It’s been a busy year already for HOLOSTARS English Vtuber Machina X Flayon, member of the Tempus unit. After participating in the Street Fighter 6 Sajam Slam and Holo Fes 2025, and following his second anniversary with Cover, Siliconera caught up with him again to talk about the event, streaming, performing, and singing.

Jenni Lada: Congrats on making it into the Street Fighter 6 International Championship! What led to you taking part, and how did you prepare for it?

Machina x Flayon: Yo! Machina X Flayon here, Ace Mecha Pilot of the R-TRUS for HOLOSTARS English. Thanks for having me! I actually got to take part in the championship because of the latest Sajam Slam held by Sajam himself! I’ve known about the Slam for a while and actually was trying to the previous one (the second to last slam) but couldn’t make it in time. So this time I was able to get in and it was a huge blast!

I would say that most of the preparation came from taking part in the Slam itself since I was a part of Team Nephew. I’ve always had trouble using Drive Rush in Street Fighter 6 before, but through coaching with Nephew I was able to understand the mechanic more and it made getting better at Street Fighter 6 a whooole lot easier. That and I would say being able to hold viewer-matches with my fans + anyone who stops by for my fighting game streams. I like leaving the streams open so anyone of all skill can come in, and when it’s public like that you’ll get lots of strong competitors to help toughen you up!

So you ended up going with Luke. What led you to picking him as your main?

Machina x Flayon: When I originally played Street Fighter back on the arcades, I think I mained Ken, but something didn’t click until I played Street Fighter 5 on stream around my first year! There was an abundance of characters by that point so I didn’t know exactly who to play and I just kept going through the list till I came across Luke. People would always have a reaction when he showed up on stream, so I got curious and playing the guy just felt great! He’s a Shoto-type character so he has tools for almost every situation, but none really too powerful. But, I think what really cemented it was going through his Arcade story in Street Fighter 5 and 6. 

Luke as a character was just essentially your average boy growing up with dreams, but never couldn’t really connect with his father until after his dad showed his true heroic colors trying to stop a terrorist attack. So when that happens, Luke’s childhood was kind of changed forever and it set him on the path where his character is today. I think that type of character doesn’t have a backstory that is too complex, but has enough substance that it just hits home!

What are your thoughts on your match with Frodan?

Machina x Flayon: My match with Frodan was a bit scary because the nerves come for you out of nowhere and I was against Frodan too! During the Slam, I could take some rounds off him, but he definitely did the same back and he adapts during the fight or pretty much every fight. It was definitely fun though since when you fight Frodan, you won’t be able to pull off the same thing twice in a row, he will adapt to it and instantly prepare counters for it for next time! I’d love to fight him again too because he messaged me after and could tell I was a bit nervous. That guy is honestly so much fun to fight but also such a sweet guy too! I WANNA RUN IT BACCKKK.

You also took part in Holo Expo 2025! How did the event go? What’s it like being part of the convention, and how did this year’s experience differ considering you’re now established within Cover? 

Machina x Flayon: It’s always fun to be on the big screen especially at the Holo Expo since you know our fans will be there! When you’re doing a streaming job everyday, it’s quite easy to get used to how everything goes and feel all that you’re getting. But at the same time, you’re only seeing it verbally most of the time, so when you get to go to any convention, you’ll feel the love more there because you can associate a face + voice with all that love too so it hits much harder.

This year’s experience went great and the more you do it ,the more confident you will be and it’s honestly fun to see where you can improve.

HoloExpo is held in Japan though, so I’d love to take some time off and improve my Japanese skills so I can speak in complete Japanese for the con itself! I know a lot of my Japanese fans are there and not everyone understands English and mine personally can be really hard to keep track of! So I want to adapt for them.

In addition to Street Fighter 6, you’ve streamed a lot of other fighting games like Tekken 8, Melty Blood, and Idol Showdown. What do you look for when you’re picking up a fighting game?

Machina x Flayon: Haha, to be honest? For some reason ever since Blazblue, I’m always looking for a Story Mode. Blazblue is a particular fighter where not only is it an awesome fighting game, but the story mode itself is usually in Visual Novel format with more detail than you’d think. 

Because I’m already having a lot of fun with the gameplay and the general grind when it comes to learning fighting game characters, I’d love to associate a story or character with that same emotion!

For gameplay mechanics though, I love air grabs, general mobility, mix up options and just a lot of defensive utility!

You’ve really been representing when it comes to visual novels and Type-Moon games. Will we get to see a Fate/stay Night or Witch on the Holy Night run from you? Or, I mean, if permissions don’t allow, want to just let us all know your thoughts on one or both of them?

Machina x Flayon: I’d love to do those and thank you so much! It’s been a bit since I’ve played one on stream, but it’s mainly because I’ve been busy dealing with lots of stuff in the background. Plus, when I play a VN and even stream one I end up going for 3+ hours and honestly an average of 6 hours per stream or even longer. That’s with also voice acting almost every character or dialogue/narration I come across which can be really hefty! There is also, of course, the fact that not everyone is into visual novels so streaming wise you’ll always have that in the back of your mind. BUT even with that it’s an absolute joy to stream visual novels because I’m completely in my element! I don’t need to act a certain way or say something, I can just go with confidence and talk about what I love and it will translate for me.

But Fate/stay Night and Witch on the Holy Night? Definitely! I’ll just finish Arcueid’s route in Tsukihime first! ^ A ^ Then I’ll do those one after another and it’s not fully visual novel but I’d also love to touch Fate/Extra! My heart will always go to Tsukihime first and foremost though; that’s my beloved.

I saw you picked up the Code Geass HD Gawain model kit! What made you decide to go with a build from that series?

Machina x Flayon: Code Geass in general is just an extremely enjoyable series to watch and it has lots of appeal and honestly quite easy to pick up. It has some anime brand appeal so it can grab the attention of people more than your average mecha.

I went with that for the same reason I do with visual novels! I know the series extremely well and have watched it at the very least of 15 times so I know the characters and can yap about them at the slightest mention. I also use these yapping sessions to try to get people to watch Code Geass too and then I can talk about it with people and share my love/ion for the things I enjoy with everyone!

If I am able to do more model kit builds in the future also, I would want to watch the entirety of the series of it first! So if I were to build a modelkit from Gundam SEED, I would go rewatch/refresh my memory/watch the whole thing just so I can talk about it with people that know the series!

You’ve got a fair number of covers under your belt and also sang on songs like “Dead World” and “Flex.” Do you have plans for any more covers or original songs coming up?

Machina x Flayon: I do have more plans and actually I’ve been dealing with a lot of that in the background! An original song is on my to-do list, but for the very first one I think it has to be very specific and I would like to have a certain appeal or message. Theme even! After I iron that out though I’d love to do more originals more often!

I have some songs I want to cover too that I’m getting done and already have a lot recorded! Now it’s just waiting time for everything else to come altogether. After I’ve covered like 4-5 more though I’d love to just focus on originals or short form covers for YouTube Shorts. 

Now that you’ve been with Cover for two years, what kinds of goals do you have for 2025?

Machina x Flayon: My goal just centers around doing what I want to do or rather focusing on my dreams and ambitions for my stay here! But also taking a good look at that and seeing which of that is feasible with my current array of skills and what I’d need to do to match that. 

So it’s a lot of projects being moved around and honestly even streaming less here and there just so I can take the pressure off and really just focus on improving where I want to!
Streaming is super fun but also it is always socializing and it’s hard for me to focus on that while also focusing on myself!

So goal wise? Just take a step back and plan more for things that I want! I can plan usually pretty well, but some events might need months worth of planning and I can’t put unneeded pressure on myself.

Machina X Flayon is part of HOLOSTARS English Tempus and streams on YouTube, and you can follow him on social media.

The post Interview: HOLOSTARS Vtuber Machina X Flayon on Street Fighter 6 and Streaming appeared first on Siliconera.

Josuiji Shinri of Holostars EN will be on hiatus for the foreseeable future. He is taking some personal time off after the ing of his dog Biscuit.

Josuiji had posted a day earlier on September 15, 2024 that he doesn’t have any streams planned for the week, since he would be taking her to the vet. He announced his hiatus via his X (formerly known as Twitter) a day later. In the post, he also thanks his fans for their patience, as well as reminds people to cherish the time they have with their loved ones. A follow-up Tweet included a picture of Biscuit, as well as Josuiji’s farewell to her. The loss of a pet is always tough, and many fans and fellow VTubers have replied to Josuiji’s hiatus announcement with condolences and .

As a member of Holostars EN’s Tempus branch, Josuiji Shinri debuted in 2023 alongside Machina X Flayon, Banzoin Hakka, and Gavis Bettel. In his lore, he is a ronin who’s very skilled with a longbow. As of the time of writing, he has over 129,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. He posts a variety of content, ranging from normal video game streams to himself eating random food.

For the foreseeable future, Josuiji Shinri will be on hiatus. He will announce on his official social media s when he’s ready to come back.

The post Josuiji Shinri of Holostars EN Will Go on Hiatus appeared first on Siliconera.

Cover has announced that it is gradually releasing the holoplus app on mobile app stores worldwide. People in select regions outside Japan, such as North America and Southeast Asia, can now access the official app that lets them keep track of their favorite hololive and Holostars Vtubers. The app covers all active Japanese, Indonesian, and English hololive female Vtubers, as well as the Japanese and English Holostars male Vtubers.

The app is free to , but s must an to access it. Once logged in, they will be able to their oshi/favorite Vtubers from the group. The app will then provide the schedule of live streams from each Vtuber's channel, as well as notices of merchandise related to the Vtuber that are newly available on the hololive Production Official Shop.

While holoplus primarily offers content in English and Japanese languages, Cover also added that the app has community features that let s interact with each other in other languages.

Not all regions worldwide can immediately access holoplus as of this announcement on August 22, 2024, though. The official website has a fine print noting that Cover is still working to make the app available in European countries, including the United Kingdom.

holoplus is available on Android and iOS mobile devices.

The post Cover Releasing hololive Mobile App holoplus Globally appeared first on Siliconera.

Cover announced the termination of their Virtual YouTuber Master Agreement with Hololive Vtuber Hizaki Gamma of Holostars. The termination of contract was mutually decided between the company and the Vtuber and went in effect on July 17, 2024.

The decision behind the termination of contract for Hizaki Gamma comes because of an increase in difficulty for Cover and Hololive Production to continue managing and ing the Vtuber. The company apologized to fans and partners for the news and thanked them for their . Cover also confirmed that Hizaki Gamma’s YouTube channel and hip will close by the end of August 2024.

In response to the announcement, Gamma himself made a post in Japanese through his X (formerly Twitter) . In it, the Vtuber apologized for the inconveniences caused to the of Holostars, fans, and management of Hololive, caused by his “lack of self-management.” Gamma also thanked his “assistants” (the name of his fanbase) for the last 2 and a half years. He also thanked the people he has worked with and apologized for the sudden announcement.

Cover CEO Motoaki Tanigo chimed in with his own post thanking Gamma for his constant hard work, thanking fans for their continued of Gamma’s former unit “Uproar!!”, and affirming that the company will continue to celebrate the Vtuber’s past successes.

The post Latest Hololive Termination Is Holostars Vtuber Hizaki Gamma appeared first on Siliconera.

Cover announced that both the Holostars Tempus Vanguard and Hololive Advent Vtubers will be getting their 3D model debuts. The Holostars group showcases will appear in June 2024, and there’s no date beyond a Summer 2024 window for the Hololive generation’s. 

First, here’s the schedule for the Holostars Tempus Vanguard 3D model debuts  for the Vtubers. Things will start with Gavis Bettel on June 1, 2024. It will end with a 3D collaboration stream that features all four on June 16, 2024. Each showcase will appear on the respective Vtuber’s channel with the exception of the collab, which will air on Josuiji Shinri’s.

• June 1, 2024 at 8pm PT/11pm ET: Gavis Bettel
• June 8, 2024 at 8pm PT/11pm ET: Machina x Flayon
• June 9, 2024 at 8pm PT/11pm ET: Banzoin Hakka
• June 15, 2024 at 8pm PT/11pm ET: Josuiji Shinri
• June 16, 2024 at 8pm PT/11pm ET: Tempus Vanguard 3D Collab: Tied Together

While there are no dates yet for the Shiori Novella, Koseki Bijou, Nerissa Ravencroft, Fuwawa Abyssgard, and Mococo Abyssgard 3D model debuts yet, we do know how the Hololive Advent schedule for the Vtubers will go. Like the Holostars ones, things will start with each member having their own individual showcase. This will go over the new 3D model for the performer. Then, after all five ’ models are revealed, there will be a collab stream with all five of them using them.

The Holostars Tempus Vanguard Vtubers 3D model showcases will begin starting on June 1, 2024, and the Hololive Advent debuts will happen sometime in Summer 2024.

The post Hololive Advent and Holostars Tempus VG Vtubers Getting 3D Model  appeared first on Siliconera.

On May 25-26, 2024, Dokibird hosted a Vtuber WrestleTuber 2024 event with indie Vtubers, as well as people from Holostars English, VShojo, Idol Corp, Phase Connect, and the winner ended up being last minute invader Unnamed. This happened in the final seconds, following Gavis Bettel managing to sweep the competition and beat Filian in what ended up not being the final match. Dokibird also confirmed the event will return next year.

WrestleTuber 2024 included a number of surprises in addition to Gavis Bettel initially beating out the other Vtubers before being toppled by Unnamed. Before activities took place, Nana Asteria dropped a diss track song to intimidate her first opponent, Jurard T. Rexford. On the first day of the event, Mint Fantome appeared as a surprise caster alongside Dokibird. In addition, on the second day of the event Matara Kan appeared as a last-minute entrant and faced off against Mint. 

Here is Nana Asteria’s WrestleTuber 2024 song.

You can catch replay of the first day of WrestleTuber 2024 below. As a reminder, all of the participants either made or had wrestlers made for them. AI then controlled them in WWE 2K24 matches. Dokibird noted that Gamer Supps paid for the event.

Here’s the second day of WrestleTuber 2024, which included Matara’s appearance, Gavis Bettel’s brief win, and Vtuber Unnamed coming in to steal the championship belt in the final minutes.

WrestleTuber 2025 will appear next year, though Dokibird didn't announce dates for it yet.

The post Unnamed Wins Dokibird’s Vtuber WrestleTuber 2024, 2025 Event Confirmed appeared first on Siliconera.

Back in April 2024, Cover promised the 0.7.0 Hololive Holoearth update in May 2024 would add lifestyle updates like avatar customization, and Hololive CEO Motoaki “Yagoo” Tanigo took to social media to show these elements off. He highlighted his avatar, other players’ characters, and the customization feature.

The first photo from Tanigo’s visit to Alternative City involved a picture of him posing with four other players.

In the second picture, the Cover CEO showed what happens after a Hololive Holoearth player heads to the Altermode shop to buy and change the clothing and accessories their avatar wears. While he was wearing a black shirt with the experience’s logo and green cargo pants in the first screenshot, he’s wearing glasses and a new top, pants, and shoes in the second.

The third picture involved another close-up of his character in Holoearth. It allows someone to see the hairstyle, glasses, and shirt option more closely. Following sharing this screenshot, Motoaki Tanigo changed his official social media avatar to it.

Tanigo is often active in promoting Hololive and Holostars events and activities. In addition to typical activities such as sharing social media announcements and attending events, in the past he also served as a model for products.

There’s no exact release date for Holoearth yet, however the latest roap suggested the full version could end up appearing in May 2025. We do know some combat elements will arrive in 0.8.0, which is expected in June 2024. Then a 0.9.0 update will follow that later in 2024. 

The Holoearth Metaverse is in development for PCs, and the beta version is available to .

The post Hololive CEO Motoaki ‘Yagoo’ Tanigo Shows Holoearth Avatar Customization appeared first on Siliconera.

After talking with other Holostars Tempus Shinri Josuiji, Machina x Flayon, and Banzoin Hakka, Siliconera got a chance to talk with the leader of the squad Gavis Bettel after Hololive SUPER EXPO 2024. In addition to insights about the event and Japan, Bettel discussed ambitions, plans, and about the newcomers in Armis.

Jenni Lada: So, how did hololive SUPER EXPO 2024 go?

Gavis Bettel: It went really well, it was great seeing all the fans! It was very touching talking to them all and seeing how my stupid self can make so many people so happy!

What was the best part of the trip to Japan?

Gavis Bettel: My favorite part of the trip? The flight home. Just kidding! 

Honestly, anytime I was with the TEMPUS boys was by far my favorite experience. I loved getting to know them better and making unforgettable memories with each of them. Even though I hate them.

Now that the new generation of the Holostars English branch is here, how do you feel your relationship is with the newest of the group compared to the ones you formed with your senpais Regis Altare and Axel Syrios?

Gavis Bettel: The ARMIS boys have been a refreshing breeze of fresh air! I enjoy all of them very much and am looking forward to getting to know them better! It's a much different experience being a senpai opposed to when I was too terrified to talk to Altare or Axel.

You got your new outfit back in February 2024. How involved were you in the design process?

Gavis Bettel: I had an original concept that I gave to my mama, and she took it and shaped it into something extraordinary! I am beyond happy with the result, and glad my mama was in charge of the creative process. (The plunging neckline was my idea though.)

What are some things you want to achieve in 2024?

Gavis Bettel: I want to reach new heights when it comes to my streaming endeavors. I want the world to know the name “Gavis Bettel,” and become a name that is respected in EVERY HOUSEHOLD! In actuality, I want to release more music, get singing lessons,

and above all become more efficient and productive at streaming. This job makes me very happy, and I want to do all that I can to the best of my ability!

Do you have a message for your fans?

Gavis Bettel: Thank you for enduring the countless abuse that I throw at you every single day! It means a lot to me, and if I have made you cry in the past, I am sorry! I tolerate you all so much, and it's always a pleasure to sometimes see you all! Take care of yourselves please!

People can find Gavis Bettel’s updates on social media and his streams on YouTube.

The post Interview: Gavis Bettel Talks Japan, Holostars, and Goals appeared first on Siliconera.

Cover Corp announced which Hololive and Holostars Vtuber will be filling the role of Hololive Meet ambassadors for 2024. The new ambassadors will be Shirakami Fubuki, Kobo Kanaeru, Minase Rio, Banzoin Hakka, and Hakos Baelz.

According to the official website, Hololive Meet is "hololive production’s brand that covers our activities such as stage events, convention activities, booth exhibitions, and other types of collaborations," with ambassadors helping to promote such projects. For 2024, the role will be filled by Shirakami Fubuki and Minase Rio from the Japanese branches of Hololive and Holostars, Hakos Baelz and Banzoin Hakka from the English branches, and Kobo Kanaeru from Hololive Indonesia. The key art was once again produced by illustrators Pisuke and Ordan. The previous year's ambassadors were Sakura Miko, Yukoku Roberu, IRyS, Regis Altare, and Kureiji Ollie.

You can find the official announcement from Hololive Productions' English social below, which also included direct links to each talent:

Kureiji Ollie, who served as ambassador last year, also recently announced she would be starring in a visual novel for PC titled Days with Ollie. Meanwhile, the mother of Usada Pekora from Hololive's Japanese branch had her own debut as Pekomama on April Fool's Day, 2024.

The Hololive Meet 2024 Ambassadors are Shirakami Fubuki, Minase Rio, Hakos Baelz, Banzoin Hakka, and Kobo Kanaeru.

The post Cover Revealed Hololive and Holostars Meet 2024 Vtuber Ambassadors appeared first on Siliconera.

Several Vtubers from Holostars English groups Tempus and Armis will be on break in the run up to the Hololive 5th Fes and Super Expo. Several Holostars , including ones from the Japanese branch and Uproar, will be present at the event for a fan meet-and-greet.

The taking breaks are as follows:

• Banzoin Hakka is currently on break and will return on March 7, 2024.
• Crimzon Ruze will hold his last stream on March 4, 2024, before going on break. A karaoke rebroadcast is scheduled for March 9, 2024.
• Gavis Bettel is currently on break and expects to return around March 10, 2024.
• Josuiji Shinri is currently on break until March 6, 2024.
• Jurard T. Rexford is currently on break until at least March 10, 2024, but does have a "Special Armis Announcement Collab" scheduled for March 7, 2024.
• Octavio will be on break after the Armis collab on March 7, 2024.

You can watch Gavis Bettel's final stream before his break via Youtube below:

Several Holostars from both the Japanese and English branches previously appeared in the Hololive Super Expo 2024 key visuals, alongside various other Hololive talents. Other Holostars EN such as Jurard, Octavio and Ruze also appeared in the HoloNiji Custom Apex Legends Tournament back in December, 2024.

The Hololive 5th Fes "Capture the Moment" will take place March 16-17, 2024, at the Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall in Chiba, Japan. Holostars Armis and Tempus Crimzon Ruze, Octavio, Gavis Bettel, Josuiji Shinri, and Banzoin Hakka will be on break in the period before then.

The post Some Holostars Armis and Tempus on Break Before Hololive Fes appeared first on Siliconera.

Cover published the key visuals for Hololive Super Expo 2024, and it features all Vtubers d with Hololive Production, including the Holostars male VTubers from both the Japanese and English branches, who are still active as of January 25, 2024. The image does not include Yozora Mel, whose contract was terminated on January 16, 2024.

All characters in the illustration wear aloha shirts to fit the expo's theme. The event will convert Makuhari Messe's Halls 4-8 into Hololive Island. The venue will consist of five areas where visitors can interact with the VTubers, relax in the cafe, or purchase goods in the market.

The official website shows the key visual in a singular long-scrolling image. However, it can also be split into six separate images, which are available in a tweet thread on Hololive Production's official X :

In a separate tweet, Cover also revealed the key visuals for Hololive 5th Fes: Capture the Moment. This concert will feature active Japanese, English, and Indonesian Hololive female Vtubers, split into three main stages. It will take place in Makuhari Messe's International Exhibition Hall 1-3.

2024 will become the third consecutive year for Cover to hold the Hololive Super Expo annually. While the company has been holding the Hololive Fes concerts since 2020, it launched the first Super Expo in 2022. People who can attend the event will also be able to buy new merchandise, just like how the previous edition in 2023 had the first sale for an art book and numerous figures.

Hololive Super Expo 2024 and Hololive 5th Fes: Capture the Moment will take place at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, on March 16-17, 2024.

The post Hololive Super Expo 2024 Key Visuals of Vtubers Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

At the end of November 2023, Nijisanji Vtuber Selen Tatsuki announced a HoloNiji Apex Custom Apex Legends tournament for of Anycolor’s company and Hololive and Holostars performers, and now we know the 16 teams participating. It will be held on December 9, 2023 at 7pm PT/10pm ET.

Many of the teams are mixed ones. This means there could be both Hololive and Nijisanji Vtubers playing Apex Legends on the same side. As a notable aside, Team 1 is Team Snake Bite (TSB), which features Selen with Axel Syrios and Regis Altare. This is the group that participated in V-Saikyo in April 2023. As a reminder, this is an EA-ed Apex Legends tournament. 

Here’s the full list of every HoloNiji Apex Custom team. 

• Team 1: Axel Syrios, Selen Tatsuki, and Regis Altare
• Team 2: Kureiji Ollie, Airani Iofifteen, and Alban Knox
• Team 3: Kaede Higuchi, Yuki Chihiro, and Takamiya Rion
• Team 4: Gwelu Os Gar, Seto Miyako, Kanda Shoichi
• Team 5: Victoria Brightshield, Bonnivier Pranaja, and Vantacrow Bringer
• Team 6: Aster Arcadia, Vezalius Bandage, and Claude Clawmark
• Team 7: Ha Yun, Sakura Ritsuki, and Akagi Wen
• Team 8: Reimu Endou, Kotoka Torahime, and Astel Leda
• Team 9: Maria Marionette, Elira Pendora, and Ren Zotto
• Team 10: Koyanagi Rou, Hibachi Mana, Hoshirube Sho
• Team 11: Jurard T. Rexford, Crimzon Ruze, and Octavio
• Team 12: Murakumo Kagetsu, Shu Yamino, and Yang Nari
• Team 13: Mika Melatika, Anya Melfissa, and Vestia Zeta
• Team 14: Josuiji Shinri, Flayon x Machina, and Ike Eveland
• Team 15: Yozora Mel, Hoshikawa Sara, and Makaino Ririmu
• Team 16: Hizaki Hamma, Minase Rio, and Izuru Kanade

Selen also shared a photo of all the teams:

Here’s a list of the Six matches that will take place, as well as what maps they will appear on. There will be nerfs applied during the third and fifth matches based on skill levels.

1. Regular game at Stormpoint with a three 6,700 Apex Coin codes as rewards.
2. Melee Abilities Only game at Olympus with a Wraith sitting plush, Octane sitting plush, and Jump Pad mouse pad as rewards.
3. Regular game at World’s Edge with three Jump Pad mouse pads as rewards.
4. Sniper-only game at King’s Canyon with a 6,700 Apex Coin code, Nessie cup noodle weight, and Jump Pad mouse pad as a reward.
5. Regular game at Olympus with a Wraith sitting plush, Octane sitting plush, and Jump Pad mouse pad as rewards.
6. Hide and Seek game at Stormpoint with a Nessie plushie and two 6,700 Apex Coin codes as rewards.

And here's the full announcement stream:

Apex Legends is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices. The HoloNiji Apex Custom Apex Legends tournament will be held on December 9, 2023 at 7pm PT/10pm ET.

The post HoloNiji Apex Legends Custom Tournament Vtuber Teams Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

During Nijisanji Vtuber Selen Tatsuki’s 2023 birthday stream, she announced the HoloNiji Apex Custom Apex Legends tournament that will feature both Nijisanji and Hololive Vtubers. More details about it will come on December 3, 2023.

Selen noted that Team Snake Bite (TSB), which consists of her and Holostars Vtubers Regis Altare and Axel Syrios, “was cooking something.” That turned into this Apex Legends tournament. As a reminder, Syrios was invited to participate in V-Saikyo in April 2023 as the only English branch leader, and he added the other two to his team. Selen said this new Apex Legends tournament, which is officially ed by EA, has “been in the works for a very long time.” 

This HoloNiji Apex Custom event was originally going to be a chill, custom tournament. During initial planning, Selen said it only involved people from Nijisanji English and Holostars. Now it will include people from the EN, ID, and JP branches from both Anycolor and Cover. Between 10 and 15 teams, which are still being finalized, will appear. Selen herself and TSB will also be playing. No “main” broadcasting will happen during this with three for-fun and three serious game modes. Selen also noted strong teams will be nerfed.

You can see the full stream below.

More news about the HoloNiji Apex Custom Apex Legends tournament will appear on December 3, 2023 and may include participating Hololive and Nijisanji Vtuber announcements. Apex Legends is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices.

The post HoloNiji Apex Custom Tournament Features Hololive and Nijisanji Vtubers appeared first on Siliconera.

Holostars EN Tempus Vanguard Vtuber Gavis Bettel announced he would be taking a brief break on November 20, 2023. No explanation was offered, but he noted that it would last “at least a week.”

Here’s the official announcement from Bettel’s social media. He noted he would return shortly. Note that this also comes ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in the US. 

Prior to announcing the break, Bettel did postpone, then temporarily cancel, a chess stream. He did note that “Chess will happen soon enough, but I need more time. Thank you for understanding.”

While Gavis Bettel is a Vtuber known for video game streams, either alone or with fellow Holostars like Banzoin Hakka, he also engages in a variety of other ones. For example, some included Barbie movie watch-alongs, guitar hip streams, and just chatting streams. He also appears as one of the characters in the Doppelganger visual novel. He also released the cover “When You’re Evil” recently.

He isn’t the only Vtuber to recently go on a temporary break. For example, Nijisanji’s Fulgur Ovid went on hiatus starting at the beginning of November 2023. This appears to be a longer break. There’s also no scheduled return date for him.

Gavis Bettel can be found on YouTube and social media.

The post Holostars Vtuber Gavis Bettel on a Brief Break appeared first on Siliconera.

Back in January 2023, Banzoin Hakka debuted as part of HOLOSTARS English -TEMPUS- alongside Gavis Bettel, Josuiji Shinri, and Machina x Flayon. Ahead of his one year anniversary with the group next year, Siliconera got in touch with him over email to talk about streaming, performing, and singing.

Jenni Lada: Now that you’ve been with HOLOSTARS English -TEMPUS- for half a year, what has being one of the Hololive Vtubers been like? 

Banzoin Hakka: A Vtuber??? I am just but a little exorcist fella!!!

It has been so much fun, I adore my TEMPUS brothers so much and I love having fun with them and going out on funky adventures, jokes aside, it has been such an honor and an amazing experience. I am very happy to finally find a place where I feel I can belong and be myself, it is truly an honor to be part of such a crazy but very well-knit community as well <3

What does a normal schedule for you look like as you prepare for each week?

Banzoin: I am gonna be honest with you, I would like to sum it up as something as simple as I eat, I sleep, I STREAM, I DO MUSIC, but it is a bit more than that!

I try to wake up as early as I can to maximize my day in order to transform that into content ideas or work on some behind-the-scenes stuff like meetings and recording brainstorming sessions all those happen either by myself or with the help of my tempus brothers :3

But aside from my exorcist responsibilities, I also have my Singing and Japanese lessons! Believe me when I say that investing in your own well-being and development is the best you can do! Stay healthy and always keep learning folks!!!!!

You play a really wide variety of games each week. How do you decide what to play and what does the process of preparing look like?

Banzoin: GAMES ARE SUPER FUN IN GENERAL, I will be honest with you, I love staying in touch with indie releases and the latest platforms.

But in general, I like to have fun while playing games! I am a huge advocate that if I enjoy something I will always try to showcase it so people with similar tastes can also enjoy it! I love sharing knowledge :D 

What led to you deciding to also share your cooking and oil painting experiences with your community? 

Banzoin: Cooking is one of my biggest love languages! Honestly, having someone cook you a meal and share it with you is the best of the best!!! So I want to share my appreciation towards my Hakkitos just the way I like it!

AND AS FOR MY ARTIST ARC, I will give you a tip, DO NOT DO OIL PAINTING AS YOUR FIRST PROJECT, OH GOD IT’S STILL DRYING… Now with that out of my system! I’ve always appreciated art very closely, in fact, it has ALWAYS been a dream of mine to be able to draw and create cool stuff…it’s like a printer but for your BRAIN!!! 

To keep it short, doing fun stuff with my lil birbos while entertaining and chatting with them is such a DREAM and I wouldn’t have it any other way!!

What is it like recording things like the HOLOSTARS English -TEMPUS- Animations and Summer Camp voice drama? What is that process like?

Banzoin: THE RULE OF THUMB IS TO HAVE FUN!

Recording the funky lil voice dramas and animations has been so much fun! I've never really done solely VA centric stuff until HOLOSTARS, and MAN- IT’S BEEN A BLAST TRYING SOMETHING NEW!  Being in character and portraying our feelings makes me feel like a superstar, it brings me back to when I was tree #4 in a school play, MY BEST ROLE EVER!

Jokes aside, it really is so cool to learn a new art! I have always been very fond of dramas and stuff like that, and honestly (Machina X) Flayon has inspired me to pick up voice acting!! And I love trying new things to serve as one of the tools for my big mental shed of TOOLS for when I maybe need it!!!

How do you prepare for your covers and songs? What sorts of exercises and preparations go into it, and how do you protect your voice, and what would you recommend for your followers who’d also learn to start singing like you?

Banzoin: OH HERE COMES A LONG ANSWER BABY, BUCKLE UP!!!!!!!!!

If you want to start singing the first step is to start taking vocal lessons!!!!

BUT HAKKA THAT COSTS MONEY??

OHOHOHOH NOW HERE IS THE NEXT BIGGEST THING I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW

The internet is literally your best friend, there are plenty of resources and not to mention AMAZING communities that are online AND FREE!

There are so many free lessons online that can be just as good as paid classes! I love professional vocal lessons, I recently started them and honestly, they are SUPER helpful :>

BUT I want people to that I BANZOIN HAKKA and MANY amazing utaites/v-singers started off self-taught, we learned and grew our skills with those free sources and not super pro equipment!!!  

I MEAN HECK I WAS JUST A 14-YEAR-OLD BIRB WITH A DREAM AND A GUITAR HERO MIC ON HIS SCHOOL COMPUTER WHEN I FIRST STARTED!! 

The biggest thing to when you DO make that first step in training is to your vocal folds are muscles!!

Don’t measure how good you’ll be with how much “talent” you start off with!

 JUST LIKE IF YOU WANT ROCK HARD ABS OR A GOOD BUTT-With proper and consistent training, you can make them sound good!! JUST LIKE EXERCISING IN THE GYM!! 

You DON’T need to be born with the talent to sing, but instead, be willing to put in the hours to work out those pipes!

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t sound like your favorite artist or people you idolize at first! 

Keep sticking with practicing and surrounding yourself with people/communities who also are ionate about music like you are!

 BUT LISTEN TO ME NEVER GIVE UP AND! YOU! WILL! GROW! PROMISE!!!!

You’ve already released two original songs so far. What does the songwriting process look like for you?

Banzoin: Well you see as a certified sad boi™ it is my job to make people FEEL with my music!!!

Now with that being said haha, I will give you a bit of a technical explanation, the songwriting process usually comes with the thought of a concept! This could be an emotion, a place, an object!!!

Once you have your concept down- it comes to play on how you want that to be expressed. What is it that I want to share? How do I want to portray it? And what do I want to achieve with it? 

Words can mean a lot of things depending on how they are conveyed and structured! Music is amazing, isn’t it!!!

Once the concept and the tone of the song lyrics have been picked-usually a melody is made! OR! With the flow of the song and the timing of it, sometimes the melody can come first, or even the structure of the song can be made first, honestly for music creation there really aren't any rules, aside from the obviously written ones (MUSIC THEORY HARD LOL). 

Usually, for my part of the job, I do the concepts and I help with toplining, it is thanks to AMAZING producers that most of my creations come to life, producing is hard but I am learning little by little! 

With your covers, what does the process look like for picking your songs?

Banzoin: DID YOU REALLY THINK I WILL GIVE YOU MY SECRET SAUCE??? HOW I CHOOSE A SONG AND HOW DO I DECIDE I WANT TO COVER IT????

Well since you asked so nicely, I will share with you a MILLION DOLLAR SECRET!

When it comes to Japanese music (which is what I mainly cover) I am a HUGE vocaloid fan, and with that, I am also a HUGE J-Rock/Anisong fan! I have so many favorites I am not kidding when I say that I literally THRIVE on exploring new music!

When it comes to picking a song, I always try to imagine how I would sound singing a song and being able to give it my own twist, I love being able to make songs my own and have fun while singing them. I LOVE MUSIC AND SINGING SERIOUSLY!

Once THE SONG has been picked I ask for perms (CONSENT IS IMPORTANT!!!) and once I got that covered, I record and then send it over to mixing, ONCE THAT IS IN MOTION I start the process on the MV for it, which is commissioning art and a video, I it to YouTube, and BOOM, new Hakka cover!

How would you feel about collaborating with other artists on tracks, and do you have any people you’d really like to work with?

Banzoin: I LOVE SINGING AND MAKING NEW FRIENDS, THOSE ARE BOTH THINGS I SUPER DUPER LOVE!

There are so many singers from my childhood that I would love to sing with, and MAN honestly the list is super long but I am always open to collab and having fun.

Do you think we’ll ever see a Hakka solo live? How would you feel about a full album?

Banzoin: Who knows, maybe in the future.

Now that you ed the half-year anniversary, what would you like to possibly accomplish when Vanguard’s first-year anniversary rolls around?

Banzoin: THERE IS SO MUCH IN MY MIND WHEN THIS QUESTION IS ASKED AAAA!

BUT ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I WANT TO ALWAYS DO MY VERY BEST, I WANT TO COLLAB WITH MORE WITH PEOPLE, I WANT TO RELEASE MORE COVERS AND DO MORE ORIGINAL MUSIC, ALSO I WOULD LOVE TO START DOING TRAVEL AND FOOD CONTENT, I WANT TO DO SO MUCH MORE AND MY HAKKITOS ALWAYS KEEP ME INSPIRED!

People can follow Banzoin Hakka on YouTube and X (formerly known as Twitter). He also appears in the visual novel Doppelganger.

The post Interview: HOLOSTARS English’s Banzoin Hakka Talks Singing and Streaming appeared first on Siliconera.