As you can probably tell from the characters subject within this edition of 'Shin Nihon Shitposts', it wasn't hard to consider who would best represent the oddness of the V-Tuber phenomena.
Ever since the end of the 14th King of Fighters tournament, the 'Official Invitation' Team under Antonov's wing had underwent a bit of a shift.
It started with Kukri's mysterious departure after the tournament finished up – and in recent months, as the off-season continued further, a certain Sylvie Paula Paula was developing more of an online presence.
Being one of the few in the collective to be very out of the loop, the Sichuan performer Mian was surprised to see Sylvie more glued to the computer and the streaming set-up than anything else.
Why exactly was this the case?
As Mr. Antonov would sum up when his Asian associate came to him:
"What do you mean, 'what the hell is this'? V-Tubers are all the rage – Sylvie knows a thing or two about trends!"
Antonov's reasoning wasn't giving Mian any better comfort.
"If she's supposed to be a 'Virtual YouTuber', if I know it like I do," Mian questioned, "I imagine her character is meant to be... well, virtual?"
Antonov's cigar left his lips and entered within his fingers. "Look at her - even the people who've watched her throw down in the tournament would find it hard to believe she's a real person. She could pull it off."
None of the masks in Mian's collection could be able to perfectly describe the uncertainty she felt about someone like Sylvie taking this type of online role.
Meanwhile, the sounds of a so-far-successful Banjo Kazooie playthrough was heard in the next room over.
"Eekum-bokum," the game rang out.
"'Eekum-bokum'~" Sylvie mimed back.
This was going to be quite the phase to work through...
At some point later in the week, Mian woke up to what sounded like the screeching and wall-thumping fumbling of a monkey being tortured in another room.
Turned out it was Sylvie having a very unpleasant Outlast experience – in full VR, no less.
Mian was losing sleep because of the late-night hijinks going on in the electrified idol's new career.
"Did she have to be doing this, this late?"
Antonov hand-waved assurance towards the Opera girl's way, handling well his late work with a side of coffee.
"'Tis the spooky season, Mian – having a scare is simply part of the fun!" It was the month of October, after all...
The opera girl contemplated whether to argue, but she had to consider the benefit for not just Sylvie by herself, but the whole collective of those working under Antonov's umbrella in the corporation behind the King of Fighters tournament's current existence.
If this helped the world for the better, it was an odd choice – but maybe Mian could be able to grow to understand.
She ultimately asked after some time in her quiet thoughts. "...Can I at least have some coffee, then?"
Antonov chuckled. "Might as well; she'll be at this for a while~"
On the next week's menu, for the most part, was Grand Theft Auto V.
Guns, cars, M-rated vulgarity, the usual works – now with the addition of an irregularly-costumed oddball idol with mountainous blonde hair and eerie eyeball decorations, face-cammed in the bottom right corner.
This day had Mian on edge most out of all of Sylvie's previous experiences, for reasons she only started to figure out.
"Uhhh... Mr. Antonov, sir?"
Cigar still snug in his mouth, Antonov exhaled a breath of good Siberian smoke. "Girl's already a real oddity – this probably just looks like normal life in the outside world in her head."
Unsurprisingly, Sylvie wore a smile on her face even as she listened to the two men in a cutscene talk about someone being 'mad for the penis'.
"Maybe if you got rid of that old yee-yee ass haircut you got, you'd get some bitches on your dick!"
Hearing the loud vulgarness of the gameplay on Sylvie's stream, Mian couldn't help but feel as though something bad was going to happen.
"Are you... sure... she won't dig herself too deep with this?"
And from his own research into the realm of 'V-Tube' – especially in the Hololive division of the phenomenon – Antonov also felt as though he had seen a scenario play out from something just like this.
Regardless, he responded with an uncertain squint in his eyes. "Yeah... I'm sure I'm sure."
Despite the discussion, they both were starting to realize the need to eventually interfere, before it was too late. All the while, the in-game dialogue was reaching its vulgar 'critical mass'.
"...Maybe Tanisha'll call your dog-ass if she ever stop fuckin' with that brain surgeon or lawyer she fuckin' with, ni—"
Before Paula Paula could fully hear the next word incoming, she heard her stream-room door slam open – and saw Mian and Antonov sprint in at a collective panic...!
"SYLVIE, NO! SYLVIE, NO!"
Ah yes, 'The Lamar Davis Moment' is legendary in Hololive lore, entrancing several members into saying (or rather, singing) 'The Word'.
It could've been worse. She could've talked about Taiwan.
