{"rewrite":{"id":"r_a1ec400431d31d0f10093c28","clusterId":"c_f586ae9c21d4f31d0b44d0ae","slug":"meido-shirone-to-appear-at-offkai-expo-2026","model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","headline":"Meido Shirone to Appear at OffKai EXPO 2026","summary":"VTuber agency Haconect announced that its talent Meido Shirone will appear at OffKai EXPO, North America's largest VTuber-focused convention, held in San Jose, California from July 24 to 26, 2026. Meido Shirone will hold a meet-and-greet at the Digital Gear exhibition booth. The event is scheduled for 5:45 AM Japan Time on July 27 and will be simulcast on YouTube. OffKai EXPO, now in its fifth year, is organized by volunteers and aims to celebrate digital and virtual art subculture. In 2025, the convention expected over 5,000 attendees but exceeded that number, and this year expects even higher turnout. Haconect, which started operations in June 2021, provides management and streaming support for its VTubers. The agency also runs advertisements in Akihabara and operates its own studio for recording and streaming environments.","whyItMatters":"This marks one of the first appearances by a Haconect talent at a major North American VTuber convention, signaling the agency's push into international events.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eMeido Shirone, a VTuber from the agency Haconect, is set to appear at OffKai EXPO 2026, which runs from July 24 to 26 in San Jose, California. The convention, now in its fifth year, is described as the first and largest VTuber-focused event in North America, where VTubers themselves are the main attraction. Organizers say it is run entirely by volunteers and aims to promote digital and virtual art culture rather than being purely commercial. In 2025, attendance surpassed the expected 5,000, and this year\u0026#39;s event is expected to draw even more visitors. Meido Shirone\u0026#39;s meet-and-greet will take place at the Digital Gear booth, and the session will be simulcast on YouTube starting at 5:45 AM Japan Time on July 27. Haconect, operated by analog inc., began its activities in June 2021 and supports its talents with management, streaming, and merchandise development. The agency also maintains a studio in Akihabara and runs local advertisements.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Meido Shirone's OffKai EXPO appearance is Haconect's first major push into a North American convention. The agency's growth from Akihabara ads to a San Jose booth signals a deliberate geographic expansion.","twitterPost":"Haconect's first OffKai EXPO booking pushes its reach beyond Akihabara into North America's VTuber convention circuit.","threadsPost":"Meido Shirone's OffKai EXPO appearance is Haconect's first presence at a North American VTuber convention. The agency built its brand on Akihabara ads and a Tokyo studio. San Jose is a deliberate step into the same circuit that proved VTubers draw real crowds.","newsletterBlurb":"Haconect's Meido Shirone is heading to OffKai EXPO 2026 in San Jose for a meet-and-greet at the Digital Gear booth. The session will be simulcast on YouTube on July 27. The convention, now in its fifth year, is North America's largest VTuber-focused event.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"ASCII.jp\",\"url\":\"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/422/4422251/?rss\",\"title\":\"VTuber Agency Haconect's \\\"Meido Shirone\\\" to Appear at North America's Largest VTuber Convention \\\"OffKai EXPO\\\"!\"},{\"source\":\"PANORA\",\"url\":\"https://panora.tokyo/archives/149700\",\"title\":\"VTuber Agency Haconect's \\\"Meido Shirone\\\" to Appear at North America's Largest VTuber Convention \\\"OffKai EXPO\\\"\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":6205,"outputTokens":964,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1785100425,"createdAt":"2026-07-26T20:19:46.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-07-26T20:50:45.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-26T20:19:46.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_f586ae9c21d4f31d0b44d0ae","canonicalTitle":"VTuber事務所ハコネクト所属「明堂しろね」が北米最大の特化型コンベンション「OffKai EXPO」に出演決定","representativeArticleId":"a_27ee1ec17a7e1e7213c9a620","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[\"明堂しろね\"],\"type\":\"event\",\"domain\":\"vtuber\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-07-25T09:36:50.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-07-25T09:36:50.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-26T20:50:46.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"ASCII.jp","url":"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/422/4422251/?rss","title":"VTuber事務所ハコネクト所属「明堂しろね」が北米最大の特化型コンベンション「OffKai EXPO」に出演決定！"},{"source":"PANORA","url":"https://panora.tokyo/archives/149700","title":"VTuber事務所ハコネクト所属「明堂しろね」が北米最大の特化型コンベンション「OffKai EXPO」に出演決定"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":[],"studios":[],"people":["明堂しろね"],"type":"event","domain":"vtuber","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Meido Shirone will appear at OffKai EXPO 2026 in San Jose, California from July 24 to 26, 2026.","The meet-and-greet is scheduled for 5:45 AM Japan Time on July 27 and will be simulcast on YouTube.","OffKai EXPO is in its fifth year and is North America's largest VTuber-focused convention, run by volunteers.","In 2025, OffKai EXPO expected over 5,000 attendees but exceeded that number.","Haconect, the agency managing Meido Shirone, started operations in June 2021."]}