VTuber Hoshimachi Suisei and Hatsune Miku made a spectacular appearance at the first pitch ceremony of the Chiba Lotte Marines vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks game held on July 20, 2026 (Monday, national holiday) at ZOZO Marine Stadium. Fans erupted with joy, calling the moment “amazing” and flooding social media with reactions.
Hoshimachi Suisei: A Virtual Idol’s Rise
Hoshimachi Suisei is a virtual idol who has carved a powerful presence in the music scene with her singing. In 2021, she released her first album Still Still Stellar, featuring her signature song “Stellar Stellar,” which debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard JAPAN Download Albums chart and the Oricon Weekly Digital Album Ranking. Her 2024 track “Bibideba” became a global viral hit on social media, amassing over 100 million views on YouTube. She became the first VTuber to surpass 100 million cumulative streams on Billboard JAPAN. Her music video also earned a Bronze Award at the Clio Music 2025, one of the world’s three major advertising awards, gaining international recognition for visual expression.
Hatsune Miku: The Vocaloid Phenomenon
Hatsune Miku is a “music software” developed by Crypton Future Media as the first installment of the “Character Vocal Series” (CV Series), allowing anyone to input lyrics and melody to make her sing. A wave of creators produced music and posted it online, sparking a movement that turned Miku into a cultural icon. Today, she performs as a virtual singer in live concerts, merchandise lines, and global events, captivating fans worldwide.
The First Pitch Ceremony
The appearance was tied to a new commercial for Lotte’s “Coolish” and “Sou” ice cream products, titled “Cold and Blue, Summer Has Come.” In the ad, the two sing “Ao no Sumika” (lyrics and music by Kitani Tatsuya), a refreshing summer tune that matches the brand’s blue color. During the ceremony, Hoshimachi Suisei and Hatsune Miku appeared on the stadium’s main vision screen. As Miku cheered her on, Suisei took the mound. Before the pitch, she commented, “I’ll aim for a blazing fastball!” The ball she threw was a perfect strike, clocked at 105 km/h on the stadium speed gun.
The ceremony also featured a special synchronized effect between the main vision and the mound, thrilling the crowd. Hoshimachi Suisei shared a video on her official X (Twitter) account, writing: “Today, I appeared at the Chiba Lotte Marines’ first pitch. Thank you to everyone at the venue and to Hatsune Miku-chan for watching over me.”
Fan Reactions
The video shows the pitch sequence, and fans couldn’t contain their excitement. Comments poured in: “I was so surprised by that blazing fastball!” “It was truly a comet-like fastball, amazing!” “A star-like fastball pitch!” “That was hilarious, I loved it!” “Everyone was talking about the blazing fastball lol. The conversation with Hatsune Miku-chan was also incredible!” “The ball speed was so fast my jaw dropped w” “105 km/h! As expected of Sui-chan!” “It was so fast I couldn’t even see it w”
(C) CFM (C) Studio STELLAR (C) COVER
— Sato Erika
