We’re taking a look back at VSPO! New Year’s Countdown 2024, held from December 31, 2024, to January 1, 2025, and bringing you the stories of the staff involved in the event’s planning and operation.
Corporate Growth Division, Event Department, Brave group Inc.
Daisuke Oshikawa
He worked as a store staff, manager, and area manager at a character goods retail store before joining Lenovo Japan G.K. in sales. He then transitioned to a VTuber operating company, where he focused on producer duties, including planning in-stream events, talent management, human resources, corporate affairs, and sales/budget management. Currently, as the Department Manager of the Corporate Growth Division’s Event Department at Brave group Inc., he oversees all stages of event production, from planning to on-site operation, for the IPs managed by the group.
Corporate Growth Division, Event Department, Brave group Inc.
Ryohei Kurayama
After graduating from university, Ryohei Kurayama worked in live event production and as a promoter for an entertainment company. He then moved to a resort facility, where he planned and managed events and concerts, including large-scale outdoor festivals. Concurrently, he worked part-time for an event management company, handling operations and security for major events. He joined Brave group afterward and now serves as a leader in the Corporate Growth Division’s Event Department, working alongside Daisuke Oshikawa. He is responsible for all stages of event production, from planning to on-site operation, for the IPs managed by the group.
About Brave group and the Corporate Growth Division’s Event Department
As of January, 2025, Brave group operates over 30 services and projects across 15 group companies.
Our group has a dedicated Event Department responsible for everything from offline event planning to on-site operations. Our mission is to “Creating platforms that unite IPs and fans, tangible, live excitement.” This department handles the planning, design, and promotion of offline events for various IPs within our group, such as VSPO! and HIMEHINA, and also undertakes offline event commissions from clients.
Today, we spoke with Daisuke Oshikawa, Department Manager, and Ryohei Kurayama, Leader, of the Corporate Growth Division’s Event Department at Brave group Inc. They reflected on VSPO! New Year’s Countdown 2024, sharing their “commitment to creating events” and “passion for event production.”
Creating an Immersive New Year’s Experience within the VSPO! World
── We’d like to ask about VSPO! New Year’s Countdown 2024, the event held from the end of last year to the beginning of this year, where fans celebrated the New Year with VSPO! members. Once again, thank you to everyone involved in the event, especially given the cold weather!
Kurayama: Thank you! It was successfully concluded with the cooperation of everyone, including the VSPO! management team, the fans, and everyone else involved.
── This was VSPO!’s first offline event in a while. What roles did you two play in planning and operating this event?
Oshikawa: My main responsibilities included negotiations with sponsoring companies and internal coordination for the event. However, since this was a large-scale event—the first since VSPO! Culture and Sports Festival in 2023—I was also on-site to assist with customer guidance and operations. In reality, Mr. Kurayama oversaw the planning from the very beginning through to the on-site operations.
── You mentioned being involved from the earliest planning stages. Could you tell us more about the background behind planning the 2024 year-end countdown event?
Kurayama: The discussion to “hold an even more powerful countdown event in 2024” began a few months after VSPO! New Year’s Countdown 2023, which was held the year before last. That was the catalyst.
Oshikawa: VSPO! New Year’s Countdown in 2023 was a fairly compact event due to being held right after VSPO! Culture and Sports Festival. Also, because it was held in such a short span, we felt it might have put a physical and financial burden on our fans. For 2024, VSPO! hadn’t held any major events. And because the previous compact countdown event was very well-received by fans, we discussed it with the VSPO! management team at Virtual Entertainment Inc. and decided to hold a “more powerful countdown event” for our fans.
── Speaking of “more powerful,” there were so many new initiatives that weren’t present at the end of 2023, such as the special program and the Ramen VSPO! Tei project, where you served ramen to customers! As the Event Department, were there any specific points you paid particular attention to or were particular about, from the planning stage to operation?
Kurayama: This was my first time handling event planning, so I proceeded by trial and error, gathering insights from everyone. However, I consistently kept two points in mind throughout the planning and operation phases:
First, from the perspective of the VSPO! management team, it was about considering “how to make the fans who support VSPO! enjoy themselves the most within the VSPO! world.” For instance, at VSPO! Culture and Sports Festival, we provided an extraordinary experience within the VSPO! worldview, such as fans engaging in tug-of-war with each other or reliving their school festival days. If we were to hold another countdown event, we thought about how to create the VSPO! world, what kind of plans and flow would allow fans to enjoy the event while feeling VSPO!, and what value and experiences we could provide through the event. We deliberated extensively with the operations team on these aspects.
Second, it was about considering whether the event could further the growth of VSPO! It was as important as ensuring fans enjoyed the VSPO! worldview to consider what measures and projects would help VSPO! grow as an IP content, and how to sow seeds and expand recognition among those who had not yet been exposed to VSPO! We believe that by encouraging fans to want to watch streams, support the IP even more through their interest in the event and their feelings after participating, and actually taking action, this will lead to the long-term growth of the IP.
Oshikawa: Building on insights from our past events, we approached administrations much earlier this time. Given that “Ramen VSPO! Tei” involved serving food, securing a food service permit was crucial. While we anticipated a lengthy approval process, our successful history, including the VSPO! New Year’s Countdown 2023, led to surprisingly swift approval from the authorities—a very welcome outcome.
── Thanks not only to the track record you had established up to the “VSPO! Culture and Sports Festival”, but also to the smooth completion of last year’s countdown event, the authorities were quick to grant their approval.
By the way, could you tell us how the idea of serving ramen came about?
Oshikawa: The inspiration for serving ramen emerged during our discussions for the next event. The VSPO! management team brainstormed ways to engage one of humanity’s fundamental desires: appetite. We considered popular, aromatic foods for year-end events, and Toshikoshi Soba (New Year’s Eve noodles) often comes to mind. However, we had concerns about potential allergies and varying preferences among our diverse audience. That’s when an event team member suggested, “Wouldn’t ramen be broadly appealing?” The idea was met with unanimous enthusiasm, and ramen was the clear choice.
Kurayama: We pretty much all said, “Everyone loves ramen, right?!” (laughs).
Oshikawa: It was a very smooth decision, with comments like, “No one can resist the irresistible aroma of ramen!” (laughs). Once the concept was approved, we selected catering vendors, determined the number of menu items, and set pricing and special offers. We researched local ramen shop prices to ensure our offerings were affordable for all attendees. To perfect the ramen’s taste, VSPO! members conducted multiple taste tests. We went through numerous iterations to achieve the best flavor. I even recall discussing the optimal number of roast pork slices to top the ramen.
──You even went as far as debating the exact number of roast pork slices? It sounds like you examined every detail.
Oshikawa: We increased the portion size to ensure every attendee felt fully satisfied with a single bowl. Beyond selecting vendors and refining the ramen itself, our team also extensively debated the optimal placement and setup of a large-scale kitchen at the venue. This was our event team’s first experience setting up such a substantial kitchen. We ran countless simulations to determine the ideal space for efficient ramen preparation and seamless customer flow, all while ensuring guests received their ramen piping hot.
Kurayama: We analyzed various event case studies, drawing insights from various companies to design an efficient customer flow from queuing to food delivery. We knew that offering too many menu items could lead to delays due to selection time and inconsistencies in serving speed. That’s why, for “Ramen VSPO! Tei,” we deliberately chose to offer only ramen.
── And thus, ramen crafted to perfection in every living detail was born.! What was the customer feedback like when you served the ramen?
Kurayama: While there are always areas for future improvement, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive! We initially anticipated “Ramen VSPO! Tei” would be extremely crowded, causing long waits. However, thanks to everyone’s cooperation, a great number of people were able to enjoy the experience without significant delays.
Oshikawa: Attendees devoured their ramen quickly and neatly. We had set a limit of two bowls per person, and many individuals enthusiastically enjoyed both servings. The entire management team was genuinely amazed by everyone’s impressive appetite (laughs).
Creating the “Best Event” Together with Everyone Involved
── Besides “Ramen VSPO! Tei,” there were also exhibits and other attractions. Could you tell us how these were planned and executed?
Oshikawa: The venue was broadly divided into three areas. The first was the “Ramen VSPO! Tei” area, where ramen was served. The second was the merchandise sales area for this event, and the third was the area for broadcasting the “VSPO! Fan Appreciation Special Program.” For the planning and content of these exhibits, we started with proposals from the VSPO! management team. We then discussed and decided on the layout and production elements that would create a lasting impression and provide a unique experience for the visiting fans.
Kurayama: We also focused on the “live feel” of the countdown production. After 10:30 PM, all three areas became the countdown venue. To ensure that fans felt the “live feel” of counting down with the members, especially on the first floor of Belle Salle Akihabara, which served as the main venue, we incorporated even more elaborate lighting effects than last year. Actually, the lighting, including the production, was a counter-proposal from the production company we commissioned for the art.
── The exhibit was arranged and curated so that visitors could look back on the VSPO! members’ activities in 2024.So, it wasn’t a production element designed from the planning stage! What kind of proposal did the production company offer?
Kurayama: They suggested that instead of just projecting images, we could enhance the “live feel” by synchronizing the lighting with the various videos leading up to the countdown and with the countdown shouts. After discussions with the VSPO! management team, we decided to adopt this excellent idea from the production company, believing it would create the best possible countdown event for our fans.
── With the synergistic effect of the production, the countdown moment was incredibly exciting! On the other hand, I had the impression that event production companies faithfully create events based on predetermined plans and content. Does the Event Department actively incorporate proposals from production companies when creating events?
Kurayama: Yes. Not just for this countdown event, but for all VSPO! events, we value “creating together.”
── That’s something you’ve cherished in previous events as well, isn’t it?
Kurayama: Yes. “Creating together” means not only upholding the worldview that VSPO! aims to build and creating an even more powerful event than the last, but also that “all” of us—the VSPO! members, the VSPO! management team, the fans, and us who create the event—work together to produce the best event and experience a sense of accomplishment afterward. This “all” includes not only members of our group but also external companies assisting with planning and production, and staff helping with on-site operations. By allowing everyone to expand on ideas that feel authentically VSPO! and propose them without hesitation, we can create the best event. Conversely, if we suppress ideas just because “we’re the client” or “they’re external,” we can’t create the best event.
── So, to create the best event, everyone involved in the event worked as one team in planning, production, and operation. And now that the countdown event has successfully concluded, how do you look back on it?
Kurayama: I believe everyone involved in this event had the best New Year’s Eve. I can reflect on it calmly now, but immediately after the event, when I got home, I was overcome with emotion while watching the archived stream of the countdown event…
Oshikawa: You cried from reminiscing, didn’t you?
Kurayama: I was filled with the sense of accomplishment from delivering a great event to our customers and the satisfaction of being involved from planning to operation. I became sentimental while eating dinner after returning home (laughs). I rewatched the archived stream and posted my thoughts about the event on the Event Department’s communication channel, getting emotional by myself. After that, I kept rewatching the archived stream, including the fixed-point camera footage, and repeatedly got emotional and cried.
── We also saw you all working hard late into the night preparing on the 8th-floor communication space, so we almost teared up too!
Kurayama: After indulging in my emotions and calming down, I analyzed the feedback from attendees on social media and re-organized the good points and areas for improvement for next time. While I can’t share the details, for points that can be improved immediately for the next event and those that require mid-to-long-term improvement, I strongly encourage you to attend the next event to see for yourselves “how things have changed” and “if it has become an even better event”!
Furthermore, positive feedback from customers not only motivates us for future planning and production but also serves as a crucial driving force for us to “provide a more immersive, extraordinary experience” in our work. We will continue to prioritize delivering the VSPO! worldview and project vision while incorporating feedback from fans to create even better events.
── Thank you very much! Finally, please give a message to those who are proceeding with our group’s recruitment selection and job seekers who want to create events that surpass VSPO! New Year’s Countdown 2024!
Oshikawa: Our group operates numerous IPs, primarily VSPO!. We will continue to plan and hold events that allow everyone to directly experience the worldview and message of each IP, not just VSPO!, together with those who manage these IPs. We await applications from those who wish to create the best events for the world, together with “all” of the IP managers, talents, fans, and those who assist with event production!
Kurayama: The Event Department is a team that “Creating platforms that unite IPs and fans, tangible, live excitement” through IPs. And the work of the Event Department is to make fans dream through events created by the entire team. I myself love events, and all the members of the Event Department genuinely love events. For those who want to pour their passion into event creation without ever forgetting that feeling of “liking and enjoying” events, and who want to deliver “the ultimate fun” to customers through events, I believe our company is a very interesting place. For those who want to deliver unprecedented, groundbreaking events to customers, and who can dedicate themselves passionately and diligently to creating events, please reach out to us for a discussion!
