As Japan’s virtual-streamer industry marks its tenth year since Kizuna AI’s 2016 debut, official appearances by first-generation icons are multiplying. As the sector commercializes, early creators are being reassessed, and more pioneers are returning to major stages.
The VTUBER EX organizing committee — with BOX (VEXZ, formerly Virtual Avex) acting as secretary — unveiled the lineup for VTUBER EXPO 2026, a hands-on expo set for May 3–4 on the first floor of Bellesalle Akihabara in Tokyo’s Chiyoda ward. Confirmed participants include Kizuna AI Inc., the operator of Kizuna AI, widely regarded as the world’s first virtual YouTuber, and Baacharu (ばあちゃる), often described as the first male virtual streamer. Kizuna AI will appear at a special booth, and Baacharu is slated to MC a stage event on May 3.
Admission is free; the expo runs both days from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. JST. To ease congestion, organizers will sell priority-entry tickets with perks. Sales begin at noon JST on April 18 via LivePocket (livepocket.jp). Each ticket includes a priority pass and wristband and grants fast entry during a designated one-hour window.
The committee unveiled a slate of interactive booths. BOX (VEXZ) will offer hands-on virtual-live production with switching and direction controls. The Live2D booth will demo high-precision tracking using the nizima LIVE app. Avvy will showcase an app that can generate more than 10 million 2D-avatar combinations from a single smartphone. SPICE will exhibit Movin, a markerless motion-capture system that recognizes full-body motion without a dedicated suit. Other participants include HIKKY’s 3D-avatar communication solution; MixChannel (ミクチャ), a live-streaming app with roughly 18 million cumulative users in Japan; virtual-dating service Tokimeki VR (ときめきVR); and ProjectBLUE’s virtual-live space Vortex.
Side programming is varied. Organizers of the large virtual exhibition Virtual Market (Vket) will bring an offline immersive shop called VketReal. The expo will also stage a collaboration with the popular vertical-scroll manga Shinketsu no Kyūseishu (神血の救世主), featuring official cosplayer Haruinu (はるいぬ) and editor Hiroyuki Endo (遠藤寛之) appearing as the heroine Saya (サーヤ). On-site exclusives will include acrylic stands and key holders featuring 3D visuals of participating virtual streamers, heart-shaped can-badge gachas, plastic partner cards for the new card game NEXUS, and limited-edition T-shirts, pass cases and mobile batteries.
This lineup draws attention because both Kizuna AI and Baacharu stand at the industry’s starting line. Kizuna AI launched in December 2016, went on indefinite hiatus in February 2022, and returned on February 26, 2025 as a musical artist under the name KizunaAI. Baacharu debuted in July 2017 and remains active with .LIVE, operated by Upland (アップランド). Their official appearances carry symbolic weight as the industry marks its 10th anniversary.
Organizers describe the expo as a snapshot of VTuber culture’s present and future and have already confirmed a collaboration with the festival Life Like a Live! (commonly called えるすりー), which features more than 50 popular virtual idols. Major agencies such as Cover’s Hololive (ホロライブ) or Anycolor’s Nijisanji (にじさんじ) have not yet confirmed official participation; future lineup announcements will likely shape the expo’s broader industry impact. The committee plans to release details on performers, stage programs and collaborations in stages.
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