Latest news with #Valkyrae
Geek Vibes Nation
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
GVN Exclusive: Pre-Concept Art Revealed For HiHi Studios & Otherly's First Project Bad Influence
HiHi Studios, founded by streaming icon Valkyrae and Range Media's Kai Gayoso, has experienced success due in part to its readiness to expand and collaborate with talented partners. This commitment was further demonstrated when they recently announced a strategic partnership with Otherly Productions. The first project resulting from this collaboration is the Webtoon 'Bad Influence,' written by Orson James and Roman Calais, with art by Jor Ros. This exciting new endeavor was revealed in the following press release. This is followed by a GVN exclusive look at some of the character concept art by Jor Ros. HiHi Studios and Otherly Productions Debut BAD INFLUENCE As a WEBTOON Original With Artist Jor Ros (Los Angeles, CA – June 26, 2025) HiHi Studios — the manga and anime-led studio co-founded by streaming icon Valkyrae and Range Media's Kai Gayoso — is announcing a new strategic partnership with start-up Otherly Productions, a next-generation studio reimagining how original franchises are created, launched, and scaled for today's audiences. The first of their collaborations is BAD INFLUENCE, a high-energy, emotionally-raw sci-fi thriller set in a world of candy-colored lies, illustrated by the Barcelona-based artist Jor Ros and co-written by Orson James and Roman Calais. The first three episodes of BAD INFLUENCE are now available as a WEBTOON Original, with subsequent episodes dropping every Thursday. Readers have the option to unlock up to three additional episodes using WEBTOON's Fast Pass feature. In BAD INFLUENCE, the city of Weisshorn is a surveillance city, where life is a never-ending parade–literally. Mascots smile from every screen, propaganda loops in cheery jingles, and the people are kept docile by distraction. At the center of it all is Oswald, a charismatic dictator with a showman's flair and a deep need to control the story everyone lives inside. The series follows the adventures of Nel — a hot-headed and haunted young woman, who isn't buying the dream sold to the masses. Nel joins a rebel gang to take the system down. But the deeper she digs, the weirder it gets. She unearths glitches, ghosts, and truths that no one wants uncovered. Reality's falling apart. And Nel might be next. Co-Writer Orson James 'BAD INFLUENCE is about a reluctant rebel fighting back against the system. Weisshorn is a broad-smiling dystopia where control is asserted through system doesn't just rule with fear — it distracts, dazzles, and scripts your life through spectacle. If everyone's smiling, how bad can it be? It's the surveillance state dressed up as a theme park.' Co-Writer Roman Calais Nel's rebellion is an act of self-discovery. Nel isn't just fighting the regime — she's trying to figure out who she is beneath the roles she's been forced into. Life in Weisshorn is a mess of lies and trauma, and Nel's ready to break out. But she's not the chosen one. She feels lost, confused. Nel carries herself like a fighter, but behind that is a young woman patching over the cracks of doubt and insecurity with stubbornness and sheer will. And, in this world, holding it together might be the most radical act of all. Exclusive Early Concept Art for Bad Influence as presented by Co-Writers James and Calais Here's some early concept art of Nel–our main character–and her crew, the Headless Sixx. They're based in Sector 6 and got their name from a habit of blowing the heads off statues of Oswald's mascots. Subtlety isn't really their thing. When they want to stay anonymous, they wear rough, homemade masks of those same mascots–twisted tributes to the symbols they reject. Some people love them. Most don't. Partnering on Otherly Production's debut is HiHi Studios, a manga and anime-led studio, co-founded by Range Media's Kai Gayoso and streaming icon Valkyrae (13M+ subscribers). Valkyrae, Co-Founder of HiHi Studios 'My community has always been the heart of everything I do. When I saw what Otherly was building, I knew I had to be part of it. This partnership lets us launch and grow worlds fans will truly care about. Our first IP, BAD INFLUENCE, is weird, wild, and full of heart — and I'm so proud of it. Even if you've never read a comic in your life, trust me – once you start scrolling, you'll be hooked.' BAD INFLUENCE is available now as a WEBTOON Original, tapping into WEBTOON's millions of monthly readers and popular vertical scrolling format. Designed for cross-platform expansion, the release is the first step in a broader strategy to scale creator-owned worlds across short-form video, interactive experiences, merch, and long-form content. Otherly's Bryan St. John With a pipeline of similar projects launching in the coming year, the partnership with HiHi Studios reimagines how IP can be launched, scaled, and sustained — built for fandom from the ground up, and designed to meet audiences where they already are. Artist Jor Ros BAD INFLUENCE is about defiance, and being bold enough to break away from scripts and algorithms. The story of Nel, a deeply flawed yet earnest misfit, who is just trying to find her sense of belonging in a world she feels largely disconnected from, has been an incredible experience and opportunity as an artist. I've developed a deep bond with the characters in this world, and I think everyone will be able to see part of themselves in them. After all, their story boils down to people trying to figure things out in a relentless world that won't stop yelling at you so that it can capture your full attention, all of the time.' For more information follow Otherly Productions on Instagram, TikTok, X, BlueSky and YouTube. For more information follow HiHi studios on Instagram and follow Valkyrae on Instagram, Tik Tok and Youtube.
Cosmopolitan
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
See the Exclusive Trailer to ‘Bad Influence' From Valkyrae's HiHi Studios and WEBTOON
Valkyrae has been taking over the internet for years so it's so surprise that she's still finding new and unique projects that we can't get enough of. After kicking off a new production studio—HiHi Studios, which focuses on manga and anime productions and also included co-founder Range Media's Kai Gayoso—the streamer is now working with WEBTOON studios on a brand-new project that'll definitely get you hooked from the first panel. Cosmopolitan has a first official-look at Bad Influence, a new sci-fi thriller WEBTOON original illustrated by Jor Ros and co-written by Orson James and Roman Calais. Together, the trio makes up Otherly Productions. Here's some more info from our friends at WEBTOON: You can check out the start of Nel's journey in an exclusive trailer above that gives you just a small glimpse into the wild world of Bad Influence that even Valkyrae hopes non-comic lovers will fall in love with. "Bad Influence is weird, wild, and full of heart — and I'm so proud of it," she said. "Even if you've never read a comic in your life, trust me – once you start scrolling, you'll be hooked." The first three episodes of Bad Influence are now available on WEBTOON, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Readers with WEBTOON's Fast Pass can unlock additional episodes that are available now.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'I Was a Drunk Dumba**': Mang0 admits fault and promises to apologize over viral Beerio Kart controversy
(Image via X/@C9Mang0) Smash Bros. legend Mang0 has finally responded to the chaos he caused at Ludwig's Beerio Kart event. In a series of raw and emotional posts on X, the esports star admitted to being "a drunk dumba" and said he plans to privately apologize to the streamers he made uncomfortable. But is it enough? Mang0 Admits Fault After Going Viral for All the Wrong Reasons On June 22, 2025, Joseph 'Mang0' Marquez addressed the storm surrounding his inappropriate behavior at Beerio Kart , an event hosted by Ludwig that featured top content creators like Maya Higa, ExtraEmily, and Valkyrae. After clips of him drunkenly gyrating and making invasive gestures went viral, especially one involving Maya Higa looking visibly disturbed, Mang0 took to X (formerly Twitter) and admitted: 'Hate waking up and seeing i was a drunk dumba**…I will privately apologize to anyone i made uncomfortable and hope im forgiven.' What Actually Happened? Mang0, heavily intoxicated at the event, was seen shirtless, making sexually suggestive movements near streamers Maya Higa and ExtraEmily—moments that made many viewers (and the women involved) visibly uncomfortable. The clips sparked instant backlash, with fans accusing him of crossing serious boundaries, especially with how he behaved around female streamers. The footage spread fast across Twitch, Reddit's r/LivestreamFail, and X, with thousands weighing in on the behavior many labeled 'gross,' 'predatory,' and 'not excusable—even if drunk.' '99% of My Problems Come From Drinking' In a follow-up post, Mang0 went deeper. He said he felt 'very f**king stupid and embarrassed,' and admitted that almost all of his life issues have stemmed from alcohol. He ended the post by saying he's going to 'reevaluate his relationship with drinking.' For a community that's seen Mang0 both dominate on the Melee stage and spiral at public events, this wasn't exactly surprising—but it was sobering. Ludwig Responds: Mang0 Barred from Future Events While Mang0 reflects on his actions, Ludwig isn't waiting around. He confirmed that Mang0 won't be invited to future Mogul Moves events. The message? Actions have consequences, even for Smash royalty. That's a big deal. Ludwig and Mang0 go way back, but this move signals just how seriously the community is taking the incident. Mang0 says he'll apologize privately. He's vowed to reassess his drinking. But whether or not the community or the streamers involved accept that is a different story. For now, the damage is done. And unless Mang0 makes serious changes, his legacy may be remembered as much for this controversy as for his championship wins. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Express Tribune
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Valkyrae confirms Minecraft movie cameo was cut after claims about Jason Momoa and on-set mistreatment
Streamer Rachell 'Valkyrae' Hofstetter has confirmed her cameo was cut from A Minecraft Movie, now in theaters. The popular content creator addressed the situation during a recent live stream, following speculation that her scene was removed after she criticized the film's working environment and star Jason Momoa. Prior to the movie's release, Valkyrae revealed she had filmed a short cameo. She also alleged that she witnessed Momoa 'mistreat' crew members, describing the atmosphere on set as 'not a good work environment' and stating she would not feel comfortable continuing to work under those conditions. With the film now released and her appearance missing, she commented during her stream, 'As much as you guys saw the other creators that were in it, would have been the equal amount you saw me in it — which is 30 seconds.' She added, 'So it's okay. I would much rather not have 30 seconds than be sued.' While Valkyrae didn't confirm the exact reason her cameo was removed, many fans believe it may be linked to her earlier remarks about Momoa. Others speculate it could have been a standard editing decision, unrelated to the controversy. One fan even claimed to have spotted her briefly in a background shot, suggesting her appearance wasn't fully edited out. Despite early criticism and negative press, A Minecraft Movie has had a strong debut, posting one of the most successful opening days for a video game adaptation. Warner Bros. and Jason Momoa have yet to publicly address Valkyrae's comments or the removal of her scene.
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Twitch streamers receive death threats during live stream on Santa Monica Pier
Three popular Twitch streamers managed to flee a stalker who threatened to kill them before chasing them along Santa Monica Pier in California while they were in the midst of a livestream. Cinna, 28, Valkyrae, 33, and Emiru, 27, who are watched by millions on a range of social media platforms, were hosting a week-long marathon stream in California on Sunday evening. Things took a bad turn when a man suddenly became persistent, demanding one of the girl's phone numbers, and started issuing threats when she refused, despite innocently posing for a selfie moments before. The Santa Monica Police confirmed they were investigating the chilling incident after it was captured on one of the online star's livestreams. 'Let's take a picture', the man suggests, while the three streamers laugh and pose for the photo. One of the girls is then heard candidly remarking how 'sweet' the fan was. Later, the young man, who changed into a new outfit at this stage in the stream, then asks for Emiru's number. She quickly reacts, telling the man, 'I don't have a phone' and begins nervously walking away. The man persists and asks her to put her number into his phone. A panicked Emiru, real name Emily Schunk, says: 'I don't know how to use a phone – I'm sorry!' But the man, who introduced himself as Russell, fails to acknowledge the rejection and states: 'Wait, wait, wait – I'm just going to keep following her.' At that point, Cinna interjects, screaming to the man: 'You're going to have to get in line, there's too many stalkers!' Brittany Lynn Watts, who goes under the moniker of Cinna, has nearly 600K followers on Twitch, was named best female streamer at the Streamer Awards last year. The girls frantically start running away and 'Russell' is heard yelling: 'I'm going to kill you right now.' Valkyrae, real name Rachell Marie Hofstetter, revealed they had informed Santa Monica police of the incident, who confirmed reports of an individual who had issued threats, according to the BBC. The suspect reportedly managed to flee the pier and investigators are looking into surveillance and witness statements to understand 'the total picture', said Lt. Lewis Gilmour to Fox11 Los Angeles. Speaking about the incident, a day later on X, Valkyrae, also revealed that the stalker 'reached into his pockets multiple times' prompting her to run. She added: 'I'll never be out without a taser/pepper gun ever again, I'll never joke about being strong enough to handle being attacked again, and I'll always take threats like this seriously.' In a statement Monday, Cinna described the ordeal as terrifying. 'We're very much in shock [...] that does not do it justice for how scary it was', she added. According to the Department of Justice in 2023, statistics show that one in three women face stalking in their lifetimes – a statistic that is half as high for men.
