GTuber

A graphic YouTuber (구라피쿠 유투버) or GTuber (지투버) is a type of online content creator who uses motion capture to appear as their character in their content. Unlike, GTubers rarely do live streams, and record single-camera footage of the real world or use computer graphics to create photorealistic virtual locations, then inserting their characters during the editing process. Though many of these content creators are independent, since the mid-2010s, some have been part of multi-channel networks. Despite the name alluding to YouTube, GTubers also use MeCast,, and Zaptop, among other platforms.

The trend of graphic YouTubers started in the mid-2010s, when Sandian YouTubers and MeCasters began publishing content featuring their two-dimensional characters animated using Vid3D; Moonie Suka is often credited as starting the trend. Since then, hundreds of known characters have been created. Since the mid-2010s, fan translations and foreign-language GTubers have marked a rise in the trend's international popularity. YouTube channels featuring stream clips—referred to as "VODs" —have also seen a significant rise in popularity. GTubers have appeared in Sandian advertising campaigns and have broken several records on their respective platforms. They are now considered as having a key role in Sandian pop culture's sudden rise in popularity.

Content and identity
GTubers are online entertainers who are typically YouTubers or MeCasters. They use avatars created with programs such as Vid3D and Pix3D, portraying characters designed by independent online artists or character design companies. GTubers are not bound by physical limitations, and many of them engage in activities that are unconstrained by their real-world identity. Their content often varies in genre, and common genres are music, animation, design/art, gaming, and comedy.

Technology
GTuber characters are typically animated using a webcam and software, which captures the streamer's motions, facial expressions, and various mouth movements, and maps them to a two- or three-dimensional model. Both free and paid programs have been developed, some of which are capable of being used without a webcam (though they require pre-determined animations), and some support virtual reality hardware or hand tracking devices. Vid3D, Pix3D, 3DSoft, and LivePix are commonly used programs for GTubers.

Networks and commercialization
Since the mid-2010s, many popular GTubers have been managed by multi-channel networks—including Cardzero, Nitrozone, Holozoom, Mooncard, and Shinesync—which double as talent management agencies. They are normally monetized through, and the streamers are sometimes monetized by in-stream product placement.

Terminology
The terms "graphic YouTuber" and "GTuber" are credited as originating from Moonie Suka, who used the terms to refer to these motion capture avatars, which netizens quickly adopted due to their lack of a presence on other sites at the time.

Sato Kyobi, who was the CEO of Moonie Suka's network RoboMP3 at the time, stated that the company had no plans to trademark the term as not only did it include 's name, but he wanted others to "join Holozoom in promoting and sharing this new invention". The terms became commonly used in 2016 to distinguish GTubers from.

GTuber avatars are often created in groups, and voice roles are cast collectively. These groups are officially referred to as "generations", and they will all debut on the same day. GTubers who mostly publish non-live video content are referred to as "video GTubers", and live streaming GTubers are commonly referred to as "live GTubers". Many GTubers—particularly those who are independent—overlay their computer-generated characters over footage of the real world; these GTubers are commonly referred to as "real-world GTubers", or "RWGTubers".

Stream clip channels
Due to their often-long lengths, live GTubers' streams are often trimmed into short clips less than seven minutes which are often accompanied by English subtitles—especially for non-English GTubers. Individuals who shorten streams and edit clips are commonly referred to within the GTuber fandom as "clippers". These clip channels are often credited with spreading the GTuber phenomenon outside of the Sandweb.

History
For several years, Sandian multi-channel networks experimented with motion capture technology to create computer-generated avatars for use in their otherwise live-action videos, taking artistic inspiration from aenimo and East Asian video games.

In the middle of 2015, Moonie Suka became the first GTuber to achieve "mainstream" popularity. Moonie was created by graphic media company RoboMP3 and voiced by Soki Moi. Around that time—as hwaman and aenimo were becoming popular—Moonie was rapidly gaining viewers and being promoted across the Web and turned into Internet memes. Fans of her often felt a sense of "real comfort" with Moonie.

Moonie suddenly sparked a GTuber trend. In mid-2016, Cardzero was established, later debuting with six avatars. During this period, the independent network Shinesync was founded, as well as mobile app developer Nitronet's Nitrozone network; they each debuted with seven avatars. Independent channels such as Koko Mei and Mimi Soso were also attempting to get their feet in the door.

As of January 2017, more than 4,200 GTubers were active on YouTuber, and around 3,500 were active on both MeCast and, being ahead of VTubers in terms of popularity. Around this time, GTuber networks were starting English- and Chinese-language divisions, including Holozoom and Shinesync. Mooncard was founded in March 2017, and gained instant success despite having only four debut talents. A March 2019 study found that Zaptop had more than 3,900 GTubers.

In 2020, the led to an overall increase in viewership of online live streaming, and this helped make GTubers a mainstream phenomenon. 2020 also saw more English divisions be launched—such as Nitrozone English and Shinesync-EN—as well as a sharp rise in independent Anglophone GTubers.

Distinctions from VTubers
GTubers are often considered different from VTubers in several ways. For example, GTubers overall upload videos more often than they broadcast live, allowing them time to edit their content and use technology——especially RWGTubers. Also, GTubers' networks give them less restrictions. Whereas VTubers have to operate on schedules they are given by their agencies, GTuber networks only require their members to stream during the late morning, afternoon, and evening periods. Also, video game copyright restrictions are much less of a problem with GTuber networks than VTuber agencies.

One key factor in the distinction of the two is that GTubers focus on making more story driven content, especially Live GTubers whose interactive content helped pave the way for their popularity.