INTERVIEW with Independent VTubers: Bolts the Mechanic

The moment this VTuber profile series was approved, I knew I had to reach out to Bolts the Mechanic! A peer in the anime journalism space, Bolts’ love of the kind of mascot-centric games that defined the childhoods of many folks in their 20s and 30s is immediately apparent in their avatar. I’m proud to know Bolts irl, and can promise that they’re as fun and charming in real life as they are on stream.

What’s the elevator pitch for you and your channel?

My name is Bolts the Mechanic! I am a retro variety streamer here to provide nostalgic vibes alongside crazy down bad energy.

Why’d you get into VTubing? What makes VTubing preferable to traditional streaming or “fleshtubing” for you?

Originally I got into VTubing out of convenience. Back at the beginning of 2023, I wanted to stream more consistently to not think about a lot of complicated things that were going on in my life at the time and I thought using an avatar would be a lot easier than constantly showing my face. After cosplaying for years, I always thought I needed to doll myself up and look presentable when on camera, but I didn’t want to do that four times a week. I think the difference between being a fleshtuber versus using a virtual avatar is kind of in the same vein as why there’s a difference between liveaction entertainment, versus animated entertainment. Maybe people find the liveaction stuff more relatable, and there are subtle yet impressionable nuances to the way that a streamer reacts to certain things when they are using their actual body. However, VTubers, especially recently, have been able to tap into a level of interactive creativity that I think is only going to get better as time goes on.

How does VTubing fit into your life and broader career? Is it something you are trying to do full-time or is it closer to a side-hustle that bolsters your other pursuits?

Originally VTubing was just a hobby/distraction but for the past year, I have been treating it a lot more seriously with the intention of it being a full-time career. I already do a lot of freelance content creation for other outlets so it would be ideal if I could turn VTubing into another pillar of content creation. Right now, I’m not quite at that level yet as I balance VTubing alongside my full-time job working in education and all of the other freelance opportunities that I try to take. But I try my best to funnel the money and expertise I garner from all of these other professional avenues into my VTubing since that content is 100% my own.

Outside of VTubing, you’re a reviewer and reporter in the anime space. Has VTubing changed your perspective on the anime industry and community?

I wouldn’t necessarily say that one industry has impacted my impression of the other. I do think that the growing global appeal of anime has contributed to why virtual avatars are so popular. At least in the space where I operate, there isn’t a lot of overlap or discussion regarding anime. If anything, I’m often the one in my group of friends or collaborators that will bring up anime because of my background reporting on it. I do think that a lot of Youtubers like to look at the anime aesthetic as a source of inspiration but recently, we’ve been seeing a lot of indie people take a few steps away from that in order to create more distinctly unique styles.

What are the biggest issues in the VTubing space right now and, subsequently, how can the VTubing space improve?

One of my biggest issues with the VTubing community is that there is very little diversity and creativity at the upper industry levels. Major corporations like Vshojo and hololive are starting to branch out and take on more talent that don’t immediately fit into the early generational molds of when those companies first started. But I think we could push the envelope a bit more in terms of the different types of people and the different types of content that can have all of this industry backing behind them. Maybe it would be nice if those major companies took on more colored models or openly LGBTQ+ creators or creators that have designs that completely go against the idol performance brand?

Do you have any advice for people looking to start VTubing?

Try to decide very early on why you want to get out of the space and commit to it. If you just wanna get into it for the fun and randomness, then go crazy. But if you’re somebody who really wants to make this some semblance of a career, you need to be willing to put in the work. We are past the point where going LIVE on Twitch is enough for you to garner an audience. You need to study social media, you need to understand how different platforms work, you need to have a solid idea of what brand you wanna have. Even if you get lucky and grow right away, you need to develop certain skills in order to maintain that success or push it even further. Have a plan, commit to it, and be willing to adapt if things don’t immediately go your way.