The Otaku Dream: VTuber Charges 100,000 Yen to Be Your Private Girlfriend

Loneliness on the internet is a massive business that we are only just beginning to understand. This Monday, within the VTubers community, Japanese content creator Nana surprised all her followers by announcing a super-exclusive monthly subscription plan that, for the modest amount of $600, literally turns her into your private virtual girlfriend.

The price of having a waifu

Through the Japanese donation platform Ci-en, the virtual girl launched a premium subscription tier called the Idol Girlfriend Plan. While regular fans pay just a few dollars to see drawings or read her diary, otakus willing to drop 100,000 yen a month receive treatment fit for a king. Basically, the VTuber adds you to her personal messaging app on LINE to make weekly voice calls and connect to play video games alone with you.

Super limited spots

If you thought no one in their right mind would pay that amount of money, you are wrong. As soon as the announcement was posted, the only available spot sold out immediately. The lucky and wealthy fan confessed that the feeling of being treated so specially is "complete madness." Seeing the brutal success of her idea, Nana opened a second subscription slot, but promised not to accept anyone else to maintain that sense of exclusivity and private romance.

Virtual love or master business move?

Of course, this move generated a lot of debate on the internet. While some applaud content creators finding direct ways to make money, others say this looks too much like Japanese host clubs where men pay fortunes just for a woman to pretend to be in love with them. This expensive girlfriend package includes three major benefits for those who pay:

• VIP Attention: Weekly voice calls to talk about your day, exactly as you would in a real long-distance relationship.
• Solo Gaming: Private online matches of games like Splatoon without the rest of the chat intruding on your virtual date.
• Total Exclusivity: With only a couple of spots available worldwide, the fan feels like the internet star only has eyes for him.

Seeing that personalized attention is the new big product in the virtual girl market, would you be willing to pay $600 a month to chat privately with your favorite VTuber, or do you think it is an absurd expense?