tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68703850822678594812023-11-15T11:14:23.355-08:00VocaRantHentai's Vocaloid & UTAU RantspaceHentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-47324466242107597172012-12-03T19:41:00.000-08:002012-12-03T19:41:40.318-08:00Rant: Avanna's Release Date?<p>This is a question that has been asked continually over the last month, looking at my Google Analytics alone all of the my top 5 Google search keywords are different combinations of 'Avanna' and 'Release'. As we have no official news from the powers that be I figured I may as well rant and speculate on the topic.</p>
<p>Personally I am placing the blame on squarely on Yamaha, as for their motivations, and how I came to this conclusion, we will go over through the course of this article. Before we begin speculating let us first let us establish what we do, what official statements have been made, and the 'facts' of the situation. First we will have a look at Avanna, her artwork redesigns, what progress has been made on her vocals, and then we will look at the past with Oliver's release last year. Once we have established what we do know, then I will go into my speculation, and the conclusions I have drawn from the situation at hand.</p>
<a name='more'></a><h3>Avanna, what we know.</h3>
<p>Yamaha has taken particular interest in Avanna, and has been quite hands-on with her development, to the level we haven't seen (or at least heard of) before. Yamaha went so far as to completely change her art direction and order a complete redesign of her then completed artwork. Avanna was stripped of her 'fantasy' theme, elf ears removed, eyes enlarged, made to look younger, and pose made much cuter. As a whole she was 'moe'-washed in much the same way most modern Japanese media is these days.</p>
<p>We covered Avanna's various design changes and artwork related delays in our previous news post <a href="http://engloids.info/news/zerog-vocaloid3-avanna-official-artwork/" title="Zero-G’s Vocaloid 3 Avanna Official Artwork"><strong>Zero-G’s Vocaloid 3 Avanna Official Artwork</strong></a> where Aki Glancy chronicled the various design iterations in her development diary <a href="http://akiglancy.deviantart.com/journal/Aki-tells-the-tale-of-Avanna-336679179" target="_blank" title="Dev Diary @ DeviantArt">"Aki tells the tale of Avanna"</a>. There might have been other instances of Yamaha's hands-on approach, but it has never been documented in such detail before. They might have always been like this, or it may have been a recent change with Vocaloid 3, but no other company has given us quite the look into the design process of a Vocaloid as Aki Glancy and Zero-G have.</p>
<p>As far as Avanna's vocals are concerned it was stated in the <a href="http://engloids.info/news/vocanoiro-nekocon-avanna-preview/" title="VocaNoIro NekoCon Producers Panel Avanna Preview"><strong>VocaNoIro: Vocaloid Producers Panel Preview</strong></a> that the Avanna they debuted was approximately 80% completed, that it had since been revised, and voicebank configuration was finally completed by October's end. While there is of course a lot of tweaking to be done to assure the best product possible, for the most part Avanna has been 'done' for about a month now... which is why the vague release information and delays on what info we did receive have been a big question as of late.</p>
<h3 id="Oliver">
Oliver, what came to pass.</h3>
<p>Though we know that Yamaha has been meddling with Avanna's release and in general development details are pretty vague, this is hard from the first case of Yamaha intervention in a Vocaloid 3's release. I need only remind you about the debacle that was Oliver.</p>
<p>Initially slated to release October 1st, 2011 in <a href="http://engloids.info/news/powerfx-vocaloid3-release-date-cost-estimate/" title="PowerFX Gives VOCALOID3 Release Date and Cost Estimate"><strong>PowerFX Gives VOCALOID3 Release Date and Cost Estimate</strong></a>. When October 1st came and went he was later pushed back to 'early November' in <a href="http://engloids.info/news/powerfx-vocaloid3-release-date-rolls-back/" title="PowerFX VOCALOID3 Release Date Rolls Back"><strong>PowerFX VOCALOID3 Release Date Rolls Back</strong></a>. Oliver didn't get released in October but eventually his artwork, and later his voice, all debuted over the course of that month.</p>
<p>After multiple delays PowerFX became vaguer and vaguer about Oliver's immanent release till eventually they would only 'no comment' on the matter when asked. When we did finally get a solid date and time for Oliver's release it would be the day before, less than 16 hours notice before he was to go on sale on PowerFX's website.</p>
<p>Coincidentally December 21, 2011, Oliver's release date, would also be the date that Yamaha would release a major Vocaloid 3 Editor update, Vocaloid Editor v3.0.3.0. It was never explicitly stated what caused all the delays with Oliver's release, but the fact Yamaha packed a major update on the same day ended up being a huge coincidence... one almost too large to ignore.</p>
<h3 id="Yamaha">Yamaha, cause of delays?</h3>
<p>Ever since Vocaloid 3 has come out Yamaha has taken quite the interest in the developing Vocaloid 3s. Granted, we have a limited number of English releases to draw information from, as I haven't been able to keep up with the Japanese, Korean, Chineese, or Spanish release information, but from what we have seen we can tell that Yamaha has taken a keen interest in the voicebanks of the most recent generation.</p>
<p>Yamaha has proved that they were willing to order a complete redesign of a Vocaloids artwork, going so far as to scrap the 'fantasy' concept it was built around and order everything made in a more 'moe' manner, beyond the delays they caused in the art department we are seeing a repeat of the events of PowerFX in Zero-G when it concerns their Vocaloid's final release date. We have received multiple dates, each pushed back, and now release information is strangely quiet, with all parties involved suddenly becoming extremely tight lipped.</p>
<p>The fact that PowerFX didn't know its own release date till some 16 hours beforehand tells me that the actual release date was out of their hands. Similarly Zero-G just can't seem to get a date down, as a software company your release date isn't something that is left to ambiguity. When you release you usually build an entire PR and marketing campaign around it and things like when your software actually comes out is no minor detail that can be easily overlooked.</p>
<p>Its almost as if not even Zero-G knows their own release date! If Zero-G isn't in control of the release then who is? Yamaha seems to be the only party I could come up with. The root causes could be anything from vocal refinements, licencing negotiations, to hell, maybe even another major Vocaloid 3 Editor update. If someone does know they certainly aren't talking.</p>
<p>So with all of the above in mind, go easy on Zero-G... its probably not their fault.</p>Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-41086305717619364992012-09-05T03:37:00.000-07:002012-09-05T03:38:41.297-07:00Rant: Avanna's Upcoming ReleaseI have been following the <a href="http://www.vocaloidotaku.net/index.php?/topic/24350-zerogs-celtic-vocaloid3-avanna/" target="_blank" title="Avanna Thread @ VO">Avanna discussion on VocaloidOtaku</a> for quite a while and have wanted to blog about her upcoming release. This isn't really news, more speculation and educated guessing, so I can't post it on the main blog, so instead I post it to my (not so new) VocaRant column/sideblog and share my thoughts on the matter with you.<br />
<br />
With Avanna's release right around the corner, many people have become impatient, some even doubting if Avanna is going to release at all. I can say, with almost 100% certainly that Avanna is going to happen, things have been in motion too long to stop now. Its the dates and details where things begin to get murky.<br />
<br />
Zero-G has suffered many technical difficulties in Avanna's development, what they were specifically, your guess is as good as mine, but as long as nothing has changed (and I don't think they have) they told us to prepare for a <a href="http://engloids.info/news/the-new-celtic-vocaloid-might-come-sooner-than-we-expect/" target="_blank" title="Zero-G’s Celtic Vocaloid Coming Sooner Than You Expect">'Summer' release date</a>.<br />
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While the informal end of Summer is Labor Day, the actual end of Summer this year is September 20th, because September 21st is the first day of fall. So with that date in mind, I fully expect final details to begin rolling in sometime within the next 2 weeks, with the actual release following shortly in the fall, some time before Christmas.<br />
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This sort of <a href="http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/Big_Al#Trivia" target="_blank" title="Big Al Trivia @ Vocaloid Wikia"><em>Big Al Syndrome</em></a> should be nothing new to Engloid fans, neither should a rapid info release schedule soon after those technical difficulties are overcome. If you don't recall Oliver's release and <a href="http://engloids.info/news/powerfx-vocaloid3-release-date-cost-estimate/" target="_blank" title="PowerFX Gives VOCALOID3 Release Date and Cost Estimate">his many delays</a>, the actual release took many by surprise as the date was<a href="http://engloids.info/news/oliver-to-be-released-tomorrow-discounts-apply/" target="_blank" title="Oliver Release Tomorrow (Discounts Apply)"> not revealed untill the day before</a>, not even a full 24 hours, he was set to go on sale.<br />
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I fully expect that if is releasing it will come by surprise, in a great wave of activity, a gigantic dump of information, and a <a href="http://engloids.info/news/physical-vocaloid3-editor-oliver-combo-bundle-dvds-released/" target="_blank" title="Physical VOCALOID3 Editor & Oliver Combo Bundle DVDs Released">physical edition & bundles some months later</a>. I see her release as a great dam, now that the normally tight-lipped Zero-G is finally opening up we can finally see cracks in its great surface and feel the pressure building up.<br />
<br />
She may, or may not, make that September 20th not-deadline, but I am willing to bet she will be coming out sooner, rather than later...Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-56980620417954765622012-05-22T01:59:00.000-07:002012-05-22T02:01:06.564-07:00The Kit Kat ChallengeWhen developing <a href="http://utau.me/profile/weeaboo-otakune/">Otakune Weeaboo</a>'s English VB "Otakune Extenzed" one of the goals was for him to be able to sing in "passable" American English.<br />
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One of the questions that popped up during his development was how would we define "passable". I proposed this question to Laura, Koda, Myst, and anyone with an ear for UTAU, or interest in linguistics.<br />
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Together, in the end we developed a simple phrase, one that we like to call "The Kit Kat Challenge". Is that voicebank, UTAU, or Vocaloid's English "passable" or is that "Engloid" more of an "Engroid" than anything?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://engloids.info/column/koda/the-english-test/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="115" src="http://engloids.info/uploads/koda_kit-kat-challenge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Koda-P covers our little test as part of his most recent Koda's Kolumn entry "The Kit Kat Challenge". For those interested you can read the<a href="http://engloids.info/column/koda/the-english-test/" target="_blank"> full article on Engloids.Info</a> as part of the latest entry in <a href="http://engloids.info/column/koda/" target="_blank">Koda's Kolumn</a>.<br />
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Along with overviewing the challenge itself Koda included examples using the PowerFX Engloids he owns. Check it out, try it yourself, discuss it, post your results. It might be fun to try out on your UTAU!Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-86067565175949676282012-02-15T12:22:00.000-08:002012-02-15T12:22:41.233-08:00Just A Fansite, Not Affiliated With YamahaSometimes I am amazed at the kind of support <a href="http://engloids.info/">Engloids.Info</a> gets. It continually ranks on Google, gets cited by foreign language wikis, has articles translated and re-blogged by <a href="http://vocaloid.blog120.fc2.com/" target="_blank">THE Vocaloid Blog</a>. While I'm quite proud of these achievements and thankful to all our editorial staff this popularity is not without its downsides.<br />
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Our issues arise from the takedown of the Official English Vocaloid.com back in September. We covered it in "<a href="http://engloids.info/news/yamaha-updates-vocaloid-official-snuffs-english-version/" target="_blank">Yamaha Updates Official Vocaloid Site, Snuffs English Version</a>" back when Yamaha revised their website for Vocaloid 3 and took their dated English language site down.<br />
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Without an English language site their website fails to rank on English language search engines. When their site fails to rank on English Google my site takes top spot and I end up fielding a variety of technical support questions.<br />
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If its something simple I usually try to help, and usually have to stress than Engloids.Info is not in any way associated with either Yamaha, PowerFX, Zero-G or VocaTone. If it is something more technically involved, usually concerning serial keys, I usually try to direct them to the proper place to seek help.<br />
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I know my blog is awesome, thats why we rank in Google, but we shouldn't be ranking before official resources. I mean we are a fan-site that is structured to be as 'professional' as possible. Though its a blog I use a custom theme where you wouldn't be able to tell it was Wordpress powered at first glance.<br />
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I am not sure if they actually think we are affiliated with the pro-companies or if its out of desperation because they can't find proper English language resources. Judging from the Google search results that direct people to my site I am willing to bet it is the latter.<br />
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Recently got an email where a guy gave me his serial key asking me to help him troubleshoot his Vocaloid 2 activation. Looked into my records and found that he found my site by Google-ing "Yamaha Vocaloid Email".<br />
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The other search terms where my site was found with yesterday included "how does vocalid.com work", "vocaloid.com english", & "vocaloid english website" and those were just the searches from one day!<br />
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Thankfully Yamaha finally got around to working on their English language site again. We covered it a bit in "<a href="http://engloids.info/news/english-vocaloid-official-returns-calls-you-a-dummy/" target="_blank">English Vocaloid Official Returns, Calls You a Dummy</a>" when an enterprising VO user correctly guessed the password to the beta version of the site. While it is still a work in progress, and isn't open to the public, it is a step in the right direction.<br />
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Hopefully Yamaha will get their English site up soon because I know their fans are waiting. Till then I will try my best to help who I can, and redirect those to the proper channels to seek help from when I can't.Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-52584028506323537112012-01-18T16:26:00.001-08:002012-03-29T13:39:10.994-07:00Rant: Vocaloid Popularity ContestPeople keep saying things like "bad character design" or "bad boxart" but at the end of the day these are vocal synthesizers. The popularity of a song or character has nothing to do with the images or Vocaloid publisher. Its all about the music and the producers behind them. How skilled is the producer and how much EFFORT is he or shee is willing to put in?<br />
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The popularity of the music is entirely on the music producer's shoulders, not the fandom, and certain't not the Vocaloid company. You can't publish a 'medeocre' or hell, even 'outstanding' song, fail to market it, and then blame the fandom/person you bought the software for the lack of the song's success. I am not going to buy FL Studio and then blame Image-Line that my original song only has 500 views.<br />
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If you want your song to be popular you need to put the work in, that is something most people aren't willing to do. There are of course shortcuts of course, shortcuts many people aren't shy from taking. If you want views, suck at marketing you work, then the obvious route to take is cover something already popular, like Linkin Park, or cat songs, since they are already popular they almost market themselves! <small>[/sarcasm]</small><br />
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I will give you two examples of 'proper' marketing from Western producers, one who uses Miku, Gumi, & Gakupo amongst other JP-loids and the other, an early adopter of VOCALOID1 Engloids, which have no official character images or art, and created an entire virtual singer & mythos, from scratch, to represent his work.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The first is of course the group Vocalekt Visions, TempoP, neutrinoP, and their support staff and collaborators which includes people like Holo the Wise, Re:VB, and Sappokei. This is an example not only of great collaboration, but in execution and initiative that is unmatched even in Japan today.<br />
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Tempo & neutrino are not just content in posting videos to Nico/YouTube, after they posted it they are continually promoting it, engaging people through Twitter, Nico, and blogs. Then they wanted the widest distribution possible and they got their songs listed on iTunes, Amazon MP3, and even put their CDs on Amazon.jp.<br />
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Now normally that would be enough but they have taken it a step further. They have been doing a convention tour and have been showcasing their technology, along with holographic projection technology, to live audiences at conventions across the US. Eventually, they want to accompany it with live musicians and make it to the big stage and rival events like MikuNoPolis.<br />
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How many times do you hear people complaining that they wish they had a Vocaloid concert in their country? Well you know what Vocalekt Visions didn't wait for Sega, Crypton, or Toyota. They hosted one themselves and have been using these events to promote theirs, and others works. They have gotten off their asses and have literally poured blood, sweat, and tears promoting their works.<br />
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<b>It is the responsibility of the producer to promote his or her own works.</b><br />
Tempo & neutrino have not only promoted their own works, they have gone above and beyond the call and not only promote themselves, but Vocaloid as a whole.<br />
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The second example is of course anaROBIK. I already covered her extensively in my previous article <a href="http://vocarant.blogspot.com/2012/01/rant-anarobik-vs-fanmades.html"><b>Rant: anaROBIK vs Fanmades</b></a> so I will try keep this brief.<br />
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When Robert Hedin, one of the earliest adopters of VOCALOID, adopted LOLA the idea of "Character Vocal Series" didn't even exist. Zero-G didn't have any official characters or hell any marketing on the matter at all beyond the "Virtual Soul Vocalist". In the blank slate Zero-G left him Robert crafted "anaROBIK" a moniker that would both be the name of his fictional virtual idol, and the name of his collective works.<br />
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Where some today see 'failure' Robert saw an opportunity. No need to say "[Original Song] feat. [Vocaloid Name]", he created his own, one which he wouldn't have to ask Zero-G for permission to use, sell, and market. Plus looking at it from a musician's perspective how ridiculous would it be to add the instrument pack you used into your song title? Imagine if I titled the guitar single I sequenced out in FL Studio "[My Guitar Solo] feat. [FL Slayer]". Almost laughable isn't it?<br />
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Robert didn't adopt any existing characters or images when marketing his works. He created his own and found success with it. He may not be notable inside the Vocaloid fandom, but that was never his goal. He didn't want his works attributed to his software but rather him, and identified as his works. Hell, when he started the 'fandom' didn't even exist for him to market to.<br />
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Like Tempo he didn't sit around and wait for his videos to get views either, he got off his ass and marketed his work. He constructed an entire personal and mythology around his virtual vocalist and eventually gained a lot of momentum. He was signed by an indie record label, and his songs later remixed and sampled by composers and DJs around the world.<br />
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It wasn't a "vocaloid" song, it was an "anaROBIK" song. He made an entire brand out of nothing... and the Vocaloid fandom knows nothing about this. I guess it was mission accomplished, the focus wasn't on the Vocaloid but him and his signer whose name and image he owns.<br />
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Thats why when Space+Time Magazine was looking for a Vocaloid producer to interview, a person to show the possibilities of what the software was capable of they chose Robert Hedin, even though many of us on VO at the time knew nothing about him or any of his works. He is the prime example of what you can do, and what is possible, with the instrument that is Vocaloid, and possibly, a glimpse, a hint, of what is to come.<br />
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So next time you wonder why your music isn't popular, why more people don't like you, why you don't see more of that Vocaloid you like. Don't blame 'marketing', 'character design', or 'box art'.<br />
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<b>If you are doing your job right none of these things should matter.</b><br />
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<a name="final">On that note let me end with this...</a><br />
Remember when Susumu Hirasawa used a Vocaloid in the soundtrack of the feature length anime film Paprika? Everyone assumed it was Crypton's MEIKO because Hirasawa-san was Japanese and MEIKO is a JP-loid. Nope, that wasn't the case.<br />
<blockquote>"If users can edit her perfectly, she can be a professional (singer). She can sing in soprano or whatever if they edit her overwhelmingly"</blockquote>This is a great producer at work people.<br />
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He didn't market the Vocaloid but rather himself, he edited and fine tuned his output so aggressively it was almost unrecognizable and no one could guess the voicebank. It was Zero-G's LOLA and everyone was none the wiser.Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-4329975403441459242012-01-17T18:52:00.000-08:002012-01-19T04:19:38.388-08:00Rant: anaROBIK vs FanmadesI have been talking about anaROBIK a lot on VO, particularly because she is a great example of Vocaloid being used as an 'instrument' rather than as a 'character'. Recently she was brought up in a discussion about fanmades.<br />
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For those that don't know about her, I have <a href="http://engloids.info/news/zero-g-interviews-anarobik/" target="_blank">coverage on Engloids.Info</a><br />
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Now personally, I dislike fanmades, I think the idea around them is stupid, and now that there is over 40 different Vocaloid 1-3s, not even counting the various appends, I see little use for them outside of the headcanon of the the fandom.<br />
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In many ways she is similar to fanmades: She is a non-canon character, developed by a fan, derived from a Vocaloid voicebank. Despite her origins I don't consider her a 'fanmade'. I point you to why I like her so much. She is an example of Vocaloid being used as an 'instrument' rather than a character.<br />
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You must keep in mind that anaROBIK is derived from Zero-G's LOLA voicebank, one of the earliest VOCALOID1s and Robert Hedin (anaROBIK's producer) was one of the earliest adopters. This was a different era, the era before Miku, before Vocaloid2, an era where the concept of fanmades hadn't even been conceived.<br />
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Hell, even today the 'concept' of LEON & LOLA that comes to mind when you think of their characters is entirely fanon. If anything the modern ideas of Leon & Lola's characters are all fanmade. The only official art is the one that graces their boxes.<br />
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But alas, we are getting sidetracked. Lets get back to anaROBIK...<br />
<a name='more'></a>She is NOT a Fanmade but rather the name attributed to the vocalist that stars in the works of Robert Hedin, her producer. The moniker 'anaROBIK' is both the name of the vocalist singing and the name of his Hedin's collective works.<br />
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You must consider that anaROBIK is derived from LOLA, who has no cannon 'character'. Beyond that, for the Vocaloids that have canonical characters, their details and canon persona are the intellectual property of their creators.<br />
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The licence that comes with the Vocaloid software (depending on which company) grants you the rights to any output the software does but you will still need separate permission to the the Vocaloid's image and name.<br />
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When Tempo-P and Koda-P did their 'mini-concert'/panel at Anime Los Angeles they had to get written permission from Crypton, INTERNET Co. & PowerFX to use the images & names of the characters whom they own. Yes, the music was theirs but the characters dancing on stage were not.<br />
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If you are looking for commercial success and don't want to ask permission every single time you do something, want to market your creations as your own, you need to create your own separate identity for you Vocaloid.<br />
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The idea of creating a Vocaloid for commercial purposes is a lot different than the idea of 'fanmades' as traditionally applied by the fandom.<br />
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Thus, I believe anaROBIK to be something of its own...<br />
A Vocaloid being used as an instrument and aliased by her producer. Valid in her own right and definitely not some generic derivative or fandom fluff.Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-90688300454244514842012-01-15T20:40:00.000-08:002012-05-22T02:01:33.023-07:00Vocaloid: The Fan PhenomenonAnimeLA was some of the most fun I have had at a convention. Mainly because I usually go to conventions as 'work' as an exhibitor so going to one 'for fun' is bound to be more fun than working one. I was able to attend a bunch of panel and "Vocaloid: The Fan Phenomenon " was one of them.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hTlzgGGkoe4?rel=0" width="500"></iframe><br />
<blockquote>
<i>Vocaloid: The Fan Phenomenon</i><br />
Presented by Russell Chou & Derek Chou<br />
January 7 2012 @ Anime Los Angeles 8<br />
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<b>Synopsis:</b> What is vocaloid? No, not just the software, but the whole ecosystem that has become “Vocaloid”. How did it come to be, and what will become of it?</blockquote>
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I will be honest with you: I expected the worst and in the end it was not bad. Sure we giggled a bit at his 'English Websites' slide, and disagreed a bit about music monetization, overall it was a pretty good overview on Vocaloid, as a fandom.<br />
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For the most part he focuses near exclusively on Crypton Future Media & the Crypton-loid. I don't blame him since the focus was on the "fan phenomenon" and the fandom very much revolves around the Crypton-loids. He wasn't totally ignorant of the others, even name dropped the Engloids & UTAU a bit, but Crypton seemed the focus of the panel.<br />
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Even though he focused on the fandom he drew particular attention to Vocaloid as a software, and various producers behind many of the most popular songs. He even covered oft overlooked but very important aspects of the fandom like the 'doujin culture' and the 'fan works' concepts.<br />
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He also drew attention to the 'perfect storm' of things going on that helped make Miku a success. Pointed out the early adoption by people who would later become 'pro' producers, the timing & importance of Nico Nico Douga's founding in December of 2006 and how NND & Vocaloid would grow together, till Vocaloid gets an entire section dedicated to it on the site.<br />
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Probably the most controversial thing Russell brought up was his section on "Commercial Adoption" (18:55) where he went into PiaPro, creation of KarenT and other labels, and the commercialization of arts and music, a topic he would return to multiple times throughout the panel.<br />
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Props to Russell for also covering, albeit briefly, not just the Engloids, but the Spanish, Korean, and Chinese versions of the software as well. He also didn't forget about the other JP-loids and really spread the Gumi love at one point.<br />
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<b>In conclusion...</b><br />
With the panel's title in mind it wasn't terrible at all. It focused on the fan perspective, and while not overly useful for the experienced fans, it is certainly informative to the casual fan or random convention attendee.<br />
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<hr />
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For those interested Russell has given me a copy of the slides he used. You can find the slides, along with a timeline of the video after the jump.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6870385082267859481" name="slides"></a>Presentation Slides</span></u></b></div>
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<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="450" id="doc_45785" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/78392266/content?start_page=1&view_mode=slideshow&access_key=key-mv1phutn1gwyoq5wgyr" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6870385082267859481" name="timeline"></a>Video Timeline</span></u></b></div>
<br />
I also included some links for the various topics discussed where Russell couldn't go into detail due to panel time constraints.<br />
<br />
<table style="font-size: .7em; margin: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td width="50%">0:00 <b>Vocaloid Introduction</b><br />
0:05 <a href="http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/Vocaloid#Releases" target="_blank">Vocaloid 1 (2003)</a><br />
0:23 <a href="http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/Vocaloid2#Releases" target="_blank">Vocaloid 2 (2006)</a><br />
0:39 <a href="http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/Vocaloid3#Releases" target="_blank">Vocaloid 3 (2011)</a><br />
0:58 Vocaloid by Crypton Future Media<br />
1:50 Vocaloid 2: Character Vocal Series<br />
2:21 Append<br />
2:42 Vocaloid Ecosystem<br />
4:25 Weekly Vocaloid Ranking<br />
4:51 <b>How did Hatsune Miku become famous?</b><br />
5:07 <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/leekspin-loituma-girl" target="_blank">Ievan Polkka</a><br />
6:25 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbbA9BhCTko" target="_blank">[video link]</a><br />
7:23 Miku Miku Ni Shite Ageru<br />
7:52 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_RAVXte6NI" target="_blank">[video link]</a><br />
10:01 supercell/ryo<br />
10:41 Melt <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t41aU-j4drs" target="_blank">[video link]</a><br />
13:03 Love is War, BRS, World is Mine<br />
13:24 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comiket" target="_blank">Comiket</a><br />
14:39 A C G (Anime, Comics, & Games)<br />
15:32 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhWSFinICAU" target="_blank">Nico Nico Douga</a><br />
17:05 <b>Fan Following Ensues</b><br />
17:12 <a href="http://www.geocities.jp/higuchuu4/index_e.htm" target="_blank">[MMD] Videos/Dancing/Animation</a><br />
17:42 Fanmade Vocaloids<br />
18:03 Character Items</td> <td>18:55 <b>Commercial Adoption</b><br />
19:07 PiaPro (ピアプロ)<br />
20:05 <a href="http://karent.jp/" target="_blank">KarenT (Music)</a><br />
20:33 Music Labels<br />
20:56 <a href="http://vocadb.net/" target="_blank">Music CDs</a><br />
21:28 Project DIVA<br />
22:06 <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-08-18/black-rock-shooter-gets-tv-anime-in-january" target="_blank">Black Rock Shooter</a><br />
23:02 Miku "Live" Concerts<br />
24:22 Mikupa 2011 Live<br />
24:39 <b>Vocaloid Across the World</b><br />
24:43 <a href="http://www.vocaloid-creativity.com/index.php?view=article&id=2" target="_blank">Sales, America = Japan</a><br />
25:11 "1st US Screen Debut"<br />
25:32 Miku FB Reaches 39,390 Fans<br />
26:22 <a href="http://www.toyota.com/corollamiku/" target="_blank">Toyota Corolla x Hatsune Miku</a><br />
27:00 Anime Expo Miku Live<br />
27:43 The Impact of Vocaloid<br />
27:53 Doujin -> Commercial<br />
30:00 <a href="http://vocaloid-creativity.board-directory.com/t57-the-piapro-p" target="_blank">-P is for Producer</a><br />
30:39 Too Much Commercialization?<br />
32:36 <b>What's in the Future?</b><br />
32:39 <a href="http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/Upcoming_Vocaloids#Vocaloid_3" target="_blank">Vocaloid 3</a><br />
33:29 Upcoming Projects<br />
34:40 English Websites<br />
35:35 Thanks & Contact Info</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><b>Q&A Section</b> - Annotations for Questions in Video</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-85329329199417668572012-01-15T12:44:00.000-08:002012-01-15T23:24:19.901-08:00Opinion: Concerning Pocaloid DramaI just wanted to put this out there:<br />
<b>I consider public shaming a perfectly legitimate strategy.</b><br />
<br />
They might not care that they are pirating Vocaloid but their viewers might, and considering how ego driven this fandom is I think it would be a prime motivator. There is nothing greater than peer pressure and the force of public opinion.<br />
<br />
There is not need to attack anybody and whats past is past. Call them out on it, if they are unrepentant add them to the wall-o-shame, if they promise to stop doing it then leave them be.<br />
<br />
If they don’t care about being on the shame wall, then let that be that, its their reputation that is in ruins. You can't force someone to care about something. <b>Whatever you do leave them an option to turn back.</b><br />
<br />
Everyone has to start somewhere and no need to scare potential customers away, because frankly STS Artech, Voctro Labs need all sales they can get.<br />
<br />
<b>Anyone who tries to defend Pocaloid, don’t do it.</b><br />
It only makes you look like a fool. You cannot defend the indefensible and ‘everybody does it’ is not a valid excuse.<br />
<br />
<b>Anyone who attacks people who use Pocaloid, don’t do it.</b><br />
It is not as unforgivable as you make it out to be and everyone has to start somewhere. Be happy that they are considering using/buying Vocaloid.<br />
<br />
<b>The pirates of today might be the producers of tomorrow.</b><br />
Don’t attack them, but feel free to publicly shame them. No one is beyond repentance. The important part is they want to us Vocaloid.<br />
<br />
Even great producers like Koda-P, a staunch opposer to Pocaloid, will admit that he too once used Pocaloid. His first Original <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRRsN-_LTn8">A Simple Song feat. Megurine Luka</a> was made using a pirated Vocaloid.<br />
<br />
He eventually grew out of it, bought his first Engloid, and never turned to Pocaloid again. Now he owns 3 Engloids and is one of the top producers in the west.Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-54897105429887790582012-01-12T10:53:00.000-08:002012-01-13T13:51:20.055-08:00Ramble: Letter to Fandubers<div style="padding: 25px;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Dear Fandubers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Heavily autotuning your voice does not make you sound more like a Vocaloid.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Hentai</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">XOXOXOXOX</span></div>Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-46566944774685335372012-01-11T01:58:00.000-08:002012-01-16T01:38:43.744-08:00Vocaloid Radio Project ProposalThis is a work in progress and has yet to be copy-edited but it is something I wanted to share after all the support <a href="http://vocaloidotaku.net/index.php?/topic/26304-vocalistener-vocaloid-internet-radio/">the project thread</a> has been receiving.<br />
<br />
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/77707369/content?start_page=1&view_mode=slideshow&access_key=key-v0n3mp36gpph1tapn5g" data-auto-height="true" data-aspect-ratio="0.772727272727273" scrolling="no" id="doc_18330" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();</script>Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-42592564126237506942012-01-10T12:19:00.001-08:002012-01-10T12:24:02.632-08:00Rant: In Defense of Zero-GA little something to keep in mind while people speculate about Zero-G, some going so far to attack them. Others suggesting they take VocaTone up to contract.<br />
<br />
Zero-G is a music company first, Vocaloid company second. They have some of the largest audio sample libraries in the world. When Yamaha was going to launch VOCALOID 1 it was Zero-G who was its earliest adopter, of the 6 companies approached they were the first to see the possibilities that Vocaloid could bring.<br />
<br />
Don't think for a moment that Zero-G is blind, as an early adopter they had the vision that 5 of the largest music production companies in the world couldn't grasp. They had faith in a product that was still unproven. They have been partnered with Yamaha for 3 generations of the Vocaloid software as other companies have come and gone. Don't think for a moment they don't know what they are doing.<br />
<br />
I have personally interacted with some of the Zero-G staff. They have only ever conducted themselves with the highest level of professionalism that you would expect from a company with their rich of a history. I assure you they know what they are doing and if they are committed to releasing the highest quality product possible.<br />
<br />
That being said there are many ways to market a product. Constant teasers and community interaction is one thing but focusing on product development, small focus groups, and strategic press releases at project milestones is another. Zero-G has every right to manage their image as they choose.<br />
<br />
That being said a thing to remember is that 'fans' don't buy their product, producers do. If they choose to focus their marketing efforts at producers then I certainly don't blame them. They haven't lost sight of the ball, their primary goal is to sell software.Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-84870286847647820992012-01-09T16:36:00.000-08:002012-01-09T16:37:07.013-08:00KarenT's VocaListener Radio ResponseThis actually came a while ago but I never got the chance to update the blog with the response due to the holidays. Figured now is as good a time as any seeing as I plan on blogging about future developments soon enough.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Dear Mr. [Name Redacted],<br />
<br />
Thank you for your inquiry.<br />
Now we have been proceeding with the preparations to enable KarenT music to be broadcast legally on internet radio stations. Please be patient for a few months until we are prepared.<br />
<br />
Best regards,<br />
KarenT<br />
karent@crypton.co.jp</blockquote><br />
Not the response I would have liked but it leaves the possibility for something in the future. I will proceed to develop my ideas and write a formal project proposal.Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-43302819016605243212011-12-19T01:01:00.001-08:002011-12-19T02:22:50.852-08:00VocaListener Radio & Open Letter to KarenT<div class="tr_bq"></div>For those of you who do not know I own the domain VocaListener.com and have been wanting to make an online radio station out of it for a while. It want it be like <a href="http://918thefan.com/" target="_blank">91.8 The Fan</a> with live DJs, various themed shows, and completely legal, except for instead of occasionally featuring Vocaloid music I wanted to focus on Vocaloid exclusively. Beyond just focusing on Vocaloid music I wanted to introduce Vocaloid fans to new producers and if possible shoehorn Engloids in whenever possible.<br />
<br />
Now I could have taken the pirate route like so many other stations online but I wanted everything to be legit and something I could be proud of later on. I researched online and found about how I could legally found my own radio station, without specific permission from the artists and labels, under the Statutory Licence of the U.S. Copyright Office. It would require me to pay hundreds of dollars in fees/royalties but it would be legal.<br />
<br />
<iframe width="500" height="369" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/unO4imL0wTc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
Now I have no problem doing this because services like <a href="http://www.live365.com/index.live" target="_blank">Live 365</a> exist that handle royalties and allow small time broadcasters to legally start their own radio stations for as little as $4/mo. The thing is all the money I would be paying in royalties to SoundExchange, the online radio royalties board, would likely never reach the artists they are intended for #1 because the artists are all in Japan and #2 SoundExchange was sponsored by the RIAA which KarenT is not a member of.<br />
<br />
After months of stalling and rather approach producers individually which is a daunting task, and reason for the statutory licence, I figured I would reach out to KarenT & Crypton Future Media concerning the issue. As they are notoriously hard to contact and because I only speak English I am posting this letter publicly in hopes that it reaches them along with forwarding it to their YouTube, Twitter, and every contact point I can think of.<br />
<br />
You can read my full email to KarenT after the break:<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote>To: KarenT & Crypton Future Media </blockquote><blockquote>I am interested in starting an internet radio station with the purpose of spreading and promoting Vocaloid music in the west. This will not be a commercial endeavour and the stream will likely cap at 25-50 listeners at once. I would like to do this legally. </blockquote><blockquote>In the United States I am allowed to legally to start my own radio station under a statutory license of the U.S. Copyright Office as long as I pay fees & royalties to SoundExchange who is in turn supposed to compensate both the labels and the artists.</blockquote><blockquote>I am worried that if I go this route, the artists that are based in Japan will not recieve any of the money I am obliged to pay SoundExchange. While SoundExchange and the statutory licence is one path it is not the only one, I can also make a deal directly with the rights holders that supersedes the statutory licence.</blockquote><blockquote>I am contacting you today to see if I could negotiate a deal directly with KarenT concerning music licencing for the purpose of a small time non-profit online radio station.</blockquote><blockquote>Regards,<br />
Hentai<br />
[Contact Info]</blockquote>Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-75846990165685903792011-11-16T23:57:00.000-08:002011-11-16T23:57:06.261-08:00Ramble: Tweeting MikuPa Singapore 2011On [11.11.11] Super Pocky Day Miku had a concert in Singapore. I ordered a Nico stream ticket for the even but at 3 AM it was at a really inconvenient time. Luckily NND has a "timeshift" feature so I was able to watch it later in the day with some friends.<br />
<br />
We connected a laptop to a 50" plasma, hooked into the surround sound system, ordered some pizza, and invited some friends. This isn't the first time we had done this. Invited everyone that couldn't make it to MikuNoPolis last time.<br />
<br />
Anyways I not-so-live tweeted the event. You can find my tweets in their entirity after the jump, embedded with Storify.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<script src="http://storify.com/dahentai/tweeting-mikupa-singapore-2011.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://storify.com/dahentai/tweeting-mikupa-singapore-2011" target="_blank">View the story "Tweeting MikuPa Singapore 2011" on Storify</a>]</noscript>Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-53748492833930152312011-11-14T21:04:00.000-08:002011-12-11T16:10:28.328-08:00Rant: Oliver's Greater DesignOnce again on VocaRant we are brought to the upcoming Vocaloid 3 Oliver. I did a <a href="http://vocarant.blogspot.com/2011/11/opinion-vocaloid3-oliver.html" target="_blank">first impressions article</a> and then took a <a href="http://vocarant.blogspot.com/2011/11/rant-my-love-hate-and-fear-of-oliver.html" target="_blank">look at his reception</a>. Today, we will be discussing Oliver as a character and the various design decisions around his artwork.<br />
<br />
Probably the best place to begin is his bandages. They were both controversial and expected at the same time. Controversial because when they were revealed <a href="http://vocaloidotaku.net/index.php?/topic/23564-vocaloid3-oliver/page__st__1800__p__640962&#entry640962" target="_blank">people were drawing parallels</a> to VocaTone staffer Sango's UTAU <a href="http://utau.wikia.com/wiki/Neko_Kanochi" target="_blank">Neko Kanochi</a> . Expected because after his <a href="http://engloids.info/news/animebanzai-recap-vocaloid3-oliver-silhouette/" target="_blank">silhouette was revealed</a> the odd outline on his foot drew much speculation.<br />
<br />
While there were various theories on what they might be, including a hilarious 'winged feet' theory that drew some amusing fanart, probably the most plausible and one that stuck with me was the idea of bandages. While hindsight is 20/20, for those familiar with PowerFX and their 'horror film' theme it just seemed to make sense.<br />
<br />
Speaking PowerFX's monster theme it seems once again it is a point of contention. While not as bad as 'Frankenstein Al' or 'Horror Ann' Oliver's mummy-rific theme drew <a href="http://vocarant.blogspot.com/2011/11/rant-my-love-hate-and-fear-of-oliver.html" target="_blank">attacks from the fanbase</a> and sparked confusion from the non-English speaking Vocaloid fanbase who weren't familiar with PowerFX's history and weren't exposed to <a href="http://lawlietlk.deviantart.com/#/d4fy8od" target="_blank">his design notes</a>.<br />
<br />
Looking at some of the Japanese <a href="http://jin115.com/archives/51825260.html" target="_blank">blog comments</a> we find some posts like:<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
[the below is machine translated]</span></div><div style="margin-left: 50px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: 'MS Pゴシック', 'MS PGothic', Mona, 'mona-gothic-jisx0208.1990-0', メイリオ, Meiryo, 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3', 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;">"なんで大怪我してんの"</span><br />
"Why point to serious injury?"<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #ff0033; font-family: 'MS Pゴシック', 'MS PGothic', Mona, 'mona-gothic-jisx0208.1990-0', メイリオ, Meiryo, 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3', 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;">いまいちな理由</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #ff0033; font-family: 'MS Pゴシック', 'MS PGothic', Mona, 'mona-gothic-jisx0208.1990-0', メイリオ, Meiryo, 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3', 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">1.包帯の意味が分からない</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #ff0033; font-family: 'MS Pゴシック', 'MS PGothic', Mona, 'mona-gothic-jisx0208.1990-0', メイリオ, Meiryo, 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3', 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">2.ややリアルでキモイ</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #ff0033; font-family: 'MS Pゴシック', 'MS PGothic', Mona, 'mona-gothic-jisx0208.1990-0', メイリオ, Meiryo, 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3', 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">3.かといって上手いわけではないイラスト</span><br />
What other reasons:<br />
1. Do not know the meaning of the bandages<br />
2. A somewhat realistic creepy<br />
3. Still the illustration isn't that good</div><br />
Beyond just questioning the bandages there were debates about whether or not he is a shota, how Len won't loose to him, and how they expected him to be popular in the west and how one person wished he knew English to use him.<br />
<br />
Speaking of Kagamine Len, it seems that a lot of people like to draw parallels with him and Oliver. While I can see where they are coming from, on the most basic level they do share some traits.<br />
<br />
Yes, they are both young males with blonde hair and wear shorts but beyond these almost superficial aspects of their character they really don't share much in common at all. Where Len has yellows, Oliver has navy blues, where Len has arm-warmers, Oliver has actual sleeves, where Len wears a headset, Oliver holds a dynamic mic, where Len has a twin, Oliver has his bird companion.<br />
<br />
I really don't get where people get off calling Oliver 'unoriginal'. As moderator on UtaForum's <a href="http://utaforum.co.cc/forum/3222452/" target="_blank">UTAU Artwork Section</a> and member of the the #Vocaloid-fanclub & #overseas-utafest groups on DeviantArt, I have seen all kinds of Vocaloid & UTAU art costumes and designs and frankly I haven't seen anything like him before.<br />
<br />
Maybe it is because I expose myself to so much art and don't limit myself to the limited number of Vocaloid 'official' outfits but I have come to appreciate the subtleties of design. I can see where Lawlietlk drew inspiration from the Vienna Boys Choir but I can also appreciate how she put her own spin on the outfit.<br />
<br />
Had she copied the outfit verbatim Oliver would have had a lot more of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailor_suit" target="_blank">sailor suit</a> overtone and the comparisons to Len a bit more justified. Beyond that the hat he wears is reminiscent of a pilot's cap rather than the beret you would expect on a choir boy.<br />
<br />
In terms of accessorizing the bandages fit PowerFX's greater theme without being over the top overt. It grants him an asymmetric quality without resorting to typical UTAU design clichés like heterochromia or stupid props to make them 'unique'.<br />
<br />
Really I must say of all the character items the fan titled "James" is the best one since ice-cream. Oliver I like you, I have barely heard anything from you but I know I like you. Rock on Oliver. Rock on!<br />
<br />
Now can we see something more up-beat and wide ranging as a demo nao? Please? I mean pretty please?Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-59155778545106983542011-11-13T23:35:00.000-08:002011-11-15T10:39:12.246-08:00Rant: My Love, Hate, and Fear of OliverIn many ways I have a love-hate relationship with Vocaloid and its fandom.<br />
<br />
I loved the Engloids but many times find myself at odds with parts of fandom. With the debut of Oliver the fandom's reaction was diverse. He received a wide range of reactions ranging from for fangasmic gushing to barely considerate shrugs.<br />
<br />
That being said some reactions made me RAGE and sometimes I forget how young, and sometimes immature we can be as part of a fandom. I was seriously upset and disappointing in some of the comparisons and extreme reactions people were making with Oliver.<br />
<br />
No, I am not talking about comparisons people had with Len, we will get to that later, but rather the parallels people were drawing with VocaTone staffer Sango's UTAU <a href="http://utau.wikia.com/wiki/Neko_Kanochi" target="_blank">Neko Kanochi</a>. People were saying that Neko wears and eyepatch and Oliver has one too! <a href="http://vocaloidotaku.net/index.php?/topic/23564-vocaloid3-oliver/page__st__1800__p__640962&#entry640962" target="_blank">They must OBVIOUSLY be related amirite?</a> [/sarcasm]<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
It probably wouldn't have been that bad if that was as far as it went, drawing parallels, but of course everything must get blown out of proportion and people went so far as to attack Sango, Oliver, and his design. People were calling him unoriginal, uninspired, and one person accused him of being flat out ugly.<br />
<br />
I am not sure where this righteous furor came from but people got MAD. Commentary ranged from people complaining about his eyepatch, asymmetric design, blonde hair, to drawing style of the official artist. Some points were more valid than others but on a while I was taken aback.<br />
<br />
I was having flashbacks to the Bruto/Clara Voctro Labs fiasco a couple weeks back. Thankfully, unlike Voctro, VocaTone stood their ground, stood behind their design, their art staff, and their product and did none of the still backtracking Voctro did and outright dismissed some of the less rational attacks on Oliver.<br />
<br />
It always disturbed me how vocal & irrational minorities could have such a loud voice on the internet. Thankfully, not all of his reception was bad. In the some 1,900 posts of the <a href="http://vocaloidotaku.net/index.php?/topic/23564-vocaloid3-oliver/" target="_blank">Oliver News Thread</a> a majority of the feedback was positive, besides the odd skeptic or two, it was only really a handful of people that were being negative.<br />
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That being said even in the "good" and generally positive comments I found a bone to pick and I am glad I am <a href="http://vocaloidotaku.net/index.php?/topic/23564-vocaloid3-oliver/page__st__1860__p__641632&#entry641632" target="_blank">not the only one</a>. The sentiments of "THIS IS THE FIRST/ONLY ENGLOID I LIKE" appears way too many times for comfort. Each time it was said in that thread it was like a stab and a twist of knife to my heart.<br />
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I could probably write an entire thesis on this alone but I learned long ago that arguing with fanboys over the internet is a pointless endeavor. Really, that is all I can say on that matter because there are a wide variety of quality Engloid originals and covers out there, to suit anyone's tastes.<br />
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If you can't find something you like then I am not sure if you game them a fair chance in the first place. To reject Engloids en-masse is to reject English en-masse and is both closed minded and terribly short sighted. At this point I would say you are less a 'Vocaloid fan' than a 'JP-loid fan' or 'Crypton-loid fanboy'. Hell I might even go so far as to accuse you of being dangerously Weeaboo.<br />
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My beefs with Weeaboos aside this is not necessarily a bad thing. In a Skype conversation while I was writing this BaggageLizard aptly described Oliver as a possible "Gateway Engloid" with all the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_drug_theory" target="_blank">good and bad connotations</a> a title like that might imply. A bit unfair, but it seemed to describe my fears perfectly.<br />
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Have no doubt I fear Oliver. Not for anything he is but for what he might represent and the unknowns that have been not-so revealed now that we have opened his Pandora's Box. Oliver represents possibilities and a very much uncertain future. As the first Vocaloid 3 Engloid we are treading new ground and his future seems bright, almost blindingly so.<br />
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I fear with the development of VocaTone and the elevation of Crypton to an almost Demigod status. I fear this influx of new fans who know nothing of Engloids. I fear him somehow catching on and heaven forbid, becoming mainstream. I fear that now that we have opened this box, let this genie out of its bottle, that we can never go back to the way things used to be. I fear the 'character' of Oliver will outshine to 'voice' of Oliver.<br />
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In this fearful and uncertain future I am not without hope. His samples are crisp and clean. If he can avoid being shoehorned into a very limited genres his possibilities and musical applications are endless. As long as the Vocals are clear I am confident skilled producers can work around his limitations.<br />
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Have no doubt he does have his faults, I can see some of them already, but that is a topic for a future rant as this one is already some 900 words long and I haven't even critiqued his design. I guess this is a good a point to stop as any.<br />
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Expect my Opinion article on his design sometime tomorrow and more on his voice as more demos are released. Tis a bit early to draw any conclusions till I can see him in more genres and at a wider range.Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-25650776710936758032011-11-12T16:36:00.000-08:002011-11-13T23:37:46.948-08:00Opinion: Vocaloid3 OliverFor those of you <a href="http://engloids.info/news/vocaloid3-oliver-art-demos-released/" target="_blank">not already in the know</a> PowerFX & VocaTone have released the official art and two audio demos of their upcoming Vocaloid 3 Oliver.<br />
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Oliver is an enigma in many ways. While not necessarily a "shota" he seems very much like the Engloid equivalent of <a href="http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/Kaai_Yuki" target="_blank">Kaai Yuki</a> in that both of them have a soft, innocent, and cute voice. Both of the demos seem to be of the 'slower' variety and it would be interesting to see how he performs on something more upbeat or uptempo.<br />
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One thing for sure is that the western Vocaloid fandom is really eating him up. His <a href="http://vocaloidotaku.net/index.php?/topic/23564-vocaloid3-oliver/" target="_blank">news thread on VO</a> has almost 1,800 post and spans over 120 pages. Some might attribute this to the VocaTone staffers being part of the community but I think the fact that he is an Engloid the only Vocaloid 3 Engloid that we have really solid details (and now demos) has a lot to do with it.<br />
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While I, personally, am not super hyped, I am pretty pleased with his demo, particularly Scarborough Fair. Circus Monster left a bit to be desired but it was more the song than Oliver himself. If I had to describe my feelings it would be 'cynically optomistic' in that while I like the character I wonder about his musical application.<br />
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With his voicer supposedly being a 13 year old British male I have serious qualms about how exactly he can be applied. Will he be forced into a niche like the Zero-G Opera-loids, will he be limited to cute jungles and the odd horror song like Yuki?<br />
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Only time will tell.<br />
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<b>Update:</b> Upon further reflection...<br />
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His samples are crisp, that alone will make him a desirable voice but for those of us across the pond American English will likely be out of the question. He will have a lot or similar limitations to LEON and his English. The phonemes will just sound weird to those of us across the pond.Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870385082267859481.post-63404450005497481022011-11-03T02:42:00.000-07:002012-01-15T23:25:30.458-08:00The Birth of VocaRantWhile writing at <a href="http://engloids.info/" target="_blank">Engloids.Info</a> I sometimes find myself feeling a bit limited by both its scope, limited to Engloids only, and by my own editorial policies. I find myself second guessing myself and writing in a more formal, less abrasive style, than I normally would. I wanted to blog more, I wanted a departure from Engloids.Info, yet I still wanted it to be Vocaloid.<br />
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I had considered a Wordpress but that again was too close to Engloids.Info, I was thinking of becoming a hipster and creating a Tumblr but I wanted a long-form blog and I already have Twitter for my short-form musings. LJ was definitely out since that place went the way of the MySpace and stopped being relevant years ago. In the end it seemed Blogger was my only option.<br />
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With my blogging platform chosen all I needed next was a theme and subdomain. I was looking for a synonym for the word "talk" on Meriam-Webster when the word "rant" just stuck to me. I know I often find myself ranting on VO and since I already knew I wanted to talk about Vocaloid I just mashed the two ords together and thus "VocaRant" was born.<br />
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<b>What is VocaRant?</b><br />
VocaRant is my general purpose Vocaloid/UTAU themed blog where I discuss various aspects of the software, voicebanks, artists, themes, and fandom. Sometimes I will rant, other times I will muse, and when I find something I absolutely must share and I can't find anyone to talk to on Skype about it I will probably post it here. I will rant, I will rave, I will review, and I will try my best to be genuine.<br />
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<b>Who is Hentai?</b><br />
Hentai is my new common internet handle. It was originally meant to be a joke, but somewhere along the way it became SRS BZNS and just stuck with me. I am the Executive Editor at <a href="http://engloids.info/" target="_blank">Engloids.Info</a>, a moderator on <a href="http://utaforum.co.cc/" target="_blank">UtaForum</a>, regular at <a href="http://vocaloidotaku.net/" target="_blank">VocaloidOtaku</a>, and all around nice guy.<br />
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<b>Why Hentai?</b><br />
While I am not terribly perverted most of the time the name comes from my time as an admin on HentaiTraders and how I was first introduced to manga scanlation by doing cleaning/typesetting for random hentai doujinshi.<br />
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<b>What is Otakune Weeaboo?</b><br />
Otakune Weeaboo is my UTAU. If you don't know what an UTAU is Wikipedia can probably <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utau" target="_blank">explain it</a> better than I can. It is a vocal synthesis program much like Vocaloid except it allows you to record and create your own voicebanks.<br />
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Otakune Weeaboo for his excellent Japanese he is a private, completed, voicebank and if I blog about UTAU much here I will probably namedrop him from time to time. If you are interested in him then take a look at <a href="http://utau.wikia.com/wiki/Weeaboo_Otakune" target="_blank">his wiki entry</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/HentaiMD" target="_blank">my YouTube</a> for more.Hentaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01628824459833541480noreply@blogger.com0