Do you ever get done with a long day of work and escape to your favorite bar for the evening to grab a drink and unwind? Or maybe you’re hanging out over the weekend and decide to check out a bar to hang with old friends or meet some new ones. Or, maybe, you don’t do either of those things because bars are full of real 3D people and who the hell wants to interact with real people? Whether you’re an anime-loving bar regular or someone who avoids the establishments at all costs to dodge the people, there’s a new bar opening up in Tokyo soon that might just be for you. At Virtual Snack, all the people who work there are 2D virtual YouTubers.
Bars are a pretty social place, but that’s especially the case in Japan. Establishments called “snack bars” started out as a loophole for places to avoid being shut down by alcohol laws by serving both alcohol and food. Even if noboy was actually ordering the food, it prevented these places from being forced to close hours too early. Today, alcohol laws are far less strict in Japan, so the atmosphere of these snack bars has shifted. Now, they’re compact and cozy places where you go to have some conversation and bonding time with the owner of the establishment. If they’re a woman, they’re referred to as “Mama”. And if they’re at Virtual Snack, then they’re an anime girl-style virtual YouTuber mama.
On August 24, a new snack bar is opening in the Tokyo Ginza neighborhood called Virtual Snack. When you enter the establishment, there’s a moniorsitting on top of the bar counter, which is also equipped with a camera and microphone. This hi-tech setup, provided in part by Tokyo technology developer Balus, allows you to interact and talk to an alcohol-loving virtual YouTuber like Matsuri Kazamiya in real-time. All the while, human stuff in the back will discretely prepare and serve any food or drinks that you may order.
While the white-haired and energetic Matsuri Kazamiya is the face of the establishment, there’s actually a huge variety of other Virtual YouTubers you’ll be able to have a chat with depending on when you go to the bar. For example, you could also be knocking back a few drinks with the ninja girl Ruri Asano, clad in traditional purple ninja clothing and even swinging a little kunai around.
If you’re looking to have a conversation with someone who’s a little more on the fantastical side, Virtual Snack has you covered. Demon world devil school nurse Choco Yuzuki also works at the establishment. This Virtual YouTuber has onyx black demon horns, black little demon wings, and a buxom chest that is anything but little. You could also meet up with Aki Rosenthal, instead. This Virtual YouTuber is described as a half-elf visitor from an alternate world, and she sports gorgeous blond hair, sleek white gloves and a cute pair of ribbons on her chest.
If you want some more classic icons of Japanese virtual culture, Virtual Snack has some more potential Virtual YouTubers for you to mingle with. Take, for example, Inside-chan Mark2. She’s the mascot of video game news website Inside, and even sports some adorable controller-button shaped hairbands on her ponytails. Alternatively, there’s idol cat girl Chikuwa. She’s got white hair, white ears, and possibly not enough clothing to be hanging around in a cold bar late at night.
There are also a few special options for virtual YouTuber companions at Virtual Snack. For one, there’s Fukuya Master, the only male option at the snack bar. He’s sporting thick black glasses and a sophisticated professor look. Even more sophisticated, though, is the “successfully cultivated fluffy organism” Mimitaro. Whatever they are, they’re white and fluffy and pretty cute. Or creepy. Or both?
Whoever you end up wanting to spend an evening with, you’ll need to make sure to get there at the correct time. Virtual Snack is a small setup on the inside of a different snack bar, meaning it’s only open part-time. Every other Saturday, two mamas will be on shift, with the first virtual YouTuber working from 12:30 to 2:30PM while the second one works from 3:30 to 5:30. There’s a more detailed schedule for Virtual Snack on their website.
The pricing scheme for Virtual Snack, should you choose to go check it out, is a little unique. Customers have to buy an entrance ticket, which is a little pricey at 4,800 yen (about $44 US dollars). This ticket gets you a seat at the bar, as well as two complimentary drinks of either the alcoholic or non-alcoholic variety. If you want additional drinks, they can be purchased for an extra fee. You can even decide to treat your virtual YouTuber mama to a drink for 2,000 yen, which will net you some kind of special prize to take home with you.
It’s an interesting idea, even if the hours that they’re open seem pretty odd. Perhaps if it takes off, Virtual Snack would be able to consider expanding their operational hours, or even obtaining their own bar to operate from. Having virtual YouTuber proprietresses seems silly, but it also sounds like a smart way to get people who might not enjoy talking with others to get out of the house and socialize in a bar environment.
Virtual Snack is currently scheduled to operate until November 23, and contact details can be found on its official website here.
