Key Takeaways

  • The podcast discusses a controversy involving journalist Anna Valens and the VTuber community, specifically focusing on “LewdTube” content.
  • VTubing is explained as a form of performance art originating from Japanese idol culture, often featuring anime-style avatars.
  • The controversy centers on Valens’s articles for Vice’s Waypoint, which explored the “LewdTube” genre, a niche of ASMR content with sexual undertones.
  • Anna Valens, who also creates adult-themed content and has a VTuber persona as a “giantess succubus,” is positioned as a journalist covering this specific subculture.
  • The discussion touches on the blurred lines between journalism, personal online content creation, and the ethical considerations of covering sensitive or niche topics.

Segments

Anna Valens and Her Background (~00:02:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Anna Valens is a journalist who has written for Vice’s Waypoint and has a history of controversial online content, including erotica and a VTuber persona.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss Anna Valens’s career, noting her work at Vice and her past as a writer for other gaming sites. They highlight her involvement in adult content and her creation of a VTuber avatar described as a ‘giantess succubus,’ which becomes relevant to the main story.
Understanding VTubing and “LewdTube” (~00:05:00)
  • Key Takeaway: VTubing is a performance art form using anime avatars, evolving from Japanese idol culture, and a niche within it, ‘LewdTube,’ involves ASMR content with sexual themes.
  • Summary: The podcast explains the concept of VTubing, its origins in Japanese culture, and the taboo of ‘deadnaming’ avatars. They then introduce ‘LewdTube,’ a genre of VTuber content that uses ASMR with sexual undertones, exemplified by a VTuber named Mercy Medistee.
Anna Valens’s Articles and the “LewdTube” Genre (~00:10:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Anna Valens wrote articles for Waypoint about the ‘LewdTube’ genre and a company called VALUR that recruits talent for this content, sparking controversy.
  • Summary: The discussion focuses on Valens’s articles for Waypoint, particularly one titled ‘These VTubers Want You in Their Lewed Game.’ This piece explored a company recruiting for ‘LewdTube’ content, which involves ASMR with sexual themes, and highlighted the business model for creators.
Exploring Valens’s Personal Content and ASMR (~00:15:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts examine Anna Valens’s personal website and the explicit nature of her ASMR content, which includes themes of dominance and fetishization.
  • Summary: The hosts briefly explore Anna Valens’s website, noting its explicit content, and read out titles of her ASMR works, which often involve sexual and fetishistic themes. They also explain the concept of ASMR and its overlap with sexual content.