Wikipedia

Babiniku

Babiniku (Japanese: バ美肉) is a Japanese term for an online avatar depicting an anime-style female character used by content creators who are often (but not always) male.[1] The term is an abbreviation of "virtual bishoujo juniku" (バーチャル美少女受肉, meaning "virtual girl incarnation") or "virtual bishoujo self juniku" (バーチャル美少女セルフ受肉, meaning "virtual girl self-incarnation").[1][2]

Babiniku may be using an avatar of a cute girl,[3] acting as a virtual girl in a virtual space such as VRChat,[2][4] or acting as a virtual YouTuber or virtual idol.[5] They may modify their voice into a girl's voice by using a voice changer,[6][7] or they may simply use their natural voice along with the female 3D model, Live2D model, or static picture.[8][9] If an adult male uses these sorts of female avatars, he may be called a "Babiniku Oji-san" (バ美肉おじさん, "virtual girl incarnated guy").[* 1][8][7]

Origin

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In the Japanese virtual YouTuber (VTuber) community, the performer is called the soul (Japanese: 魂, Hepburn: tamashii) ,[2][10] the character's model or avatar is called the body (Japanese: 肉体, Hepburn: nikutai),[11] and the act of acquiring the model is called incarnation (Japanese: 受肉, Hepburn: juniku). The word "incarnation" originated from what Nijisanji VTuber Tsukino Mito [jp] said about getting a 3D model of herself.[12]

The "soul" and the "body" is generally the same in the virtual YouTuber community, but the VTuber known as "Virtual noja-loli kitsune musume YouTuber Oji-san" (Japanese: バーチャルのじゃロリ狐娘Youtuberおじさん, "virtual noja[* 2]-lolita fox girl YouTuber guy", abbreviation: Noja-oji) became popular at the end of 2017, and she is a male using a female nikutai.[10] She announced she was a male using a female avatar, showing he could become a cute girl character even if he was a man and his voice was still his natural male voice. Many VTubers and Babiniku VTubers became active after seeing her videos.[13][9][12] Her work resulted in an acceptance from viewers, as they didn't care if there was a man behind a character so long as the character itself was cute.[5]

For some, babiniku is not just about seeing a cute character, but also about finding entertainment in the mismatch between the soul (performer) and the gender presented, which can be considered part of the VTuber's content.[9] One difference between a normal VTubers and a babiniku VTuber is that many babiniku VTubers acknowledge the existence of the person behind the character.[9] The difference between a nekama and a babiniku is that a babiniku often acknowledges the gender difference between the user and how they present themselves.[4]

The popularity of taking on female avatars declined after Noja-oji's appearance on the scene, excluding the work by some such as ARu-ko (ARu子). At the end of May 2018, however, cartoonist Rimukoro (リムコロ) and illustrator Maki-hitsuji (巻羊) introduced a method of animating illustrations during live streams by using software called FaceRig and Live2D. This quickly became popular among illustrators.[8][14][15] Many VTubers were originally illustrators, which helped the development of a community of those VTubers who made it publicly known that their "soul" was male.[12] In June 2018, there was a live stream titled "Virtual Bishoujo Self Juniku Oji-san Joshi-kai One Night Jinrou" (Japanese: バーチャル美少女セルフ受肉おじさん女子会ワンナイト人狼, "Virtual-Girl-Self-Incarnation-Guys Girls' Party, playing One Night Werewolf"), and this title was the source of the term babiniku.[16][12][8] One of the participants in the live stream was Ma-oh Magurona (魔王マグロナ, "Magurona the Demon King"), who is considered one of the leading babiniku VTubers due to the high number of her subscribers as well as her cuteness.[6][10]

"Hell"

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Japanese: おじさんが自分で絵を書いて自分で動かしたLive2Dの体に受肉して、更に自分でボイスチェンジャーを使って声帯を弄って、自分で声を当てた地獄のようなコンテンツです。
English: This is a content like a "hell", guys incarnated himself into a Live 2-D body that he drew and moved by himself, and also handle his "vocal chords" by himself using a voice changer, and applied the voice for the body by himself.

Magurona in his YouTube[5]

"Hellish" is a word often used to indirectly describe babiniku.[12] Rimukoro, Maki-hitsuji, Magurona, and Natori Sana (Japanese: 名取さな[* 3]) were all asked in interviews, "what is babiniku?", to which they all responded, "it's hell". They provided a variety of reasons why they thought so, including that it "twists your nature" or "has a deep darkness".[17]

According to Magurona, she made the title "Virtual-Girl-Self-Incarnation-Guys Girls' Party" for the livestream because it was originally meant to be "hellish content where guys who have drawn their own avatars and transformed themselves into cute girls get together and make some noise". Over time, the "self" aspect of Magurona's title—which indicated the performers created their avatars themselves—faded away, and the term babiniku could be applied to any man acting through an avatar depicting a cute girl, regardless of how he obtained the avatar.[10][12] Magurona's performer has no desire to become more feminine himself.[5]

Vocalization

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It is difficult to convert an ordinary male voice into a female voice through instrumental manipulation alone.[18][19] It is important that the performer bring their voice closer to a feminine voice by using their falsetto or a mixed voice[19][20][6] as the smaller the change in pitch and formant in the voice changer, the more natural the female voice will be.[6][11] There are also some babiniku VTubers, such as Takehana Nohto (Japanese: 竹花ノート), who speak in female-like voices without using a voice changer.[6][21] The voice itself is not the only factor in achieving a feminine voice, speech patterns and intonation are important as well.[6][11][19]

In television

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On 8 January 2020, NHK Educational TV broadcast about Babiniku in "Nehorin-Pahorin".[22]

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With voice changer

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Ma-oh Magurona (魔王マグロナ, "Magurona the Demon King")[10] or simply "Magurona" (まぐろな[23])
Her performer is a male illustrator (ukyo_rst; うきょうあーるえすてぃ).[24][25] She is regarded as a leading figure among the babiniku performers.[6][10]
Tomari Mari (兎鞠まり)[10][26]
Her performer is a male illustrator.[27] Her 3D model was created by Han-sode (はんそで).[28]
Hinomori Anzu (日ノ森あんず)[29][30]
Her 3D model was made by Han-sode, the same artist that created Tomari Mari's avatar.[31]
Onyankopon (オニャンコポン)[19][32]
Her performer is a male illustrator named Umika Tamano (珠野うみか).[33]
Datenti Yua (だてんちゆあ)[29][34]
Her 3D model was made by Han-sode, the same artist that created Tomari Mari's avatar.[35]
Hayama Mido (葉山みど)[29][36]
Her performer is a novelist, video game writer and graphic designer named Nachi Kio (Japanese: 木緒なち).[37] One well-known project he worked on was Remake Our Life!.
Yuu Kamiya (榎宮祐)[29][38]
Her performer is a male cartoonist. One well-known project he worked on was No Game No Life.[39]
Pochimaru (ぽちまる)[29][40]
Her performer is a female cartoonist (Pochi Iida, Japanese: 飯田ぽち。). One well-known project she worked on was Anenarumono (姉なるもの).[41] She uses the voice changer Babi-goe (バ美声).[42] She is considered a babiniku because she is a VTuber who created her own avatar, not because she is a male VTuber using a female avatar.[42]

Without voice changer

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Takehana Note (竹花ノート)[10][29][43]
Her performer is a male illustrator who worked on The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter.[44]
Fairys (ふぇありす)[29][45]
Her performer is a man using a feminine voice. An actor who performers in the voice of the opposite gender is called a "both-gender type" (Japanese: 両声類, Hepburn: ryōsērui) which is a pun on the word "amphibian" (Japanese: 両生類, Hepburn: ryōsērui). Her character design is made by Yuzuriha (ユズリハ),[46] so she is not the type of babiniku who created their own female incarnation.
Rimu-to-Maki (りむとまき, "Rimu and Maki")[29][47]
  • Rimukoro (リムコロ)
Her performer is a male cartoonist. One well-known project he worked on was The Helpful Fox Senko-san.
  • Maki-hitsuji (巻羊)
Her performer is a male illustrator who worked on Azur Lane.[48]
Ryo Hiiragi (柊椋)[29][49]
Her performer is a male designer.
Ito Life (伊東ライフ)[50]
Her performer is a male illustrator.[51] He drew the avatar for Ogino Minori, who is a virtual YouTuber and Ōta ward assemblyman (Ogino Minoru, Japanese: おぎの稔).[52]

References

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Annotations

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  1. ^ The Japanese word "ojisan" has several meanings and can mean not only uncle (叔父さん, 伯父さん), but also simply an adult male (小父さん).
  2. ^ "Noja" is a way of ending sentences in Japanese stereotypically used by older speakers, thus used to refer to old people. Noja-loli means loli-hag.
  3. ^ She is a real female.

Citations

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  1. ^ a b "【株式会社ZIG】個性が集まるVTuberグループ「ミライサーカス」にて"おっさん歓迎"な「バ美肉オーディション」を開催！". ZIG. PR TIMES. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "あゝ、狂騒のコンテンツ時代よ。バーチャルYouTuberの勃興は2018年に何をもたらしたか". ヤマダユウス型. ギズモード・ジャパン (Gizmodo Japan). 31 December 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  3. ^ "バーチャル世界で美少女の姿に！ 現実と虚構を行き来する"バ美肉おじさん"の悩みとは？ 『ねほりんぱほりん』". music.jpニュース. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  4. ^ a b "やっぱりリアルよりネットの世界だな！ 新しい自分になれるかもしれない「バ美肉」とは". コンタケ (kontake). ねとらぼ (net-labo). 4 March 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d "「バ美肉」はDTMにおける初音ミク 魔王マグロナちゃんがかわいすぎたVTuberワークショップレポート". トシ（ゲームキャスト）. PANORA. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "ボイス・トランスレーションーー"バ美肉"は何を受肉するのか？：前編". 黒嵜 想(Soh Kurosaki). Real Sound. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  7. ^ a b "小寺信良の週刊 Electric Zooma! 第884回 オジサンも美少女声になれる? VTuberから注目Roland「VT-4」の魔力". 小寺 信良. AV Watch. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d "かわいくなりたいおじさんたちが急増中 なぜ"バ美肉おじさん"は女の子への夢を見る？". 聖☆あべさん. Real Sound. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d コンプティーク12月号増刊 Vティーク Vol.2. KADOKAWA. 10 November 2018. p.38-39
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h "魔王マグロナ・兎鞠まり・竹花ノート、全員可愛すぎか！ ハロウィン渋谷を突き抜けた「バ美肉ナイトクラブ」レポ". トシ（ゲームキャスト）(Toshi, game cast). PANORA. 3 November 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  11. ^ a b c "私はいかにして"美少女VTuber"になったか――あるゲーム作家の「バ美肉」録". カナヲ (Kanawo). Mogura VR. 4 November 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  12. ^ a b c d e f "誰でも"可愛い声"のVTuberに？ ボイストランスフォーマー「VT-4」実機レビュー". じーえふ. Real Sound. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  13. ^ "【無料公開】『バーチャルYouTuber名鑑』四天王と呼ばれる理由は？". KAI-YOU. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  14. ^ 【りむとまき】バーチャル受肉布教！白紙からFaceRigで動かす！～キャラデザイン編～ (in Japanese), 28 May 2018, retrieved 7 December 2019
  15. ^ 【りむとまき】バーチャル受肉布教！白紙からFaceRigで動かす！～LIve2D・FaceRig編～ (in Japanese), 28 May 2018, retrieved 7 December 2019
  16. ^ "バーチャル美少女セルフ受肉おじさん女子会ワンナイト人狼". ニコニコ生放送. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  17. ^ コンプティーク12月号増刊 Vティーク Vol.2. KADOKAWA. 10 November 2018. p.47
  18. ^ "VTuber必見！「ボイスチャンジャ―の使い方」徹底解説動画". みたらし (Mitarashi). Mogura VR. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  19. ^ a b c d "オニャンコポンが行く！ 応募者多数から8人が選ばれた「美少女ボイス講習会」レポート". オニャンコポン/珠野うみか (Onyankopon / Umika Tamano). Mogura VR. 2 December 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  20. ^ "VTuber必見！「ボイスチャンジャ―の使い方」徹底解説動画". みたらし. Mogura VR. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  21. ^ コンプティーク12月号増刊 Vティーク Vol.2. KADOKAWA. 10 November 2018. p.40
  22. ^ MoguLive (26 December 2019). "NHK「ねほりんぱほりん」の次回特集テーマが「バ美肉」に決定！". MoguLive. MoguraVR. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  23. ^ "まぐろなちゃんねる". YouTube. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  24. ^ "魔王マグロナ🐟 / ukyo_rst🍆🦊♎🥕". Twitter. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  25. ^ "Works". U.M.E.Project. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  26. ^ "Tomari Mari channel / 兎鞠まりちゃんねる". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  27. ^ Mogura VR編集部 (15 December 2018). "「とんでもないやつがでてきやがったぜ……」期待の新人バ美肉VTuber「大狼うる」が動画投稿開始！". MoguraVR. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  28. ^ "兎鞠まり". v-data. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i "バーチャルYouTuberランキング". User Local. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  30. ^ "あんずちゃんねる/Anzu channel". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  31. ^ ノンジャンル人生 (21 January 2020). "バ美肉おじさんがシンデレラとなる日。日ノ森あんずの3Dお披露目配信レポ". MoguLive. MoguraVR. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  32. ^ "オニャンコポン". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  33. ^ 珠野うみか. "珠野うみか/オニャンコポンのWEBサイト". Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  34. ^ "ゆあちゃんねる / Yua channel". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  35. ^ "【だてんちゆあ】3Dモデルおひろめ会ダイジェスト！【Vtuber】". YouTube. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  36. ^ "葉山みどチャンネル/Hayama Mido Ch". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  37. ^ "ABOUT". KOMEWORKS. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  38. ^ "榎宮祐". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  39. ^ "STAFF・CAST". ノーゲーム・ノーライフ. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  40. ^ "ぽちまる/ぽち小屋。ちゃんねる". TouTube. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  41. ^ "姉なるもの 公式サイト". KADOKAWA. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  42. ^ a b "ちょっとだけ大事なおはなし【Vtuber】". YouTube. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  43. ^ "ノート竹花". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  44. ^ "俺だけ入れる製作委員会". Kodansha. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  45. ^ "Fairys Channel". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  46. ^ "ふぇありす". にじさんじ Wiki. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  47. ^ "りむとまき channel". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  48. ^ "巻羊". pixiv. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  49. ^ "柊椋". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  50. ^ "伊東ライフ". YouTube. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  51. ^ 芝崎浩司, 伊東ライフ (11 October 2022). VTuberスタイル 伊東ライフ BOOK (in Japanese). Appli-style (株式会社アプリスタイル). p. 8. ISBN 978-4-910719-18-4.
  52. ^ "おぎの稔 MinoriOgino 議員系Vtuber【大田区】". YouTube. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
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