Look, you already read that headline and I’m sure most of you probably don’t quite believe it yet. But it’s true: Bub, that cute little dragon from Bubble Bobble, is officially becoming a VTuber. We’re not joking.
The news comes directly from the source as Taito celebrates the 35th anniversary of Bubble Bobble. The official Bubble Bobble YouTube channel uploaded a video on August 26th in which Bub himself celebrated his 10th birthday. (He’s actually 35 years old, but don’t tell him that.) Alongside the reveal of Bub’s brand-new voice, the character also revealed his VTuber avatar as well as mentioning plans for video game streams in the future.
The VTuber model demonstration only lasts a short while, with Bub promising future VTuber content in the future. We’ll have to wait and see what’s in store for Bub’s streaming career, but we’ll say this for now: Bub’s got an adorable voice. So he’s got that going for him!
You can view the announcement video below. (Note: Make sure you turn on English subtitles!)
What led up to this Bubble Bobble VTuber announcement?
Despite what you might think, VTuber models based on popular video game characters aren’t a new idea. Recently, SEGA turned its famous hedgehog into a VTuber with Sonic’s iconic actor Jun’ichi Kanemaru supplying the voice. As the trend gains popularity in Japan, it’s not unexpected that companies would take advantage of the growing market to promote their products.
You might also be surprised to learn that Bub’s had a presence as a content creator for a while now. Since March 2020, the Bubble Bobble YouTube channel, Bub’s Broadcast, has been pumping out videos featuring the real dragon — or perhaps it’s actually a person in a very convincing Bub costume? — exploring the sights and sounds of Japan. Such content includes a video where Bub and some guy attempt to win ramen noodles from an arcade machine. Because, you know, Japan.
You can check out Bub’s Broadcast here! Unfortunately, it seems most of the other videos have no English subtitles, so keep that in mind if you take a look.
What do you think of Bub’s new voice and VTuber model? Let us know!
Via Siliconera.
