On August 13, ANYCOLOR announced it has reached a settlement in a lawsuit concerning the infringement of rights against its NIJISANJI VTuber, Yuzuki Roa. The legal action was taken against a gossip-focused streamer who had spread damaging allegations.
The settlement marks the end of a grueling five-and-a-half-year ordeal for Roa, who was accused of "bullying a junior member" back in 2020. The news has brought relief to many fans, who are now eagerly anticipating her potential return.
Yuzuki Roa, who debuted in January 2019, is one of NIJISANJI's early members. The controversy began when fans noticed similarities between her unique speaking style and that of a newer member, Kingyozaka Meiro. In October 2020, gossip streamer Narukami Sabaki claimed to have obtained internal evidence, framing a narrative that "Yuzuki Roa was bullying her junior, Kingyozaka Meiro, and trying to force her into retirement." The allegations quickly gained traction and ignited an online firestorm.
However, when NIJISANJI terminated its contract with Kingyozaka Meiro later that month, the company stated that she had engaged in conduct prohibited by her contract, including certain statements made during her streams. After discussions and a formal warning, Meiro submitted a request for retirement, which the company accepted, leading to a mutual contract termination.
ANYCOLOR later confirmed additional contract violations by Kingyozaka Meiro and issued a formal notice of termination. Despite the company clarifying the situation, the public narrative had already taken hold, and Yuzuki Roa was widely condemned for "bullying a junior." She subsequently announced an indefinite hiatus in October 2020 but did not graduate or retire.
(Note: Although inactive on her own channel, Yuzuki Roa has appeared in some large-scale NIJISANJI events, and the company has continued to release official merchandise for her.)
To restore her reputation and address the damages, Yuzuki Roa filed a lawsuit against the accuser, hiring a lawyer in 2021 to prove her innocence.
The lawsuit confirmed that the bullying and undue pressure alleged by the streamer never occurred, and there was no evidence of Roa colluding with other VTubers or ANYCOLOR to engage in such acts. It was also affirmed that Kingyozaka Meiro's contract termination was unrelated to Yuzuki Roa and that no "bullying" had taken place.
Gossip streamer Narukami Sabaki stated that his information came primarily from "the individual herself, one affiliated VTuber, and one person who provided information that only company insiders would know." However, he also conceded, "Some of the information I obtained was inconsistent with the facts, and I admit I must apologize for that." Based on these findings, the two parties reached a settlement, which includes a formal apology from the streamer to Yuzuki Roa.
The case dragged on for years largely because there was no legal precedent for lawsuits involving VTubers at the time. An infringement on a VTuber's rights could also constitute an infringement on the rights of the person behind the avatar, making such cases difficult to bring to court and prolonging the legal battle. Identifying the opposing party was also a lengthy process.
The case was pursued as a criminal matter from February 2023 to November 2023 but ended without indictment. A civil suit followed from December 2024 to May 2026, culminating in the settlement after the defendant agreed to issue a public apology.
In a statement, Yuzuki Roa revealed that because of the baseless allegations, she received a daily barrage of messages on social media from 2020 to 2026, with comments like, "If you didn't do it, then explain yourself." The criticism, insults, and defamatory messages never stopped, leaving her constantly exposed to malice for an extended period.
"There's nothing in my life worth bragging about, but even so, my identity as 'Yuzuki Roa' is something I've always cherished, and I've always worked hard enough to never feel ashamed in front of my fans," she said.
On August 13, Roa posted on social media for the first time in nearly five years, stating, "I've wasted so much time because I couldn't prove something I never did. Now I understand why all of this happened and the truth behind it. By choosing to settle, I hope that what I went through can be understood, even just a little."
ANYCOLOR also expressed its gratitude to the fans who have supported Yuzuki Roa and worried about her throughout this ordeal: "To all the fans who have supported Yuzuki Roa and have been concerned about this matter for so long, we would like to once again express our deepest gratitude."
The company added, "We are currently strengthening our systems to ensure our affiliated VTubers can focus on their activities with peace of mind and that fans can truly enjoy the content. We will take uncompromising and strict legal measures, both civil and criminal, against defamation, malicious harassment, and malicious leaks of information."
With the incident finally concluded, fans have flooded Roa with messages of encouragement, saying, "Roa-chan, you've worked so hard," and "It's finally over. Take your time, but we hope you'll come back one day."
After a false rumor led to a hiatus that began in October 2020, nearly six years have passed. Whether Yuzuki Roa will make a full return to streaming activities remains to be seen and will likely be announced by her personally in the future.