Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: What RP Means to a VTuber
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Imagine you're in this situation.
"You have to make a King Beastkin understand and accept VTuber RP."
...
Yeah.
I admit it.
Honestly, it's not easy.
Calling it just a concept gimmick within streams doesn't cut it, since there are all these unwritten industry rules.
People often compare it to voice acting, but that has its own debates.
And to top it off, we're just stepping into the 2020s now.
At this point, the mere word "VTuber" makes plenty of folks furrow their brows.
Explaining this complex, nuanced culture is a challenge in itself.
But before that, you have to convince them to even listen carefully.
It's tricky in all sorts of ways.
Actually, the term RP itself was a familiar concept.
Any Korean who's played an RPG knows it's short for role-playing game.
To be precise, it traces back to its ancestor, TRPG, but...
Explaining that in detail would take us back to the 20th century, so let's skip it.
It's a game, sure, but there's this insanely hardcore genre that demands the writer's prose, the actor's performance, and even the voice actor's delivery.
Anyway, I was one of those newbies who got intimidated just hearing the word RP.
But once I actually heard the details, it was a bit different.
-"RP? If it's really uncomfortable, you can just gloss over it roughly."
"Is that okay?"
-"None of us sweat the details that much."
The Boss explained that back in the early days, RP was treated as core content.
That was one reason VTuber culture kept its distance from the mainstream.
But as the market grew and went global, those boundaries started blurring.
-"How do I explain this...? Hmm..."
I could hear her racking her brain over the voice chat for a while.
Then came a sharp clap, and it cut off.
-"Idols used to go deep on concepts too, right? Angels, demons, even giving them separate names."
"Yeah... but that's gone now."
"Exactly. Nobody does it anymore, just like idols."
"Aha...?"
-"Unlike idols, having zero RP would be a problem... but no need to stress. Keep it light, and anyway, we need something now."
That much was true.
We needed an RP first to get the illustrator started.
Wouldn't want to commission a blonde tanned girl illust only for it to end up as a vampire RP or something.
To avoid that disaster, we had to settle on an RP ASAP.
...I got that, but.
It's not like deciding on an RP out of the blue would magically spark ideas.
-"Want some examples? Like Florina III, Emperor of the Holy Florence Empire..."
"No thanks."
-"...At least hear me out."
"Ab-so-lute-ly not."
The Boss grumbled.
She tried to muffle it, but I heard everything.
-"How about a fox deity or a dragon?"
"Hm...?"
-"Or job-based ones like isekai hero or saintess."
"Sai...?"
-"There are safe ones like spy or butler too."
"...Should I think it over a bit more and get back to you?"
-"No time for that."
We huddled our heads together with the Boss, tossing around ideas, but nothing screamed "this is it!"
I wanted to avoid cumbersome designs like shark tails or massive angel wings...
But still needed something with a strong impression.
I'm always terrible at this stuff.
Even back at MTs, my team name suggestions always flopped.
Then it hit me.
"...I have one idea."
-"As long as it's not some brain-dead meme, fire away."
"Valkyrie."
-"?"
"The one who guides warriors to heaven."
Yeah. This felt perfect.
My viewers all knew me from Odin's Son, after all.
And the top challenger rank was Valhalla. Perfect fit.
-"Pure Five Rings..."
Wasn't it?
Why the lukewarm reaction?
Once the RP was set, the design came together quickly.
My suggestions were either accepted on the spot or shot down flat.
"No bare torso with straight sword like my character?"
-"You think that'll fly?"
"Purple skin... nah, just testing."
We based it on her actual appearance, and I asked to skip wings or anything bulky.
Light leather armor with a straight sword instead of heavy plate.
-"Roughly set, but it might tweak based on the illustrator's style."
"Just keep the straight sword."
-"Is that the priority...? Anyway, got it."
Next up: debut name.
-"Last thing left is the name, huh."
"Backside's out, I guess."
-"Say something sensible... ahem. Got any VTuber name ideas?"
She's getting more casual. Or am I imagining it?
Was there even a reason to keep the formal speech?
If we're streaming together long-term, better to drop it early.
"Drop the honorifics. I'm younger anyway."
I floated it first.
Felt a twinge of conscience after saying it.
We're actually the same age.
But whatever.
That's what my ID says.
-"Should I? Okay, dropping them."
"Yeah, yeah."
-"Cool. Casual it is."
As I second-guessed myself, she switched seamlessly, like she'd been waiting.
Guess she was.
Makes sense—we're broadcasting together, better to bond quick.
-"Call me unnie, Ji-min. Make it comfy."
"Uh."
That name still felt off, and now the difficulty spiked.
"Unnie" didn't roll off the tongue like "noona."
-"Call me whatever, even casually. We're performers."
True enough.
...Guess I'd adapt.
"...Got it, unnie."
Ugh.
Eek.
I get it!!
But my whole body twisted up...!!
Speaking of names, something else popped up.
"Should I do the surname-first thing too? Like Ha Nami, Lee Luka?"
-"Not mandatory, but unity's nice."
"Does it work?"
-"Not really?"
"Oh... not really."
She explained the second gen would go full Japanese names.
Even first gen wanted obvious ones like Hanamua Sakura.
It'd signal native operations better.
"Planning a second gen already."
-"Long-term goal... market's still tiny."
"VTubing's not the endgame?"
-"Right. Producing VTubers is."
"Ooh."
-"If we grow the market, it's doable."
Market's iffy now, and perceptions are lukewarm, lots of headaches.
Japanese VTuber vibe is good, but too overt risks backlash.
That compromise was their solution.
-"Perfect for the transition era."
Didn't you just say it meant nothing?
I held back from pouring cold water on her self-praise.
"Guess I'll brainstorm too."
-"We have prepped candidates."
"Ooh."
An image popped up.
Well-prepped doc, with Japanese and kanji.
Ho/Taru, 蛍(ほたる), firefly
Mi/Rai, 未來(みらい), future
U/Mai, 美味い(うまい), delicious
"Umai...?"
-"Pretty name. Mai."
"You're kidding?"
-"Kinda fits. Meme potential."
Nothing clicked, so I pondered.
Hotaru edged out, maybe.
Umai was too jokey.
-"Doesn't have to be Japanese. No rigid rules."
"How about Egao."
-"...Overflowing with 'gao.'"
"Aoba. Means fresh sprout."
-"Oba's like eba... You know Japanese?"
"Not really. Just JPOP."
-"...What are you? Seriously."
We messed with names for ages after.
Less serious pondering, more conscience-pricking fun.
-"Eiji/Youngji. Means smart."
"Name's... easy."
-"Mahou/Magic. For mage RP."
"Hou... ho... SIUUUUUU!!!"
-"Ack! Scared me!!"
Honest? More startled than anything.
Wasted time? Maybe, but bonding had value.
We bantered nonsense, laughing for a good while.
Later, funny names overtook pretty ones.
Fun bonding, zero productivity.
Heap of suggestions, nothing good...
Ah?
"Mir. How's Mir? Sounds Korean."
-"Mir? Surname?"
"Yu."
-"Yu... Mir...? Ack, that's Norse!!"
She remembered clear as day.
Didn't you say no need for strict Japanese?