Magibon

Margaret Lillian Adams was born in Florida, but she had lived in Pennsylvania since 2008.{{cite magazine | title=マギボン独占ロングインタビュー | trans-title=Exclusive in-depth interview with Magibon | magazine=Weekly Playboy | language=ja | issue=15 | date=2008-04-14}}{{cite news | first=Mark | last=Schilling | authorlink=Mark Schilling | url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20081218r1.html | title=Introducing Magibon, Japan's YouTube darling | work=The Japan Times | date=2008-12-18 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221001034/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20081218r1.html | archivedate=2008-12-21 | accessdate=2023-09-30}} She became a fan of Japanese pop culture in high school. Prior to her YouTube fame, she worked as a clerk at a pharmacy. Adams went by the username "MRirian" online.{{cite web |first=Cyrus |last=Farivar |url=http://machinist.salon.com/tech/machinist/blog/2008/01/18/youtube_meme |title=Unclear if latest YouTube craze has deep sociological meaning |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806132857/http://www.salon.com/technology/machinist/blog/2008/01/18/youtube_meme |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 6, 2011 |publisher=Salon.com |work=Machinist |access-date=2010-02-04 }} A fan of the Japanese girl group Morning Musume, she later went by the nickname "Magibon", inspired by former member Ai Kago's nickname, Aibon.

Adams joined YouTube under the username "MRirian" and initially used the website to watch music videos of Japanese musicians.{{cite web | first=Jean | last=Snow | url=http://pingmag.jp/2008/12/26/magibon/ | title=Magibon: From YouTube to Japan | work=PingMag | date=2008-12-26 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124095321/http://pingmag.jp/2008/12/26/magibon/ | archivedate=2009-01-24}} In July 2006, she decided to record and post a test video of herself waving at her webcam, which was titled "Me doing nothing." Her video was posted onto 2channel and went viral in Japan. Adams' subsequent videos showed her at home, saying little to nothing, or staring at the camera. Adams stated to The Japan Times that she was initially silent in her earlier videos out of being nervous. Adams stated to PingMag that she believed her non-speaking videos were popular because her viewers found them "meaningful" in that they would "make everything stop for a minute, and have someone just smile at them." Her later videos had her speak some Japanese to connect with her Japanese fans and practice speaking Japanese, as well as a few skits with "dry metahumor", such as drinking from a soy sauce bottle and eating pizza. At the end of her videos, she would put a graphic to thank her viewers for watching. By 2008, Adams' channel ranked no. 1 on YouTube in Japan and attracted 4.15 million viewers.

In February 2008, Adams was profiled and interviewed on a serialized weekly segment titled "Let's Look for the Mysterious Idol, Magibon!" on {{ill|Maru Maru Ai Kora! Nama Yaguchi|ja|○○あい☆コラ!生やぐち}}, the Thursday segment of the Japanese variety show {{ill|Midtown TV|ja|MIDTOWN TV}}, that was broadcast the Japanese streaming service GyaO!{{cite web | url=http://www.gyao.jp/sityou/catelist/pac_id/pac0009933/ | title=謎のネットアイドル｢マギボン｣を探せ！ | trans-title=Let's look for the mysterious net idol "Magibon"! | language=ja | work=Midtown TV | publisher=GyaO! | date=2008-02-23 | accessdate=2023-10-01 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611075111/http://www.gyao.jp/sityou/catelist/pac_id/pac0009933/ | archivedate=2008-06-11 }} She was also featured in the February 25, 2008 issue of the Japanese magazine Weekly Playboy.{{cite magazine | title=YouTubeで150万ヒット、米国からアイドル志願! 謎のクロフネ美少女「マギボン」に接触成功! | trans-title=An aspiring idol from North America with 1.5 million hits on YouTube! We successfully contacted the mysterious beautiful girl, an import from the West to Japan, "Magibon"! | magazine=Weekly Playboy | language=ja | issue=8 | date=2008-02-25}} In April 2008, Adams made her first appearance in Japan through Maru Maru Ai Kora! Nama Yaguchi, as well as the April 14, 2008 issue of Weekly Playboy and the radio program {{ill|Stream (radio program)|lt=Stream|ja|ストリーム (TBSラジオ)}} on TBS Radio.{{cite web | url=http://www.j-cast.com/2008/04/14018990.html | title="謎の女性「マギボン」が来日 素顔が見えて芸能界入りに賛否" | trans-title=Enigmatic girl Magibon visits Japan and shows her true face, non-committal on show-biz start | language=ja | work=J-Cast | date=2008-04-18 | accessdate=2008-04-18 | archive-date=December 2, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202191130/http://www.j-cast.com/2008/04/14018990.html | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=http://www.rbbtoday.com/news/20080409/50217.html | title=謎のYouTube美少女"マギボン"がついに生出演！ | trans-title=Mysterious YouTube girl "Magibon" finally makes a live appearance! | language=ja | work=RBB Today | date=2008-04-09 | accessdate=2008-10-28 | archive-date=September 30, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080930131120/http://www.rbbtoday.com/news/20080409/50217.html | url-status=live }} A fan event was scheduled for April 12, 2008 by Usen, the parent company of GyaO!, but this was canceled due to security concerns following the receipt of a number of threatening emails.

Adams continued to make appearances in Japanese media as she traveled back-and-forth from the United States. She was featured again in the May 12–19, 2008 issue of Weekly Playboy.{{cite magazine | title=マギボン、日本初上陸！(袋とじ) | trans-title=Magibon first lands in Japan! (double-feature) | magazine=Weekly Playboy | language=ja | issue=19, 20 | date=2008-05-12}} Adams was cast as the voice of a young French boy in the film Blue Symphony after a staff member working on the film heard her recite a French poem on one of her YouTube videos. She appeared at the world premiere of Blue Symphony at the 21st Tokyo International Film Festival in Roppongi on October 22, 2008.{{cite news | url=http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/news/20081023-OHT1T00047.htm | title="第２のリア・ディゾン"マギボン「温暖化気になる」| trans-title=Magibon, the next Leah Dizon, "concerned about global warming"| language=ja | work=Sports Hochi | date=2008-10-23 | accessdate=2008-10-28 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026095230/http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/news/20081023-OHT1T00047.htm | archivedate=2008-10-26}}{{cite news | url=http://mainichi.jp/enta/geinou/news/20081023spn00m200003000c.html | title="マギボン："黒船２号"はリアのファンだった" | trans-title=Magibon, the next American import, is a fan of Leah | language=ja | work=Mainichi Shimbun | date=2008-10-23 | accessdate=2008-10-28 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027112235/http://mainichi.jp/enta/geinou/news/20081023spn00m200003000c.html | archivedate=2008-10-27}} In November 2008, Adams returned to Japan and was featured again in the November 10, 2008 issue of Weekly Playboy.{{cite magazine | title=マギボン、YouTubeにナマ投稿!! | trans-title=Magibon contributes to YouTube Live!! | magazine=Weekly Playboy | language=ja | issue=45 | date=2008-11-10}} On November 23, 2008, she appeared at YouTube Live Tokyo at Studio Coast alongside other YouTube personalities and musicians, such as BoA and Kreva.{{cite web | url=http://www.j-cast.com/mono/2008/10/27029226.html | title=「YouTube」主催のライブイベント 2000人招待 | trans-title=2,000 invited to live event staged by YouTube | language=ja | work=J-Cast | date=2008-10-27 | accessdate=2008-10-29 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027220925/http://www.j-cast.com/mono/2008/10/27029226.html | archivedate=2008-10-27}} In December 2008, Adams stated to PingMag that she planned on becoming a singer in Japan and eventually becoming an actress. In 2009, Adams was featured in a promotional campaign for {{ill|Wi2 300|ja|ワイヤ・アンド・ワイヤレス}}.{{cite web | url=https://www.rbbtoday.com/article/2009/07/22/61380.html | title=ネットアイドル"マギボン"からメールが来る！ 〜 「Wi2 300」お友達紹介キャンペーン | trans-title=An e-mail from net idol "Magibon" arrives! A referral campaign for Wi2 300 | language=ja | work=RBB Today | date=2009-07-22 | accessdate=2023-10-01 | archive-date=March 21, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321004338/https://www.rbbtoday.com/article/2009/07/22/61380.html | url-status=live }}

Adams later stopped posting on YouTube, with her last video uploaded in 2014.{{cite AV media |author=Magibon |date=2014-11-18 |title=無65 | trans-title=Untitled 65 |type=Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr6BSQq7Ue0 |access-date=2023-05-23}} In 2021, Adams began streaming on Twitch.{{Cite instagram |user=magibon2015 |postid=CPhFx_JruW_ |title=Streaming soon 🦖 twitch magimagichan|date=2021-05-30}} In 2022, Adams created a new YouTube channel to promote tourism in Yamaga, Kumamoto.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/@user-fg4qc2jm7r/videos | title=マギボン山鹿チャンネル | trans-title=Magibon Yamaga Channel | work=YouTube | accessdate=2023-09-30 | archive-date=October 2, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002034024/https://www.youtube.com/@user-fg4qc2jm7r/videos | url-status=live }}

Sports Hochi compared Adams to Leah Dizon and referred to her as a "net idol." Mark Schilling from Japan Times compared her appeal to an idol due to her youthful appearance and interest in Japan. On the other hand, Adams' channel was received less favorably in the United States, with many comments responding in confusion over her content. Negative comparisons to camgirls were made, in addition to criticisms of her Japanese language skills and accusations of her "wanting to be Japanese."

In 2015, Adams revealed on her Instagram account that she was living in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.{{Cite instagram |user=magibon2015 |postid=8uf3Bvj06D |title=#magibon #halloween #japan #kumamoto|date=2015-10-11}}

• List of YouTubers

{{reflist}}

• [http://ameblo.jp/magibon Magibon's new blog]
• [http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/magichan2007 Magibon's Yahoo blog] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328233330/http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/magichan2007/ |date=2008-03-28 }} {{in lang|ja}}

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Category:1986 births

Category:American expatriates in Japan

Category:Japanese idols

Category:Japanese-language YouTube channels

Category:Living people

Category:People from West Palm Beach, Florida

Category:American YouTube vloggers

Category:YouTubers from Florida

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