Gawr Gura (がうる・ぐら, Gauru Gura) is a virtual YouTuber affiliated with Hololive English.[2][3] She is a member of Hololive English – Myth (stylized as HoloMyth), alongside Takanashi Kiara [ja] (小鳥遊キアラ), Mori Calliope,[4] Ninomae Ina'nis [ja] (一伊那尓栖), and Watson Amelia.[5] She debuted on September 13, 2020, and has since become the most subscribed virtual YouTuber, amassing over 4 million subscribers.[6][7][8] Her livestreams focus on entertainment, and primarily consist of Let's Plays, karaoke, and chats with the audience. Gura is often called "Same-chan" in Japan, same (サメ) meaning shark.[9]

Gawr Gura
Gawr Gura as designed by Amashiro Natsuki
Personal information
BornJune 20
OccupationVirtual YouTuber
Websitehololive.hololivepro.com/en/talents/gawr-gura/
YouTube information
Channel
Created byAmashiro Natsuki (character design)
Years active2020–present
Genres
Subscribers4.52 million[1]
Total views413.14 million[1]
NetworkHololive English
Contents are inEnglish, Japanese
100,000 subscribers2020
1,000,000 subscribers2020

Last updated: October 5th, 2024

Career

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Cover Corporation announced auditions for English speakers from April 23 to May 24, 2020, following the global success of its Japanese VTuber lineup.[10][11] The design of Gawr Gura was illustrated by Amashiro Natsuki,[12][13] and the original modeling was done by Shin Umiushi.[14]

Gura's Twitter activities first began on September 9, 2020.[15] Her first YouTube livestream was broadcast at 6 am JST on September 13,[16] to a viewership of approximately 45,000 people; the VOD gained over 800,000 views in the span of three days.[17] On November 28, "Gawr Gura" was listed in the Niconico Japanese Internet Pop 100 as one of the top 100 most popular search terms of that year on Niconico and Pixiv, ranking 99th.[18]

Her channel reached 1 million subscribers on October 22, 2020,[19][20] which was the fastest growth of any VTuber channel. She is the third VTuber overall to reach 1 million, behind Kizuna AI and Kaguya Luna [jp].[19] On January 18, her channel subscribers surpassed 2 million, making her the second VTuber to reach this milestone, second only to Kizuna AI,[21][22] and she celebrated with a karaoke stream on January 23.[23] On May 7, her first outfit reveal stream reached a peak of 194,280 simultaneous viewers,[24][25] breaking the VTuber record previously held by Sakura Miko (about 145,000).[26][27] Her first original song, "REFLECT", was released on June 21, 2021.[28][29] On June 30, 5:01 a.m. (UTC+0), she reached 2.97 million subscribers on July 1, surpassing Kizuna AI as the most subscribed VTuber on YouTube.[30][31][32][33][34] On July 4, she became the first VTuber to reach 3 million subscribers, and subsequently 4 million subscribers on June 16, 2022.[7][35][36]

On July 3, 2021, it was announced that a Gawr Gura Nendoroid figure would be produced,[37][38] and on August 6, pre-orders for the figure were opened.[39] On March 18, 2022, following her 3D debut live performance at Makuhari Messe, it was announced that the life-sized figure and 1/7-scale figure of Gura, which were both displayed at the expo, would be auctioned for charity.[40][41]

On April 25, 2022, Cover Corporation announced the Hololive Meet project, featuring all the talent from across Hololive Production and aims to accelerate the expansion of Hololive Production into international markets[42] and named Gawr Gura, Tokino Sora and Ayunda Risu as ambassadors for the project. The three appeared at Anime Expo the same year.[43]

On December 2, 2022, Cover Corporation announced a collaboration with musician Deco*27, named "Holo*27", featuring Hololive talents to perform at the Holo*27 stage at the Hololive 4th Fest. Our Bright Parade on March 19, 2023, named Gura as one of the participating members.[44]

 
A Hololive Production ad featuring Gura, March 2023

On February 8, 2023, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government appointed Gura, fellow Hololive Myth member Mori Calliope and Hololive Japan member Sakura Miko as Tokyo Tourism Ambassadors with the aim of "increasing the number of visitors and revitalizing the region" for potential visitors. Hololive Production noted that the three will "share the attractions of Tokyo to the world".[45][46][47][48]

On March 13, 2023, in the lead up to Hololive 4th Fes. Our Bright Parade, Cover Corporation introduced a new series of billboards across 9 Tokyo Metro train lines, featuring all Hololive members, debuting a new slogan "A new daily life is around the corner".[49] On March 18, following Day 1 of 4th Fes. Hololive announced that all ten members of Hololive English will hold their first concert, "Connect the World", on July 2, to be held at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, California.[50][51] At Connect the World, Gura introduced a new song "Full Color", to be released at a later date.

On July 1, 2023, Cover Corporation announced their annual "Hololive Summer" Event,[52] featuring a two-day "Splash Party!" concert, a Summer Shorts relay on YouTube and the release of "Seishun Archive" as the event's theme song.

On November 27, 2023, the City of Sendai and Cover Corporation announced a collaboration featuring Gura at the Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium. Dubbed "Gurarium in Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium" and beginning in January 2024, Sendai and Gura will promote the city and the surrounding regions featuring original artwork and narration at the aquarium.[53]

On June 1, 2024, Cover Corporation announced a collaboration with the Major League Baseball team Los Angeles Dodgers for a special "Hololive Night" event scheduled for July 5, 2024, which includes commemorative trading cards featuring Gura, and Hololive Japan members Hoshimachi Suisei and Usada Pekora.[54] The talent announced the opening introduction 'Time for Dodger Baseball', and Gura sang the traditional song Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning of the game featuring the Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers.[55] Later in the month, on June 8, Cover announced "Breaking Dimensions" Hololive English's 2nd Concert, which was held on August 24 & 25, 2024 at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, where 15 members of Hololive English performed.[56]

Popularity

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Gawr Gura cosplay at Comic World

On September 9, 2020, Gura posted her first tweet with the word "a".[57] On September 13, her first live broadcast was delayed and her first words were "a" ([æ]).[21] Later, the broadcast was interrupted due to equipment problems, leaving tens of thousands of users typing "a" in the chat room, waiting for the broadcast to resume.[58] "a" quickly became an internet meme. This, combined with the overall popular surge of VTubers (and virtual reality in general) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,[59] likely contributed to Gura's fast success.[58] Only forty days after her debut, she had reached one million subscribers, becoming the first Hololive VTuber to do so.[60]

Appearances outside YouTube

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TV programs

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  • Cameo appearance in a Taco Bell commercial that aired on July 23, 2021, as part of a sponsorship for their Nacho Fries product.[61][62] According to creative director Daniel Chen, Taco Bell is the first American company to feature a VTuber.[63]

Video games

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Live events

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Discography

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Singles

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Release date Title Catalog no. URL(s)
June 22, 2021 "REFLECT" CVRD-048 Original Music Video
November 26, 2023 "Tokyo Wabi-Sabi Lullaby" CVRD-360 Original Music Video
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Release date Title Singers Catalog no.
March 14, 2021 Hololive English -Myth- Image Soundtrack (ft. Camellia) CVRD-036
September 19, 2021 "Domination! All the World Is an Ocean" Minato Aqua, Houshou Marine, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura CVRD-077
January 14, 2022 "Journey Like a Thousand Years" Mori Calliope, Takanashi Kiara, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura, Watson Amelia CVRD-113
February 5, 2022 "Q" Mori Calliope, Gawr Gura CVRD-126
August 29, 2022 "It Comes Ryuuu And It goes Kyuuu" Minato Aqua, Houshou Marine, Sakamata Chloe, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura CVRD-205
September 28, 2022 "Non-Fiction" Mori Calliope, Takanashi Kiara, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura, Watson Amelia CVRD-220
February 17, 2023 "Sweet Appetite" Gawr Gura, Hakos Baelz TFDS-00889
May 3, 2023 "UMISEA no SACHIHAPPY!" Minato Aqua, Houshou Marine, Sakamata Chloe, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura CVRD-286
June 17, 2023 "Connect the World" Mori Calliope, Takanashi Kiara, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura, Watson Amelia, IRyS, Ceres Fauna, Ouro Kronii, Nanashi Mumei, Hakos Baelz CVRD-299
July 2, 2023 "Seishun Archive" Tokino Sora, Shikarami Fubuki, Minato Aqua, Hoshimachi Suisei, Amane Kanata, Moona Hoshinova, Airani Iofifteen, Takanashi Kiara, Gawr Gura CVRD-303
August 14, 2023 "Ocean wave Party☆Live" Minato Aqua, Houshou Marine, Sakamata Chloe, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura CVRD-318
November 13, 2023 "SHINKIRO" Houshou Marine, Gawr Gura CVRD-351
January 11, 2024 "ReUnion" Mori Calliope, Takanashi Kiara, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura, Watson Amelia CVRD-385
March 15, 2024 "Can You Do the Hololive? Hololive SUPER EXPO 2024 ver." Hololive IDOL Project [i] CVRD-404
June 26, 2024 "Give up! I want to be reincarnated" DYES IWASAKI, Gawr Gura
August 15, 2024 "Breaking Dimensions" Mori Calliope, Takanashi Kiara, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura, Watson Amelia, IRyS, Ceres Fauna, Ouro Kronii, Nanashi Mumei, Hakos Baelz, Shiori Novella, Koseki Bijou, Nerissa Ravencroft, Fuwawa Abyssgard, Mococo Abyssgard CVRD-448
September 15, 2024 "The Show Goes On!" Mori Calliope, Takanashi Kiara, Ninomae Ina'nis, Gawr Gura, Watson Amelia CVRD-471

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Result Ref.
2023 Streamy Awards VTuber Won [65]
The Vtuber Awards Most Dedicated Fanbase
(Chumbuds)
Won [66]

References

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  1. ^ This song features 63 talent from Hololive Japan, Hololive Indonesia, Hololive English and Hololive DEV_IS
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