Yoji Yamamoto is the first individual within Brave group Inc. and its subsidiaries to be appointed as a Director after joining as a new graduate. His journey into the world of esports operations began with a single DM sent during his graduate studies. Subsequently, he made the bold decision to withdraw from his Master’s program to join Virtual Entertainment Inc., the company behind VSPO!. In just one year and nine months, he ascended to the position of Director.

While a career in research was a viable path, he chose to “give his all to what he loves.” Alongside Keito Noguchi, CEO of Brave group Inc., we look back at the “decisions” and “actions” that defined his rapid career trajectory.

“I Want to Help with Operations”: A Single DM to a Stranger

Noguchi: First, tell us about how you met Mr. Hoshi, the founder of Virtual Entertainment Inc.

Yamamoto: Alongside my graduate research, I was a volunteer managing a community for PUBG scrims. When that community was acquired, Mr. Hoshi was introduced to me as the person in charge of the acquiring entity.

Noguchi: What made you want to join that community in the first place?

Yamamoto: It started when a close friend became a professional PUBG player and began participating in scrims. Seeing my friend succeed while I felt I wasn’t contributing anything was frustrating. I didn’t have the skills to go pro myself, so I sent a direct message to the person in charge at the time, saying, “Please let me help with operations.”

Noguchi: You sent a DM out of the blue to someone you’d never met? That’s incredible initiative.

Yamamoto: Yes. Looking back, I had a surprising amount of drive back then (laughs).

“Give My All to What I Love Now”: A One-Week Trip to Decide the Future

Noguchi: You had fast-tracked into graduate school and were aiming for a career in research. Why did you decide to join Virtual Entertainment Inc. instead?

Yamamoto: While I was still running the community, Mr. Hoshi had reached out to me about joining the company on several occasions. At the time, however, I was still in graduate school and couldn’t quite decide on my future path.

As various factors weighed on me, it started to become mentally taxing. To clear my head and find a way forward, I took a week in October 2020 to travel from Osaka to Tokyo, making time to reconnect with the people who had been a part of my journey.

The friends and acquaintances I reunited with were all giving their all to what they loved, and they looked truly happy. Seeing them solidified my desire to do the same. At the end of that trip, I met Mr. Hoshi and told him, “I want to join the company,” conveying my decision to leave graduate school.

Noguchi: So that approach came from you as well? You usually give a more “passive” impression, so that’s an unexpected side of you.

Yamamoto: I tend to act cautiously in daily life, but I think I’ve always moved on my own at critical turning points.

“Showing Up Uninvited”: The Night at Kanda Myojin that Led to the Boardroom

Noguchi: You are the only person in the group to be promoted from a new graduate to a Director. Did you always have a strong desire for career advancement?

Yamamoto: Actually, even before the merger between Brave group Inc. and Virtual Entertainment Inc., Mr. Hoshi asked me, “How would you feel about becoming an executive in the future?” Honestly, as a fresh graduate, I thought it was impossible.

Noguchi: What changed that mindset?

Yamamoto: The VSPO! x Kanda Myojin Summer Festival in August 2022 was the turning point. As it was the first offline event for VSPO!, unexpected issues kept arising on-site. Meanwhile, I was managing an esports tournament at a different venue. After the tournament ended, I saw the situation on social media and thought, “I might be able to solve this with my experience.” I headed straight to the site.

Noguchi: You weren’t called; you went of your own volition?

Yamamoto: Yes. I wasn’t involved in VSPO! operations at the time, but I was confident I had a solution. When I shared my ideas, I ended up helping with the response, and we overcame the challenges. That was the first time I felt a real sense of accomplishment, and I started thinking that maybe I could take on the challenge of being an executive.

Noguchi: So that experience built your confidence.

Yamamoto: That was part of it, but essentially, I simply enjoyed being able to debate with Mr. Hoshi on equal footing. I realized that if I could work with him, I wanted to dive into IP business, even without prior experience. That was the catalyst for my full-scale participation in VSPO! operations.

Noguchi: You value “who you work with” over “what you do.”

Yamamoto: Exactly. Since I joined as a new graduate and Mr. Hoshi was my only direct supervisor, I learned everything—including how to approach business—by watching him.

“Not Fearing Failure” to Break the 0→1 Barrier

Noguchi: Our first serious conversation was in the fall of 2022, when Mr. Hoshi recommended you for the board.

Yamamoto: I remember thinking I had to be fully prepared because, behind your soft-spoken demeanor, I sensed a profound professional strictness (laughs).

Noguchi: My impression of you is someone with an excellent balance between the “right brain” and “left brain.” You have the “intuition (right brain)” of a fan or player, but you also possess the “intellect (left brain)” to perceive things rationally.

In this industry, “genius-level sensibility” gets a lot of attention, but to execute that as a “business,” meticulous planning, operations, and organizational management are indispensable. I believe you are a highly capable individual who possesses both. Your problem-solving skills are exceptional, and your decision-making is always precise and fast.

Yamamoto: Thank you. However, I still feel a bit weak when it comes to “0→1″—creating something from nothing. Seeing Mr. Hoshi’s “flashes of inspiration” up close makes me feel I still have a long way to go.

Noguchi: Creating “0→1” in business is something that can be cultivated through training. You don’t need to be original from the start; you can begin by thoroughly absorbing and practicing excellent examples. By starting with “imitation” and adding your own originality, that “inspiration” will eventually bloom. There is a concept that great entrepreneurs are also great imitators. Facebook wasn’t the first social network, and Google was the 18th search engine. The person who invents something is not necessarily the same person who grows it.

Yamamoto: That’s true. I used to think it was because I mostly spent my time shaping Mr. Hoshi’s ideas and lacked my own success stories. But recently, I realized the root cause was that I was afraid of failure. Since I started acting with the mindset that “there is always something to be gained even from failure,” I’ve been able to speak up with more confidence on-site.

From “Executing” Decisions to “Making” Them

Noguchi: Since February 2025, you have also served as an External Director for Neo-Porte Inc. How did you feel when you were approached?

Yamamoto: I felt a sense of mission. Neo-Porte is a crucial piece of the “Alliance of VTuber Companies” that Brave group Inc. aims to build. I felt it absolutely had to succeed, so I accepted immediately.

Noguchi: Your role at Neo-Porte is a different kind of challenge, isn’t it?

Yamamoto: Yes. Previously, my role was centered on executing Mr. Hoshi’s decisions. At Neo-Porte, basically, Mr. Wakamatsu (Director of Neo-Porte Inc.) and I are the ones making the decisions.

Noguchi: An organization cannot grow if one person handles everything. Creating a “second self,” delegating, and practicing “selection and concentration” become vital at the next stage.

Yamamoto: I agree. Actually, during the “VSPO! Festival 2025” held last November, I hardly intervened in the event content. Previously, I often took the lead, but I felt the organization needed to move to the next phase as VSPO! expanded. This time, I deliberately took a step back and trusted the team.

As a result, the staff and VSPO! members brought all the planning and production to life. It’s become an organization that can create something of that caliber without me racking my brains. That growth was more rewarding than anything.

Noguchi: It was truly the “fruit of the efforts” of the talents and operations members. I went to the venue, and the enthusiasm of the fans was staggering. Tens of thousands of spectators reacted to every move the talents made, and the whole venue cheered as one. During the live event, the moment the audience realized the opening MC was “Mr. Hoshi(the staff character beloved by fans),” the crowd went wild. I was waving a penlight in the corner with Mr. Funabashi(Director, Chief Operating Officer) and Mr. Shimomura(Director, Chief Strategy Officer).

Yamamoto: That really was amazing.

Noguchi: You took on the new challenge of “delegating” this time. Management and careers are like “muscle training”; if you don’t apply a load and break down fixed ideas, your capacity won’t expand. Every time you overcome a problem, the weight you can handle increases. I expect you to turn that pressure into strength and become even more powerful as a leader.

You Don’t Have to Force a Challenge—But if You “Want” to, You Should Act

Noguchi: Finally, do you have a message for those who are struggling with their careers or challenges?

Noguchi: Finally, do you have a message for those who are struggling with their careers or challenges?
Yamamoto: Well, to say something a bit “contrarian,” I don’t think you should move solely out of a sense of obligation that you “must” take on a challenge. You should be the subject of your own life. If you have the desire to do something but are anxious, I want you to take that step. On the other hand, if you don’t truly want it, you don’t need to force yourself.

That said, I want members who have a strong will to achieve something through projects like VSPO! or Neo-Porte to keep pushing forward. I’d be happy to see more colleagues with whom I can grow together while being inspired myself. Also, considering that work occupies most of our lives, it’s a waste to spend that time being passive. It’s better to spend that time on things that connect to your future.

Noguchi: Brave group Inc. will increasingly need the “venture spirit of the younger generation” like yours. Looking 10 or 20 years ahead, the younger generation with sharp sensibilities should be the ones leading the management. I expect you to stand at the center of that and be a model for the future of Brave group Inc.

(Interview date: December 4, 2025)