Can someone explain this vtoon trend to me? It doesn't seem to be driven by anonymity because their real name is easily findable, so I assume it's something else? It seems very common, especially in certain communities.
In case of Marcan/Lina I got the impression that he created Lina just for fun. It started as an April fools joke (Lina 'took over' Marcan's live stream), but Marcan seems to enjoy it a lot, even going so far as contributing to the Inochi2D software (used to render Lina) to improve all sorts of facial features.
I don't have the impression that in Marcan's case it was ever about anonymity, it is more about a creative expression.
Up until Lina's introduction on April 1st, I had never seen a vTuber stream, and I must say it is quite fun to watch. Though personally I wish Lina's voice is tweaked a bit, because it can be hard to understand what she is saying.
What I like about Lina and Alyssa is the increase of visibility of LGBT+ people in the more "hardware" part of software development.
As your get more low level, less visual and more niche, there's less and less diversity of software developers. And everyone should feel welcomed into hacking the kernel.
Some people just prefer their public persona to be in the form of an avatar instead of their real face. They want to have something there to represent themselves instead of just streaming a screen and nothing else, but they would rather that representation be an avatar or character rather than their physical selves.
Personally, I like the idea. IMO, we lost something when it became normal/expected to link our real-life self to our internet selves. We arguable gained some unpleasant things too (thinking of Facebook here).
A persistent avatar/alias as an internet persona seems to match the real-life to internet-life relationship better. IE, for many, they’re different and rather separable aspects of life.
Also Japanese viewers like this better, and you don’t have to look good, and if you’re streaming from inside a soundproof box in summer without AC then you don’t even have to wear clothes.
If you were the Genre of person who got rude / explicit / insulting comments whenever you showed your actual face on camera, the vtoon trend would be quite easy to understand
Hector Martin (assuming they're the same person) looks perfectly fine on camera. They're an average looking person but I fail to find anything anyone would criticize about his looks.
It’s like getting a specific haircut, choosing what model of glasses to get, or getting a nose job, or a tattoo. Or even just picking what style of clothes you want to represent yourself in. I.e. it’s simply choosing your appearance, using more modern technology.
Very well articulated comment from someone with highlights such as
"you write for the Gaurdian and relentlessly spout feminist propaganda"
"destruction that activist hooligans created in Portland"
"Neurodiverse isn't a real medical term"
Sounds like you've got a very particular axe to grind from a very particularly narrow world view. I hope one day you learn to enjoy your fellow human beings for who they are
LeonM|3 years ago
I don't have the impression that in Marcan's case it was ever about anonymity, it is more about a creative expression.
Up until Lina's introduction on April 1st, I had never seen a vTuber stream, and I must say it is quite fun to watch. Though personally I wish Lina's voice is tweaked a bit, because it can be hard to understand what she is saying.
leidenfrost|3 years ago
As your get more low level, less visual and more niche, there's less and less diversity of software developers. And everyone should feel welcomed into hacking the kernel.
glandium|3 years ago
novok|3 years ago
gburdell3|3 years ago
maegul|3 years ago
A persistent avatar/alias as an internet persona seems to match the real-life to internet-life relationship better. IE, for many, they’re different and rather separable aspects of life.
astrange|3 years ago
unknown|3 years ago
[deleted]
anaisbetts|3 years ago
mlindner|3 years ago
teddyh|3 years ago
leoqa|3 years ago
It’s not fooling anyone to pretend like this is normal self expression.
realjhol|3 years ago
[deleted]
IntelMiner|3 years ago
"you write for the Gaurdian and relentlessly spout feminist propaganda"
"destruction that activist hooligans created in Portland"
"Neurodiverse isn't a real medical term"
Sounds like you've got a very particular axe to grind from a very particularly narrow world view. I hope one day you learn to enjoy your fellow human beings for who they are