Not by Follower Count, but by Interview Selection – KATVR JAPAN Announces 5 Official Ambassadors for 2026 from Over 100 Applicants
KATVR JAPAN has announced 5 official ambassadors for 2026, selected through interviews from over 100 applicants, prioritizing their love for VRChat and ability to convey experiences, rather than follower numbers. This initiative aims to cultivate a new VR walking culture.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 10, 2026 at 15:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 10, 2026 at 15:39 (8 min after Collected)
KATVR JAPAN (operated by EG Co., Ltd., Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, Representative: Shoki Yanagisawa), the sole distributor of VR walking devices in Japan, announced on May 10, 2026, the appointment of five official ambassadors for this year. Selected from over 100 applicants through interview-based screening rather than follower count, these five ambassadors are all creators who genuinely enjoy playing on the social VR platform "VRChat." Their request is not for product promotion, but to convey in their own words how the world changes when they "gain feet" in VRChat. Based on their affection for the community and genuine experiential change, KATVR JAPAN aims to nurture a new VR walking culture in Japan.
See details
Key points of this release
Selection criteria: "People who love VRChat, not just those with high follower counts": Representative Shoki Yanagisawa personally interviewed over 100 applicants, appointing the final five (a counter-intuitive approach to the follower-count-driven ambassador systems prevalent in the VR industry).
Role: "Witnessing the experience" rather than "product promotion": The five ambassadors will convey in their own words "how the world changes when you 'get feet' in VRChat."
Simultaneous launch of exclusive coupons for the five ambassadors: Viewers can receive discounts at the KATVR JAPAN official online store via their preferred ambassador.
Five selected through interview screening from over 100 applicants
KATVR JAPAN received over 100 applications for its 2026 official ambassador recruitment. While influencer-type ambassador systems, which use "millions of followers" as a selection criterion, are mainstream in the VR industry, KATVR JAPAN deliberately chose a time-consuming, three-stage qualitative selection process.
In the first stage, candidates were narrowed down to approximately one-fifth based on their application forms (VRChat activity, understanding of KAT VR, and communication style). In the second stage, Representative Shoki Yanagisawa personally interviewed each candidate, and the final five were appointed after the final selection.
Core evaluation axes for selection:
Do they genuinely enjoy playing on social VR platforms like VRChat?
Do they have an understanding of and affection for walking VR devices, including KAT VR?
Do they have a communication style that can convey the fun of VR walking in their own words?
Introduction of the 5 Official Ambassadors (in no particular order)
KATVR JAPAN has appointed the following five individuals, who are active on the forefront of VR walking culture, including VRChat, as its 2026 official ambassadors. Exclusive viewer coupons for each ambassador will also be launched simultaneously.
Here are the inauguration messages from the five ambassadors:
Hinomoto Mai
Hinomoto Mai
A wanderer Vtuber transcending dimensions and distance
"I want to convey not just gadgets, but also interesting ways to use them!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
Keikai Broadcast CHERRY
Everyone's friend / Multi-talented VTuber
"I'm thrilled about the experience of walking in the metaverse and games with my own feet! Let's play together!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
Mary
A beginner maid who walks with you
"It starts here. Let's take a step together into a new world. Shall we move forward? Shall we adventure? Mary will guide you!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
Mochimichi
A virtual navigator who brings energy
"I love VR! To live in virtual reality, it's essential to be able to walk in the space! When you can walk in virtual space with your own feet, the fun of the world expands greatly. I'll do my best to convey the charm of KAT loco in my own energetic and fun way!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
Okytanbot
VR / Metaverse Guide / V-Singer
"Take a step forward in immersion in the virtual world! Let's enjoy walking together! Best regards!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
KAT locoS x VR Chat Image
This year, we will "deep dive into VRChat"!
What KATVR JAPAN emphasized in the ambassador selection was simply one thing: "people who love VRChat (VR)." Specifically, creators who normally play VRChat themselves and for whom KAT VR would further expand their enjoyment – these were the criteria for selecting the five individuals.
The mainstream ambassador system in the VR industry uses SNS follower counts as the selection criterion, but KATVR JAPAN went against this convention. Instead of viewing VRChat as a subject for streaming or spectatorship, they sought out individuals who live in VRChat as part of their daily lives, believing that these are the people who can truly articulate the experiential change when KAT VR is added.
See details
Key points of this release
Selection criteria: "People who love VRChat, not just those with high follower counts": Representative Shoki Yanagisawa personally interviewed over 100 applicants, appointing the final five (a counter-intuitive approach to the follower-count-driven ambassador systems prevalent in the VR industry).
Role: "Witnessing the experience" rather than "product promotion": The five ambassadors will convey in their own words "how the world changes when you 'get feet' in VRChat."
Simultaneous launch of exclusive coupons for the five ambassadors: Viewers can receive discounts at the KATVR JAPAN official online store via their preferred ambassador.
Five selected through interview screening from over 100 applicants
KATVR JAPAN received over 100 applications for its 2026 official ambassador recruitment. While influencer-type ambassador systems, which use "millions of followers" as a selection criterion, are mainstream in the VR industry, KATVR JAPAN deliberately chose a time-consuming, three-stage qualitative selection process.
In the first stage, candidates were narrowed down to approximately one-fifth based on their application forms (VRChat activity, understanding of KAT VR, and communication style). In the second stage, Representative Shoki Yanagisawa personally interviewed each candidate, and the final five were appointed after the final selection.
Core evaluation axes for selection:
Do they genuinely enjoy playing on social VR platforms like VRChat?
Do they have an understanding of and affection for walking VR devices, including KAT VR?
Do they have a communication style that can convey the fun of VR walking in their own words?
Introduction of the 5 Official Ambassadors (in no particular order)
KATVR JAPAN has appointed the following five individuals, who are active on the forefront of VR walking culture, including VRChat, as its 2026 official ambassadors. Exclusive viewer coupons for each ambassador will also be launched simultaneously.
Here are the inauguration messages from the five ambassadors:
Hinomoto Mai
Hinomoto Mai
A wanderer Vtuber transcending dimensions and distance
"I want to convey not just gadgets, but also interesting ways to use them!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
Keikai Broadcast CHERRY
Everyone's friend / Multi-talented VTuber
"I'm thrilled about the experience of walking in the metaverse and games with my own feet! Let's play together!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
Mary
A beginner maid who walks with you
"It starts here. Let's take a step together into a new world. Shall we move forward? Shall we adventure? Mary will guide you!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
Mochimichi
A virtual navigator who brings energy
"I love VR! To live in virtual reality, it's essential to be able to walk in the space! When you can walk in virtual space with your own feet, the fun of the world expands greatly. I'll do my best to convey the charm of KAT loco in my own energetic and fun way!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
Okytanbot
VR / Metaverse Guide / V-Singer
"Take a step forward in immersion in the virtual world! Let's enjoy walking together! Best regards!"
𝕏 (Twitter) is here
KAT locoS x VR Chat Image
This year, we will "deep dive into VRChat"!
What KATVR JAPAN emphasized in the ambassador selection was simply one thing: "people who love VRChat (VR)." Specifically, creators who normally play VRChat themselves and for whom KAT VR would further expand their enjoyment – these were the criteria for selecting the five individuals.
The mainstream ambassador system in the VR industry uses SNS follower counts as the selection criterion, but KATVR JAPAN went against this convention. Instead of viewing VRChat as a subject for streaming or spectatorship, they sought out individuals who live in VRChat as part of their daily lives, believing that these are the people who can truly articulate the experiential change when KAT VR is added.