Warframe: Creator Spotlight: Kalon75

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/kalon0075

In this month’s Creator Spotlight, we are shining a light on Warframe Creator Kalon75 - a Japanese Warframe Creator who welcomes international communities by streaming in both Japanese and English on Twitch!

1. Tell us a bit about you and the type of content you create!

Hi everyone, I am Kalon75. I am a "Space-Cat Streamer" who lives close to Shirakawa-go in Gifu, Japan. I have been streaming Warframe for a few years now. I also love cats - I love them so much that I use a cat avatar for my channel.

I currently stream on Twitch twice a day from Monday to Saturday. In the morning (Japan time), I either host a "Just Chattering" stream where I study English with my viewers, or stream some of my favourite games. It's live from 6 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. JST, or 4p.m. to 6:20 p.m. ET. In the "Just Chattering" stream, people from all over the world get together and study English while having fun talking about cultural differences.

In the evening (Japan Time), I primarily stream Warframe but other games as well. The game-streams are live from 7 p.m. to midnight JST, or 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET.

2. What is the origin of your alias, Kalon75?

When I was trying to get my Twitch channel started, I was looking for a cool channel name on the web and stumbled upon an article about a legendary sword named "Kalon". I thought "Oh, cool - this will be my channel name!", and I have been streaming as Kalon75 ever since. Occasionally my viewers ask me where I got the name, so I tried searching for it again. But true to its "legendary" origin, I couldn't find it anymore.

The number "75" holds a special meaning to me. "7" was taken from my favourite Japanese voice-actress, Nana Mizuki. 7 in Japanese is "nana", and I have always respected Nana Mizuki's stoic attitude towards her life and career. "5" is my favourite number as 5 is "go" in Japanese, and I often find motivation from saying "go! go! go!" in English.

3. Tell us how you discovered Warframe, and why did you decide to stream Warframe?

I first found Warframe when I discovered a Twitch streamer who at the time was a Warframe Partner. While watching his stream, it sparked my interest and I thought, "What is this game? Look at the speed and the fluid movement of the characters! I want to play too!!!" I immediately downloaded the game and started playing!

Just like many other players starting out, I experienced difficulties in grasping all the game mechanics. Luckily for me, I joined a Japanese Clan who showed me the ropes and helped me gain a better understanding of the game. One of the most memorable experiences I had was when the clan members first took me to a Trial mission (which was removed in 2018). I was really still a newbie at Mastery Rank 6. I barely knew the game, but my clan members carried me to a Trial mission. They told me "Don't worry, we don't expect you to know everything, but we want you to experience the magic of Warframe!" Needless to say, the Trial mission was very challenging, and I died a lot. But I was hooked! "Oh wow, this game has so much content and complex game-play!" This experience deepened my relationship and commitment to the game. I am thankful for the kind Warframe community who helped me get to where I am today.

My journey in streaming Warframe began when I started watching more Warframe streams on Twitch. I had a list of Warframe streamers I regularly watched, and they inspired me to begin streaming Warframe. I remember how these streamers were kind and helpful to the new players. They made sure that the viewers felt safe and comfortable tuning in and asking questions. When I saw these streams, I decided that I would like to maintain a positive attitude while streaming and welcome those who visit warmly.

4. What are some of the unique things you do to engage with your viewers?

One of the unique ways I engage with my viewers is by supporting both English and Japanese. I want to overcome the language barrier and welcome international players! I use a "Translation Bot" in chat. This means that when a viewer comments in Japanese, it automatically gets translated to English, and vice versa. Whenever I speak, my voice activates closed captioning. This closed captioning then gets auto-translated and places the English translation just below the Japanese subtitles.

I also plan fun activities whenever I reach a milestone. For example, I would do sit-ups for x number of times whenever I reached a goal! I am hoping to introduce more fun activities this year.

5. Since you started streaming, has your streaming style changed? If so, how?

I've always enjoyed streaming with a relaxed attitude and atmosphere, and that really hasn't changed in my streaming career. When I originally started, my friends and I played Warframe and that was "the" stream. Now I play Warframe while chatting with the viewers as if we are having coffee and playing the game together!

6. When you are streaming, what sort of things do you try to focus on?

I really want to ensure that people who are learning Japanese and those who have an interest in Warframe feel relaxed and comfortable when they visit my stream. I try my best to create a welcoming space where everyone feels included.

7. You place a big emphasis on streaming in both Japanese and English. Can you tell us what inspired you to do that?

One of the reasons why I wanted to stream both in English and Japanese is because I saw a Japanese streamer who managed to communicate in Japanese, English and Spanish. I thought that was really neat! I decided then and there that my streams will be bilingual and inclusive to all.

The funny thing is, I actually hated learning English when I was a child. As I got older though, my thinking started to change. I realized that being able to communicate in English helps in filling the gap and lets me talk with people who are from different nationalities and cultures! Since then I started learning English proactively, and I truly enjoy my multicultural streams!

8. You've mentioned you are currently studying English. What are some of your favourite lines from Warframe, both in English and Japanese?

I love some of the iconic lines from Stalker like "I am your reckoning!" and "Your sentence is death!". Another favourite of mine is neither English or Japanese, but when Grineer talks it sounds like "Koitsu Orega Yaru'' in Japanese which translates to "I kills dis one". I also enjoy Baro Ki'Teer's lines when he arrives at the Relay.

9. What is your favourite Warframe character and/or lore?

My favourite Warframe is Valkyr, and my favourite character is Stalker (can you tell I love Stalker?). The quest I enjoyed the most is "Chains of Harrow". I actually don't like horror games to the point where I avoid them at all costs, but "Chains of Harrow" was so well done! It has a completely different flavour than other Warframe quests, and I found it so refreshing! I remember how it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

10. What is next in store for you as a Warframe Creator? What's your goal for 2021?

I have dedicated many hours to Warframe, but I am far from being done! I am looking forward to accomplishing some goals this year. For example, as one of my challenges, I want to polarize Valkyr Prime 222 times. "Why 222 times", you ask? It's because cats cry "nyan" in Japanese, and 2 in Japanese is "ni". It's a bit of pun, but by polarizing Valkyr Prime 222 times, it sounds like a cat cried "nyan-nyan-nyan"!

I hope to continue creating more content that everyone from around the world can enjoy. I am also looking forward to seeing how Warframe evolves in 2021!! We are counting on you, Warframe!