Who is Junichi Kato: The "Pinnacle" of Japanese Twitch Uses Contradictions as a Weapon - Cheers and Sighs Both Turn into Viewership

Kato Junichi, known as "Unko-chan," has risen to the top of the Japanese-speaking Twitch community. From his debut on Niconico Live in 2009, becoming a full-time streamer in 2016, and fully entering Twitch in 2020, he has become a symbol of domestic streaming. His wedding reception in 2022, streamed on YouTube, attracted over 460,000 concurrent viewers and featured massive super chats, showcasing the scale of streaming culture. In a broadcast in the fall of 2024, he set a historic record for concurrent viewers on Japanese Twitch. Despite scandals, the paradox of "numbers keep growing" emerged, with social media reflecting a mix of "enthusiasm for record-breaking," "disappointment in the gap between his bold persona and reality," and "observers discussing the coexistence of controversy and popularity." As he diversifies into agencies, e-sports, stores, and international events, the next focus is on how to extend the television-like scale and internet-like spontaneity to external audiences.