vtuber in question denies this.
Re: [情報] 混音師YAB 被控偷拍VTuber外流及下藥
5ch好像又有人丟新圖出來 https://i.imgur.com/NWVGziJ.png https://i.imgur.com/994dAWK.png 還在自己有管理權限的discord裡面 把自己吃掉處女的日期附在V名字旁
www.ptt.cc
Holy shit, Kurosanji is the best work place
Archivist edit: The Vtuber in question denies this.
Last edited by a moderator:
Some more YAB updates:
Even more of his personal twitter timeline is gone, latest post now is from 2023.
YEM's VSinger posted an apology/explanation on her involvement. Translation in AmpleChip's post.
Her YouTube channel is empty. Archives show there were several MV's there before, which have been taken down.
There was also a statement by YEM as a company, which wasn't posted before. Google translate makes them seem really enthusiastic about the whole thing.
(a)
One of YEM's other producers and executive officer posted a statement. This one is actually worth reading, he talks a lot about working with police. He says he want's to retire once his part in the investigation is done.
(a)
Even more of his personal twitter timeline is gone, latest post now is from 2023.
YEM's VSinger posted an apology/explanation on her involvement. Translation in AmpleChip's post.
(a)
Her YouTube channel is empty. Archives show there were several MV's there before, which have been taken down.
There was also a statement by YEM as a company, which wasn't posted before. Google translate makes them seem really enthusiastic about the whole thing.
(a)
Their website is now empty and the "works" page is now a 404.
One of YEM's other producers and executive officer posted a statement. This one is actually worth reading, he talks a lot about working with police. He says he want's to retire once his part in the investigation is done.
(a)
Dramatuber Mujin has released a somewhat ok summary of the entire incident to the normiesphere.
The interesting thing worth of note is the added context to the red spider drug Yab used in the drinks/food. Timestamp is 7:16.
Edit: Turns out Yab was doing this while already married and with kids. This story just gets more interesting.
The interesting thing worth of note is the added context to the red spider drug Yab used in the drinks/food. Timestamp is 7:16.
Edit: Turns out Yab was doing this while already married and with kids. This story just gets more interesting.
Last edited:
Nijisanji has made a third statement on the Yab situation. Link
TLDR: Please send the information to us and don't share it around because it's considered harmful behaviour towards the livers.
Translation:
As of September 5, 2024, we have already begun conducting direct conversations and interviews with the subject of this case and those around him/her.
We have also received information about this and related issues through our inquiry form. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has cooperated with us. On the other hand, in our recent releases and announcements, we have repeatedly asked you to cooperate in preventing secondary damage and to stop spreading baseless false information, but these social media posts (including videos and live streams) are still being seen here and there. If we discover that the details of the damage in this case, what the victims can infer, or new information regarding the damage has been made public on the internet through social media posts (regardless of the means, such as text, video, or broadcast), we will assume that there is an intention to secondarily harm the victims and will take firm action. We would also like to add that we have already confirmed several cases of information being shared between individuals or within groups regarding this matter using social networking sites such as Discord and LINE. We will also take firm action against any behavior on these non-open SNS services, just as described above. Our company is responding to this matter with a firm stance that will not tolerate any further acts of harm against the victim. We ask that you please contact ANYCOLOR Inc. individually at their inquiry desk without using social media etc. to provide information, etc.
As of September 5, 2024, we have already begun conducting direct conversations and interviews with the subject of this case and those around him/her.
We have also received information about this and related issues through our inquiry form. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has cooperated with us. On the other hand, in our recent releases and announcements, we have repeatedly asked you to cooperate in preventing secondary damage and to stop spreading baseless false information, but these social media posts (including videos and live streams) are still being seen here and there. If we discover that the details of the damage in this case, what the victims can infer, or new information regarding the damage has been made public on the internet through social media posts (regardless of the means, such as text, video, or broadcast), we will assume that there is an intention to secondarily harm the victims and will take firm action. We would also like to add that we have already confirmed several cases of information being shared between individuals or within groups regarding this matter using social networking sites such as Discord and LINE. We will also take firm action against any behavior on these non-open SNS services, just as described above. Our company is responding to this matter with a firm stance that will not tolerate any further acts of harm against the victim. We ask that you please contact ANYCOLOR Inc. individually at their inquiry desk without using social media etc. to provide information, etc.
Last edited:
NeneLOVE
None of us is as cruel as all of us
Early Adopter
Nene's Pet Latinx
Latinx/Latine
Joined:
Sep 16, 2022
About rigging quality, my opinion is that those extremely high quality riggings used by indies are overrated. Riggings just need to be of decent quality with no obvious defects (eg. Gura's floating ears).
Many times we have seen people talking about how they like X and Y vtubers because they are entertaining or they like their designs, but never have we seen someone talking about how much they like their oshi because of their "amazing movements".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update:
Anycolor Q&A with investors.
Some highlights, but it's from Kurosanji.
Many times we have seen people talking about how they like X and Y vtubers because they are entertaining or they like their designs, but never have we seen someone talking about how much they like their oshi because of their "amazing movements".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update:
Anycolor Q&A with investors.
Some highlights, but it's from Kurosanji.
Last edited:
Shirayuki Tomoe goes on hiatus
Tweet TL: We will be taking a break from streaming for a while.I would appreciate it if you could take a look at it.Projects, events and videos will proceed and appear as scheduled.In addition, YouTube membership and the Shirayuki Tomoe FAN CLUB site will continue to operate, and we will provide further information on each content.
White Paper TL:
Tweet TL: We will be taking a break from streaming for a while.I would appreciate it if you could take a look at it.Projects, events and videos will proceed and appear as scheduled.In addition, YouTube membership and the Shirayuki Tomoe FAN CLUB site will continue to operate, and we will provide further information on each content.
White Paper TL:
Last edited:
Tsurui is the CFO. Shareholder names are not shared in the Q and A, so I assume the other one is Tazumi. My google translate does not like his name at all, and the transcript site lists only Riku and Tsurui as speakers.
Speaking of which:
Q&A: Regarding the increase in commerce revenue in the second quarter earnings forecast
Tsurui : “Regarding the second quarter earnings forecast, could you please provide a little more information on the details of the increase in sales, especially in commerce? For example, the increase in sales compared to the first quarter is due to the implementation of measures to increase sales per SKU rather than the number of SKUs. Is this what you have in mind? Also, based on the current situation, how are you feeling toward achieving your plan?
Regarding SKUs and sales per SKU, I have an image of increasing sales per SKU.
As we have been working on commerce initiatives, we have noticed that the products that sell are changing as the coronavirus pandemic subsides, especially around the beginning of the year.
Currently, sales of stuffed animal products are extremely high, while sales of products such as acrylic stands, which have long been our standard products, have slowed down somewhat. Because of these changes, we are taking measures to expand our lineup of trend-setting products in order to respond to changes in merchandise.
This is reflected in the period from September to October. Considering the manufacturing and ordering time, there is a lag of about six months from the time a decision is made until the product actually appears in stores, so the measures will only become effective from the second quarter onwards.
Therefore, by changing the contents to SKUs of products that sell well, we will increase sales per SKU, and from the third quarter onwards, we will steadily implement additional measures related to commerce and media based on the current situation. and achieve the plan.
Takuno: As Tsurii just explained, puppets and stuffed animal products are also initiatives that are making good progress, and even taking into account the current situation, I believe we can make sufficient efforts to achieve our plans.
Q&A: Reasons for the rise in direct variable costs and trends from the second quarter onwards
Tsurui : ``In terms of direct variable costs, please tell us why the actual figures for the first quarter rose slightly compared to the previous year.In addition, what kind of trends should we see from the second quarter onwards compared to the first quarter? Is that a good idea?” is the question.
Direct variable costs for the first quarter increased by just under 1% compared to the same period last year. This in itself is not considered a bad result.
In terms of commerce, sales per SKU can increase due to large sales of the same product, allowing companies to enjoy relative volume and scale benefits.
In that sense, the composition is the first quarter of last year, when sales were extremely high, and the first quarter of this year, where sales were slightly down.However, variable costs remained almost flat. I believe this is the result of successful cost control.
I think the trend from the second quarter onwards will remain at the same level as the first quarter. Naturally, there are slight differences in the cost rate depending on the product, and there is a possibility that it may increase or decrease slightly depending on the mix, but we believe that it can be stably maintained at a generally constant level.
Q&A: Regarding the timing of shareholder return measures and standards for dividend payout ratio
Tsuri : My question is, "What criteria did you use to decide on the timing of announcing shareholder returns and the dividend payout ratio?"
At the timing of the previous financial results announcement, we announced the company's shareholder return plan for the next three years, the balance between growth investment and returns, and its scale.
Among them, we announced that we plan to return approximately 30 billion yen in total over three years. As for the method of return, we were mainly considering the acquisition of company stock.
However, if we consider comprehensively the current shareholder structure of our company and the status of outstanding shares, we believe that share buybacks will continue to be the main method of return, rather than all of the returns being through share buybacks. We have determined that it is appropriate to maintain a balance with dividends while positioning this as such.
Although there is a certain degree of volatility in sales, our business performance has remained stable in terms of profit margins. Furthermore, we are not in a situation where large amounts of capital or other investments will be required.
In light of this situation, I began to think about dividend policy, thinking that there might be a more predictable and stable form of return. Regarding the dividend payout ratio, we mainly consider whether the dividend level is realistically sustainable and stable.
Therefore, this change in dividend policy is positioned as a slight change to the assumptions of the return method while following the previously disclosed return policy.
Q&A: Regarding the specific effects of studio expansion
Tsuri : My question is, ``Please tell me the specific effects of the studio expansion.''
Takuno : Regarding the expansion of the studio, as I explained in the previous article, we are currently making preparations for the start of operation of the new studio in the fall. The plan is to triple the current size.
I believe that the studio is a fundamental part that is necessary when creating various types of content. We hope that by expanding our studio space, we will be able to create more appealing content and take measures that will further fascinate our customers.
Q&A: About the characteristics of trending goods and illustrations
Tsuri : The question is, "Please tell us about the characteristics of trending goods and illustrations."
Takuno : As for the trending goods, the stuffed animal products that I mentioned earlier are really trending right now.
Regarding illustrations, it's difficult to say specifically what the characteristics are, as they vary depending on the target user, but it's important to use illustrations and reactions that are easy to reach customers on SNS and YouTube. I believe that the characteristics of a good illustration are those that make it easy to receive feedback.
Q&A: Why promotional sales did not increase in the second quarter
Tsuri : My question is, "With the number of employees increasing and the number of VTubers increasing, why aren't sales from promotions increasing in the second quarter? Is it just a timing issue?"
Regarding sales in the promotion field, large projects account for a certain percentage. Particularly in recent years, large-scale projects exceeding 100 million yen have appeared, and trends in these large-scale projects are one point to consider.
Another issue is the balance with the studio relocation. While we are planning to relocate our studio from late September to early October, there will be a period during the second quarter where studio operations will be partially restricted, although this will not be a very long period.
Taking all of this into account, we currently expect our results for the second quarter to be slightly lower than the first quarter.
Q&A: Reasons for canceling/postponing events and incorporating risks in the second quarter
Tsuri : "The results for the first quarter were below the lower limit of the guidance range. Were the event cancellations and postponements that occurred this time not factored into the risks? Event cancellations and postponements that were below the lower limit Please tell us more about the reason for this.Also, what kind of risks are you considering in determining the lower limit in your second quarter guidance?
Takuno : Regarding event cancellations, this time two events have been canceled and postponed. Regarding one event, as announced, we are prioritizing the talent's recovery and have postponed it until later in the current fiscal year. Regarding the other case, we have issued a release stating that we are no longer able to provide attractive content.
The event that was canceled was an overseas event, but considering the background that led to the cancellation, I believe that by being a little more cautious, we could have recognized the risk of cancellation sooner. I think it's something we should continue to approach with some caution.
Tsurii will explain the risks at the lower end of the second quarter guidance.
Tsurii : The focus of our second quarter results will be on commerce, so when we think about commerce, first of all, there aren't many sales that we planned to sell at the time of planning, but we had to cancel or postpone sales, so things are generally going as planned. We believe that we will be able to sell it, so we are not aware of the risks in that respect.
The other important thing is whether the sales trend is as planned, whether the VTubers used in the goods are popular, whether the illustrations are appealing to fans, and whether the products are of good quality. I think this will be judged by the fans overall and will lead to sales for the company.
I think there is naturally a certain degree of volatility. There are risks, both above and below.
Also, looking at the downside, we have recently seen within the company the issue of shipping delays as a cause of discrepancies, especially in terms of commerce sales. This topic has been coming up more and more in recent months. We are unable to ship goods at the time we had originally planned, and as our business has grown larger, inventory management has become more difficult.
I think it's true that there are some parts of goods-related operations that we can control in advance and some that we can't, so there are some uncertainties. We believe that this could be a risk factor in achieving solid sales, especially in commerce, which will be our main focus in the second quarter.
Q&A: About the growth potential of the domestic and overseas VTuber business
Tsuri : My question is, "Could you tell me how you see the current growth potential of the VTuber business both domestically and internationally?"
Takuno : First, let's talk about Japan. VTubers have both the characteristics of a talent and the characteristics of a character, but I think there is still a lot of potential for them to be enjoyed by a wider range of people. I am.
In that sense, in addition to promotions and music unit activities as explained earlier, we also approach content to more casual customers through musical activities, program-like activities, etc. We would like to work on expanding the VTuber market by doing what we can.
In addition to the content development we are currently preparing overseas, we will also work to establish a strong presence by implementing measures that are more specific to specific countries and regions. This is true from the perspective of using overseas VTubers, but we also use domestic VTubers and domestic units.
Overseas as well, by implementing measures targeting specific regions, we will work to increase the number of VTuber customers in those regions. Through these initiatives, we aim to expand our presence in overseas markets.
Q&A: About measures to boost overseas business
Tsuri : My question is, ``When will the decline in overseas sales stop and what measures will you take to boost overseas sales?''
Takuno : This may overlap with what I explained earlier, but from the perspective of overseas VTubers, I think it's time to work hard on restoring trust and preparing content and support systems again. .
As a way to strengthen the company, we are working on program-like and musical activities, music content for Nijisanji, and event distribution content.
Through such measures, I believe it is important to first take steps to firmly rebuild relationships of trust with overseas customers.
Q&A: Regarding evaluation of competitors
Tsuri : My question is, ``Please tell me your evaluation of competitors that are currently actively expanding their business.''
Takuno : We won't reveal the specific company name, but of course we check the status of our competitors. Based on that, I think it is extremely important to work on new areas and areas where the VTuber market can expand.
This is an audition call for a training school called "Virtual Talent Academy." Last time, we were recruiting for mascot auditions, and now we are conducting initiatives similar to male idol auditions and female gamer auditions. I'm currently working on being able to produce it.
Q&A: Background to changes in merchandise trends
Tsuri : My question is, "What was the background behind the change in merchandise trends to stuffed animal products?"
Takuno : I think it's a change in fashion, but with the spread of SNS and the culture of taking pictures with stuffed animals and taking pictures of places we go, stuffed animal products are becoming more popular. It's starting to come into the spotlight. I believe that such a trend has changed.
Q&A: Regarding the impact of the suspension of past video releases
Tsuri : “Recently, an act of infringing on the rights of our VTuber by an external creator occurred, and I believe that the publication of past videos has been suspended in connection with this.In the future, when acquiring new fans, we will not be able to upload past videos. Please let us know if you have any thoughts on the impact of reduced grip strength due to fans not being able to see it, or the impact on business results."
Takuno : Our company takes measures to keep the information private. I think this will have some impact as such videos have had a lot of demand to begin with, but I don't think it will have a small impact on the business in terms of profits. *
On the other hand, we are considering future measures regarding private videos.
*(Original text is: "当社としては、非公開対応等を行っています。そのような動画がもともと多くの需要をいただけるものでしたので少なからず影響があると思っていますが、収益面での事業への影響は少ないと思っています。" My google translation on this one is different from what has already been posted in thread, so the original text is here. This is very likely a google translate problem.)
Q&A: About long-term new business
Tsuri : My question is, ``It seems like other companies are aiming to build a metaverse, but what kind of long-term new business is President Tagaku considering?''
Takuno : It is difficult to answer the specific details here. As I may have previously explained in the medium- to long-term growth strategy, the VTuber field has two axes: as a talent and as a character. From the perspective of business potential as a talent, I think this is a business field where I can expand into music activities, program activities, entertainer activities, and development of media mix with games and animation as a character. .
In that sense, I think business areas that are easy to collaborate with VTubers, easy to work on as characters and talents, and derivative business areas are also attractive for the company.
Q&A: About AI VTuber
Tsurii : My question is, "Please tell me about the threats and evaluations against AI VTubers."
Takuno : Regarding generative AI technology, although I think it is an attractive technology from the perspective of improving productivity and task efficiency, I also feel that reputational risk and legal risk are not well developed. I recognize that this is a situation.
Also, not only character but also talent is very important for VTubers. Talent really comes down to humanity, and I believe that a VTuber's humanity is one of the keys to their fans' support. It's not that I don't recognize the existence of AI VTubers, I think that they are a different entity.
Tsurui : “Regarding the second quarter earnings forecast, could you please provide a little more information on the details of the increase in sales, especially in commerce? For example, the increase in sales compared to the first quarter is due to the implementation of measures to increase sales per SKU rather than the number of SKUs. Is this what you have in mind? Also, based on the current situation, how are you feeling toward achieving your plan?
Regarding SKUs and sales per SKU, I have an image of increasing sales per SKU.
As we have been working on commerce initiatives, we have noticed that the products that sell are changing as the coronavirus pandemic subsides, especially around the beginning of the year.
Currently, sales of stuffed animal products are extremely high, while sales of products such as acrylic stands, which have long been our standard products, have slowed down somewhat. Because of these changes, we are taking measures to expand our lineup of trend-setting products in order to respond to changes in merchandise.
This is reflected in the period from September to October. Considering the manufacturing and ordering time, there is a lag of about six months from the time a decision is made until the product actually appears in stores, so the measures will only become effective from the second quarter onwards.
Therefore, by changing the contents to SKUs of products that sell well, we will increase sales per SKU, and from the third quarter onwards, we will steadily implement additional measures related to commerce and media based on the current situation. and achieve the plan.
Takuno: As Tsurii just explained, puppets and stuffed animal products are also initiatives that are making good progress, and even taking into account the current situation, I believe we can make sufficient efforts to achieve our plans.
Q&A: Reasons for the rise in direct variable costs and trends from the second quarter onwards
Tsurui : ``In terms of direct variable costs, please tell us why the actual figures for the first quarter rose slightly compared to the previous year.In addition, what kind of trends should we see from the second quarter onwards compared to the first quarter? Is that a good idea?” is the question.
Direct variable costs for the first quarter increased by just under 1% compared to the same period last year. This in itself is not considered a bad result.
In terms of commerce, sales per SKU can increase due to large sales of the same product, allowing companies to enjoy relative volume and scale benefits.
In that sense, the composition is the first quarter of last year, when sales were extremely high, and the first quarter of this year, where sales were slightly down.However, variable costs remained almost flat. I believe this is the result of successful cost control.
I think the trend from the second quarter onwards will remain at the same level as the first quarter. Naturally, there are slight differences in the cost rate depending on the product, and there is a possibility that it may increase or decrease slightly depending on the mix, but we believe that it can be stably maintained at a generally constant level.
Q&A: Regarding the timing of shareholder return measures and standards for dividend payout ratio
Tsuri : My question is, "What criteria did you use to decide on the timing of announcing shareholder returns and the dividend payout ratio?"
At the timing of the previous financial results announcement, we announced the company's shareholder return plan for the next three years, the balance between growth investment and returns, and its scale.
Among them, we announced that we plan to return approximately 30 billion yen in total over three years. As for the method of return, we were mainly considering the acquisition of company stock.
However, if we consider comprehensively the current shareholder structure of our company and the status of outstanding shares, we believe that share buybacks will continue to be the main method of return, rather than all of the returns being through share buybacks. We have determined that it is appropriate to maintain a balance with dividends while positioning this as such.
Although there is a certain degree of volatility in sales, our business performance has remained stable in terms of profit margins. Furthermore, we are not in a situation where large amounts of capital or other investments will be required.
In light of this situation, I began to think about dividend policy, thinking that there might be a more predictable and stable form of return. Regarding the dividend payout ratio, we mainly consider whether the dividend level is realistically sustainable and stable.
Therefore, this change in dividend policy is positioned as a slight change to the assumptions of the return method while following the previously disclosed return policy.
Q&A: Regarding the specific effects of studio expansion
Tsuri : My question is, ``Please tell me the specific effects of the studio expansion.''
Takuno : Regarding the expansion of the studio, as I explained in the previous article, we are currently making preparations for the start of operation of the new studio in the fall. The plan is to triple the current size.
I believe that the studio is a fundamental part that is necessary when creating various types of content. We hope that by expanding our studio space, we will be able to create more appealing content and take measures that will further fascinate our customers.
Q&A: About the characteristics of trending goods and illustrations
Tsuri : The question is, "Please tell us about the characteristics of trending goods and illustrations."
Takuno : As for the trending goods, the stuffed animal products that I mentioned earlier are really trending right now.
Regarding illustrations, it's difficult to say specifically what the characteristics are, as they vary depending on the target user, but it's important to use illustrations and reactions that are easy to reach customers on SNS and YouTube. I believe that the characteristics of a good illustration are those that make it easy to receive feedback.
Q&A: Why promotional sales did not increase in the second quarter
Tsuri : My question is, "With the number of employees increasing and the number of VTubers increasing, why aren't sales from promotions increasing in the second quarter? Is it just a timing issue?"
Regarding sales in the promotion field, large projects account for a certain percentage. Particularly in recent years, large-scale projects exceeding 100 million yen have appeared, and trends in these large-scale projects are one point to consider.
Another issue is the balance with the studio relocation. While we are planning to relocate our studio from late September to early October, there will be a period during the second quarter where studio operations will be partially restricted, although this will not be a very long period.
Taking all of this into account, we currently expect our results for the second quarter to be slightly lower than the first quarter.
Q&A: Reasons for canceling/postponing events and incorporating risks in the second quarter
Tsuri : "The results for the first quarter were below the lower limit of the guidance range. Were the event cancellations and postponements that occurred this time not factored into the risks? Event cancellations and postponements that were below the lower limit Please tell us more about the reason for this.Also, what kind of risks are you considering in determining the lower limit in your second quarter guidance?
Takuno : Regarding event cancellations, this time two events have been canceled and postponed. Regarding one event, as announced, we are prioritizing the talent's recovery and have postponed it until later in the current fiscal year. Regarding the other case, we have issued a release stating that we are no longer able to provide attractive content.
The event that was canceled was an overseas event, but considering the background that led to the cancellation, I believe that by being a little more cautious, we could have recognized the risk of cancellation sooner. I think it's something we should continue to approach with some caution.
Tsurii will explain the risks at the lower end of the second quarter guidance.
Tsurii : The focus of our second quarter results will be on commerce, so when we think about commerce, first of all, there aren't many sales that we planned to sell at the time of planning, but we had to cancel or postpone sales, so things are generally going as planned. We believe that we will be able to sell it, so we are not aware of the risks in that respect.
The other important thing is whether the sales trend is as planned, whether the VTubers used in the goods are popular, whether the illustrations are appealing to fans, and whether the products are of good quality. I think this will be judged by the fans overall and will lead to sales for the company.
I think there is naturally a certain degree of volatility. There are risks, both above and below.
Also, looking at the downside, we have recently seen within the company the issue of shipping delays as a cause of discrepancies, especially in terms of commerce sales. This topic has been coming up more and more in recent months. We are unable to ship goods at the time we had originally planned, and as our business has grown larger, inventory management has become more difficult.
I think it's true that there are some parts of goods-related operations that we can control in advance and some that we can't, so there are some uncertainties. We believe that this could be a risk factor in achieving solid sales, especially in commerce, which will be our main focus in the second quarter.
Q&A: About the growth potential of the domestic and overseas VTuber business
Tsuri : My question is, "Could you tell me how you see the current growth potential of the VTuber business both domestically and internationally?"
Takuno : First, let's talk about Japan. VTubers have both the characteristics of a talent and the characteristics of a character, but I think there is still a lot of potential for them to be enjoyed by a wider range of people. I am.
In that sense, in addition to promotions and music unit activities as explained earlier, we also approach content to more casual customers through musical activities, program-like activities, etc. We would like to work on expanding the VTuber market by doing what we can.
In addition to the content development we are currently preparing overseas, we will also work to establish a strong presence by implementing measures that are more specific to specific countries and regions. This is true from the perspective of using overseas VTubers, but we also use domestic VTubers and domestic units.
Overseas as well, by implementing measures targeting specific regions, we will work to increase the number of VTuber customers in those regions. Through these initiatives, we aim to expand our presence in overseas markets.
Q&A: About measures to boost overseas business
Tsuri : My question is, ``When will the decline in overseas sales stop and what measures will you take to boost overseas sales?''
Takuno : This may overlap with what I explained earlier, but from the perspective of overseas VTubers, I think it's time to work hard on restoring trust and preparing content and support systems again. .
As a way to strengthen the company, we are working on program-like and musical activities, music content for Nijisanji, and event distribution content.
Through such measures, I believe it is important to first take steps to firmly rebuild relationships of trust with overseas customers.
Q&A: Regarding evaluation of competitors
Tsuri : My question is, ``Please tell me your evaluation of competitors that are currently actively expanding their business.''
Takuno : We won't reveal the specific company name, but of course we check the status of our competitors. Based on that, I think it is extremely important to work on new areas and areas where the VTuber market can expand.
This is an audition call for a training school called "Virtual Talent Academy." Last time, we were recruiting for mascot auditions, and now we are conducting initiatives similar to male idol auditions and female gamer auditions. I'm currently working on being able to produce it.
Q&A: Background to changes in merchandise trends
Tsuri : My question is, "What was the background behind the change in merchandise trends to stuffed animal products?"
Takuno : I think it's a change in fashion, but with the spread of SNS and the culture of taking pictures with stuffed animals and taking pictures of places we go, stuffed animal products are becoming more popular. It's starting to come into the spotlight. I believe that such a trend has changed.
Q&A: Regarding the impact of the suspension of past video releases
Tsuri : “Recently, an act of infringing on the rights of our VTuber by an external creator occurred, and I believe that the publication of past videos has been suspended in connection with this.In the future, when acquiring new fans, we will not be able to upload past videos. Please let us know if you have any thoughts on the impact of reduced grip strength due to fans not being able to see it, or the impact on business results."
Takuno : Our company takes measures to keep the information private. I think this will have some impact as such videos have had a lot of demand to begin with, but I don't think it will have a small impact on the business in terms of profits. *
On the other hand, we are considering future measures regarding private videos.
*(Original text is: "当社としては、非公開対応等を行っています。そのような動画がもともと多くの需要をいただけるものでしたので少なからず影響があると思っていますが、収益面での事業への影響は少ないと思っています。" My google translation on this one is different from what has already been posted in thread, so the original text is here. This is very likely a google translate problem.)
Q&A: About long-term new business
Tsuri : My question is, ``It seems like other companies are aiming to build a metaverse, but what kind of long-term new business is President Tagaku considering?''
Takuno : It is difficult to answer the specific details here. As I may have previously explained in the medium- to long-term growth strategy, the VTuber field has two axes: as a talent and as a character. From the perspective of business potential as a talent, I think this is a business field where I can expand into music activities, program activities, entertainer activities, and development of media mix with games and animation as a character. .
In that sense, I think business areas that are easy to collaborate with VTubers, easy to work on as characters and talents, and derivative business areas are also attractive for the company.
Q&A: About AI VTuber
Tsurii : My question is, "Please tell me about the threats and evaluations against AI VTubers."
Takuno : Regarding generative AI technology, although I think it is an attractive technology from the perspective of improving productivity and task efficiency, I also feel that reputational risk and legal risk are not well developed. I recognize that this is a situation.
Also, not only character but also talent is very important for VTubers. Talent really comes down to humanity, and I believe that a VTuber's humanity is one of the keys to their fans' support. It's not that I don't recognize the existence of AI VTubers, I think that they are a different entity.
The interesting things I'm seeing are that they are saying they can cut costs to maintain their profit margin, despite the fact that they're one of the leanest running vtubing companies in the sphere; a continued focus on buybacks as the primary method of investor return despite dividends being distributed; and a seeming acceptance of lower performance in the second quarter without giving up on their higher forecast on the year. They are selling investors on the idea that they can sell merch to make up for their bullshit, is what seems to be happening. Expect a massive drive for Christmas/Valentine's merch.
Also, I cackled when Riku blabbed about "regaining trust" overseas while also talking about "expanding the Vtuber market" by "targeting specific regions." That means China, since they ruined their branches in EN, ID, KR, and even IN already. They know they've fucked up and aren't even trying to hide the fact that they've lost the trust of half the vtuber market at this point.
Last edited:
