Late last year, fans were both moved and thrilled when Suzuhara Lulu, a VTuber from ANYCOLOR's virtual idol agency NIJISANJI, announced her return and revival more than four years after her "graduation."
However, when ANYCOLOR CEO Riku Tazumi was grilled by shareholders about these "post-graduation comebacks," he made it clear: "This is a very special case." The full transcript from the "Q3 FY2026 Earnings Briefing" released on March 16th further elaborated on the "VTuber comeback" topic in its Q&A section, specifically addressing Suzuhara Lulu's unique situation.
During the briefing, an investor directly asked about the possibility of "graduated VTubers returning." The question was: "Recently, a popular VTuber who had graduated made a comeback after several years, which was fantastic. Did improved internal company support systems facilitate this special case? Can we expect similar comebacks in the future?"
This question was, of course, referring to NIJISANJI's own Suzuhara Lulu, who returned in late December 2025. Tazumi's response was blunt: "This is truly a very special case." He added that "rather than viewing this as a company-driven comeback, it's more natural to see it as an individual, unique circumstance."
◆ Suzuhara Lulu's Past Situation
Back in 2021, Suzuhara Lulu mentioned receiving something akin to a "challenge" and handing it over to the "Demon World Police." It's widely believed this referred to issues like online defamation or stalking, leading to her official graduation in late June of that year. Fast forward to her comeback stream on December 23, 2025, where she declared, "Everything has been resolved," officially rejoining NIJISANJI. She also noted that the environment had changed significantly over the past four and a half years—with the company establishing a legal department, improving its support systems, and society placing greater emphasis on tackling online bullying and defamation. These factors, she said, created the opportunity for her return.
Furthermore, during her comeback stream, Suzuhara Lulu made a specific request:
"I hope this situation can, in a good way, offer some support or positive impact to others. However, this is a very sensitive and personal issue... so I kindly ask everyone not to compare or analyze it in relation to other VTubers, graduated members, or management."
While there have been instances of graduated VTubers returning in the past, ANYCOLOR's stance is crystal clear: this comeback isn't the new normal, nor is it a direction the company plans to actively pursue. It's more like a "special exception that happened because all the right conditions aligned."
Still, the fact that shareholders are even asking about the possibility of "graduated VTubers returning" probably stems from Suzuhara Lulu's unique case sparking curiosity about whether other beloved former members might also make a comeback.