Easier in some aspects, harder in others. Before the "vtuber" stuff kicked up as a defined thing the programs people use for it were around for a few years and used as like funny webcam call programs or animation tools. My guess is that there are enough tutorials on the anime style ones that people just end up learning to use the programs through those now and copying of stuff leading to a same-y kinda style. I kinda remember someone in some thread on here sent a video a few months back, one of some guy showing off a non-anime rankinbass stop motion-looking mocap avatar that moved frame by frame. (Yes I know rankinbass' christmas movies were a joint effort with a japanese animation studio)