A Japanese VTuber agency has launched its first virtual “rental granny” service, which allows customers to interact with real-life grandmas aged 75 and above.
Japan often makes headlines for its extravagant rental service industry, with everything from rental girlfriends and boyfriends to whole families available for hire. Customers can even rent a Japanese grandma who will cook for them and do housework.
VTuber agency OTAGROUP has kept with the grandma theme, but taken things in an entirely new direction. Unlike other rental services, OTAGROUP’s “rental granny” allows users to receive counseling from a virtual grandma.
The service costs 3,000, around $20 USD, and you’ll get 60 minutes to sit down and talk to a virtual grandma via Zoom or Google Meet. However, according to ITmedia, customers can even make requests that don’t just adhere to online meetings, with one example being paying them to appear as an extra in a movie.
As for why the “rental granny” VTuber service was launched, Otagroup believes it has a positive impact in helping both the elderly grandmothers it employs and the young people who choose to use the service.
In a translated response via Automaton, the company stated:
“We have realized that the experience of having someone that can rely on you greatly contributes to the well-being of the elderly. By creating a service which every old lady can participate in, our goal is to boost the self-esteem of the elderly, while also helping resolve issues of young people in urban areas as well.”
So, it seems the sky’s the limit for Japan’s bustling rental service industry, and VTuber technology isn’t just for the young, but also the young at heart.
