How to Succeed on YouTube Now: Insights from a Retired Creator with 1.3 Million Subscribers

In response to an article I previously wrote titled "The Reason Why Entertainment YouTubers Are Seriously Struggling and Retiring in Droves," I received the following comment.

---If someone with no money or fame said, "I want to start YouTube now!" what do you think is the right way to grow?

Since there were so many of these questions (exactly one), I'm going to answer it.

[Premise] Social Trends are Linked to Social Conditions

First, before getting into specific methodologies, let me share my philosophy.

I believe that what "goes viral" on SNS is linked to the public atmosphere. This is something I've felt after doing YouTube for seven years.

Looking at the timeline:

During the COVID pandemic (2020–2021), everyone was at home, so "eating at home" videos exploded due to stay-at-home demand. During this time, my attribute as a former Gindaco employee clicked, and my subscribers surged. The "loner" genre and black-company corporate slave vlogs were also in their prime.

As COVID was ending (2022–2023), the public became aggressive to vent frustration, and violent content like Breaking Down became popular.

Next (around 2024), because "violence is dangerous," "argument" content became popular. Like Tiger of Reiwa. They don't punch, but they clash fiercely with words. Essentially, content where you can say whatever you want from a safe zone.

And now (2025–2026), the public mood is quite bright. With the Takaichi administration, there's a vibe that "Japan has become brighter" (I won't dive deep into politics), and for some reason, the weather has been good, so the number of people going outside has exploded. TV professionals and Netflix are also getting serious about video content.

That's why high-tension, extroverted, and cheerful people are likely to become topics of conversation now. Conversely, dark content that grew during the COVID era, like "I'm a corporate slave with 3 hours of sleep" or "I got fired and want to die," doesn't grow at all now.

*The group M!LK, currently trending with songs like "Suki Sugite Metsu!" is reportedly operating under the concept of "wanting to energize Japan" this year. It perfectly matches the social climate, and since their songs are all upbeat, I support them greatly (which is why I've been singing their songs at drinking parties lately).

Other popular things include Noburock TV's "peaceful pranks where honest, cute girls are tricked" and "underground content you can peek at from a safe zone" like Kyojo no Taizai. This is proof that TV professionals, who create structures to discover and sell unknown talent, are coming to YouTube in earnest.

On the other hand, look at the current competitive eating scene. People like Purotan or Kanockstar used to post tons of eating videos, but they've decreased significantly compared to their peak. Because the world got brighter, the demand for watching videos of people stuffing themselves while cooped up at home has decreased.

(*However, food porn videos of sumo wrestlers eating insane amounts of ramen or Marugame Seimen, or videos like Masahiro Higashide quietly eating badgers or just drinking for 40 minutes—the "Solitary Gourmet" style—have secured a stable position as "calm content.")

In short, what grows changes with the times, so if you're starting now, you need to choose something that fits the "current atmosphere." You won't grow by using a format that worked in 2020.

[For Men] Unfortunately, it's Hard Mode

I'll be honest. For a man to start from zero as a face-showing entertainment YouTuber now is seriously hard mode.

You have to go all-in on both YouTube and TikTok. Editing skills are a given, and doing both shorts and long-form videos will simply kill you. But you have to do it.

One viable path is "skits." They are easy to grow in any era, but if you mess up the design, you'll end up as a "content machine with no personality"—having 500,000 subscribers but only 1,000 followers on X and Instagram—and you'll get depressed. It's important to add "color" from the start.

And if you're starting now, you should think about who you'll be competing with head-on.

If you compete on editing skills or edginess, you'll be up against Gammix. He's 18 with 1.04 million subscribers. He started a channel in 3rd grade, deleted it after being found out by his school, restarted in 12th grade, and surpassed 1 million subs in about a year. It's honestly tough to fight on the same stage as him.

If you compete on relatability or school vlogs, you're up against Elnino. A 19-year-old college YouTuber with 1.05 million subscribers. He even does national tours and has 450,000 TikTok followers. This is also tough.

For skits, you have to fight Botilist. They have 1.5 million subscribers. They post the same skit as both a short and a long video, earning views twice from one piece of content. And they pump them out almost every day.

If you talk about trends, you have to fight Stegoro Punchers. A duo from Hokkaido calling themselves the "news program of the YouTube world," with 650,000 subscribers. They are growing rapidly by covering and critiquing YouTube industry news.

So, if you're going to do it, start from a niche. I recommend studying things like the Lanchester Strategy. Even in the same genre, aim for the gaps that big players don't touch and take 1st place there. It's more realistic to take a position like "this person is the go-to for X" in a small market first, then gradually expand.

*I myself established recognition as a "Sendai-based YouTuber" until 10,000 subs, and as the "Kousen/Gindaco guy" until 100,000 subs. Since no one else held those positions, I was able to win. Choosing which genre to attack is a mindset that allows even the weak to stand their ground.

By the way, if you just want to increase views, you should erase your personality and do it without showing your face. That's more profitable and easier. But you won't get "fans," and no one will remember your name or face. I started YouTube because I wanted to be recognized on the street as "Hey, it's Kattu," rather than for the money, so I consider my initial goal a great success.

[For Women] Just Dancing Cutely Isn't Enough Anymore

We're in an era where just "dancing cutely on TikTok" isn't enough to grow. You have to be exceptionally cute. In fact, there are many people who are incredibly cute but can't become famous.

There are plenty of girls in Roppongi, Nishiazabu, Shibuya, and Kabukicho who are former idols or similar, with followers stuck at a few tens of thousands. When I occasionally eat with them, they often consult me, saying they want to be successful but don't know what to do.

So, what should they do? The highest probability right now is appearing in media.

If you're young, shows like Kyou Suki; if you're an adult, romance reality shows like Love Joto or Love Power Kingdom, or appearing on TV-style YouTube programs like Nobuyuki Sakuma's Noburock TV. Those who are "cute" or have a "new character" in any of these seem to be exploding on Instagram and TikTok, even if they were completely unknown before.

The currently trending Last Call follows the same structure, with some people seeing their likes and followers skyrocket after appearing. But in the end, the applicants with the best faces win and their followers explode, so I do feel that lookism is cruel.

Also, while cabaret girls and night work are positions that get criticized online, most of the people complaining anonymously are just looking for a fire to fuel, so you can just use that as a spark and navigate skillfully. However, if you only post content that mocks people in day jobs, you'll attract weird users, which isn't a good branding strategy.

Personally, I think the distance maintained by Hibiki Ichijo on X is the best, rather than posting things that create controversy by belittling others.

Then there are idol auditions. It's a narrow gate, but iLife candidates are going viral on TikTok, and groups like =LOVE or KAWAII LAB are doing great.

However, I don't recommend joining an unknown agency just because you "want to be an idol." You'll probably encounter many older men saying things like "I'll definitely make you a star" or "I want to invest in you," but the reason they say that is either because it's "profitable" or they "want to have sex." If you're confident in your visuals, it's more realistic to work at a lounge in Nishiazabu while auditioning like crazy. You often hear stories of famous actresses who worked in Nishiazabu when they were starting out.

Another option is doing TikTok Live. For the record, I also run a liver agency called "Even if the Anus is Visible." A friend of mine named Miyu said she wanted to try streaming, so I said, "I'll increase the agency's sales, so why not try it with us?" She started TikTok Live and was making 3 million yen a month within a month, and nearly 8 million yen a month in less than half a year. It's completely nonsensical as it easily exceeds my own salary.

Ultimately, People with "Spikes" Win in Any Era

What can be said for both men and women is that if you don't have "spikes" (a sharp edge), you'll get buried.

^ Even the top creator Hikaru says this.

In SNS, it's overwhelmingly stronger to be hated by 8 out of 10 people but deeply resonate with 2. When I was doing leg splits on YouTube with my junk almost showing, some women and men called me "gross," but a certain segment of male students thought "this guy is hilarious," and I reached 1.3 million subscribers. For the record, even if my anus is visible, there are 100 million Japanese citizens. If I put out content that resonates with 1% of them, I can aim for a Gold Shield.

In this era overflowing with AI-mass-produced content, people with personality—those where it "has to be this person"—will survive. Editing can be done by AI. Subtitles can be made by AI. But "liking this person's humanity" cannot be replaced by AI.

I want those starting now to cherish their own spikes. Whether it's dirty jokes, a dialect, or a niche hobby, anything is fine. Those with something sharp will ultimately win.

However, the era of "explosive growth by chance" like the old YouTube is over, so you need to be prepared. If you don't have the resolve, honestly, it's better not to do it. If you do it half-heartedly, you'll just waste time.

As for myself, I'm currently focusing entirely on X articles rather than YouTube. After reading my Note articles, I've received DMs from various CEOs and have more exciting dinner meetings scheduled. In this era, if you don't mistake "which platform to use and who to target," you can change your life even from being unknown.

I'm waiting for your DMs for SNS inquiries or business consultations.

This was Kattu.