Virtual boy band Strawberry Prince steps in metaverse spotlight

Real Japanese singers with avatars point to future of entertainment

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Strawberry Prince boasts millions of followers on TikTok, Twitter, Line and Instagram. © STPR Inc.

YUKIHIRO ENOMOTO and SHIMPEI NAKAMURA, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- They have millions of fans and a state-of-the-art Tokyo studio filled with cameras that each cost as much as a luxury car. But their true faces are known to relatively few. They are Strawberry Prince, and they are made for the metaverse.

Led by a 26-year-old who struggled to fit in at school, the Japanese music group formed in June 2016 and has rocketed in popularity with their deft mix of social media and streaming. Its members not only sing, but also make videos, stream games and more, both together and solo.

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