Japanese VTuber Productions will expand into the English-speaking world

Japanese virtual performer startup COVER holds an audition to choose VTuber that can play active part in the English-speaking world in their VTuber production hololive production. With this, they aim for VTuber production that can gain popularity in the global market.

The hololive production is home to a large number of virtual performers who use their system to post videos and perform live streaming.

English version of their official Twitter account
https://twitter.com/hololive_En

The application condition for this audition is that you are an English speaker, over 18 years old, and regardless of gender. If you adopted, you can get cute avatars designed by popular illustrators. In addition, the gadgets needed for your performer activities are also supported.

The audition details page is here.
https://en.hololive.tv/audition

Let's transform into Amabie, a youkai who dispels infectious diseases with AR!

KAYAC, a Japanese content creative agency, has released the Snap Camera effect of Amabie, a youkai who is said to dispel infectious diseases. You can transform into him/her for free.

Amabie is a youkai who appeared in the sea in Kumamoto Prefecture during the Edo period.
In the form of a mermaid with long hair, beak and three-tailed tail, he/she told witnesses to show people his/her pictures during an epidemic.
Although he/she was not a famous youkai, but Japanese netizens who hoped for the end of the coronavirus pandemic from around the beginning of March have posted various illustrations on social networking services.

See also:
Japanese monster goes viral on hopes for end to coronavirus pandemic (The Japan Times)

You can use this Amabie effect with Snap Camera, a free PC desktop app. When you open or close your mouth, the Amabie's beak opens and closes accordingly. Also, when you shake your body to the left or right, Amabie's hair moves softly. Let's pray that the coronavirus pandemic will end as soon as possible by transforming into Amabie at a video meeting! Search "AmabieMask" from Search Lenses of Snap Camera.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Shows Sakura With Mobile VR Apps

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun(日本経済新聞: Japan Economics Newspaper) has released mobile VR application Nikkei VR. Download is free(iOS/Android).

However, they have not yet reported economic news in 360-degree video or photos. Mostly they deliver art works and travel landscapes. In particular, they are currently focusing on "NIKKEI STAY HOME PROJECT -A cherry blossom viewing on smartphones all over Japan", which reports on sakura(cherry blossoms) in full bloom in VR.

Sakura is a Japanese spring tradition, but this year we cannot see the sakura due to the coronavirus pandemic. So they show sakura taken at more than 20 places all over Japan in this app. The release is in line with the actual blooming of sakura, and the shooting locations of sakura will increase with each passing day. Let's enjoy sakura viewing at home with this app!

Disinfect masks and smartphones with UV light

Nowadays, disposable masks are becoming scarce around the world, and many people are hand making cloth masks. But it must be disinfected firmly.
Gadget maker MATECH started accepting pre-orders AirCase, which can disinfect masks and smartphones with UV light and ozone(O3) in Amazon.co.jp on April 9, and the number of reservations exceeded 1,000 in two days.

AirCase is a gadget that disinfects mask, smartphone and other things inside the case with the UV and ozone effects. UV rays used the wavelength of UV-C, which is said to have the most bactericidal effect, and with ozone, which is not affected by obstacles, to further enhance the germicidal effect.

If you drop a few drops of aroma oil into the aroma hole in the case, it will spread in the case and make the things have a good scent. Especially, it is recommended to use it when disinfecting masks and handkerchiefs.
In addition, it also functions as a wireless charger, supports 10W, 7.5W, 5W, so you can fast-charge your smartphone and disinfect it. The price of this is 4,980 yen including tax, it will be shipped from May 20, but if you pre-order it, you will get a 5% discount.

via https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B086RS1NG1

Checking congestion before going out

In large cities in Japan, local governments have issued requests to refrain from going out to citizens, but it is impossible to stop them completely. You have to go shopping for food and daily necessities, and you may have to go to a hospital or dental clinic suddenly.
Then, Yahoo! Japan has re-released the crowd radar function to visualize the degree of congestion in each area on their mobile map application "Yahoo! MAP" and its web version.

They closed this feature on January 31, but re-released it with more features due to the spread of the coronavirus.
The new congestion radar calculates the congestion status from 2 hoursago to 26 hours ago based on the data of users who allow the use of location information in the applications provided by Yahoo! JAPAN indicate. The degree of congestion is indicated by colors on a heat map in stages. By moving the slider at the bottom of the screen, you can check the congestion at each time period from 2 hours ago to 26 hours ago. And when you tap the play button, the transition of congestion status is shown by animation.

If you have to go out due to unavoidable circumstances, you can use this to understand the tendency of congestion around the destination area or stations, and you will be able to avoid congestion and act more easily.
Yahoo! MAP application version is free to download(iOS/Android).