Japanese-English Teacher Ellen Baker becomes a Vtuber

Ellen Baker, the protagonist of the New Horizons Japanese-language English textbook that became an internet sensation in 2016, has announced a new role as a Virtual Youtuber.

Earlier this year, Tokyo Shoseki, the publisher of the New Horizon textbook, released a light novel featuring a short-haired Ellen Baker (the original version has her depicted with longer hair in a side plait), described as a Bostonian English teacher that moved to Japan.

Ellen Baker-sensei Hajimete no Eigo Kyoshitsu dispenses the New Horizon‘s more traditional textbook approach for a more conversational tone, and marketed for older Japanese adults in contrast to New Horizon’s, which concentrates on junior high school students and thus a textbook.

Here, Ellen offers up explanations for Japanese learners how to navigate English phrases. Tokyo Shoseki promised the book “contains no difficult English phrases whatsoever!”

What is peculiar to this edition is that it now links to NFT videos featuring Ellen Baker in a Virtual Youtuber format, exclusive to early buyers of the book.

VTuber Ellen-sensei Private Lesson Video pack contains five 17 minute videos of Ellen speaking English, with Japanese subtitles, teaching about basic English phrases and conversations. The videos can be accessed through FanTop, a NFT video site.

Ellen Baker-sensei Hajimete no Eigo Kyoshitsu can already be purchased on Amazon Japan.