Japanese virtual idol Hatsune Miku joins Taobao as a live streaming ambassador for upcoming 618 festival

Users of the e-commerce platform will be able to use their own virtual images generated on Taobao to chat, dance, or take photos together with Miku, according to a post on Taobao’s Weibo account on Monday. Miku has already ranked as one of the most popular celebrities on the platform, with over 10 million page visits and virtual gifts. — SCMP

Hatsune Miku, a popular virtual idol and singer from Japan, has joined Alibaba’s Taobao as an ambassador for this year’s 618 midyear shopping festival, as live streaming continues to take a bigger slice of online consumption in China.

Users of the e-commerce platform will be able to use their own virtual images generated on Taobao to chat, dance, or take photos together with Miku, according to a post on Taobao’s Weibo account on Monday. Miku has already ranked as one of the most popular celebrities on the platform, with over 10 million page visits and virtual gifts.