Following a landmark deal that will connect some VTubers signed under Mythic Talent to the Chinese audience, VTuber NewsDrop has spoken to the executives at Los Angeles-based NOA Talent agency; as well as its parent, Shanghai-based Metishon multi-channel network.

Metishon Boasts a Huge Following

In order to understand NOA, we have to first understand their parent company, given a handful of negative press it received in online communities overseas.

Metishon was set up in 2020 which offers services to a broader range of VTubers, or Virtual UP(loaders, or VUP) as they are referred to in China. NOA's parent aim to help their affiliated talents operate professionally, especially those who suffered from unfair treatment.

According to them, their current domestic fanbase exceeds 36 million. This translates to around 2.55% of that country's population. "VUPs in Metishon generate a total annual view count of 1.1 billion. The company's monthly revenue exceeds ten million, ranking second in the Bilibili VUP field.

"On the technology front, Metishon has developed the PASSxPASS product. This self-developed tool uses mobile devices as the primary medium and allows for the creation of personalized virtual avatars. It serves as a 3D streaming tool in an anime style, enabling interactive live streaming events."

NOA Talent, as Metishon's overseas division, currently lists in its website 11 talents under its roster, three of whom are streaming in Mandarin.

How Did the NOA and Mythic Partnership Happen?

"NOA Talent is actively facilitating Mythic's genuine entry into the Chinese market by fostering deeper collaborations with major domestic companies," it continued. "Given the unique cultural, regulatory, and operational barriers present in China compared to Western markets, we are dedicated to helping our partners navigate and overcome these challenges."

So how does this deal work? "We are leveraging our extensive network to significantly enhance their market influence in China. The collaboration includes, but is not limited to, sponsorship deals, live streaming partnerships, and merchandise collaborations." The company is confident that both parties will quickly benefit from this partnership.

What Led Mythic to Tap the Chinese Market?

Mythic's decision to tap the Chinese market was not all of a sudden, but was based on audience behavior: "Since 2021, Mythic Talent's VTubers have seen their Chinese fanbase grow organically. Dedicated fans have been creating and uploading translated clips of their videos to domestic platforms, showcasing the unique and varied performances of these VTubers. This grassroots effort has significantly contributed to their popularity, with many of their viral videos garnering between 200,000 to over a million views."

"The high recognition and accumulated popularity of Mythic Talent's VTubers in China played a crucial role in their decision to enter the Chinese VUP market. The substantial engagement metrics and the evident demand for their content highlighted a robust opportunity for expansion. The enthusiastic reception and support from Chinese fans underscored the market's potential, making it a strategic move for Mythic Talent to officially establish a presence in China."

Testing the Waters at the Country’s Biggest Internet Culture Expo

Days after the deal was announced, NOA and Metishon wasted no time virtually bringing in talents under Mythic to this year's Bilibili World during the weekend of July 12 to 14.

Shylily, Senz, Saruei, Filian, and Nyatasha Nyanners were virtually present at Mythic's own booth, side-by-side with NOA's. "The participation of Mythic's VTuber talents at the Bilibili World expo in Shanghai was a result of a last-minute invitation from Bilibili officials."

So how were the overseas talents received by the Chinese audience, even with the last-minute arrangement? "Despite the limited prior promotion, the response from the Chinese fans exceeded our expectations, especially when the promotional video introducing Mythic to the Chinese market was broadcasted on the main stage's large screen at the expo. The audience's enthusiastic reception was a highlight."

Filian, Nyanners, Cy Yu, Shylily, Senz and Silvervale prepared their video greetings in the said promo video.

NOA is aware of the concerns VTubers have in entering the Chinese viewer market. "It's well-known that the VTuber community in China has faced challenges in synchronizing with the global scene due to various well-documented reasons.

"Foreign VTubers often encounter significant difficulties when trying to stream on Chinese platforms, and domestically, Chinese VTubers rarely gain acceptance in foreign markets. Through our collaboration with Mythic, we aim to address these pain points and foster a more integrated global VTuber community on Bilibili."

A separate feature story will discuss how overseas VTubers can tap into the Chinese audience – from NOA and Metishon's perspective – will be released soon.

（This article is reprinted with permission from https://vtubernewsdrop.com/）