Kara Dennison
May 19, 2024 
In the year 2024, a career on YouTube is, if not viable for everyone, at least aspirational. Plenty of people—whether in person or as a VTuber—have plunged into the world of streaming and content creation. So, naturally, the trend has made its way to anime. More and more we see series involving streaming as a major plot point, if not as the plot point.
But whether it’s aspirational, terrifying, or a mix of both depends on the series. Here are three recent shows which, in varying degrees, tackle what it means to have your life broadcast for the world to see.
Kizuna no Allele – Dreams Come True
VTuber Kizuna AI was instrumental in kickstarting the modern VTuber trend, to the point that the phenomenon even inspired an anime. Titled Kizuna no Allele, the series followed a group of aspiring VTubers as they attend ADEN Academy, a special school to train them up for the career. At the forefront is Miracle, a plucky amateur who learns how to let her creativity shine with the help of her friend group at the school.
While not everything is rosy for the members of VTuber unit PathTLive, it’s overall a positive experience. The complications they encounter are largely personal: matters of self-expression and competition, for example. And, even if you have no intention of starting a YouTube career, it has some valuable lessons about inspiration and individuality.
The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio – Complications
The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio isn’t so much about live streaming as it is about Internet radio, but the series does introduce the perils of this modern form of entertainment. Throughout the front of the series, idol voice actresses Yasumi Utatane and Yuhi Yugure put on a cheerful demeanor for their fans (and each other). But when rumor gets out that Yuhi may have gotten her latest amazing role through unsavory means, an amateur streamer is on the case.
Having their real school lives filmed live is a game changer for both girls. It also demonstrates a very real problem with streaming as entertainment: the fact that day-to-day privacy and civility are becoming compromised with the rise of streaming media.
Viral Hit – Somewhere in Between
Based on the Webtoon of the same name, Viral Hit lands somewhere in between these two concepts: streaming is both aspirational and awful. It just depends on which side you land on. As the bullied Hobin Yu finds his niche in the world of streaming, the good news is that he might be able to pay off his beloved mother’s hospital bills. The bad news is that school bully Pakgo is also a major streamer.
Hobin gets his clicks by standing up to bullies, but bully-turned-supporter Snapper is all about maximizing those clicks. Sometimes that means invading Hobin’s privacy; sometimes it means feeding scenarios he’d rather stay out of. There’s no denying it’s a lucrative gig. But is it worth it? That’s up to the viewer to decide.
What else can technology do? Find out in this season’s Train to the End of the World!
