The Future of VTubers: Shigeaki Hayashi SVP on the Creative Production Department’s Pursuit of Innovation

Shigeaki Hayashi joined COVER Corporation in 2022 after serving as the head of console gaming and working as an art director at a social gaming company. He currently serves as the Head of the Creative Production Department and was appointed Senior Vice President in April 2025. Shigeaki Hayashi now oversees VTuber production, including the Creative Production Department and the Talent Management Department. Since joining the company, Mr. Hayashi has overseen the Creative Production Department, which is responsible for creative production related to hololive production. The department includes staff and creators - such as illustrators, engineers, directors, and technical staff - who continue to push the boundaries of VTuber expression with their diverse area of expertise. The Creative Production Department has built an environment where creative assets - the “weapons” of our talents - can be generated quickly, while also incorporating the latest technologies such as Unreal Engine for the development of next-generation live performances. In this article, we take a closer look at the production side of things, where six specialized teams unite to take on the challenge of creating new forms of entertainment.

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Inside the hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME: COVER and Bushiroad Share Untold Stories and their Vision for the Future

Since its release in September 2024, the hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME (hereinafter, hOCG) has been steadily expanding its fan base, culminating in receiving the Media Create New TCG Award at the Media Create TCG Award 2025*1 on May 14, 2025. With the English version set to be released later this year and further global expansion on the horizon, what is the story behind the creation of hOCG? In this COVERedge exclusive, we spoke with Reki Horie, Producer from the Card Business Development Office at COVER Corporation, who is overseeing this project, and Hiroshi Kawatsu, Producer from TCG Development Division 2 at Bushiroad Inc., responsible for sales and operational support, for a little look behind the scenes at the creation of hOCG and to hear about its future prospects.

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hololive English – Advent – Joins the 1st Anniversary Celebrations for the Renewal of SHIBUYA TSUTAYA – AXGRIT Pop-Up Shop Opening Day Report

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