Virtual YouTubers ended up being one of 2018's biggest cultural surprises.
Dozens of animated characters attracted followings on the video-sharing site, led by popular creations such as Kizuna Ai and Kaguya Luna. Some repped for local governments, while others generated real-world controversies.
An interesting trend for sure, but internet waves rarely stick around all that long. However, 2019 has seen virtual YouTubers in Japan make further inroads into pop culture, even if these developments aren't a brave new frontier for entertainment as much as a return to the norm.