Mysterious Virtual YouTuber Returns After Two-Year Hiatus

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hatoba Tsugu was named “the most mysterious VTuber”. She is not at all like other chatty and cutesy virtual YouTubers. With over 10 million views, her sepia-filled short clips seem like clues or cries for help. And now, after a two-year absence, she returned.

Her first music video titled “Hi, I’m Hatoba Tsugu” was released four years ago and has since been viewed over 2.5 million times. It features Hatoba circling in front of the camera and introducing himself as classical music plays in the background.

It’s pretty harmless. Still, the camera pulls back to show Hatobu standing in front of a white screen in a rather dreary room. There is something unsettling about this. The same for the videos that followed.

There are no screamers or cheap horror stunts in her video – rather, only a feeling of fear.

Video awkward and even creepy.

Her tweets also seem to be wrong.

Why is she being removed? Was she kidnapped? There were theories with the audience interesting if it was some sort of alternate reality game.

Then there are questions about the people who create this project. Is this the work of one person? Command? Also, why did they take so long to upload videos? More questions and no answers.

This week for the first time from January 2020, the character released a new clip on YouTube. It’s only twelve seconds:

Her return is short but eerie. She seems to be sleeping with her head on the table. The camera looks down at her. Fans seem happy that she’s back, but with any Hatoba Tsugu video, they’re asking the same question: what the hell does it all mean?

Kotaku contacted Hatoba Tsugu via official email address but received no response prior to posting. Perhaps she will respond in the next two years.