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VTuber Nuki responds to backlash over her $27,000 model and “Ironmouse connection”

VTuber Nuki clarifies that her “model siblings” comment about Ironmouse and Cottontail referred to shared artists, not a collaboration, while defending her unusual $27,000 Live2D commission.

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VTuber Nuki, who posts as k9labyrinth, has answered criticism of her reported $27,000 Live2D avatar and a post saying she is “model siblings” with Ironmouse and Cottontail. The phrase refers to shared artists—not a collaboration, endorsement or confirmed personal connection with either creator.

Dexerto reported on October 14, 2026, that Nuki addressed the reaction after revealing the model’s price in an October 12 post and video. She said she had been a VTuber for only a couple of months, after previously streaming in VRChat, and had saved specifically to commission artists whose work matched her “dream look.”

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Why did Nuki spend $27,000 on a VTuber model?

The $27,000 figure is Nuki’s stated spend for this particular Live2D model, not a standard first-model price or an industry average. She emphasized that the amount was unusual and said newcomers could find models for much less.

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Her explanation was essentially a premium custom-commission decision: she wanted a specific visual style and chose artists she had long wanted to work with. A bespoke model can cost more when it combines highly detailed character art with extensive rigging, expressions, animated toggles and limited artist availability. No public breakdown of Nuki’s invoice was provided, so the $27,000 total should not be treated as a price list for equivalent work.

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Is Nuki actually connected to Ironmouse?

There is no established collaboration, endorsement or direct contact between Nuki and Ironmouse in the reported material. Nuki credited Kamo for the model art and Cypurrpunk for rigging. Ironmouse and Cottontail are described as “model siblings” because creators in the same artist network also worked on their models.

What “model siblings” means in VTubing

In this context, “siblings” is a community shorthand for avatars that share one or more artists, such as an illustrator or Live2D rigger. It does not mean the characters are part of the same agency, that the streamers jointly produced the models, or that one creator approved the other’s spending. The wording attracted attention because naming more established VTubers can look like association-based promotion even when the relationship is only a credit connection.

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Why were viewers upset about the avatar?

  • The price: A $27,000 first model appeared disproportionate to viewers who expect new creators to start with a smaller commission or a premade avatar.
  • The association: Some readers interpreted the Ironmouse and Cottontail reference as implying a closer professional relationship than the available facts support.
  • Visible tracking: A clip showed limited mouth movement, prompting questions about whether the model’s tracking setup matched its cost.

Nuki replied to a question about the mouth tracking, “I’m new to vtubing and don’t know how to set up stuff lmao.” She later said the attention taught her about parameters and that she had repeatedly asked for more sensitive mouth tracking, adding, “I was convinced camera tracking just sucked!” Those comments point to a distinction that is easy to miss: a model’s capabilities depend not only on the commissioned rig but also on software settings, parameter ranges, webcam or phone tracking and the creator’s setup knowledge.

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What can new VTubers learn from the dispute?

Decision factor What to check before commissioning Why it matters
Art and style Whether the artist’s portfolio matches the desired design, detail level and revisions policy A premium price may reflect a specific artistic match rather than a universally better model.
Rigging and tracking Head movement, blinking, mouth shapes, eye physics, hair and clothing physics, and the software supported Rigging complexity affects both cost and how expressive the avatar feels on stream.
Toggles and expressions The number of alternate outfits, accessories, expressions and hotkey-triggered states included Extra states can add substantial work and should be listed in the contract.
Artist availability Queue length, delivery milestones, revision limits and backup plans Highly sought-after artists may charge more and have longer lead times.
Beginner budget risk Money left for software, tracking hardware, branding, overlays and regular living expenses A model should not put a new creator in an uncomfortable financial position.
Claims of connection Whether “siblings,” “same artist” or similar wording means shared credits or an actual collaboration Shared creators are not the same as endorsement or direct partnership.

Set a sustainable starting budget

There is no evidence in the report for a reliable market-wide average, so a responsible budget cannot be reduced to one universal number. New creators should first define the minimum viable avatar, reserve funds for operating costs and ask for itemized quotes. A cheaper model with clear upgrade paths can be safer than spending the entire budget before testing whether streaming is sustainable.

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Artist Amaya offered the clearest general warning: “Don’t put yourself in an uncomfortable financial spot, and set realistic style expectations.” That advice applies whether a creator chooses a custom model, a simpler commission or a temporary alternative.

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What remains unclear

The reporting does not establish the exact contract, the individual prices for Kamo’s art and Cypurrpunk’s rigging, the model’s complete parameter list or any private relationship between Nuki, Ironmouse and Cottontail. Social-media posts can also be edited or deleted. The confirmed point is narrower: Nuki reported spending $27,000, credited two artists and used “model siblings” to describe shared creators.

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