Kano

Kano (Japanese: 鹿乃) is a Japanese musician and virtual YouTuber signed to Imperial Records. She is known for anime theme songs, including the opening theme of Wish Upon the Pleiades and the ending theme of Azur Lane, and for appearing as a virtual YouTuber with a 3D model based on her long-standing avatar, Bambi.

Profile

Item	Detail
Debut	2010 (music uploads on Nicovideo); 2015 (major-label debut); 2020 (VTuber debut)
Label	Imperial Records (from 2018); previously Warner Bros.
Avatar	Bambi
Occupation	Singer, virtual YouTuber

Career

Kano started making music in 2010 by uploading songs to the Japanese video-sharing website Nicovideo as a doujin artist. In 2015 she signed with Warner Bros. and made her major-label debut on May 20 with the single "Stella-rium". Its title song became the opening theme of the anime series Wish Upon the Pleiades. Her second single, "Dear Brave", came out on November 18, 2015, and its title song was the first ending theme of the anime series Heavy Object.

Her first major album, Nowhere, was released on May 11, 2016. Her third single, "Nameless", followed on September 7, 2016, and was used as the ending theme of Alderamin on the Sky. Her fourth single, "Day by Day", came out on May 24, 2017, and served as the ending theme of Sword Oratoria. Her second album, Alstroemeria, was released on December 20, 2017.

In 2018 Kano moved to Imperial Records. That year it was also announced that she would provide the voice bank for the Japanese version of the Chinese Vocaloid Luo Tianyi. Her third album, Rye, was released on December 19, 2018. On September 25, 2019, she released the mini-album Itsuka no Yakusoku o Kimi ni. It was followed on November 27, 2019, by the single "Hikari no Michishirube", whose title track was the ending theme of the anime series Azur Lane.

In February 2020 Kano announced her debut as a virtual YouTuber and revealed a 3D model based on Bambi, an avatar she had already used in official artwork and other media. During her debut stream, which marked her tenth anniversary as a creator, she announced her fourth album, Yuanfen. The album was released on March 4, 2020. On September 2, 2020, she released the single "Nadamesukashi Negotiation". A duet version with voice actress Naomi Ōzora was used as the opening theme of the anime series Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!.

Activities

Streaming style

Kano uses a motion-capture 3D model for her virtual activities. Since moving from a singer's career into VTuber work, she has tried a variety of streaming formats. These streams sit alongside her ongoing music releases through Imperial Records.

Music and works

"Stella-rium" (single, 2015), opening theme of Wish Upon the Pleiades
"Dear Brave" (single, 2015), first ending theme of Heavy Object
Nowhere (album, 2016)
"Nameless" (single, 2016), ending theme of Alderamin on the Sky
"Day by Day" (single, 2017), ending theme of Sword Oratoria
Alstroemeria (album, 2017)
Rye (album, 2018)
Itsuka no Yakusoku o Kimi ni (mini-album, 2019)
"Hikari no Michishirube" (single, 2019), ending theme of Azur Lane
Yuanfen (album, 2020)
"Nadamesukashi Negotiation" (single, 2020), opening theme of Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! (duet version with Naomi Ōzora)

Characteristics

Kano's virtual appearance comes from Bambi, an avatar linked to her music releases and official artwork long before her VTuber debut. This continuity sets her apart from talents whose virtual designs were created specifically for streaming. Commentators have noted that since becoming a VTuber she has interacted with fans more openly, coming across as warm and wholesome. Her work also extends to voice synthesis, as she voiced the Japanese version of the Vocaloid Luo Tianyi.