Get unlimited access to everything VICE has to offer.

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

4 Magazines Delivered to Your Door

Japanese Students Can Now Go to a Virtual ‘Cram School’ Where Every Teacher Is a Waifu

At least it’s sort of affordable?

Share on X (Opens in new window)X

Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook

Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard

Japan’s cram school industry is now using teachers posing as anime avatars to teach children. Surely, this is going to go well, and those kids are going to walk away very normal.

If you’re not aware, cram schools are essentially tutoring centers that students attend to cram as much knowledge into their brains as they can before taking university entrance exams.

ITMediaNews reports that a Tokyo-based company called Luminaris is launching Virtual Cram School Wish High, an online academy staffed entirely by VTubers, which are livestreamers who appear on screen as animated characters rather than showing their real faces, which I explain just in case you’re a generally unplugged type of person looking for more reasons to remain unplugged.

Wish High will offer students courses in math, physics, English, chemistry, world history, Japanese history, and geography for about $63 per course per month. This isn’t all some ridiculous pipe dream. The service is scheduled to launch on March 1.

Will students retain more if they’re being taught by teachers hiding behind anime avatars of pretty women with unrealistic features, some of which include big anime titties? Is all of this just a weird, semi-pervy evolution of children’s shows being a good vehicle for early childhood education? Time will tell, but one thing is for sure: while some cram schools are preposterously expensive, Wish High’s reliance on avatars probably helps bring down costs, which are currently around $756 annually.  

Share on X (Opens in new window)X

Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook

Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard

Illustration by Reesa Libra, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope 9 minutes ago By Ashley Fike

Libra, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope

Screenshot: Wish / Virtual Cram School Wish via YouTube Japanese Students Can Now Go to a Virtual ‘Cram School’ Where Every Teacher Is a Waifu 9 minutes ago By Luis Prada

Japanese Students Can Now Go to a Virtual ‘Cram School’ Where Every Teacher Is a Waifu

Illustration by Reesa Virgo, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope 39 minutes ago By Ashley Fike

Virgo, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope

Illustration by Reesa Leo, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope 1 hour ago By Ashley Fike

Leo, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope

Photo Illustration by Serene Lee/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Woman Accused of Using ChatGPT to Plot Murders of Two Men 1 hour ago By Luis Prada

Woman Accused of Using ChatGPT to Plot Murders of Two Men

Illustration by Reesa Cancer, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope 2 hours ago By Ashley Fike

Cancer, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope

What 20-something wouldn't want to swap their car for a golf cart? Photo: JillianCain / Getty Images Gen Z Is Taking Over America’s Retirement Home 2 hours ago By Luis Prada

Gen Z Is Taking Over America’s Retirement Home

Illustration by Reesa Gemini, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope 2 hours ago By Ashley Fike

Gemini, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope

Illustration by Reesa Taurus, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope 3 hours ago By Ashley Fike

Taurus, March 2026: Your Monthly Horoscope

Illustration by Reesa Weekly Horoscope: March 1-March 7 3 hours ago By Ashley Fike

Weekly Horoscope: March 1-March 7

Add your account details

© Vice