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Introduction

Interested in the Vtuber ecosystem and how it works? The best way to learn is by doing. In this article, I’ll walk through how to quickly create a Vtuber model using VRoid Studio, export it as a VRM file, import it into Unity, and apply Mixamo animations.

We’ll follow these steps:

  1. Model creation — create a model in VRoid Studio and export it
  2. File conversion — use Blender to convert VRM to FBX
  3. Import into Unity
    • Import Mixamo animations
    • Apply the animation
    • Import the model

Model Creation

VRoid Studio is a free, beginner-friendly tool for quickly creating character models.

Download and install it from the official site (select macOS if you’re on a Mac).

Open VRoid Studio. You’ll see the main screen:

Click Create New to start a new project. Customize the character as you like — VRoid Studio offers many options for hairstyle, outfit, height, and more.

When you’re happy with your model, click the export icon ⬆️ in the top-right and choose Export as VRM. A VRM Settings window will appear. Fill in the required Title and Creator fields, then click Export.

File Conversion

Converting VRM to FBX allows us to apply Mixamo animations directly. If you only want to import the model into Unity without animations, skip to the Import into Unity section.

We’ll use Blender for the conversion. Install two plugins: CATS Blender Plugin and VRM Add-on for Blender. Click the GitHub links to download each as a ZIP.

Plugin Installation

Open Blender and go to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons (or press Cmd + , on Mac).

Click Install (⬇️) in the top-right and install both ZIP files: cats-blender-plugin-master.zip and VRM_Addon_for_Blender-release.zip. After installation, click the Refresh (🔄) icon — you should see:

  • 3D View: Cats Blender Plugin
  • Import-Export: VRM format

If these don’t appear, make sure Community is selected in the filter tab.

Conversion

In: VRM / Out: FBX

Go to File > Import > VRM (.vrm) and select the model created earlier. You’ll see the character in the main viewport. Remove the default cube from the Scene Collection on the right.

At this stage the character has no texture. In the right-side settings panel, switch to the CATS tab, find Fix Model, click the 🔧 settings icon, keep only Fix Materials, then click Fix Model. You’ll now see the character with its texture.

Finally, go to File > Export > FBX (.fbx) to export the model. The FBX file will be generated — this stage is complete.

Import into Unity

After all that work, we’re finally at the last stage: importing the FBX model into Unity and applying Mixamo animations.

Install UniVRM Plugin

To quickly load a VRM file directly in Unity, install the UniVRM plugin. If you converted to FBX in the previous step, you can skip this.

UniVRM is a Unity package for importing and exporting VRM files.

On the UniVRM Releases page, download the .unitypackage file (not the Samples package). In Unity, right-click in the Project panel and select Import Package to add it.

After importing, you should see a VRM0 option in the menu bar, with VRM0 > Import to import VRM models directly.

Mixamo Animations

Mixamo is a lifesaver for those without artistic or modeling skills. It has a large library of ready-made animations you can download and use.

Online Application

If you have an FBX file, you can apply animations directly on Mixamo online (requires a Mixamo account). Upload your FBX character via Animations > UPLOAD CHARACTERS, then browse and preview different animations.

When you find an animation you like, download it as FBX and import it into Unity.

Applying in Unity

To apply animations inside Unity, import the Mixamo FBX into Unity’s Assets. Select your character model in the Project panel, then in the Inspector, click Add Component > Animation and set Animation to the imported Mixamo FBX.

And that’s it — the model is imported and the animation is applied!

Conclusion

This article walked through the full process of creating a Vtuber model in VRoid Studio, converting it for Unity, and adding Mixamo animations. The next step is to hook this up with a motion capture tool and try going live!