History & science: a genre where your character becomes the teacher

Why it is still open

Places to learn history and science are everywhere in Japan. A Ministry of Education survey counted 1,305 museums and 4,466 museum-like facilities nationwide (October 2021). The national time-use survey also found that 31.6% of people aged 10 and over read books as a hobby, not counting manga (2021).

Explainer videos are a popular format, but most are either voice-only narration or lectures by experts showing their faces. VTubers talking about history and science are still rare. There are three main reasons:

• People think you have to be an expert to talk about it.
• Fear of being criticized for mistakes.
• Preparing materials and images looks like a lot of work.

But what matters most in an explainer is a way of talking that makes listeners want to know more. A VTuber with a character has a real edge here. Expertise can be backed up with books and expert sources.

Who is watching

• Students. They want to hear what they learned in class or for exams from a different angle.
• Adults relearning. Topics that bored them at school feel interesting now.
• People who got curious through games or anime. Fans of historical works and works about science.
• People who want something to listen to before bed. Calm explainers are popular as streams to listen to with eyes closed.

A VTuber’s strength is that the character can play the teacher or the student. There are plenty of textbook-style explainers, but when someone looks things up and gets surprised along with you, viewers want to stay to the end.

When people watch

Calm evening hours suit it best. Even for long talks, splitting them into chapters makes it easy for latecomers to join.

Stream ideas for VTubers

1. On this day. Introduce one event tied to the date. It works as a short daily slot.
2. Read a book and talk about it. Read one history or science book and share what stood out.
3. Look into what inspired a game or anime. Check a favorite work’s setting against real history or science.
4. Talk about a museum visit. Share your impressions of the exhibits and what you learned (check the photo rules first).
5. Look into everyday “why” questions. Why the sky is blue, why ice floats. Collect questions from viewers.
6. Talk about local history. Events and landmarks from your hometown become part of who you are.
7. Build a timeline together. Sum up one era while chat adds events.
8. Invite an expert guest. Talking with a researcher or curator backs up the accuracy.
9. Review with a quiz. Turn what you covered into questions and check answers with viewers.
10. Introduce Japanese history in English, for Japan fans abroad.

How to start, and what you need

No special gear is needed. Add a screen that shows the flow of the talk to your usual setup.

• Show the order of topics on screen. When people can see which part you are on, latecomers can catch up.
• Make your own diagrams and timelines. Even simple ones carry no rights worries if you drew them yourself.
• Put sources on screen and in the description. Note book titles, pages and website names.
• Add chapters to archives. Splitting by topic makes replays easier to use.

Your first four weeks

• Week 1: Do “On this day” three times, ten minutes each.
• Week 2: Look into what inspired one favorite work and talk about it.
• Week 3: Collect everyday “why” questions from viewers.
• Week 4: Pick one of those questions, research it in books, and answer it on stream.

Once it takes off

Short videos with the event or person’s name in the title get found by people researching the same thing. Museums and researchers are more likely to take on a collaboration once you have built trust over time, so wait until you are established before approaching them.

What to watch out for

• Always keep your sources. Showing what you based your talk on makes mistakes easier to fix. When you do not know something, “I’ll look it up and come back to it” is fine.
• Admit and correct mistakes. When someone points one out, correct it in the next stream and the description.
• Do not use images from the internet without permission. Photos and diagrams are copyrighted too. Museum materials often have their own rules on image use, so check them.
• No dangerous experiments. Experiments with chemicals or fire may be copied by viewers. If you show one, a safe method and adult supervision come first.
• Watch for language that hurts people. Historical events still involve people today. Do not mock any country or group.
• Do not make definite claims about health or medical science. For anything about the body, stop at “research suggests” and add the source.
• Mark sponsored content clearly. If you receive books or learning materials, say “PR” or “sponsored” at the start. Since October 2023, hidden advertising is regulated under Japan’s misleading-representations law.

History and science are a genre where the speaker’s character is the way in. Back up the facts with sources, lead with your curiosity, and you can start.