On May 18-19, 2025, hololive production’s Shishiro Botan hosted the 3rd Shishiro Hai STREET FIGHTER 6 powered by HP, a tournament for the popular fighting video game STREET FIGHTER 6. The two-day event featured four sections: three tournament brackets for different skill levels and one exhibition match, with a total of thirty players taking part and three commentators.

The tournament was streamed not only on Shishiro Botan’s official YouTube channel but also through streams from participants’ perspectives, community mirror streams, and even at public viewing venues. With the generous support of our many sponsors, the event was a true “win-win-win” that brought more excitement for players, viewers, and partners alike.

In this special feature series on COVERedge, we will be taking an in-depth look at Shishiro Hai, exploring its unique appeal and sharing stories from behind-the-scenes over three articles.

In this first installment, we will take a look back at the history of Shishiro Hai and share how our talent and COVER Corporation came together to create an unforgettable experience that left lasting memories.

The Vision Behind Shishiro Hai: Where eSports Meets VTubers

In recent years, the esports industry has been gaining remarkable momentum. According to the Nihon eSports Hakusho (Japan eSports White Paper) 2024 by KADOKAWA ASCII Research Laboratories Inc., Japan’s domestic esports market reached JPY 14.685 billion in 2023 – a 117% increase from the previous year and looking ahead to 2025, the market is expected to approach 20 billion yen in scale. Some companies from a wide range of industries are stepping into the scene, becoming sponsors of professional esports teams and supporting major tournaments and events. 

Did you know that the worlds of esports and VTubers are coming together more than ever before?

For those who aren’t so familiar with gaming, the esports scene and professional tournaments can sometimes feel a bit out of reach, but when it is a VTuber you already follow stepping into the arena, that barrier may not feel quite so high. Fans can cheer on their favorite VTubers as they improve from beginner level to becoming skilled players, and watch them connect with other creators through gaming. In the process, viewers naturally find themselves learning more about the game and enjoying it alongside their favorite talents. 

Some VTubers have even gone beyond simply practicing on their own, with some embracing being coached by professional esports players to sharpen their skills and improve their chances of winning in tournaments and competitive matches. Coaching sessions are often shared as livestreams or videos, serving as a unique bridge between the esports and VTuber communities, and as these collaborations have continued over time, some VTubers and pro gamers have even developed bonds that feel almost like a mentor/apprentice relationship. 

Shishiro Botan, who now hosts Shishiro Hai, first started playing STREET FIGHTER 6 after joining the 1st Crazy Raccoon Cup as an invitee in June 2023: an invitational tournament organized by the professional gaming team Crazy Raccoon, bringing together a diverse mix of pro players, streamers, and VTubers.

The lifelong gamer at heart received coaching from several professional players and steadily streamed her progress reaching Master Rank – a level widely recognized as the mark of an advanced player – in just one year, and has even been interviewed by media outlets about her tips when choosing gaming devices. It was not only her dream to compete in these kinds of tournaments but the challenge of hosting them that led to the creation of Shishiro Hai.

With Shishiro Botan taking the lead on tournament planning and day-of operations, and our company supporting coordination with partner organizations, the first Shishiro Hai STREET FIGHTER 6 powered by GALLERIA was held on March 31, 2024. This was followed by a second tournament on October 13-14 of the same year. Perhaps in recognition of her efforts to create and run these events, Shishiro Botan was honored with the title of VTuber of the Year 2024 in the Live Entertainment category at the JAPAN eSPORTS AWARDS 2024, announced at the year’s end.

What Makes Shishiro Hai Unique?

Online esports tournaments take place all the time in all kinds of formats, but here are a few key reasons why Shishiro Hai is unique.

Firstly, Shishiro Botan’s own influence and the strength of her brand have made it possible to bring in renowned players and commentators alongside fellow VTubers and creators from other communities, with the tournament not only attracting a range of different fanbases, but also creating dream matchups you won’t see anywhere else. 

The commentary team features a lineup invited by Shishiro Botan personally, including esports commentator Kousuke Hiraiwa, formerly of Asahi Television Broadcasting, along with other experienced commentators and professional players. Not only does their involvement help ensure the tournament’s quality and legitimacy, but their clear commentary and insightful analysis also makes matches easier to follow and understand for viewers who may have never played STREET FIGHTER 6 themselves before or who are unfamiliar with the game altogether.

Another unique aspect is the inclusion of open entry slots. For example, when recruiting for the 3rd tournament, applicants needed to meet several criteria: hold a qualifying rank in STREET FIGHTER 6, have prior experience streaming the game, be able to broadcast from their own perspective during the event, and having at least 1,000 channel subscribers. Because of the format of the tournament, participants also had to be able to dedicate up to two full days exclusively for Shishiro Hai. Despite these conditions, there were an impressive 254 applications. 

One particularly interesting aspect of Shishiro Hai is how the participants were eventually selected – live on Shishiro Botan’s own stream. With so many dedicated fans hoping to see their favorite players chosen, it is only natural that everyone would have different opinions during the selection process, but by making every step of the decision-making process more transparent, Shishiro Botan has been able to turn what could be tense proceedings into something truly entertaining that everyone can share and enjoy together.

Above all, what truly sets Shishiro Hai apart is its scale – it is one of the largest tournaments ever hosted by a VTuber. In the next section, we will have a look at data reports as well as the sponsorships and partner collaborations that have made this event possible.

Shishiro Hai Achievements and Sponsorship Highlights

Shishiro Hai STREET FIGHTER 6 powered by GALLERIA

The very first Shishiro Hai was held on March 31, 2024, with the main stream on Shishiro Botan’s channel reaching a peak of 80,045 concurrent viewers, and including mirror streams, this increased to 190,806. The tournament amazingly had 301,897 unique viewers overall and was trending at #4 on X in Japan.  

Sponsors (in no particular order): Gaming PC GALLERIA (THIRDWAVE CORP) / nosh (nosh Inc.) / VICTRIX by PDP (SB C&S Corp.) / Red Bull Japan (Red Bull Japan Co., Ltd.) / GiGO (GENDA GiGO Entertainment Inc.) / esports Challenger’s Park (QTnet, Inc.) / GOKURAKUYU HOLDINGS CO., LTD. / TOKYO DESIGN TECHNOLOGY CENTER / VAXEE (VAXEE) / TSUKUMO (Project White Co., Ltd.)

The 2nd Shishiro Hai STREET FIGHTER 6 powered by GALLERIA

The second tournament grew even larger, taking place over two days on October 13-14, 2024. On Day 1, the main broadcast peaked at 56,643 concurrent viewers, reaching 147,402 concurrent viewers when taking mirror streams into account, and 296,410 unique viewers in total. Day 2 attracted an even bigger audience, with the main stream peaking at 72,040 concurrent viewers (150,096 including mirrors) and a total of 305,969 unique viewers. 　

Sponsors (in no particular order): Gaming PC GALLERIA (THIRDWAVE CORP) / Red Bull Japan (Red Bull Japan Co., Ltd.）/ elgato / Aishitoto Co., Ltd. / VAXEE (VAXEE) / REALFORCE (Topre Corporation) / PWS JAPAN (Kanematsu PWS LTD.) / esports Challenger’s Park (QTnet,Inc.) / TOKYO DESIGN TECHNOLOGY CENTER / GRAPHT (MSY Inc.) / Yaro Ramen (FOOD REVAMP CO.,LTD.) /  DMM Factory (DMM.com LLC) / nosh (nosh Inc.) 

The 3rd Shishiro Hai STREET FIGHTER 6 powered by HP

The 3rd Shishiro Hai went up yet another notch, with the tournament on Day 1 featuring a Master Division competition along with an Exhibition Match, followed by Grand Master and Legend Division tournaments on Day 2. 

This time, the tournament had a slightly more creative format with a unique feature: a cross-divisional progression system. This unique approach, proposed by Shishiro Botan, allowed the winners of the Master and Grand Master Division tournaments to challenge players in the next division up. From the moment it was announced, this system was met with an enthusiastic response from both viewers and participants. 

In fact, Shibuya HAL, who won the Master Division, and Donpisha, who took first place in the Grand Master Division, both went on to secure impressive victories in the higher divisions as well proving that the cross-divisional progression system not only worked as intended, but was responsible for some unforgettable moments unique to Shishiro Hai. 

The exhibition match held during the latter half of Day 1 featured a team competition, with two groups of four players facing off against each other for both prizes and to avoid punishments, creating a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The mix of competitive tournaments and casual fun kept things fresh and engaging for beginners and veteran players, ensuring there was always something to enjoy for everyone. 

Sponsors for the third event were as follows:
HP Inc. / Red Bull Japan (Red Bull Japan Co., Ltd.) / GRAPHT (MSY Inc.) / TOKYO DESIGN TECHNOLOGY CENTER / VAXEE (VAXEE) / HUB (HUB CO., LTD.) / JOYPOLIS (CA Sega Joypolis Ltd.) / Turtle Beach (SB C&S Corp.) / Ajinomoto Co., Inc. “あえて、®”

There have also been some standout initiatives that have made this event truly special. 

First, thanks to HP Inc., the main sponsor of the tournament, Shishiro Botan hosted an interactive livestream on her channel ahead of the event where viewers could take part in special missions to unlock the Sponsorship Sale for the 3rd Shishiro Hai, which was successful thanks to everyone’s efforts in completing the challenges. This challenge-based initiative sought to involve the audience more and add to the festival atmosphere surrounding the tournament. 

During the two days of the main event, public viewings were held at HUBs (UK-style pubs) across Japan, with special Shishiro Hai collaboration drinks also available from May 9 to 25.

Right before the tournament, the brand “あえて、®” (pronounced aete) from Ajinomoto Co., Inc. was also announced as an official sponsor, but as they had only just launched its own esports initiatives, they contributed by offering their “あえて、®” frozen meal deliveries for the event. During the main event, there was a special segment featuring a fun quiz called Maze-gohan (cooked rice with seasonal ingredients) Blind Challenge that introduced some of the “あえて、®” range and highlighted the uniqueness of the meals in an engaging way. 

The Value Created by Shishiro Hai

With the support of countless participants and partner companies, Shishiro Hai has evolved into an unprecedentedly influential tournament, opening the door for fans who usually follow VTuber streams to discover the energy and passion of the esports and professional gaming worlds. We even saw the emergence of a few Cinderella stories, with the spotlight shining on certain players in ways they hadn’t experienced before. Above all, everyone involved wants the same thing – to entertain viewers and to have fun themselves: a mindset evident in every part of the event and is one of the reasons Shishiro Hai is continued to be loved by all. 

Of course, the viewers themselves are an essential part of what makes the tournament so special, but it goes beyond cheering for one’s favorite players in stream chat sections. The excitement and inspiration generated by Shishiro Hai can often be seen as the catalyst for all kinds of new connections and activities with many people joining sponsorship campaigns or discovering new creators to support even after watching their performances at this event.  

Stay tuned for the upcoming second and third installments of this special feature, where we interview partners who were on board for Shishiro Hai, the team behind the project, and Shishiro Botan herself who gives us a sneak peek into the collaboration that goes on behind the scenes.

* Parts 2 and 3 of this article will be published soon.

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