The virtual YouTuber (VTuber) community—both the fans and the livers—might be a new niche on the internet that has been brought by Japanese mediascape. Streaming a variety of contents like playing games, singing, drawing, cooking, and so on; they deliver various entertainment values along with certain narratives that set their personality. Singing and gaming, in particular, get so much attention from their fans. Additionally, non-fan viewers has begun to notice them since Hoshimachi Suisei was featured in the First Take Youtube channel.
Even up to this moment, there will always be VTuber talks in our staff group chat. It bugs me so much that they only talk about it at a group discussion level, and never bring it up into another form of text. So I asked what their favourite VTuber original songs are in order to bring their interests to light.
Stellar Stellar by Hoshimachi Suisei
Do you even have to ask why it’s the best? It just is. (Marwa – KAORI Newsline)
I don’t know what to comment about, but I can only simply say that it’s good. Suisei has good vocal skills, and with Taku Inoue’s composition, they make the best combination. Stellar Stellar is a song that has layered music in it. (Andira Indrawan – KAORI Newsline)
NEXT COLOR PLANET by Suisei Hoshimachi
Unlike most people who fell into the rabbit hole from VTuber’s stream, I am quite different as I fell into it when I discovered that Sui-chan is a fan of RAISE A SUILEN specifically the drummer, Natsume, just like me. Then I got in a little bit further when Hololive had a collab with D4DJ Groovy Mix and had this song into the game. That was my first exposure to this song and almost immediately, I knew that this woman has a very outstanding vocal. This song is my first journey into enjoying Suisei’s discography and I am grateful that I get to know her vocal through that game’s event! (Kei / MAKI-kun / Tante Kei – The Indonesian Anime Times)
3時12分 (Sanji Juunihun) by Hoshimachi Suisei & Taku Inoue
Listening to this song is truly hearing a match made in heaven; Inotac’s genius composing combined with Suisei’s high-pitched voices create a very enjoyable song for vibing throughout the day, whether you’re commuting, working, or even just staying at home and trying to have a fun day. I am also elated that this song has become a gateway for collaboration between Suisei and Inotac, thus creating other bangers like S.O.S and Stellar Stellar. For those of you coming from the Japanese EDM scene, and especially from enjoying the works of Inotac himself, this song is a perfect start for knowing more about VTuber songs and their unique appeal. As Suisei said, Kanpekii! (Dean Astarada – KAORI Newsline)
Moonlightspeed by Midnight Grand Orchestra
Midnight Grand Orchestra is a match made in heaven with Suisei’s unrivaled vocal range and Taku Inoue’s explorative music. This song is an excellent example of it. Even though it’s just a song made for a Burger ad, both of them brought this unit’s space adventure theme to be more nerve-wrecking. Tense but with symphonic romp music. (Ferdian Tiraska – KAORI Newsline)
CapSule – Mori Calliope & Hoshimachi Suisei
If you ever asked me which duo of singer VTubers is my favourite, I would definitely answer Suisei and Calli. Suisei’s exceptional vocal is really perfect to be paired with Calli’s bombastic rap. CapSule is a song that really shows each other’s best point while also complimenting each other in a way. (Kei / MAKI-kun / Tante Kei – The Indonesian Anime Times)
end of a life by Mori Calliope
This is one of the first songs of Calli that clicked my ear when I hear it for the first time. This soothing yet fast-paced rap song really throws me up, as if I am transferred to a vast, open space. I do not really understand much of the lyrics (probably about losing someone or losing your own life), but I prefer to listen to this song whenever I want to gather my thought: while on the train, on a bus, while viewing the city landscape or seeing the vast ocean in front of me. It just gives that ‘contemplating’ feeling, in my opinion. (Razif Kurniawan – The Indonesian Anime Times)
Scuffed Up Age by Mori Calliope
Ever since I started listening to this song, I was captivated. I’m not a regular fan of rap songs, but Calli’s songs always hit differently, especially if you pay attention to the lyric. Unlike End of Life which uses all English words, this song is a mix of Japanese and English. The song tells us about the struggle in our life -which is captured visually in the MV with the city night scene- that oftentimes makes us tired. “Why not give up and be the bad guy” shows just how tempting it is to just give up on this cruel real life. But when the ref comes, it hits us with optimistic and encouraging words, that even this “cruel world” can’t really hide our “inner spark.” And, Calli ended it nicely by saying this phrase, as if telling us to just don’t think too much about hard times in our life: “We choose to love it anyway”. (Razif Kurniawan – The Indonesian Anime Times)
Perisai Jitu by Moona Hoshinova
The reason why I choose this one is simple; it sounds like your everyday Indonesian pop song instead your usual J-Pop/utaite inspired stuff. It’s not surprising, because this song was composed by two figures who have created songs for renowned Indonesian pop singers such as Raisa, Yura Yunita, or Tulus, namely Ari Renaldi and Donne Maula. Listening to a VTuber song with a distinct Indonesian pop flavor is a fun experience, especially if you listen to this through Spotify’s shuffle feature that may mix this song with various Indonesian pop and J-pop/vtuber/utaite songs in one playlist. (Tanto Dhaneswara – KAORI Newsline)
Oh! Asmara by Kobo Kanaeru
The song, released on the anniversary of Kobo’s debut, proves that in addition to being an expert short-fused little kid streamer, Kobo has beautiful vocals and is perfect for teen romance songs like this. The music arrangement is friendly to the ears and the lyrics are super catchy, making this song suitable for singing with friends, like at Comic Frontier 16. Yeah, that karaoke session was a blast! (Kei / MAKI-kun / Tante Kei – The Indonesian Anime Times)
The song sounds very cute and fuwa-fuwa, makes me want to fall in love. The song also resembles a song from Gita Gutawa, Aku Cinta Dia, which was released back then when I was in my teenage years. Maybe that’s why the song gives me a strong “love at first sight” feeling for me. (Dany Muhammad – The Indonesian Anime Times)
Another VTuber song that I choose because it sounds like an Indonesian pop song, or more precisely, similar to Vina Panduwinata’s song. When I heard the teaser, I thought Kobo would cover one of her songs, but then I immediately realized, “wait, since when did Vina have a song called Oh! Asmara?” When I heard the full version, it’s definitely a Kobo song with her usual outspoken writing. Turns out the lyrics blend in successfully with the mellow arrangement (co-worked by Erikson Jayanto) which is clearly inspired by one of Vina Panduwinata’s songs, “Di Dadaku Ada Kamu”. The result is a very fun song that also pays homage to one of Indonesia’s legendary singers. (Tanto Dhaneswara – KAORI Newsline)
Antigravity Girl by Tsukino Mito
As one of the trailblazers in the early VTuber sphere, Tsukino Mito holds a very large influence for a lot of Vtubers even today. One of her original songs, Antigravity Girl, is no exception; this song is arguably one of the most influential songs in Nijisanji history alongside titles such as Wonder Neverland, Virtual to Live, and many others.
Hoshimachi Suisei from Hololive also admitted that her mega-hit song, Stellar Stellar, wouldn’t have happened without Mito’s Antigravity Girl. (Videtra Reynaldi – The Indonesian Anime Times)
Pierce by Kagami Hayato
I like metal. There are probably a lot VTubers who sing metal, one of them being Kagami Hayato. I checked his original songs after he commented about Ike Eveland having the same “death voice” as him. Somehow it reminds me of VOCALOUD. Maybe because the singer used a model even though the voice is real. (Vina Nurziani – The Indonesian Anime Times)
Into Reality by NIJISANJI ID
What can I say except that I love this song with all of my heart? NIJISANJI ID’s Into Reality is a song about coming together to make dreams come true. Even if it’s tough. But still, with joy. And the belief that as long as we have each other, if we take the step together, we can make our dreams into reality.
It perfectly encapsulates the creative spirit that NIJISANJI ID brought to the table, that is still alive & well with NIJISANJI Ex-ID and the countless number of people who have been inspired by them to make something. And that’s why this song means so much to many- it’s doesn’t just belong to, and wasn’t just made by NIJISANJI ID, but to the fans as well. To the people who contributed to the crowdfunding of the song & MV. To everyone who collaborated in making clips & fanarts & messages of support shown in the video. To everyone who supported the livers along the way.
Three years on, the song hasn’t aged. From a Japanese version featuring all NIJISANJI Ex-ID livers to a koplo version by Wave 6 members to a jazz arrangement in Hana Macchia’s 3D debut stream, the song continues to find new life. It’s even inspired fan projects and an absolutely amazing fan orchestral arrangement.
Into Reality was something that we made and we brought into reality. If Vtuber-ing is an artform that can only happen through the interaction between livers and viewers, then Into Reality is among the best examples of what could happen when they do: create something beautiful together. I can think of fewer things in life so worth doing. (CES – The Indonesian Anim Times)
Sirius No Shinzou by Isekai Joucho
If it were not because of this song, I wouldn’t fall into the rabbit hole of Kamitsubaki Studio. Both the vocal and the instruments really fit my ears. (Reza Lamunedo– KAORI Newsline)
Are you a Suisei fan too?
The Indonesian Anime Times
