/jp/ - Otaku Culture

The main parties (or “producers”) involved with bringing this to fruition are: Yuki Seto (producer from Yamaha’s yamaha+ Promotion House) as overall lead, Noboru Murakami (CEO of INTERNET Co., Ltd.) to handle VOCALOID software, Seiji Horibuchi (CEO of NEW PEOPLE Inc.) to handle relations with the American side, and Masaru Ishikawa (CEO of think.communications and Specially Appointed Researcher at Tokyo University) to handle marketing and promotion.

The project’s primary schedule consists of the following:

From October 2012 to January 2013: content and website creation

From January 2013 to March 2013: Promotion both at retail outlets and through the media

From January 2013 to March 2013: Promotion for the sales of English VOCALOID

From January 2013 to March 2013: Promotion and marketing at creator-oriented events [e.g. conventions/conferences]

Lastly, the main slide provided a list of participating companies. They are: Bplats, Inc., Yamaha Corporation, UGC Publishing, Inc., INTERNET Co., Ltd., AHS Co. Ltd., 1st PLACE Co.,Ltd., STUDIO DEEN CO.,Ltd. and DWANGO Co.,Ltd.

A second slide illustrates a second part of the project, with ideas aimed at creating a foundation for businesses rooted in VOCALOID user-generated content. In other words, the planners wish to elevate VOCALOID as a genre to a level commensurate with genres well known all over the world, like rock and fusion. They break this aim up into five smaller goals:

Increase inbound Japanese pop-culture tourism traffic to Akihabara and Harajuku.
Increase the media content market in America via English VOCALOID.
Increase opportunities for talented young Japanese creators to debut in America.
Ripple effects affecting distribution and other businesses.
Ripple effects emanating towards the Pacific rim, including countries such as China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

>>9965345
They also detail several more specific plans:

Promotion timed to coincide with release of an English VOCALOID [with a picture of GUMI surrounded by glowsticks].

Distribution of VOCALOID music — Broadcast of music by Japanese creators through internet streaming sites [with a flipped picture of YouTube].

Sales through brick and mortar outlets — sales of physical product through NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco, a beachhead for J-Pop.

Promotion of the project at creator-aimed events, including International CES and the NAMM Show.

Constructing a foundation for VOCALOID interchange in America — collaboration with the English version of niconico on niconico.com.

Business to business marketing in America.

While the slides were running, the panelists commented on them, mentioning January events in Las Vegas (CES) and Anaheim (NAMM). Murakami stated that his biggest goal was for American creators to use megpoid English. Yamazaki noted that Bplats will be providing the distribution infrastructure required. He also played a curious clip of a demo song sung in three different languages. SeeU sang the Japanese and Korean versions of Kimpaksa’s “Alone” (lyrics by 45 degrees), with Luo Tianyi covering the Chinese version of the song. The panelists agreed that usually, there are two types of people who enjoy VOCALOID — those who like it in Japanese and those who’d like to experience it in their own native language, and they note that America is likely like that as well. Ohshima commented that Yamaha is known internationally for their musical instruments and they would also like for VOCALOID creativity to bloom as well.

Finally, Ishikawa added that he is happy that VOCALOID is getting more popular in America. However, he wants the idea of VOCALOID as a musical instrument to spread more and want users to make new media using VOCALOID and spread them on content sharing websites, getting fans to comment on them, etc. Without this cycle, he feels that the VOCALOID phenomenon in Japan wouldn’t be able to be replicated elsewhere. He would like the business process of nurturing VOCALOID in Japan to expand step by step into America.

And with about 20 seconds left on the clock, the panelists said the closings to conclude the panel.

>>9965345
Crypton's not part of it?

>Murakami stated that his biggest goal was for American creators to use megpoid English

Okay, fine. Is there any pics of the "American" Vocaloid mascot yet? As far as I can see, the Japanese have two settings when it comes to exporting:

1. Just right- Honda Civic, Sony Playstation, NES. Appeals to the target market, but has a distinctive Japanese flavor.

2. hilariously bad- Doozy Bots. Totally misunderstands the appeal, totally misunderstands the target market by being condescending.

>>9965391
Crypton is working on upgrades right now

>>9965392
No but their are European Vocaloid mascots which is close...

YAMAHA has had a hard time finding an interested American company over the years but they plan to change that in 2013.

>>9965408
Also I heard something about a VOCALOID Mimu which might be something interesting.

>>9965408
I think the biggest challenge they'll face is that when North American fans think of Vocaloid, they think Miku and company. If they don't get Miku and company, they'll feel cheated and may not buy in.

For them, it doesn't matter who owns what or what some business analysts think- they want what they want. I suspect what they want is Miku, but able to sing English too.

It will be interesting to see how Yamaha et al handle this.

This is the end of an era. Some fag like skrillex will use her, and they'll start selling bad miku shirts at Hot Topic...

>>9965554
Man, that kind of sucks.

I don't think it will be very successful, though. It would be nice for these companies to see growth and profits but the US not very accepting of voice synthesizers.

>>9965392
>"American" Vocaloid mascot

>>9965554

>miku shirts at Hot Topic

They already have, though I would not say they are "bad" objectively speaking but I would not be caught dead in one any more.

>>9965570
They'd never use that pic, she's still cute.

Realistically speaking, if they made an "americanized" mascot it wouldn't be fat, but it also wouldn't be something the average (or potential) Vocaloid fan would like.

Getting it right is actually pretty easy. Let's see if they can do it.

YAMAHA has been trying to create native American VOCALOIDs for the past 2 years but they don't have enough people interested in making music with VOCALOID vocals.

They really want the same type of user created aura that VOCALOID has in Japan to spread to America but I have doubts about whether it's possible to make a profit on VOCALOID in the land of software piracy.

>>9965652
>create native American VOCALOIDs

Well, that's the problem right there. Which native american? There are so many different tribes, and each only has a regional appeal. That's ignoring the hate-ons that some tribes have for each other. Also, how many Native Americans are potential Vocaloid fans?

>>9965665
When people say "American" you should always assume "USA" unless stated otherwise.

>>9965673
When people say "native american" most of the time they mean the aboriginal peoples of the USA.

>>9965676
I said "Native American VOCALOID" meaning "VOCALOID that originated in America".

Please use context next time friend.

>>9965701
I was riffing off of it with a joke. Please use your sense of humor next time friend.

>>9965701

I actually have to agree with the other guy there. You could've just said American Vocaloids.

>>9965723
I know that but I still felt the need to explain myself.(I didn't really notice the funny part until you pointed it out though)

>>9965725
I guess so.

But what about all those non-CV vocaloids, like spanish ones? I've heard people doing some neat things with them.

>>9965949
Yamaha really doesn't care about the spanish speaking world at the moment and are focusing all their power on America and South East Asia (Expect a Thai or Vietnamese VOCALOID some time in the near future)

Japan->America transition of Vocaloids would not be a Vocaloid with a change of clothing, rather it would mainly be Vocaloids with a change of artstyle.

Vocaloid is shit and you are shit for forcing it.

>>9965701
>When people say "native american" most of the time they mean the aboriginal peoples of the USA.

No, that's what "Native American" means, but "native American" always means someone who was born in America. There is only ambiguity when the phrase appears at the start of a sentence.

>>9966253
Go back to whatever ditch your crawled out of "please".

I'm a little concerned. I don't think vocaloid media and "culture" would translate very well.

Still, more English language vocaloids might be cool.

>>9966584
These Japanese companies are basically trying to force a place for VOCALOID culture in America but I don't think it will go well (Even though I want it to so bad) but I will be more than happy if we get an American VOCALOID out of this.

>>9965554
>>9965567
I don't see why it matters
not like your going to talk or even see theses people

>>9965489
But do those fans of Miku and Co really translate to the user of the Vocaloid software?

>>9966660
I don't want other people to like things that I like!

Can't wait for Vocaloid to be the equivalent of new dubstep

>>9968705
Can't wait for backlash.
> Synthetic voices are destroying the music industry

Pic related, it's happened before.

i remember yamaha employees speaking at a panel were very quiet when asked about english miku. i seriously hope its not happening. i dont think people realize that

1. saki fujita is not a native nor fluent english speaker
2. even if she were, 'english miku' would not sound the same
3. you can already make english songs with the existing software, and they almost always sound like ass
4. you cant use the morphemes of one language to create the morphemes for another. if there is a basic unit of sound that does not exist in another language, it does not exist and you cannot create it. you can combine sounds to attempt to emulate it, but you ultimately cannot create that sound.
5. there is no such thing as an american vocaloid producer. most 'american' videos are miku singing some shitty pop song that some other artist wrote. none of these people are decent musicians, let alone software users
6. the demographic is completely opposite the japanese one. in america, landwhales wish to dress miku up and have her dance all day for no reason. in japan, people make music with her. people here are more concerned with her image than with the software itself, and most live in a perfect crypton world where a1, internet, and other software developers do not exist
7. there continue to be more technologically advanced vocaloids (ia, appends, etc) that will inevitably launch first in japan. american music will always be behind, and will always sound worse, just on a technical level

>>9968820
It's happening they said English Kaito+Appends will be coming out before her though.

>>9968820
>1.
>2.
>4.
It doesn't matter YAMAHA has a list of sounds that must be recorded and Crypton should be guiding her how to say them properly if she gets it wrong (Then again Japanese accented would add more variety to the VOCALOID soundbanks)

>3.
Depends on who is producing

>5.
This project (Trans-Pacific) is supposed to uncover more producers to add to the small number now (There are some)

>6.
It's like that in Japan too it's just that there are more people who know the value of producing with a VOCALOID there so we get more young producers serious about making good songs.

>7.
I guess...

I wonder if it's possible to attract indie music producers from America to VOCALOID and not just fat/annoying anime fans.