Issue Summary: VTuber talent Agency AkioAIR plans to debut a VTuber who they have confirmed to be underage. On September 5th, 2023 AkioAIR issued an official statement confirming that their talent “Nophillia Amelie De Montclair (Nophi), [...] identifies as a minor in the majority of jurisdictions worldwide.” Though this statement was written with sentiments to protect their talent, AkioAIR has failed to show proper care and protection in handling an underage VTuber talent with their marketing and social media interactions. 

Marketing: On August 23rd, 2023 The official AkioAIR Twitter account posted promotional material with a sex joke involving Nophi containing the words “Banged ur mom” and “She might also have some odd relationship with your mother.” Note that this was before the talent agency revealed that Nophi was indeed a minor. They would not reveal that she was a minor until September 5th of the same year, ultimately keeping this important detail from the audience for 2 weeks. The adult joke within their marketing for the talent would give her audience the impression that she was in fact, over 18.

Within Nophi’s VTuber Group affiliated with AkioAIR (Officially known as AkioAIR Season 2), there have been several teasers (1)​ (2)​ (3) of other talents that are adult in nature (one of which Nophi herself commented on), indicating that if Nophi debuts with this generation of VTubers, she will be working in an unsuitable environment for minors.

Social Media interactions: Standard VTuber culture on social media can be incredibly flirtatious. It is common for adult VTubers to act flirtatious towards one another in order to market the group and hype each other up. Unfortunately, an exception to this culture was not made for Nophi. Here are a few examples of:

Nophi acting inappropriate with fans (1) ​(2) ​(3)

Nophi flirting with other adult VTubers within and outside of her company (1) ​(2)​ (3)​ (4)

Other adult talents of AkioAIR flirting with Nophi (1) ​(2) ​(3)

Allowing a known minor representative of a VTuber Agency to run their social media in this manner exhibits a failure on AkioAIR management’s behalf to protect their minor employee from predatory behavior and inappropriate workforce conduct.

Agency Rules: According to AkioAIR’s own rules to audition, they do not accept talents below the age of 18. They had made an exception for Nophi because “her prior involvement in the performing arts within her previous career, coupled with her fervent pursuit of a career akin to acting, renders it incumbent upon us to assert that refusing an opportunity based solely on age constitutes an unduly harsh [...] and unjust decision.” However, the reason Agencies typically do not accept minors is because the culture around VTubers is incredibly adult. AkioAIR and their talents also uphold this adult VTuber culture in their character designs, talent actions, and marketing. This 18+ rule is put in place to keep minors safe and allows the adult VTubers to make the type of content they would like to make for their fans. By having Nophi join AkioAIR, the agency has put their other talents in a difficult position as well.

This petition is coming before AkioAIR officially debuts Nophi alongside her adult genmates. It would still be possible at this point for AkioAIR to recast a voice actor for the character that is above 18 and ease the consciousness of the concerned fans and restore faith in the company. Recasting would minimize the amount of loss of all involved parties including the company. If recasting an adult talent is not an option, Nophi's retirement altogether would be the best way to keep everyone involved safe.