Hakusensha Co., Ltd. announced “Kanda La Lao,” the official VTuber of its monthly comic magazine “LaLa,” on Friday, May 22, 2026. She is a VTuber born from a star-studded collaboration of LaLa creators: named by Midorikawa Yuki of “Natsume’s Book of Friends,” with character design by Touka Akiharu and illustration by Ike Junko.

A VTuber Born from a Star-Studded LaLa Creators Collaboration

“Kanda La Lao” is set as a fallen angel who was driven from the heavens and washed up in Awajicho. She joins the LaLa editorial department as a new employee, introducing behind-the-scenes information on the magazine’s works and content tied to its 50th anniversary. Touka Akiharu created and oversaw the character design, Ike Junko drew the illustration, and Midorikawa Yuki, known for “Natsume’s Book of Friends,” handled the naming. Modeling was done by WAYA.

Her profile lists her height as 183 cm (about the height of a vending machine) and her birthday as July 24. According to her unique backstory, she fell from the heavens due to an incident involving brass knuckles in her past life and lost her wings, but after being sealed in Awajicho she met a winged Hakusensha cat and now works as an employee. Thanks to the cat’s wings, she can still fly.

Official YouTube Channel and X Account Now Active

Kanda La Lao’s official YouTube channel and official X account are already up and running, and a teaser PV has been released. The teaser PV’s title proudly lists the creators — “[Naming / Midorikawa Yuki] [Character design / Touka Akiharu] [Illustration / Ike Junko]” — making this a high-profile lineup for both LaLa readers and VTuber fans.

Cases of publishers operating their own official VTubers have been increasing in recent years, but it is rare for multiple currently active serialized authors from a single editorial department to jointly launch one VTuber. The project is designed to deliver content backed by the brand power of the magazine itself.

The Linked Issue, LaLa July 2026, Also Now on Sale

To coincide with the Kanda La Lao announcement, the July 2026 issue of “LaLa” is on sale from Friday, May 22 to Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The magazine is published in B5 format at a special price of 650 yen (591 yen plus tax). LaLa is a monthly publication released on the 24th of each month.

Future Activities and 50th Anniversary Lineup

Going forward, Kanda La Lao is scheduled to introduce behind-the-scenes information on LaLa’s works and content for its 50th anniversary as a new employee of the editorial department. As a publisher’s official VTuber, she is expected to promote works featured in the magazine, deliver author interviews, and share scenes from the editorial department, reaching audiences who are harder to engage through print media alone. Concrete streaming schedules and the details of her first content release will be announced in turn on the official YouTube channel and X account.

Takeaway and Outlook

What stands out among publisher-operated official VTubers is the involvement of multiple currently active serialized creators on a single character. Midorikawa Yuki, who handled the naming, is widely loved by readers through “Natsume’s Book of Friends,” and the names of Touka Akiharu on character design and Ike Junko on illustration alone are enough to draw the interest of existing readers. As a new model case at the intersection of the publishing industry and VTuber culture, this initiative is worth watching closely as its activities expand.

Source: PR TIMES