Vol 1 Chapter 61 – Family Bragging【Vol 1 – Turning Point】

In the sound-proof room where I wasn’t present, Micchi-Mama’s “sentencing” of Rina-san began.

▷ “Good evening! Great job today, everyone! You’re all amazing, amazing!”

The greeting was the usual; the atmosphere hadn’t changed at all.

Rina@Gal: Mama!

So Rina-san noticed nothing.

When the greetings—from me and the rest of the viewers—finished, Mama spoke.

▷ “Just now Rin-kun was looking at that Amo-Blog you showed him, Rina-chan. The comments were getting nasty …”

Rina@Gal: Huh? You’re right … I was awful to Rin-kun … I’m sorry …

Dedede: Is Rina the “oops, did it again” type?

Gin: Don’t worry—Rin-kun probably isn’t that angry.

Dan-Gan: I can’t even picture Rin-kun mad.

Kenzaki: I can! Cheeks puffed out, face bright red!

Meshimazu: That’s adorable.

Akiha Rin: Don’t say embarrassing stuff!

Gin-san was right—I wasn’t angry. If anything, I was mad at the people who called an imaginary angry me “cute.” Part of it was simple supply-and-demand frustration …

A little flame war is something I accept as a VTuber. By the time I saw it, the fire was already out—and it hadn’t been that big to begin with.

▷ “Alright! Today let’s talk about the Akiba family’s fans! First up, Mama’s fans. Lots of them want chill vibes, so they’re pretty similar to typical VTuber fans!”

That’s right: many of Mama’s followers are otaku. But because Mama herself isn’t very nerdy, she also draws plenty of non-otaku. It’s about fifty-fifty—and yet she still tops the Akiba family in otaku ratio.

Rina@Gal: Honestly, I’m both an otaku and a gal.

Gin: Funny enough, outside of Mama I’m not that nerdy.

Dedede: If you lurk on boards, you’re a nerd.

Dan-Gan: Nope—non-nerd here.

Kenzaki: I turned nerd after falling for Mama.

Meshimazu: Pretty sure I’m non-otaku.

Now that I think about it, which side am I on? Among the OG Mama-slot fans it’s an even split, so whichever camp I choose could tip the balance.

▷ “Oh, but lately a bunch of fans have drifted in from Ryu-kun’s channel, so we’re not exactly average anymore!”

Betoben: Honestly, it’s basically a musician corps, right?

Hatsubread: Music nerds!

Waa! Gwaa!?: I’m an opera otaku, you know?

Chai ga Suki!: Band geek!

Ryu: Aren’t I the biggest composition nerd here?

Babba: True that!

Just like that, everyone from Ryu-san’s stream proudly declared themselves otaku.

▷ “Come on! Most people wouldn’t call that ‘otaku.’ But really, anyone with a hobby can be labeled one. There aren’t many classic VTuber fans in Ryu-kun’s crowd—they’re all music professionals! And these days Ryu-kun’s main income is composing, remember.”

Ryu: Don’t spill my secrets, Mom! Well, I became a VTuber to promote my music anyway.

Gin: Seriously!?

Rina@Gal: VTubers are trending!

Hatsubread: Watching him compose live is irresistible!

Betoben: I’m hooked on seeing the exact moment a score is born.

Ryu-san told us more. Her oversized chest was a complex; she feared people, yet wanted them to hear her songs. So she chose a flat-chested, tough delinquent male avatar.

▷ “Next, Sadate-kun! His fans love theater and Celtic music! Again, not your usual VTuber vibe!”

Betoben: Huh, I thought that was another music crew …

Babba: Figured they were comrades in a different genre.

Gin: If they love theater, maybe he even runs a troupe.

▷ “He does!”

Gin: Eh?

Dedede: Eh?

Betoben: Eh?

Hatsubread: Eh?

Akiha Rin: Eh?

I’d worked with Sadate-san a fair bit—or so I thought—but had no clue. He even has a pirate orchestra and a pirate troupe … Sadate-san is incredible.

▷ “And now the newest member of the Akiba family—Rin-kun! His overseas fans outnumber everyone else! Akiba’s biggest rookie! Rin-kun of the world! Honestly, most foreign viewers are probably casual—they seem to listen only to the songs.”

It’s true. More of my fans just listen than comment. Even live, chat traffic is tiny compared to viewer count. I assume they’re non-Japanese speakers who come only for the music.

Listening to music knows no borders. Hobbies are personal. My fanbase is probably wildly diverse. If I called Simon-san an otaku, people in the U.K. would be furious.

Gin: International Rin-kun!

Oshio: Bet there are plenty of guitarists too.

Babba: And violinists!

Hatsubread: Honestly, Rin-chan’s fans could form their own band.

Betoben: The problem is language, huh …

▷ “Right, so what Mama wants to say is this: dear blogger, the Akiba-family fans aren’t mostly otaku, and the ones who are otaku are amazing in their own ways! That’s the whole point of this story!”

Gin: Mama said I’m amazing!

Dedede: You are amazing—for a model!

Rina@Gal: What do I do … I’m not amazing at all …

Hatsubread: Relax—you must have talent somewhere.

Babba: The Akiba family really is a bunch of gifted weirdos …

▷ “Every Akiba-family VTuber is talented! So let’s take this chance to look back at all of them!”

That day’s stream was, in many ways, peak Mama—or rather, peak mother. It was practically one long session of bragging about her family …