Concert Review: Cinderella switch Vol 5

With spring in the air, so too comes the next volume of the highly unique collaboration between VR company VARK and popular V-Tuber idol company Hololive, this time featuring the duo of Fubuki Shirakami and Mio Okami. Over the last couple of months of 2020 and 2021 the two companies banded together to bring the Cinderella switch live concerts. During these, a duo from the company performs a 3D live, with one member onstage and the other in the virtual crowd, switching with each other for the following performance. One of the added twists is that both concerts are able to be VR viewable through multiple VR capable devices such as the Oculus Quest and PlayStation VR. Season Two kicked off with the adorable pair of Luna and Matsuri. Fubuki and Mio look to continue the trend of successful performances with Volume Five.

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Fubuki Shirakami

 First up was the white fox friend Fubuki Shirakami on the grand stage with Mio in the “crowd”. The liveliness of the crowd was once again on full blast with applause, laughter, and cheers. I think out of all the performances to date, Fubuki’s was the most “fan service-y”; she appeared in front of the crowd on the ground floor several times before and after her performances, which I loved. Mio was great as well with her fan chanting, which I always appreciate on the crowd viewing side of the performances.

Fubuki’s first song, “Sakura no Ato”, kicked the energy up with amazing production and its 3D imagery was on full show, as it features Fubuki performing several rocking motions. She then shifted gears to “Aoi Sora no love softy” and the crowd was a lot livelier this time around, with cheers all around along with the most fitting fan reactions. The cheerfulness and energy Fukubi had for this song was just infectious; I found myself bouncing to the beat at times as well. To match the aesthetic of the track the background changed to a blue sky backdrop which brought the performance to a higher level. Fubuki had a “rivalry” with Mio on the crowd side by saying, “I hope everyone was paying attention to my dancing, not Mio in the crowd.” With some of the chat kinda favoring Mio, Fubuki wagged her tail to mesmerize the crowd into paying attention to her humorous effect. Her third track, “Union”, was a more traditional idol like song which I ended up enjoying a lot with Fubuki’s stage presence. Fubuki went all-out for the last song, titled “Fubuki”, with this amazing burst of energy that was just out of this world. Overall, I loved Fubuki's performance and she really surprised me because I wasn’t one for watching her karaoke lives. If she sings like she did here then I’ll definitely be going to the next!

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Mio Okami

Next up was the great wolf Mio Okami taking the stage with Fubuki handling the crowd side this time around. What was very interesting was the fact that Fubuki was made for this hype man role in the crowd, as the interaction between her and Mio was amazing; I loved every moment of it. When Mio took the stage she made a hell of an impression with interesting poses and she teased fans with the movement of her ears.

Continuing the momentum Fubuki had with her first song, Mio’s first song was “Yume Miru Sora he”, a hololive original track. Because the song was an original release from the group, Fubuki knew all of the fan call signs which helped bring out the ambiance of the crowd. Mio brought the energy and range of what is usually a group track perfectly and this was the right song to start with. She then ramped it up with the song “Eternal Blaze”. Her rendition was just as energetic as the original and it helped that she asked the crowd to “reply” back at the best time of the song as well. What was funny was that Mio did her fair share of fan service as well when she came into the crowd and did a very dangerous nose nuzzle. She then slowed it down with the song “Haiiro to Aoi” which was absolutely fantastic and no doubt one of my favorite performances of the night, up there with the best of all time from Cinderella switch. The passion Mio showed was bar none, and while I was all right with the original, she turned me onto the song completely. Mio bookended her performance with hololive tracks, with her finale being “Asairo clear sky”. And what a way to end an overall strong performance, coupled with amazing stage effects that brought the performance to life even more.

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Aftertalk Segment

The Aftertalk was very interesting, as both Fubuki and Mio decided to surprise fans by starting on the crowd side instead of the stage. When they returned to the stage they both talked about the process of choosing and performing their songs. Fubuki commented that she only did anime style songs and thought Mio was cool for doing a “jet coast” style of tracks. They also announced that Volume Six will include the duo of Botan and Lamy and will take place May 21. Lastly, before the pair left they served a bit more fan service with a dangerous nose nuzzle.

Overall, I thought Volume Five was a very solid addition to Cinderella switch performances. Fubuki Shirakami and Mio Okami played off of each other very well and I can’t wait to see what Volume Six has in store for us.

Concert Review: Cinderella switch Vol 4

VR company VARK and popular V-Tuber idol company hololive are back again for a second season. Not long ago the two companies banded together to bring the Cinderella switch live concerts starring two members per concert in a highly immersive 3D virtual reality atmosphere. Season One brought the pairs of Kanata Amane and Marine Houshou , Towa Tokoyami and Roboco-San, and Flare Shirakami and Watame Tsunomaki. This time the adorable pair of Luna Himemori and Matsuri Natsuiro looks to kick off Season Two with a bang.

I wanted to mention that since the high success of the previous season, the virtual “crowd” artificial intelligence has been upgraded with several new reactions including laughter and a bit more of a lively reaction.

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Luna Himemori

Luna Himemori took to the stage first, with Matsuri taking the crowd stage side. As someone who’s knowledgeable of Luna’s previous antics, I was really excited to discover which songs she would be choosing due to her very cutesy vocal style and range. Oh, and the banter between Matsuri and Luna served as a nice intermission while Luna was taking a break.

Onto Luna’s songs. She started off with a banger of a track with “Wai Wai World” which really showed off the real, raw side of her along with that “princess” style of vocals which the character is known for. Watching this did make me worry, though, as she does push herself very often, especially with this being a 3D live. However, Luna really held herself together with her cutesy aura. She kept the party going with a more dance style track with “Ugoku, Ugoku”, which really showed off the amazing stage presence she had throughout the performance. That along with the mix of impressive camerawork the team has improved on since Season One was really refreshing. She stuck to her guns with a bubbly style of composition with an amazing finale in the song “Luka Luka Night Fever”. This one showed off Luna’s vocal range, though it might be a bit much for some; it paired well with this track, though. Overall, Luna did an incredible job with her performance and I can’t wait to see what she has cooking up next.

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Matsuri Natsuiro

Then Matsuri Natsuiro was on the grand stage and Luna was crowd side. Now what’s interesting was the positioning of Luna at times, since she was facing more toward the camera. This gave the illusion of her streaming so fans of hers would be able to interact more with her through things like virtual high fives and such. She was also a great crowdside with her added sound effects such as clapping at the right time and she cheered on Matsuri when needed. I was very intrigued having Matsuri at this venue as I wasn’t too knowledgeable about her singing before this performance; however, if it is anything like her singing here, I’m gonna have to start paying attention to her a bit more closely. What was really enjoyable was that she started off with “Shiny Smily Story”; and it was very refreshing. This track is usually sung in a group setting, so for Matsuri to be able to sing it solo was a great way for fans like myself, who don’t keep up with other members, to be able to hear how an iconic song from hololive is done. Her follow-up song was nice as well because it was “S(mile)ING”, a track Matsuri really likes, which in turn really helped to bring up the quality. While it was a bit of a mid-tempo track I ended up liking her rendition of it, and the way she acted several times was very cute. Matsuri then kicked it up a bit with the high energy song “U & I”. I absolutely loved her rendition of it as it matched her vocal style so much. It in turn made me want to listen to the original again as well. Matsuri finally left fans wanting more with “Fansa”, another amazing rendition, and she really got the crowd involved. The amount of energy “Fansa” emanated was incredible and really left an impression on me. I just loved Matsuri’s performance and it was one of the most enjoyable acts compared to the previous volumes, believe it or not.

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After-talk Segment

Like the previous seasons, Volume Four also included an after-talk segment and the duo started by talking about how enjoyable the performance was. The conversation was very fun and really showed that the duo are very close to each other. The girls also went into the crowd for the usual fan service, and it was very humorous when Luna was trying to show off her design for head patting and Matsuri tried to block her by making a T-shaped pose. This one moment was hilarious and one of my favorites of the performance. The pair also announced that they will be holding a Volume Five which will take place on April 24. It will star Fubuki Shirakami and Mio Ookami.

Overall, Season Two of this collaboration between VARK and hololive started with a bang with great performances by Luna Himemori and Matsuri Natsuiro. Matsuri really surprised me with her singing style and vocal range and left me wanting more. While Luna’s performance was also very strong, I enjoyed my time with Matsuri a bit more. Just from watching these two alone I can’t wait to see how Volume Five will stack up against them and this makes me hyped for the upcoming duo.

Concert Review: Cinderella switch Vol 3

Here we are, back with Volume Three of this highly unique collaboration between VR company VARK and the popular V-Tuber idol company hololive. This time, featured is the duo of Flare and Watame. Over the last couple of months of last year the two companies have banded together to bring the Cinderella switch live concerts. A duo from the company performs a 3D live, with one member onstage and another in the virtual crowd. They then switch roles for thefollowing performance. One of the added twists is that both concerts are VR viewable via a multiple of VR capable devices such as the Oculus Quest and PlayStation VR. After the successful pairs of Kanata Amane and Marine Houshou and Towa Tokoyami and Roboco-San broke barriers with their amazing performances in Volumes One and Two, how does the pair of Flare Shiranui and Watame Tsunomaki stack up against them?

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Watame Tsunomaki

First up was Watame Tsunomaki taking the grand stage with Flare in the “crowd”. As someone who hasn’t watched much Flare content I found it quite amazing to see her designs up close—and while yes, I was in a VR setting so of course I could see a bit more detail, I was very impressed. Watame’s intro “Doremifa Rondo,” was just classic and got the ball rolling with the high energy track. Her vocals are just out of this world and have that “idol feel” you can just tell by listening to her first song along with the follow up ”Sheep -Song of teenage love soldier-”. I was highly anticipating Watame’s performance out of the first six artists who were in this collaboration because of the idol-like glow-up she has while singing—and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Her banter with Flare in the crowd was also quite enjoyable and she did the traditional concert thing of pumping up the fans with calls, saying, “Fans with VR, clap!” and “Ladies only, clap!”, and such. Her stage presence was taken to another level with her track , by having intense camerawork along with flashy stage transitions. Flare also did amazingly as a part of the crowd audience, as she replied at the right time and seemed to have the right sayings at the appropriate moments. This alone was probably one of the strongest acts of the duo. Watame didn’t let off the gas with an incredible finale “Connect”; just by listening to her sing the first verse you can tell she’s a natural for live concerts like this.

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Flare Shiranui

Switch to Flare Shiranui taking the stage with Watame on crowd side seating. Even though this was my third time around viewing this style of live concert, I was still just blown away by the pageantry of the whole thing and that illusion of having that other guest next to you reacting to the whole act was just so futuristic. Nothing more proves my point than, in Flare’s performance, having the other person (Watame) have such natural interactions with the vocalist. It’s something very intriguing to watch play out and gives the show that more natural idol feel with these V-tubers. Watame was also very interesting as the concertgoer next to you, as she gave commentary during transitions and made various sound effects to kill the time before Flare’s next song, especially in the beginning when they were having some issues.

While the beginning stuttered a bit it was worth it, as Flare’s first song’s “Luminous”, stage transitions were absolutely fantastic, giving off a “starry night” feel at times. Her vocal range for this act was also on-point, as I do like the original version, but she knocked it out of the park with such grace. Flare’s transition to the second song, “Reckless fire” was great; she held a high tempo composition and really showed how well she can reach notes in a lower pitch. Her mixing it up even more to a more cutesy idol track with the camerawork was fantastic, as its positions would be like those of AKB48. Watame was also able to chime in with the “Hai Hai Hai!” replies which are normally seen in songs like these and she was exceptionally well in the banter during their part of the performance as well. Flare’s last performance with the track, “schwarzweiß -Kirino Mukouni Tsunagaru Sekai-” was a pure spectacle; the stage presence was amazing and while it did take somewhat of a different turn, it overall didn’t distract me from a sensational finale.

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After-Talk Segment

Like with the previous two concerts, Volume Three also included an after-talk segment and the duo started by talking about particular dance movements the girls executed. The conversation was very fun and really showed that the duo are very close to each other. The girls also went into the crowd and showed off both of their designs side-by-side very well. The fan service was done quite well, using head pats on both the viewer and the artist, along with a very nice hug which is nice for the fans of the girls. Watame also did a head nuzzle (her design is that of a sheep with a small horn) and the duo did a very dangerous Wakipai showoff which fans loved the most. They also announced that they will be holding a second season with Volume Four taking place in March.

Volume Three of this collaboration between VARK and hololive was as great as the first two shows, with out of this world performances by both Watame and Flare. Overall I enjoyed all three performances but this one was my favorite. With a pair of amazing vocalists with various ranges along with spectacular stage presence, this duo really impressed me the most. This collaboration was fun to watch and I can’t wait to watch and review Volume Four and beyond!

Concert Review: Cinderella switch Vol 2

Back and better than ever for Volume Two of this highly unique collaboration between VR company VARK and popular V-Tuber idol company hololive, the live concert this time featured the duo of Towa Tokoyami and Roboco-san. Over the last couple of months the two companies have banded together to bring the Cinderella switch live concerts. These feature a duo from the company performing a 3D live with one member onstage and the other in the virtual crowd, the two switching places with each other for the following performance. One of the added twists is that both concerts are VR viewable via multiple VR capable devices such as the Oculus Quest and PlayStation VR. After the highly successful duo of Kanata and Marine set the bar from their amazing performance in Volume One, how does the pair of Towa and Roboco stack up against them?

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Towa Tokoyami

For the first round of performances Towa Tokoyami took the stage first, with Roboco-san standing in the crowd; like with the previous performance, one of the amazing things first noticed is the feeling that the member in the virtual crowd is right there next to you, remarking on the show. Roboco was an amazing hype person, reacting at the right moments and pumping the “crowd” at the right time.

I’ve watched Towa’s performances in the past but this blew them out of the water right from the get-go; her song “Grave” and her smoky and low vocal range is just amazing and honestly can’t be compared to. This energy didn’t stop with her second track “Kyoran Hey Kids!!”, as it had a high tempo banger of a composition as well. This time around the crowd was a bit more involved, participating through the “Hai Hai Hai!” ask-and-response parts of the song. One of the more adorable things to happen in the performance was that Roboco didn’t know when the response would end and had added an additional “Hai Hai Hai” before noticing that she had overstepped. Like the previous performance, Towa also stepped into the “crowd” for extra appeal, which is great for fans. Her fourth song, “GIRAFFE BLUES” was absolutely spectacular as it was; it was just a great ballad that paired very well with her vocals. This along with the shifting of the stage atmosphere was great and was one of my favorite acts of the performance. Overall, Towa killed it with her performance and she, too, raised the bar for future performances in terms of pure stage spectacle.

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Roboco-San

I was extremely excited to see that Roboco-San was in one of the performances, as she was one of my favorites and being able to hear her catchphrase on such an amazing stage was just incredible. Having the crowd reactions chime in with fan chants was great and helped push the ambiance of it appearing as a live concert as well. Several of the songs were picks that she has done in the past, and while she isn’t the strongest vocalist, a lot of the tracks chosen matched her style perfectly. While the latter half of Roboco’s performance headed towards usual idol affair, I was extremely happy she did a cover of fellow member Subaru’s track, along with the debut of her version of the popular song “KING”. Stage effects were added to Roboco’s performance which I absolutely loved, such as hearts flying out from the background at certain parts, which added to the overall ambiance. The thing that I was somewhat disappointed in was Towa’s “crowd” interaction, but that’s only because I think Roboco did a great job supporting the crowd.

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After-Talk Segment

Like the previous installment, the after-talk segment between Towa Tokoyami and Roboco-San was absolutely amazing. The conversation about eating yakiniku after a live performance was entertaining and brought more personality to the pair. Something I noticed that I hadn’t in Volume One was that the difference in microphones and noise ambience differed when the duo was on stage versus when they were in the “crowd”, and this is a quality that I really appreciate. I did like the fact that they reeled back the fan service this time around, too; however, the lack of 3D for this part was somewhat noticeable, as several points of the conversation were about the outfits. Both girls were great MCs for this part, playing great off of each other and they did an amazing job hyping

up Volume Three. Volume Two of this collaboration between VARK and hololive was just as great as the first, mostly thanks to Towa’s amazing vocals and Roboco’s spectacular stage presence matching Kanata and Marine’s beat-to-beat. While I did have some gripes about this one compared to the first, they did not detract from my overall enjoyment and I can’t wait for Volume Three!

Concert Review: Cinderella switch Vol 1

The allure of the grand digital stage being showered by stars and flowers is not foreign to celebrities of V-tuber idol company hololive. However, in collaboration with VR company VARK, the girls are able to do something different this time around including celebrate with their fans. Over the last couple of months the two companies have banded together to bring the Cinderella switch live concerts. Originally taking place back in September of last year, these feature a duo from the company performing a 3D live with one member onstage and the other in the virtual crowd, the two switching places with each other for the following performance. One of the added twists is that both concerts are able to be VR viewable via multiple VR capable devices such as the Oculus Quest and PlayStation VR.

For the first part of this amazing collaboration, members Kanata Amane and Marine Houshou took the stage, with Kanata going up first and Marine hanging with the virtual “crowd”. One of the amazing things I first noticed was the immersion of the scene; it felt as though Marine was right there next to me as a friend, giving commentary about the performance. I was initially hesitant about watching something like this, as it really has that idol stream feel with the comments just zooming by and the cheers from the “crowd”, along with the other members chiming in from time to time by becoming the mood-maker during the live. However, the stage and camerawork is amazing that even when viewing the show in 2D the viewer won’t feel like they lost anything extra compared to 3D viewers.

Another great thing that I absolutely love about virtual lives is that the performers are not limited to having the stage as their background. I also adore the interactions between idols and the “crowd”, and while hololive’s usual karaoke livestreams or live performances are great, having that second member in the “crowd” the performer can “bounce off of” is something that can’t be replicated in typical virtual lives. This works especially well with Kanata and Marine as they converse very well with each other by sharing several inside jokes, which the fans just love them for. They even mimic each other’s catchphrase motions.

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Kanata Amane

First up was Kanata Amane and I admittedly wasn’t very knowledgeable about her singing skill before this; however, in the short time that live was going on, she became a member I absolutely am paying more attention to in the future. Her vocal range is absolutely out of this world. She’s able to hold notes absurdly long and she can hit deeper pitches in several of the songs. With songs like “Rettou Joutou” and “The Narrow Way”, I was just floored by how Kanata could hit the notes she did, along with the scene transition for “Outsider”, I was so excited to hear something like that. Something very interesting they did for the stage change from Kanata to Marine’s performance was the background stage changing color to match the respective member’s color.

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Marine Houshou

For Marine Houshou’s performance I would have to say I was extremely excited as she is a member of hololive I do follow, and seeing her on a 3D stage like this was very hype for me. Having watched several of her singing livestreams in the past, I knew what was in store for me when she took the stage.

During her first performance, she was adding her own twist on ”Lum's Love Song” which I loved and Kanata in turn reacted perfectly with the back-and-forth during the end of it. “Tengoku to Jigogu” was a nice changeup as it was a more rock infused track. The banter with Kanata in the “crowd” was really great and that’s when it clicked for me that concerts like these are absolutely amazing from the gimmick alone. Marine’s last track was “Ahoy!! Warera Shoshou Kaizokudan”. Now I absolutely love this song and hearing it in a live atmosphere is something I’ll never forget. Seeing Kanata also reacting to it added to the illusion of being in an actual live.

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After-Talk Segment

What’s also very interesting for Cinderella switch is at the end of the performance the duo has a very special after-talk segment. The segment has both members on stage talking about the performance. Along with it is a close-up version of both Marine and Kanata in the crowd as though they were there physically in front of you—along with a very dangerous headpat, hug, and virtual kiss, making this an amazing experience for fans.

Overall, the first collaboration between VARK and hololive was absolutely amazing, especially with it bringing that live concert feeling which some people have been craving for over the past year. If the rest of the collaborations are even half as enjoyable as this one, fans are surely in for a treat.