Hololive responds to Rushia controversy as Vtuber's fans angry over relationship rumors

Following a drama that erupted after fans of popular Vtuber Rushia were apparently angry to discover that the streamer may not be single, talent agency Hololive has issued a response, explaining that the personal life of streamers “is left up to the individual.”

Uhura Rushia is one of the most popular Vtubers on the Hololive network, with over 1.5 million subscribers. In February, Twitter erupted with angry fans who believed they had uncovered the “truth” about Rushia being in a relationship.

Mafumafu, a singer and fellow YouTuber with over 3 million subscribers, had messaged Rushia on stream simply saying that he was heading home. Many viewers took this to mean that he was in some way dating Rushia, and posts quickly appeared on both Japanese and English-speaking social media, claiming Rushia was lying about being single.

On February 11, Mafumafu issued a response, saying that he was sorry for causing misunderstandings and that they were just friends, and did not live together.

Rushia was faced with increasing backlash, with many blaming the level of hate on “idol culture”, which is becoming more prevalent in the Vtubing world.

When you find out your favourite vtuber has a *gasp* RELATIONSHIP?? How DARE they??

This is pretty cringe ngl. Let Rushia do what she wants. pic.twitter.com/6SOZbFcvQh

— Captain Dandyfloss 🌊⚓ (@DandyflossVT) February 11, 2022

Hololive statement on Rushia drama

On February 14, Hololive, owned by COVER Corp, issued a formal statement on the situation.

“We, as COVER, do not interfere with our talents’ private lives,” the statement reads. “Due to the slander and defamation that accompanied this case on various social media platforms, not only Uruha Rushia herself but other talents within our company have suffered harsh emotional stress.”

Shortly after the statement from Hololive, Rushia tweeted: “I’m sorry I couldn’t send out a message sooner… I’m so sorry for causing you all so much worry and trouble. Once I’ve calmed down physically and mentally, I’ll send out a proper message. Sorry.”

すぐに発信できずごめんなさい…皆様にご心配と迷惑をかけて大変申し訳ないです。また、心身ともに落ち着き次第ちゃんと発信させてください。ごめんね。

— 潤羽るしあ🦋ホロライブ3期生 (@uruharushia) February 14, 2022

Fans have been sending messages of support to the Vtuber amid the drama, especially after she made several worrying posts before deleting them.

In one now-deleted post, she said “I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, I have trouble walking, there are so many terrible falsehoods that I want to die right now.”

The situation is another example of some of the extreme “parasocial” relationships that grow in all aspects of streaming, but are particularly common in the Vtuber space.

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