>>487228No one thinks they're "gone forever", some people just separate the "character" from the "performer". Yes, if we want to see them again we can seek them out to see more, but I don't like conflating vtubers with the person inside. I do think there's a difference between the contents "within" and the "self" they present in their current vtuber incarnation, no matter how small it may seem. It's the death of the character they're mourning— the loss of the design, the intersecting lore and interactions with coworkers, the overall presence of them in the company itself, etc.
I understand my sentiment is an unpopular one though, at least in the EN sphere, where both fans and vtubers alike seem to see vtubing as nothing more but a silly little gimmick of an avatar.