I love Nijisanji EN. They started with a bang. The first 10 gals are all top tier talent. I’ve said before that whoever was the talent scout deserved a raise for picking the best of the best to entertain. They are multi-lingual, overly creative, hard workers, many are fantastic vocalists and so funny. They are all-around entertainers, emphasis on “entertaining:” Lazulight with Elira, Pomu, Finana; Obsydia with Selen, Petra, Rosemi; and then Ethyria with Nina, Enna, Millie and Reimu.
Then, you had the next five guys come in and they blew everyone away. They are sweet, funny, talented and hilariously interesting. Vox, Mysta, Ike, Shu and Luca. Luxiem was what all male V-Tubers hoped to be. Ike’s new song, Mayday with my favorite male vocalist of Niji JP, Hayato Kagami, is such a professionally and well-done cover.
Noctyx came and I stepped back wondering, “will they be that good?” They weren’t at first but have truly come into their own.
Yugo is a fantastic vocalist and musician. Sonny is a creative VA who even imitates fellow Niji EN members. All his voices kind of blow me away. Fulgar Ovid is an intelligent creator and kind. Uki Violeta is just so interesting with a lovely voice, and he and Psyborg are probably one of my favorite ships. Alban is just an all around nice guy who is organically entertaining and funny. He is possibly one of the hardest workers in Nijisanji too. But what made Noctyx endearing is their chemistry. They are funny together. Like a dysfunctional family.
So, you have the first 20 all pretty stellar to spectacular picks. You know you can watch and not be bored, for the most part.
And then maybe the talent scout got lazy or, there were not that many candidates to choose from, but they kind of lost me with the sixth wave, Iluna. I’m pretty sure they’ve lost most with the sixth wave from what I’ve gathered with commentary online.
[DISCLAIMER] Again, all reviews and commentary is personal and subjective. I think this might be something new and I’ll call it a “ventview.” I just want to vent a bit.
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The Meh Generation
I wanted to write about them after watching at least a month but then… I just kept putting it off. Mostly, I couldn’t make it through an entire VOD or livestream of any of them. Their voices are disinteresting (Ren and Aster) to irritating (Kyo and Aia). Their Twitter banter is bland or cringe. They don’t play off each other well. Half seem like they don’t even want to be there. None are Nijisanji fans in general, except Maria Marionette (I’ll talk about her in a second). It’s like, “did that company I wanted to work with, call me back yet?”
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It seems none know Japanese or, enjoy Japanese culture or anime, except Maria. None are multi-lingual, except Maria. None of them seem to like to play games, or are gamers, except Maria. Maria is also extremely musically talented playing around 14 instruments and is a dancer and vocalist. Her MV’s are always top quality with good mixing and art. It’s what we come to expect from Nijisanji in general. She also has the best design and had the best debut animation.
She knows what she is doing as a V-Tuber.
Perhaps, I should have been positive and just written a post titled, “Maria Marionette – the only good member to come out of Iluna.”
Good idea. Here goes:
Maria Marionette – the Only Good Thing that Came out of Iluna
It started with her God’ish cover:
Followed by Rozen Maiden OP cover. She is continuing with her lore as a doll that came to life.:
And then, most recently, she just dropped an Aikatsu cover, Glass Doll. All play into her character of a doll that comes to life and becomes a V-Tuber. Yes, this is lore for V-Tubers (anime waifu’s).
You know, if you have nothing nice to say then say nothing at all. But I don’t usually follow this rule.
And so, Maria is funny. She is sweet. She is coming into her own but when she’s with her Aussie buds she shines as the cute little Aussie sister. She even makes Ren a bit more interesting.
She talked over torture in a torture tier list with Luca to the point of endearing and charming, despite the subject matter. It was historically informative, as well as, dark and disturbing. She has a dark humor side; which, is something I can appreciate.
But the other five members? I have to say a little something about Iluna. So, let’s get through this.
They are just…. “normie.” Oh my gosh, could that be it?! This is the “normie” gen? The woke kids have arrived? Oh no – cancel culture is at the door?
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Quick, hide your unfiltered banter and memes.
Yes, that’s overdoing it, but that could be this feeling of dread I felt when they joined. Just a dreaded, meh and sigh, after watching their debuts. Nothing spectacular.
Now, I know they have fans. They have content that can be enjoyable for some people (not me, of course). This is only my opinion (read my disclaimer once more).
Obviously, they had followers and subscribers in their previous iteration (of which, I’ve researched and found).
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(You can too, due to one of them either accidentally or purposefully doxxing them all as soon as he joined – which, made me laugh. KK doxxed all his gen mates!!! What a maroon. Part of me, after seeing his personality and his last channel, thinks he did this on purpose but that’s too conspiratorial and I don’t do fake conspiracy theories only non-fake.)
Perhaps that’s also why I like Maria. She’s got a track record of being entertaining and nice, emphasis on “nice.” I think after a while you get a gist of a soul from watching how others interact with their colleagues. And most of Iluna does seem “nice.” Like, they could all probably handle a customer service job.
I’ve done rantviews for shows. I’ve ranted about stuff I think is “bad.”
This isn’t bad, per se, this is just… meh. I got this from Wiki:
“Meh is a colloquial interjection used as an expression of indifference or boredom. It is often regarded as a verbal equivalent of a shrug of the shoulders. The use of the term “meh” shows that the speaker is apathetic, uninterested, or indifferent to the question or subject at hand”
Thank you, Wiki.
Plain? Bland? Boring? I’m not sure how to put my finger on it.
Their first collab was a mess. It’s no wonder Scarle was lost and Maria just did her own thing. Kyo was just an ass (it seems first impressions were spot on). He is tied with Aia as being the most irritating member. He also has the problem of staying in chat for much too long and never leaving. Quick, I think your mom is calling. You can go now so, that I can watch the stream with the person I actually clicked on to watch – and it’s not you.
Ren seems bored but making the best of being there – might as well make some music, since he’s a musician. I always forget Aster. I just forget him all the time. He is “there.” And yes, you could say he’s a gamer too but I forget him and his name all the time. I will say, Scarle can be funny. I mean, organically funny. So, I really don’t mind her in collabs.
Overall, though, they make Nijisanji EN feel a bit downtrodden and that organic fun and banter seems to die when they enter a collab. It’s like, oh no, look who just walked into the party. Ho hum.
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But they are missing something. Personality? Maybe but that’s being too harsh. If someone can put their finger on what is missing in the comments, please let me know. I honestly can’t put my finger on it.
Nijisanji JP and Nijisanji ID have similar erratic and chaotic energy/synergy, as the first 20 Niji EN members.
But Illuna just doesn’t fit in. It’s like they are flesh tubers trying to act like V-Tubers. Heavy on the “acting.” Nothing seems organic: humor, kindness, fun. Everything seems kind of forced.
And maybe that’s it. They aren’t naturally entertaining and it’s all very forced. Am I just voicing what others are secretly thinking but not wanting to be mean or insurgent?
When you watch a collab you watch because Pomu, or Selen, or Vox will be showing up. You get excited if Enna or Millie, or even one of the Luxiem or Noctyx boys are going to pop in. But if a collab has an Iluna member nobody watches it because they will be there. They are simply “there.”
And I feel badly for Scarle Yonaguni because she is ALWAYS streaming. I’m not sure when she sleeps. She gets my admiration for merely the fortitude to work at being a streamer constantly. Constantly. This might be her way of becoming a better streamer. I’m not sure.
Anyway, I am trying hard not to say anything too mean as I rant a little.
Scarle did say something really funny during her debut that I actually wrote down. It gave me a chuckle:
“I’m not drunk – I’m just emotionally drained.” – Scarle 2022
I’m just trying really hard to find something good in this group. So, I’d better stop now.
On a Positive Note…
I’m looking toward the new gamer group and have a bit of trepidation because it’s boys only and no girls. I know some of the best gamers in Nijisanji are also girls. Selen, anyone? I’m still wondering how this will turn out.
PETRA’S BACK and all should be right in the world again. I was so happy that all the old gang came to welcome her back with her Totsu. Maria and Ren, the Aussie buffs, stopped by. I didn’t mind. Maybe… because our bullyable penguin was back and maybe all will be right in the world again. I’m looking forward to the NijiUK reunion. It will happen eventually. I hope. I’m sure it will. Oh? It was canceled? Well, I’m sure it will happen.
So, on a happier note let’s hope they grow and it gets better, and all will be right in the Niji EN world again because Petra is back.
Yeah.
Hopefully, this new group will come into their own. I see possibility with some.
I’m sorry Maria. I wish you would have been the fourth Obsydian. You probably would have fit in and you could also bully Petra. I think she would like that. Also, her new Pengumi song that dropped reminds me of old 90’s, early 2000’s anime OP’s.
Let me know if you love any of Iluna and why. Am I being too harsh? I probably am. I usually am in a ventview – the new rantview.
That’s my hot take for the day. They have fans. I’m sure I offended their fans. But then, hot takes always offend someone.
I will write a praiseview next time of possibly Nina Kosaka, Fulgar Ovid or Reimu Endou.
Have a good day of seeking and searching and finding what you love.
Love you Gracie! 🙂 ❤
the unlit cigarette 
I have to say I agree. Hate to say it, but Niji EN was honestly moving at such a breakneck pace with its new gens that maybe this was bound to happen. Though there are also a ton of amazing talents to pull from the indie pool of VTubers, so maybe not. I more or less stopped keeping up at Obysidia myself — don’t really watch the boys but I can tell Luxiem and Noctyx are good times from everything I have heard and seen of them.
It was really just a matter for me of not having time to follow all these talents. The VTuber market is so completely saturated now that I think new up and coming talents really have to be amazing to stand out. There are just three I’m following very much now, Pomu and two others in small agencies, Aoi at Prism Project and Shiina at Phase Connect — turns out all there are blonde girls who love singing (and needling their audience playfully aside from Aoi, who’s just a sweetheart.) If I had time, I know there are a ton of others deserving of that time: Pikamee for example is still extremely active on YouTube and Twitch, and same with Kson, and Phase Connect in particular seems like a great agency to follow now for its diversity of talents and its growth. If any of the small agencies can challenge Hololive and Nijisanji in the West, it’s certainly Phase (though the gap is still wide, really.)
The only agency I’ve really fallen off with is Hololive aside from Okayu at this point. She got her claws into me and never let go. Korone and Pekora are still extremely enjoyable too.
Man, I guess I could go on, but I won’t continue except to say that I agree about Iluna. I’m sure Nijisanji will be fine considering just how much they have going on and how great the chemistry is with the first five (!) gens anyway. I’ll still be dropping in on Millie and Enna when I can as well.
Just a note to add that I also agree about Maria — it’s just a shame that her hours are so impossible for me to keep up with considering my sleep schedule. But I can tell she stands apart.
Agree with everything you said. I do watch a few Indie’s but not the ones you mentioned. I also still enjoy VShojo’s Nyanners, Ironmouse and the others on and off – not because of the chat but because they are really quick on the uptake and funny.
And, I actually still listen to Okayu’s songs. She’s got such a good voice. That’s all I catch of Hololive.
I don’t really watch the guys either. I catch them on collabs mostly but I did watch a fun VOD with Uki which was him reading tarot cards. I found it interesting from a spiritual standpoint. He seems so in tune with paranormal stuff.
Yeah, time keeps me from watching anyone live. I’ve enjoyed zatsudans playing in the background and then I have my playlists. But when do we have time to watch live streams? 😀
Anyway, thanks again for reading.