A moment of frustration during a Splatoon 3 match has put NIJISANJI VTuber Ars Almal under intense social media scrutiny. What initially appeared to be criticism of a teammate’s gameplay soon developed into a wider discussion about how she used the game’s reporting system, particularly after footage from an earlier livestream began circulating online.
The situation took another turn when Almal addressed the criticism publicly. Her response brought attention to something beyond the viral clip itself, raising questions about her conduct during previous gaming streams and the distinction between poor gameplay and behaviour that genuinely warrants a report.
How Ars Almal’s Splatoon 3 Livestream Sparked Backlash
Ars Almal is a VTuber affiliated with NIJISANJI, the Japanese entertainment agency operated by ANYCOLOR. According to her official profile, she is a novice magician who streams to relax from the difficulties of her magical world.
The controversy surrounding her Splatoon 3 streams began gaining widespread attention on social media on October 25, 2026.
An X user criticised Almal over an incident in which she allegedly verbally attacked a teammate for playing poorly and threatened to report them. The post attracted significant attention, prompting another user to share footage from a different portion of the broadcast.
The footage originated from a September 11 Splatoon 3 livestream and showed Almal becoming frustrated with a teammate during a Bankara Match.
According to reporting on the clip, the teammate repeatedly moved into unpainted enemy ink and was defeated. Almal questioned what the player was doing before saying she would report them.
However, one detail made the exchange particularly controversial: the player’s username reportedly indicated that they were practising.
When the subject came up during the stream, Almal questioned whether having a username indicating that the player was practising should be considered an excuse.
That response became a major talking point after the footage spread across X.
Critics argued that struggling during a match or making repeated mistakes should not automatically make someone a target for reporting. However, the available footage does not establish that every report Almal had previously made was false, nor does it show that Nintendo had officially determined that the particular report was unjustified.
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Ars Almal’s October 27 Apology Reveals a Bigger Issue
The controversy took a significant turn on October 27, when Almal published a detailed apology on X.
Rather than addressing only the September 11 incident, she acknowledged that her behaviour extended to previous gaming broadcasts.
In her statement, Almal apologised for inappropriate expressions, excessive behaviour and remarks that lacked consideration for other people. She also explained that the detailed portion of her apology had been included in an attached image because of X’s character limit.
Most importantly, she directly addressed her use of the reporting function.
Almal wrote:
โ้ๅปใฎ้ ไฟกใซใใใฆใใใใใใณใฐใใๆนใฎใใฌใคๅ ๅฎนใซๅฏพใใๅฎๆใซ้ๅ ฑใ่กใฃใฆใใพใใใโ
The statement acknowledges that she had also made reports too casually against players she was matched with during previous livestreams, based on their gameplay.
This admission significantly widened the scope of the discussion. The issue was no longer limited to one teammate or one September broadcast. Almal had acknowledged a broader pattern of reporting behaviour during her gaming streams.
There is, however, an important distinction in her wording. She admitted that she had reported players too casually, but she did not publicly describe every report as a knowingly false report.
That difference matters because some online criticism characterised her actions as false reporting, while her apology specifically acknowledged that she had made reports too casually.
VTuber Apologises to Reported Players, Viewers and Fans
Almal’s October 27 statement was directed towards several groups affected by her conduct.
She apologised to the players she had reported, acknowledging that her actions had caused trouble or discomfort. She also expressed regret towards viewers who watched her streams and fans who had continued supporting her.
According to reporting on the statement, she recognised that her behaviour had disappointed people who supported her and promised to pay closer attention to her actions.
She concluded by saying that she would be more careful with her words and conduct and work towards providing livestreams that viewers could enjoy.
Her response therefore went beyond a simple reaction to criticism of one particular match. By acknowledging her previous reporting behaviour, Almal accepted responsibility for a wider issue involving how she had treated matched players during earlier broadcasts.
Why the Practising Player’s Username Became a Talking Point
One of the most discussed details from the September 11 footage was the teammate’s username, which reportedly indicated that they were practising.
A Japanese-language X post circulated on October 28, arguing that dismissing the player’s practising username while proceeding with a report had gone too far.
The post also highlighted the differences between Turf War and Bankara Match as environments in which players can learn and improve their skills.
This was a community member’s criticism, not an official finding from Nintendo.
The underlying discussion concerns the difference between poor performance and intentional disruption. A player repeatedly making mistakes, getting defeated or struggling with a particular game mode does not, by itself, establish that they deliberately interfered with a match.
There is also no publicly identified account belonging to the reported player, no published Nintendo assessment of the specific match and no confirmed information showing that Nintendo took action against that individual.
What Nintendo’s Player Reporting Rules Actually Say
Nintendo’s support documentation provides useful context for understanding why the incident attracted attention.
According to Nintendo, players can report individuals for behaviour that is offensive, discriminatory, bullying or otherwise disrupts other players’ enjoyment of its games and online services.
Some Nintendo games and online services include built-in reporting functions for this purpose.
This guidance is relevant because the criticism of Almal centres on whether poor gameplay was treated as a sufficient reason to report another player.
However, Nintendo’s published guidance does not establish that playing badly automatically constitutes a violation. It also does not contain a public determination concerning Almal’s specific report.
Consequently, claims that Nintendo has officially found her guilty of misusing its reporting system would go beyond the available evidence.
Could Ars Almal Have Violated Nintendo’s Creator Guidelines?
The discussion has also brought attention to Nintendo’s separate Game Content Guidelines for Online Video & Image Sharing Platforms.
Updated on September 2, 2024, these guidelines apply to videos and livestreams featuring Nintendo game content.
Nintendo reserves the right to object to content it considers unlawful, infringing, inappropriate or inconsistent with its guidelines.
Among the examples of potentially inappropriate content are actions that may impair multiplayer gameplay, including intentionally disrupting game progress. Nintendo also identifies statements or actions that could be considered offensive, insulting, obscene or otherwise disturbing to others.
These provisions have become relevant to the online discussion because the circulated footage includes criticism directed towards another player and a discussion about using the reporting function.
However, the existence of these guidelines does not establish that Almal violated them.
As of October 30, 2026, Nintendo has not publicly announced that it investigated the incident and determined that Almal breached its creator guidelines.
It is therefore important to distinguish between discussing her behaviour in the context of Nintendo’s published rules and claiming that the company has officially confirmed a violation.
October 25 Splatoon Archive Disappearance Raises More Questions
The controversy also developed around another livestream: Almal’s October 25 Splatoon 3 broadcast.
After the stream, she posted that the archive had disappeared “into darkness” because she had sneezed.
The remark attracted additional attention because it appeared while criticism of the earlier September footage was spreading.
Some viewers interpreted the missing archive as a sign that Almal had deliberately hidden the broadcast because of the controversy. However, that interpretation has not been confirmed.
Reporting by Yutura found that Almal had already used membership-only or otherwise restricted archive settings for some Splatoon 3 broadcasts before the current controversy.
According to the outlet, streams from October 20, 22 and 23 had also been set to members-only. Almal had previously discussed moving an earlier Splatoon archive out of public view.
This history makes it difficult to establish that the October 25 archive disappeared specifically to conceal the controversy.
Yutura also reported that the September 11 broadcast containing the central footage was still publicly accessible when the outlet examined the situation on October 26.
The archive discussion should therefore be treated as a separate point of online speculation, rather than confirmed evidence that Almal attempted to hide the incident.
Ars Almal Controversy Gains Millions of Views on X
The discussion spread rapidly after the original criticism appeared online.
According to Yutura, the initial X post had received more than 9 million views by October 26. A subsequent post featuring additional footage also attracted millions of views.
Almal’s October 27 apology received considerable attention as well.
Yutura reported that her apology post had surpassed 1.1 million views and 1,900 reposts within its first hour.
These figures illustrate how footage from a September livestream became a major topic of discussion more than a month after the original broadcast.
However, the scale of social media engagement should not be confused with an official determination about the allegations. Millions of views demonstrate the visibility of the controversy, not that every claim circulating online has been independently established.
Has ANYCOLOR Suspended or Punished Ars Almal?
Another question surrounding the controversy concerns whether NIJISANJI or its parent company, ANYCOLOR, has taken disciplinary action against Almal.
As of October 30, 2026, no public announcement identified in the available reporting confirms that Almal has been suspended, terminated or otherwise disciplined over the Splatoon 3 incident.
Yutura reported on October 27 that ANYCOLOR had not made an announcement at that point.
ANYCOLOR subsequently published an official report on October 30 through its team dealing with aggressive behaviour and defamation. The report discussed measures involving harmful posts, impersonation accounts and other rights violations concerning NIJISANJI talents. It also noted that some cases remained ongoing.
However, the report did not announce disciplinary action against Almal over the Splatoon controversy.
The existence of that report should not be interpreted as an official response to her gameplay-related conduct.
ANYCOLOR’s Previous Legal Action Involving Ars Almal
ANYCOLOR has previously issued an official statement concerning Ars Almal, although that case involved harassment directed towards her rather than criticism of her treatment of other players.
The company said it had pursued disclosure of information about an individual who repeatedly posted comments during Almal’s YouTube livestream with the intention of disrupting the broadcast.
According to ANYCOLOR, the case was resolved after the individual provided Almal with a written apology and acknowledged an obligation to pay ยฅ2 million in damages.
That earlier case is separate from the current controversy. It concerned alleged harassment directed at Almal, whereas the present discussion centres on her conduct towards other players during Splatoon streams.
Ars Almal Was Still Included in Official NIJISANJI Activities
There is also no indication in the official material reviewed that Almal had been removed from NIJISANJI activities by October 30.
ANYCOLOR’s official October 19 Haunted School merchandise announcement included Ars Almal among eight NIJISANJI Livers participating in the project. The merchandise went on sale from October 20.
The announcement predates the October 25-27 controversy, so it should not be treated as a statement about ANYCOLOR’s response to the later criticism.
Nevertheless, it provides an official record of Almal’s inclusion in announced NIJISANJI activities immediately before the controversy escalated.
What Is Confirmed About the Ars Almal Splatoon 3 Controversy?
The available information establishes several important details:
| Date | Confirmed development |
| September 11, 2026 | Almal’s Splatoon 3 livestream included the exchange involving a teammate she discussed reporting. |
| October 19, 2026 | ANYCOLOR announced Haunted School merchandise featuring Almal among eight NIJISANJI Livers. |
| October 20, 22 and 23 | Earlier Splatoon archives were reported as members-only. |
| October 25, 2026 | Criticism of Almal’s gameplay comments began spreading widely on X. |
| October 26, 2026 | Yutura reported that the September 11 broadcast remained publicly accessible when examined. |
| October 27, 2026 | Almal published an apology acknowledging that she had made reports too casually during previous streams. |
| October 28, 2026 | A Japanese-language X post criticised the treatment of the practising player’s username. |
| October 30, 2026 | No public Nintendo violation finding or ANYCOLOR disciplinary announcement had been identified in the available reporting. |
Several other claims remain unconfirmed. Nintendo has not publicly determined that Almal’s specific report was false or that she violated its creator guidelines. There is no verified evidence establishing that every player she reported previously was innocent of reportable behaviour.
Similarly, the disappearance of the October 25 archive has not been established as an attempt to hide the controversy, and no public announcement confirms that ANYCOLOR has punished her.
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Conclusion: Ars Almal’s Apology Remains the Main Confirmed Response
What began as criticism of a teammate interaction during a Splatoon 3 match developed into a wider discussion about Ars Almal’s approach to reporting other players.
The September 11 footage attracted attention because of her comments towards a teammate whose username reportedly indicated that they were practising. Her October 27 apology then brought an important additional detail into the discussion: she acknowledged making reports against matched players too casually during previous streams.
Almal apologised to the players involved, viewers and fans, and said she would be more careful about her words and actions in future broadcasts.
However, the publicly documented response remains her apology. As of October 30, 2026, there has been no public Nintendo announcement confirming a violation of its guidelines and no public ANYCOLOR announcement confirming disciplinary action against her.
For now, the distinction between Almal’s admission, community criticism and official company findings remains central to understanding the controversy.
Source and Research Disclaimer: This article has been prepared based on research of the sources provided below, including official Nintendo and ANYCOLOR publications, Ars Almal’s official NIJISANJI profile, and reporting by Yutura and ASCII.jp. It reflects the information available from these sources as of October 30, 2026. Reported claims, community criticism, Almal’s own statements and official findings have been distinguished wherever possible. The article does not imply independent verification beyond what the cited material supports.
Sources
- Nintendo: Game Content Guidelines for Online Video & Image Sharing Platforms
- Nintendo Support: How to Report a Player for Community Guideline Violations
- Ars Almal: Official NIJISANJI Profile
- Yutura: Ars Almal Apologises Over Reports Against Splatoon Players
- Yutura: Ars Almal Criticised Over Reporting a Splatoon Teammate
- ASCII.jp: Ars Almal Admits to Making Careless Reports and Apologises
- ANYCOLOR: October 2026 Report on Aggressive Behaviour and Defamation Measures
- ANYCOLOR: Response to Rights Violations Against Ars Almal
- ANYCOLOR: Haunted School Merchandise Announcement
Featured Image Credit: ANYCOLOR / NIJISANJI
Second Image Credit: Ars Almal / ANYCOLOR / ASCII.jp
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