The 1st VTuber
Grand Prix.
Your fans lift you up. A Grammy winner picks the champion. The prize——your own 3D avatar.
The 2D you, reborn in 3D.
Stream on your own YouTube channel, as always.
Applications closed on August 10, 2026, 11:59 PM PT (August 11, 3:59 PM Japan time). Thank you to everyone who applied. We're contacting applicants with screening results one by one.
From here: qualifying Aug 13–20 → Finalists announced Aug 21 → Champion announced Aug 24 (all planned).
◆Every entrant gets one category award (e.g., Best Voice — 1st Edition). You'll receive a certificate carrying a Grammy-winning producer's (digital) signature.
The prize is a 3D avatar
*For illustration only. The actual avatar will be produced based on the champion's 2D avatar.
How the Event Runs
On your YouTube channel, Aug 13–20 (qualifying round). Same gear, same streaming software as always.
In your own fan club (a Discord Anifie sets up for you). Anyone can join free during the Event. Anifie sets it up and runs it. Your own participation is optional.
Energy and Memory of Support cards carry 6 entrants into the Finals. Your fan club stays with you after the Event ends.
Music's highest honor, the Grammy Award. Its winner John Oetjen produces the prize and sends a critique to the first champion. It's your fans who lift you up——with their support behind you, John chooses the entrant with the most Memory of Support cards as the first champion, from among the 6 Finalists. The prize: your own 3D avatar. And the fan community stays with you after the Event ends.
50 slots (planned, screened)*. Open to anyone active with a 2D model, aged 18 or older. We reviewed each channel and are getting back to applicants as quickly as we can.
Host Anifie has run a metaverse spectator experience with Fujitsu for the 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships (Jakarta) (press release).
Every entrant gets a
"1st-Edition Category Award."
We'd already promised a certificate and a commemorative badge for every entrant——now the details are set. Choosing one overall champion still happens. On top of that, after reviewing every entrant's channel, we assign each one a category award, one per entrant. Not a ranking — a name for what makes your channel yours.
*Category names above are examples (actual names may differ). After reviewing each entrant's channel (description, stream content), we assign one category per entrant——one entrant per category. Announced together once entrants are finalized.
▸Fine print on category awards (how many, how named, when announced)
*Here, "entrant" means a person who passed screening after applying and was confirmed to take part. If you did not pass screening, we cannot provide a category award, certificate, or commemorative badge.
*The number of categories equals the number of entrants (if the entrant cap is expanded, the number of categories expands to match. Categories are not fixed in advance.)
*Category names are decided by the host. We'll notify you before announcement, and if there's a clear problem (e.g., an inappropriate term), we'll take one round of feedback from you. Once decided, changes or reissues generally aren't available.
*Category awards will be announced to all entrants on the same day as the champion announcement.
Each category award goes to one entrant. Your certificate carries your category name and the "1st Edition (2026)" mark. First edition only happens once.
A category-award certificate
signed by John Oetjen
Grammy winner John Oetjen's (digital) signature, your category name, and the "1st Edition" mark on a digital certificate, given to every entrant.
Commemorative badge (category colorway)
One badge design by John Oetjen's production team, given as a PNG in a different colorway per category. The design is shared by every entrant — no names or artwork added. Place it in a thumbnail corner or on your stream overlay.
A fan community on Discord
Your own locked room inside Anifie's Discord server stays with you as a fan community. (Leaving is free, any time.)
A new way to earn from fans
Sell "Memory of Support" cards as a new digital good for your fans, and keep 70%* of sales revenue.
You, in 3D.
· Rarely a chance to work with a Grammy-winning production team
· Usable in your regular streams*
You, who built your career in 2D, standing in 3D.
That's the prize of this Grand Prix.
Winner, 33rd Grammy Awards (1991), Best Long Form Music Video (GRAMMY.com).
*For illustration only. The actual 3D avatar will be produced based on the champion's 2D avatar.
▸How the 70% is calculated, and payment terms
*The 70% rate applies to the amount remaining after deducting payment-processing fees and taxes/levies from the sales value (calculation details).
*If the payment amount is below the bank transfer fee (or, for overseas recipients, the international transfer fee) or 1,000 yen, we withhold payment until it exceeds whichever is greater.
This is where the champion is unveiled in 3D (planned). The qualifying-round streams stay on your own YouTube channel——the metaverse comes in only for this ceremony. Only the champion takes the stage.
3 Things to Do
Tell your fansInvite them to the Event and to your fan club. As often as you like, in your own words.
"Come to the fan club (Discord) and drop just one line — that alone helps."
That one line counts toward 3 of the 6 Finalist places. Whether you mention the cards at all is entirely up to you——you're free to take part without ever bringing them up.
Stream on your own YouTube channel, with your usual setupThe qualifying round runs Aug 13–20 (planned). No special integration needed.
During your streams, feel free to read out fan support and ask for it.
Prepare an image to be your "fan mark"Fan support messages will be preserved alongside this image as a "memory." It's fine if you draw it yourself.
A phone photo of a drawing on paper, or a simple mark made in a drawing app — either is fine. Skill isn't the point. Something like a YouTube membership emoji (an animal, an object, an emblem) works well. Of course, art commissioned from an illustrator, or your regular avatar artwork, works too (using your avatar is optional, and the illustrator's permission may be required).
*Without a submission, you won't be able to receive the license fee, and without fan support, you may not be competitive in the Event.
There are a few more small requests, like registering the streaming slots we measure (details). Please keep your archives public through the results announcement.
What happens after you enter, and streaming requests, in full →
How the Grand Prix Is Decided
We don't look at subscriber count or view count. Full counting method →
And the first champion is chosen from these 6, by John Oetjen himself. A tally doesn't decide it automatically. What John looks at is the number of cards fans have given——a 500-yen card and a 5,000-yen card are each one card, equally.
What we look at is the energy your fans build.
Channel size alone doesn't decide it. We don't look at subscriber count or view count.
We announce the 6 Finalists and the first champion. Category awards are announced to all entrants on the same day as the champion announcement.
▸ See the full selection method (scoring, counting, fraud safeguards)
From here on, the standard is the number of "Memory of Support" cards. After seeing which of the 6 Finalists gathered the most cards, John Oetjen chooses the first champion, respecting that count.
Note: to be chosen as champion, you need permission from your illustrator to become a 3D avatar by around August 22* (if this isn't obtained in time, you may not be chosen as champion).
A 500-yen card and a 5,000-yen card are each one card, equally. At this stage, other fan-club activity isn't considered.
Why this entrant deserves to be the first champion——John writes the critique himself. The 6 Finalists each receive a message from John. And on the same day, category awards go out to every entrant——not ranked, but by category.
*All dates are provisional. If we don't get enough entrants, we may postpone or cancel the Event.
Here's how fans lift you up
Support isn't only about money. There's free support, too——joining the fan club (Discord), leaving a line there. That energy reaches the Finalist selection just as much.
Fans who want to go a step further buy a limited-run digital piece made from your motif (a Memory of Support card). A support message and date are engraved on it, preserved as an image——"I supported that stream, that day" becomes something real, and it's the same card that counts toward choosing the first champion.
There are two card frames. A standard-frame card (from ¥500) and a slightly larger premium card (from ¥5,000). You choose the artwork for either——an animal or other motif, or the 2D avatar artwork you already use on stream. For counting toward the champion, both count as one card, equally.
MEMORY OF SUPPORT
NO.007
/100 · 2026.08.17
FROM ／ Mikan
"Rooting for you always.You've got this."
MEMORY OF SUPPORT
NO.024
/100 · 2026.08.17
FROM ／ Tororo
"Been watching since your first stream.Here again today."
MEMORY OF SUPPORT
NO.100
/100 · 2026.08.20
FROM ／ Yuuki
"Grabbing the last one."
Example: artwork like this is fine. The motif is yours; Anifie provides a common frame design (*artwork shown is illustrative only).
One piece with the artwork covering the full card, in a slightly larger frame. Made for that one special fan. You can also use your regular 2D avatar artwork here (optional), or simply keep the motif art as is.
PREMIUM EDITION NO.007 /30 · 2026.08.17 FROM ／ Sayaka ¥5,000 "I'll never forget that stream.
Can't wait to see you move."
PREMIUM EDITION NO.012 /30 · 2026.08.18 FROM ／ Tororo ¥5,000 "Been watching since your first stream.
Look how far you've come."
PREMIUM EDITION NO.030 /30 · 2026.08.20 FROM ／ Yuuki ¥5,000 "Grabbing the last one."
*Artwork shown is illustrative (3D-rendered images are used on this page). Actual cards will feature the 2D avatar artwork you provide, or the motif artwork of your choice, as is.
You may optionally provide your regular 2D avatar artwork for the card (this is separate from the 3D avatar given as the champion's prize).
Your support
brings them into 3D.
The stream ends.
The support doesn't.
The energy the Event creates is expected to remain in your fan club. Throughout the Event and after, the fan club is expected to be supported by AI-assisted engagement analysis and community management.
*Use of the VIP room and shop is available while we continue to provide our service (the scope, period, and any free provision are set out in the Terms). *Some features are still in development and will roll out progressively.
▸Notes & things to confirm
*The qualifying round is planned for August 13–20. It may change depending on the number of applicants and other circumstances.
*The entrant cap may change depending on the number of applicants and other circumstances.
*If we reach capacity, entries may close before the stated deadline.
*The deadline for illustrator permission to become a 3D avatar is expected to be around August 22 in principle, but the organizer may extend it at its discretion.
*"Entrant" means a person who passed screening after applying and was confirmed to take part. If you did not pass screening, category awards, certificates, and commemorative badges do not apply.
*Category awards are one per entrant, and the number of categories equals the number of entrants (if the entrant cap is expanded, the number of categories expands to match). Category names are decided by the organizer, who will notify you before announcement (one round of feedback available; changes or reissues after the decision generally aren't available).
*The commemorative badge shares a common design across all entrants (colorways differ by category). We do not customize it with names or artwork.
*Signatures and messages on certificates and badges are digital, not handwritten.
*The entrant cap may be expanded up to 100, but the number of Finalist places remains 6. *Persons who have not reached the age of majority require guardian consent. *The 70% license-fee rate is a special rate for this first Grand Prix and does not bind the rate for future editions.
*Residents of all of Europe and the U.S. states of Florida and New York cannot take part or purchase this time (eligibility and excluded regions).
*Using your 3D avatar (VRM) in regular streams may require changes to settings or streaming methods depending on your streaming software and tracking setup.
*Stream language is not restricted. *If screening is not approved, we will not disclose the reason.
*3D conversion requires confirmation of permission from the illustrator of your 2D model (we will provide a template). *Production discretion, process details, and delivery schedule will be shared once finalized.
*File format and other details will be provided in the entry form.
*Detailed selection methods and how the champion is decided (including fraud prevention and prohibition of vote-buying) are set out in the Terms of Entry and an operations guide provided before streaming begins (scores from fraud or spam are excluded). All selection methods are provisional.
*Fans residing in excluded regions may not purchase Memory of Support cards.
*Use of the VIP room and shop is available while we continue to provide our service (the scope, period, and any free provision are set out in the Terms of Entry).
*The schedule, event content, terms, and benefits described on this site may change or be cancelled without notice. See the Terms of Entry for details (the Terms of Entry prevail wherever this site differs).
*Some features are still in development and will roll out progressively.