VTuber Subscriber Count Rankings

VTubers are two-dimensional personalitys that distribute videos as YouTubers. Once you learn about VTubers, you might start wondering which VTubers are popular.
In this article, let’s explore the VTuber subscriber rankings while also taking a closer look at some of these VTubers!

VTuber YouTube Subscriber Rankings (As of October 2024)

We will examine the rankings of YouTube channels operated as individual VTuber accounts, excluding those managed by VTuber agencies. When you think of VTubers, this ranking likely comes to mind first, doesn’t it? Let’s start by looking at the sixth place.
Please note that due to changes in YouTube’s specifications in September 2019 (Reiwa 1), subscriber counts are now approximate, and the increase or decrease in numbers is estimated based on changes over several days.

6th Place: Kobo Kanaeru (2.58 million)

In 6th place is Kobo Kanaeru, a member of the Japanese major VTuber agency Hololive, belonging to the ID (Indonesia) 3rd generation. Her name is written in hiragana, and she has a fair command of Chinese and Japanese. However, as indicated by her affiliation with ID, her main streams are in Indonesian and English. Known as a Rain Shaman, she is often referred to as a “mischievous kid” by other VTubers in Hololive due to her spontaneous and unconventional behavior and streams. Despite this, she possesses talents in various areas. For instance, in singing, some of her original songs have surpassed 17 million views.
https://hololive.hololivepro.com/talents/kobo-kanaeru/[ja]

5th Place: Usada Pekora (2.62 million subscribers)

In 5th place is Usada Pekora, a member of the third generation of Hololive talents. Known for her signature greeting “Konpeko!” and her bunny ears, Pekora is active on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, where she streams and engages in music activities with her original songs. Taking advantage of the Year of the Rabbit, she launched the “#GlobalRabbitTransformationProject” in 2023 (Reiwa 5), which included daily streams and various projects. This effort significantly increased her subscriber count, earning her a spot in the rankings.
https://hololive.hololivepro.com/talents/usada-pekora/[ja]

4th Place: filian (2.89 million subscribers)

In 4th place is filian, a solo VTuber who operates primarily in the English-speaking world through the social VR platform “VRChat.” Despite her relatively recent debut in November 2021, she surpassed 100,000 subscribers by March 2022, just about four months later. Currently, she boasts an impressive 2.89 million subscribers. On March 8, 2024, filian’s YouTube channel achieved a milestone of 1 billion total views, marking a first for an individual VTuber. While her activities are mainly in the English-speaking regions, her recognition in Japan has not been very high. However, since the beginning of 2024, her popularity has been gradually increasing in Japan. We look forward to her future activities in the Japanese market.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvjNdLLy5sinqD92Axk8w-g[ja]

3rd Place: Kizuna AI (2.99 million subscribers)

When it comes to VTubers, many people might think of Kizuna AI. As a pioneer in the VTuber world, she ranks third on the list. Kizuna AI began her activities as a virtual talent in December 2016 (Heisei 28), and as the world’s first virtual YouTuber, she engaged not only in streaming but also in full-fledged music artist activities. Unfortunately, she is currently on an indefinite hiatus for updates. Fans eagerly await her return.
https://kizunaai.com/[ja]

Rank 2: Houshou Marine (3.44 million subscribers)

In second place, like Pekora, is Houshou Marine, a third-generation member of the Japanese talent agency Hololive. As the captain of the Houshou Pirates, Marine is not only active in streaming with her lively talk but also puts significant effort into her music activities. She has gained popularity with numerous original songs set in a pirate-themed world, and most of her music videos, including cover songs and original collaborations with overseas talents, have exceeded 5 million views. Additionally, she is skilled in illustration, to the extent that she hosts drawing streams with professional illustrators. Marine’s strengths lie in her engaging talk, singing ability, and artistic skills, offering a multitude of charms that keep her audience entertained.
https://hololive.hololivepro.com/talents/houshou-marine/[ja]

1st Place: Gawr Gura (4.51 million subscribers)

The prestigious 1st place goes once again to Gawr Gura, a member of Hololive EN (English) “Myth.” Known as a descendant of Atlantis, she is affectionately called “Shark-chan” due to her favorite shark-themed outfit. Although she is an English speaker, she diligently studies Japanese and occasionally collaborates with Japanese Hololive VTubers in her streams. Her ability to fluently use both English and Japanese has helped her gain fans from both Japan and overseas, securing her the top spot.
https://hololive.hololivepro.com/talents/gawr-gura/[ja]

By the Way

We have ranked the top six individuals based on the number of video posts (including stream archives and shorts).

1st Place: Usada Pekora – 1,857 videos (5th in subscribers)
2nd Place: Houshou Marine – 1,137 videos (2nd in subscribers)
3rd Place: filian – 1,167 videos (4th in subscribers)
4th Place: Gawr Gura – 541 videos (1st in subscribers)
5th Place: Kobo Kanaeru – 524 videos (6th in subscribers)
6th Place: Kizuna AI – 113 videos (3rd in subscribers)

Although Kizuna AI has an extremely low number of posts due to the absence of stream archives, it was surprising to find that Gawr Gura, who was previously ranked 1st, has only about one-third of Pekora’s posts. While the number of posts is a factor in subscriber count, it does not appear to be an absolute condition.

(Source: YouTube Channel, October 2024 Survey)

Top 3 Fastest Achievements of 1 Million Subscribers (As of October 2024)

Now that we’ve reviewed the current subscriber counts, it’s worth noting that long-term activity can be advantageous. As a bonus, let’s take a look at which VTubers quickly reached the milestone of 1 million YouTube subscribers—a goal many streamers aspire to achieve. Specifically, we’ll identify the VTubers who went viral right from the start.

3rd Place: Kobo Kanaeru (105 Days from Debut)

Kobo, who ranked 6th in subscriber count, takes the 3rd spot here. Kobo also achieved 2 million subscribers in just 389 days, ranking 2nd among all VTubers.

2nd Place: Gawr Gura (39 Days from Debut)

Gura, who was 1st in subscriber count, surprisingly ranks 2nd here. However, Gura surpassed Kobo by reaching 2 million subscribers in just 127 days, securing the 1st position.

1st Place: Hyakumantenbara Salome (14 Days from Debut)

From the major Japanese VTuber agency Nijisanji, Hyakumantenbara Salome achieved the top spot with an astonishing speed of 14 days. Salome is the first female VTuber from Nijisanji to surpass 1 million subscribers. Although she currently ranks 20th with 1.81 million subscribers, several factors contributed to her rapid success. These include her unique solo debut within Nijisanji, her distinctive “desuwa” speech style, and the impactful first stream where she shared an image of her own endoscopy. These elements helped her achieve 1 million subscribers in just two weeks.
https://www.nijisanji.jp/talents/l/salome-hyakumantenbara[ja]

Summary: Factors for a VTuber’s Original Song Hit Extend Beyond Singing Ability

While singing and streaming frequency are keys to increasing subscribers, capturing popularity in English-speaking regions is also crucial. Additionally, the initial impact can be considered a significant factor.
Although VTuber awareness among the general public overseas seems to be still developing, given the rapid growth of the global VTuber market, it is likely that VTubers in English-speaking regions will continue to expand.