The VTuber craze has been white-hot for years, with people from all walks of life and every corner of the globe eager to get a piece of the action. It's a field many are desperate to break into.
However, with everyone vying for a spot, landing a gig with a corporate-backed agency is no easy feat. This reality was recently highlighted by Japanese VTuber Hinata Sharu, who revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that she has been rejected from corporate auditions 19 times. Her story, which also touched on her struggles with other jobs, has since kicked off a major online discussion.
Hinata Sharu posted a list of the agencies she had auditioned for:
Hololive: 6 times
Nijisanji: 4 times
VSPO!: 3 times
Neo-Porte: 2 times
Aogiri High School: 2 times
Deep Web Underground: 1 time
Uomusume, a VTuber project focused on fish and fishing culture: 1 time
After being rejected by all of them, she has given up on auditions and is now active as an indie VTuber. Despite having only a middle school education, no current job, and just 548 yen to her name, she claims she's "super happy" (even though all her auditions were unsuccessful...).
The post quickly gained traction. While many users encouraged her and praised her courage to keep trying, they couldn't help but note her incredibly difficult circumstances. Some hoped the viral attention might lead to an opportunity.
Other commenters, however, wondered if she should consider work outside of VTubing, suggesting that there must be a reason for so many consecutive rejections.
It turns out there might be a reason for her repeated struggles. Hinata Sharu mentioned on a livestream that she has faced numerous obstacles in other jobs. During a stint at a fast-food restaurant, she made mistakes like breaking plates and mixing up table numbers, leading to her being unable to hold down most jobs for long. This history aligns with her self-proclaimed identity as a "shafu" (social misfit) VTuber.
However, some critics took issue with her post. They argued that naming the companies that rejected her without explaining the reasons for her failure seemed like a tacky bid for sympathy and attention. To them, this attitude alone made it unsurprising that she was not selected.
Another user criticized her mindset, noting that while she appears optimistic and positive, she doesn't seem to have reflected on why she was repeatedly turned down. They argued that with such an attitude, it would be difficult to succeed in any conventional job, let alone find one.
Her situation even went international after being shared by overseas X accounts, drawing the attention of foreign netizens. While many offered support and encouragement, a significant number echoed the sentiment that her mentality makes her a poor fit for a corporate agency, suggesting that these companies are now even less likely to hire her.
Of course, attempting so many auditions shows incredible perseverance. However, it seems Hinata Sharu hasn't figured out the root cause of her rejections from so many different companies. With the VTuber market already saturated, gaining attention and finding success is a monumental task. With only 548 yen left, one can only hope she finds stable work and gets her life on track.