YouTube stars are flocking to Chinese counterpart Bilibili, once known for its anime
- Some YouTubers are becoming popular in China, but censorship means stars can lose their accounts at any moment
- Bilibili is seeing rapid growth as it transforms itself into the YouTube of China
Tony Wakim and Layne Stein had no idea that their Disney-inspired music videos were racking up millions of views in China until they were told by a friend. The duo has been performing and producing content for YouTube for years. But thanks to bootleggers, they were also unknowingly building a fan base on Bilibili, a popular Chinese video platform they had never heard of.
“They sent us the link and we took a look and went: ‘Oh my gosh, that's crazy,’” Stein said.
Soon after this revelation, the two started an official channel on the platform for their company PattyCake Productions, which creates family-friendly music videos that often feature Disney characters. They are now among dozens of YouTubers shifting their attention to China to win more followers half a world away.
Before Bilibili was known as a new “YouTube of China”, it was known for its wealth of pirated content. Starting off as a niche space for fans of anime, comics and games (ACG), the video platform has been steadily leaving its past behind as it invests in copyrighted content and relies on more original user-generated videos and game streaming.
