Virtual YouTuber (VTuber) producer Nijisanji has suspended Gundo Mirei over tweets that offended baseball fans.
Mirei was tweeting her reaction to the ongoing WBC (World Baseball Classic). In a tweet thread she voiced her misunderstandings about baseball and made seemingly sarcastic jokes and comments about how baseball could be improved.
For example, one tweet she said:
If we all hit home runs, wouldn’t it be easier without the person in charge of cleaning up the balls? Couldn’t it be possible to make the ball slanted like a golf ball so that it would come back to the first shot, or make the stadium smaller? ?
Translation: Google
However the tweet that offended baseball fans seems to have implied that baseball players might throw the ball with the intent to injure. Baseball fans inferred this question as an insult to the integrity of the athletes at the WBC.
This ball thrower, when a strong person stands up and throws it to the head or body, can’t they be suspended?
Translation: Google
At the time of writing, Mirei’s tweet has almost 6,000 quote retweets; many of them insulting the VTuber.
ANYCOLORS, the company behind Nijisanji released a statement apologizing for Mirei’s tweets and suspending her indefinitely.
Report on our affiliated [Liver]
The virtual liver group “Nijisa” operated by ANYCOLOR Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “our company”).
Thank you very much for your support.
On March 22, 2023, our company’s [liver] “Mirei Gundo” started using the social network service “Twitter”. [She] posted an inappropriate post about baseball (hereinafter referred to as the “Tweet”).
This tweet has caused many people, including baseball fans, to feel very uncomfortable.
She apologized profusely.
In addition, she has been acting inappropriately on multiple occasions since she started her activities as a member of our company, not limited to this case.
She posted this tweet even though she had been warned by us each time.
We believe that the fact that the [liver] made this tweet is a serious problem that she lacks awareness as a distributor.
In light of the above circumstances, we have decided to suspend the activities of the river for the time being from today (March 23, 2023).
In addition, regarding the contents of the projects and various contents that have already been scheduled to be released, [we are making adjustments with] the relevant parties.
Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience caused to many people.
In order to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future, we will conduct training on compliance again for the relevant [liver].
At the same time, we will continue to thoroughly educate and guide other affiliated rivers.
To all the fans, we would like to ask for your continued support.
Translation: Google, Adjustments: [Ours]
Mirei has been a part of Nijisanji since she debuted in 2019. The response of fans has been split since the statement from Nijisanji with some seeing a suspension as too drastic of a punishment; while others think it doesn’t go far enough.
