Some of us have been playing videogames for as long as we can remember, but how many of us actually make the leap to try and make a living out of it? Meet Akikochan - a cheerful and bubbly personality who is looking to leave her mark in the world out of her love for videogames, cats and a little bit of Japanese culture. 

From the very beginning

Akikochan is no stranger to videogames, as she has actually been a fan since her earlier youth days, being heavily influenced by her two older gamer brothers, Hafiz and Faiz. “Because I spent so much time playing videogames, my parents actually advised me to try and make the most of my hobby - to become a streamer and content creator,” said Akikochan. It was around July 2020 that Akikochan then decided to give livestreaming a shot. “My family was actually never against the idea of pursuing this. They in fact supported me diligently and have been the backbone of what I do today. My parents also make it a point to watch my streams and try to give constructive advice on how to improve, while my other family members like and share my livestreams when they are up.” 

While she is still currently helping out with her family business, she considers herself to be a pseudo-full-time streamer as she spends the bulk of her time off-stream finding ways to improve her craft. Out of the two older brothers, Faiz happens to also be her manager. “He helps me a lot especially when it comes to interacting and dealing with other brands or streamers. I have always consulted him for assistance from the beginning as Faiz had a solid technical background when it comes to things like this,” said Akikochan.

At the time of writing, she currently sits just above 34,000 followers on her Facebook page and primarily streams PUBG Mobile, due to her love for its battle royale gameplay and its bustling and active fanbase. Akikochan added that “It feels great to be able to interact with many people that share the same interests in the same game.” 

The story behind the name

Akikochan had already been using this IGN handle prior to getting into livestreaming. “The name ‘Akikochan’ came to be when I was actively playing Rainbow Six: Siege on the PS4. My squad mates would also change their names so that it would be thematically Japanese related,” Akikochan explained. “There wasn’t any specific reason to go with ‘Akiko’ other than it sounding pleasing to say and hear. I do have a thing for Japanese culture but not to the point of being considered a fanatic. I watched anime like Naruto, Bleach, Doraemon, Chibi Maruko Chan and many more when I was younger alongside my brothers. I knew that names that had a ‘chan’ attached at the end were usually reserved for describing cute characters. So I then decided to add my own ‘chan’ at the end of ‘Akiko’ because I felt I was cute too,” she explained while giggling. 

Progress and personal growth

Just like every journey, there are its ups and downs. “In the beginning, there were many struggles, but the ones that stood out the most was definitely anything technical related,” said Akikochan. “Learning how to setup my stream, getting my PC in order and so on was a challenge. But thank God, as a result of continual support by viewers and my family, I gradually learned the ropes and managed to upgrade my setup little by little as time passed.” On the flipside, Akikochan found it most enjoyable when other streamers sent viewers to her livestream. “It’s an amazing and fun feeling to have more people being exposed to and seeing the content and work I put out. Am truly fortunate to have received such support, as out of the many streamers out there, they chose to send viewers to my channel specifically. Upon looking back, I feel so thankful to be where I am now.” She added that meeting and getting recognized by other big or small streamers alike was something she personally enjoyed from doing live streaming. Akikochan also expressed that there isn’t anything she dislikes about livestreaming, explaining that “they’re all essentially just challenges we have to face in order to keep progressing forward.”

“I’ve felt that I’ve changed a lot as a result of getting into livestreaming too,” said Akikochan. “Initially I realized that whatever time and energy invested didn’t feel like just mindless videogame playing without any end goal in mind. It helped motivate me to play better for not just my own satisfaction, but also for my viewers to get the best content possible too. Meeting various people from all walks of life just made the overall livestreaming journey that much sweeter too. I felt like I became a much better person in general at the end of the day.”

Everybody loves cats

Attentive viewers may also have noticed that Akikochan’s logo shows her holding a cat. “Cats are my spirit animal,” she explained. “Me and my family have had cats since I was a child. Khezu is the cat featured on the channel logo.” She added that Khezu is actually a Persian cat and that she currently cares for 7 cats in total. The other 6 cats are fondly named Bobo, Momo, Noti, Jessie, Jelita and Abu. 

A glance behind the camera

So what goes on in the day of the life of Akikochan? Her daily routine would normally consist of getting herself ready, doing morning prayers, eating breakfast, followed by settling her cats’ daily needs in the morning. She would then proceed streaming from 10:00 A.M. or 11:00 A.M. till 1:00 P.M. or 2:00 P.M. After streaming, it’ll be lunch time, with the rest of the day spent helping out with her family business and doing other various activities to unwind and rest for the day. This would range from playing with her cats, spending family time or playing games with her channel supporters.  

Underneath her bubbly personality, most people would not have known that she actually loves food (just like any other good ol’ Malaysian out there!) but actually can’t eat that much. Akikochan stated that whenever she’s on a family holiday trip scouting around for food, she would always end up only eating just a tiny bit of everything. “There’s a common saying that people like me aren’t really worth bringing to eat at a buffet,” she explained while giggling. “But I still love going to buffets anyway since I get to sample all kinds of food.”

In case you also didn’t know, Akikochan actually has her own esports team. “I did create an esports clan called ‘AkikoEsport’,” said Akikochan. “It’s still a small clan right now, sporting 2 squad lineups for PUBG Mobile, which are KIKO (all-male) and KIKO Ladies (all-female). We still consider ourselves to be in a training phase and have started plans to enter smaller competitions to grow from there.”

Words from the heart

Akikochan also expressed her gratitude for being able to become a Facebook Gaming partner. “The staff are really helpful whenever I run into technical hitches and are really quick in responding to any queries,” said Akikochan. “It’s a bit unfortunate that I only managed to become a partner during this COVID-19 period, as there were many FB Gaming gatherings and programs I would have loved to join to meet other streamers. I do hope that the pandemic situation gets better across the globe, especially in Malaysia; I already can’t wait to join in on the next organized program to meet even more streamers!”

As a humble up and coming creator, Akikochan had a thing or two to share with everyone. “You need to have a strong mental fortitude and always stay creative to ensure viewers stay constantly entertained,” stated Akikochan. “Don’t ever get tired of chasing your dreams and goals, as success isn’t for those who give up easily. For everyone that has always been having my back, especially my family, supporters, viewers and beloved ones, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the constant support through the good and bad times. You all are truly the source of inspiration and spirit for keeping me going to pursue this pathway into the world of livestreaming.”

Curious to see her in action? Be sure to check out Akikochan when she’s in the zone LIVE over at her page, every day except Mondays, from 10:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.!