An interview with Virtual Kitsune Musume YouTuber Ojisan! At pixiv office, with Nyalra!

Nyalra: I totally get that you're doing whatever you feel like doing. And it's kind of insane that you're still working as a part-timer at convenience store despite being so successful.

Nekomasu: If I really intended to sell, I'd produce more works or hire a female actress to do some dubbing although it might cost me some money. I'm talking about creating videos in which a girl lends her voice for my acting. I think that's a fairly inexpensive and realistic method, so if I plan to make more money, I'll choose that method.

Nyalra: And yet you didn't do it. That's also why someone like me was able to discover you. It was a miraculous encounter, if you think about it.

Nekomasu: And because I didn't do it, I've become an existence so strange it's unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. Moreover, since my popularity rose along with some impactful buzzwords, many people think my dialogs are interesting.

Nyalra: They think so because you're the one and only Virtual Kitsune Musume YouTuber Ojisan. If it were some normal person, I think people would have their head.

Nekomasu: Thanks to everyone now I'm known for the dialogs in my videos as well.

Nyalra: Of course people will find the words in your videos interesting.

Nekomasu: The dialogs of my videos are popular right now, but the visuals are also ready to attract people. When I search the internet for some illustrations, I'd sometimes come across people who are discussing my dialogs although they don't watch my videos. And I find this whole thing interesting. I mean, it's not like I possess some special skills.

Nyalra: You're pretty bold for someone without any special skills.

Nekomasu: Oh! You're right! But I actually do have shame. I guess the 'mental' wall that one has to overcome before they can show the world videos like mine is taller than the wall they need to climb before they decide to become a virtual Youtuber. Meanwhile, I practically sprinted and jumped over those walls.

Nyalra: I think more people will try to overcome those walls. Inspired by you, Nekomasu, there will be men who use beautiful girl avatars.

Nekomasu: Yes, because that's easier to do.

Nyalra: Nevertheless, I think you're amazing for being the pioneer; the first one to jump over those walls. And you can be proud of that.

Nekomasu: I was a bit calculating about that. I began making videos as the result of learning Unity, and I planned to use the experience to expand my portfolio and find a job, so I wouldn't mind if the number of my subscribers stopped at 500. But there was one thing that I had to consider; it's that if I were to become a virtual Youtuber, I would come out sooner or later as the man behind that beautiful girl avatar.

Nyalra: I also thought that you would come clean about it someday, but it really was too soon.

Nekomasu: Well, it's just like how proposals submitted by employees don't always get approved.

Nyalra: I think you mean 'never'.

Nekomasu: Speaking in terms of companies, it simply means that the quality of my proposal is too low and not worth the budget. That's why I decided to go ahead and admit that 'I am the man behind this beautiful girl avatar' because I figure that's the extent of what I'm capable of doing. I don't want to act too late and wind up being 'the next one'.

Nyalra: I'm glad I got to find you, who had braced yourself to venture into that region. My first impression of you was intense.

Nekomasu: That kind of feeling when you get to see real pirates?

Nyalra: At that time I had blogged maybe 6 posts about you, but I began to actually pay attention after blogging the second post. I don't remember what brought me to your videos, but I have a feeling that I got there after jumping through several videos from what originally was a Kizuna Ai's video.

Nekomasu: I see. You really like virtual Youtubers.

Nyalra: Honestly, after watching your first and second videos I thought it'd be a long and winding road for you. I wondered if you'd be another overnight hit or if you'd last. I'm talking about the first wall all YouTubers eventually face.

Nekomasu: And you're probably shocked that I actually survived! (laughs)

Nyalra: That's right. Before I realized it I was playing your fourth and fifth videos, then I got to that part about making an onigiri ("riceball") using the armpit and I was convinced that "Oh! This is going to be interesting!" But I still think that most people will find it hard to like your videos right off the bat.

Nekomasu: I am aware that the sort of content I do is not for everyone, so if people can't grow to appreciate my videos they really don't have to.

Nyalra: And that's why I'm planning to write a post to promote the idea that "If we're looking for a male VR YouTuber who talks about how tough the world is, then it's gotta be that funny lolita girl, Kitsune Musume!" and then it'll make it easier for more people to come to your channel. I want to introduce your interesting sides.

Nekomasu: Oh, I get it. You're going to write a post about how I'm not a strange person but an interesting one, and so people should watch my videos because there's no reason for them to be concerned over the male voice in the videos...

Nyalra: Exactly! Although, it's less about telling people not to be concerned over the male voice. Instead, I want to tell people that your strong point is how you, a man, ceaselessly talk about realistic matters and once it gets across, I think people will grow to not only look forward to your videos but also understand you.

Nekomasu: Like telling them my videos may taste 'bitter', but that's just its true flavor... And it's delicious.

Nyalra: Even without me, I think you'll grow even more popular at this rate.

Nekomasu: No, I think that telling people how to digest and enjoy a specific content is a writer's true occupation and a core part of their job. I feel like articles about a certain topic written by people with relevant knowledge and experience and those who aren't as knowledgeable will give people completely different ideas. I've read your articles too and in my opinion, you really understand how to appraise stuff.

Nyalra: Thank you very much.

Nekomasu: I might have sounded a little haughty there, but that's what I truly felt.

Nyalra: Please don't worry about it. I should be the one feeling sorry because you complimented me during an interview about you.

Nekomasu: Yes, so please proceed and write your post using that keyboard. (laughs)

If you work in a company, you obviously have access to better material... But I can't.

Nyalra: In other words, you can get started with about 100,000 yen.

Nekomasu: Basically, you need about 100,000 yen for a computer and 4,000 yen for a software.

Nyalra: That's nice! Only 100,000 yen to create a beautiful girl... One of the good things about you is that you can talk about these topics so light-heartedly.

Nekomasu: I know that people think convenience stores are cheap places... I mean, convenience stores are... Look, Seven & I Holdings is a beautiful retail group. What I meant was... The life of people working at convenience stores has to be kind of cheap. (laugh)

Nyalra: 7/11 is basically your sponsor, isn't it?

Nekomasu: I heard you also have some experience working in convenience stores. We should challenge each other to see who has the craziest client stories.

Nyalra: We totally should! Let's talk about it!

(*Our stories were so extreme and stupid that I decided to omit them)

Nyalra: It's incredible to think that even people like that have the common sense to purchase goods using real money. Some of them are so crazy that they actually look even crazier when they're just performing regular acts. But that's not even the worst part of working at a convenience store: that has to be the recurring depression...

Nekomasu: You find yourself thinking "will my days always be the same from now on?"... It's psychologically hard, and sometimes it's quite challenging to see a future before you.

Nyalra: It's amazing that you could use that in your videos.

Nekomasu: Yeah, I showed them!

Nyalra: I wouldn't be able to do it myself. 

Nekomasu:Since I didn't expect to sell at the beginning, I prioritized modeling and programming and decided to talk about my everyday life instead.

Nyalra: Thinking about it, one couldn't talk about these topics if they were working in a company.

Nekomasu:It's super casual. Random, everyday conversation!

Nyalra: When I checked your home address on Google Maps after receiving that keyboard, I discovered that there's a 7/11 very close to your place. I remember thinking, "he must be working there!"

Nekomasu: The best thing about that 7/11 is its proximity to me.

Nyalra: It's like a secret place that only I know of.  Talking about secrets, let's hope your boss never finds out what you do.

Nekomasu: For a while, I was afraid that if I wanted to quit he would ask me "is it because of YouTube?", but then I remembered that on the internet I'm nothing but a virtual existence. If I continue to deny, any lie can become the truth and any truth can become a lie.

Nyalra: I think your boss already found out what you do.

(both laugh)

Nekomasu:So, do you wanna see it? The model I made for you.

Nyalra: Absolutely! It's like a second me. I'm so nervous...