Vocaloid

Anime, Japanese

Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX Comes to 3DS in September

July 2, 2015 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX Comes to 3DS in September Share this

After being delayed back in May, those Vocaloid vixens from the long running Hatsune Miku series are finally coming to the Nintendo 3DS this September in the U.S. and Europe. Unlike the mainline series — which is console exclusive to Sony platforms — Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX renders the cast of characters in a style that Sega likens to the popular Nendoroid figures. The game will also introduce 19 new songs, 28 returning favorites and unique voice tracks that bring the total up to 79 full length songs.

Project Mirai DX may be the most customizable entry in the series allowing players to change which character performs each song and even adjust the size, color and behavior of the rhythm icons. The game also promises to let fans focus on their favorite characters through companion-based events and a theater mode. In theater mode all those distracting icons disappear and you’re free to watch, fast forward, and rewind through any performance and use the “Jam Along” mode to add your own musical flare. You can even pick up other fans’ custom scrolling messages via StreetPass and SpotPass that will show up as you watch.

It sounds like a pretty perfect mix of gameplay and fan service for anyone who’s into the series. Are you excited for this 3DS debut? Did you burn out on the franchise years ago? Or do you simply look on in amazement at the utter cuteness?
Japanese

HearJapan To Go Unheard

June 18, 2012 | Patrick Gann | 1 Comment Share this HearJapan To Go Unheard

We received some sad news over the weekend.

HearJapan, a digital music distribution service with a lot of Japanese pop/rock, as well as some interesting game and anime soundtrack selections, is closing down on June 30, 2012. In a statement on their website, they explain that one of the reasons they have to close down is that they invested a lot of money into a “2.0” site redesign (which launched back in February), and they’ve been unable to recover the costs for that update.

On a personal level, I’m saddened about this. They’ve released some good albums to the English-speaking market, including some we’ve reviewed over the last couple years.

Again, however, we’d like to note alongside the folks at HearJapan that there are still two weeks left. So be sure to scour the site and purchase anything you think you might want before the site shuts down!
Anime, Japanese

Anime Expo 2011: Hatsune Miku Mikunopolis Impressions and Gallery

July 11, 2011 | Chris Ling | 4 Comments Share this

Although it has been a few days since Anime Expo has concluded, it is clear what impact a certain virtual idol has had on the West. Hatsune Miku, a Vocaloid software developed by Crypton has risen to the levels of super-stardom with a multitude of artists utilizing her mesmerizing voice, figure lines, and concerts in Japan which thus brings her to Los Angeles for her first international experience.

With concert tickets sold out in 4 days, it was a packed house of leek-shaped glowsticks at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles as everyone anticipated this groundbreaking concert. I had the opportunity to attend this concert and not being a fan I was certainly curious to know if this concert would change my opinion of Hatsune Miku and her virtual diva friends.

Did the concert deliver? Am I now a convert? Hit the jump and find out! (more…)
Chip Music, Reviews

A Formal Introduction to Crashfaster: Disconnect (Review)

April 8, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this

We first experienced the chirpy music and playful vocal stylings of Crashfaster at the 8-Bit DOPE show in San Francisco at GDC where he was probably my favorite act of the night (sorry, Josh!). As it turns out, he’s recently put out his official album debut titled Disconnect on the Monobomb label, and what better time to check it out after being introduced to him at the show?

With seven tracks and a little over 30 minutes of music, does Crashfaster’s music stand up outside of the live performance setting? Find out in our review after the jump. (more…)
Chip Music, Japanese

I Herd U Liek UwakiP: “Uwanosora” Review

May 22, 2010 | Patrick Gann | 2 Comments Share this

I’m not a huge fan of those fancy-shmancy Vocaloid sound banks, such as the surprisingly popular Hatsune Miku voice. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make good music with vocaloid. Rare, in my mind, yes. Nico Nico Douga is flooded with Hatsune Miku stuff.

But a lot of it is just crappy covers. I’m willing to give someone writing original music the benefit of the doubt.

That’s why I checked out artist UwakiP’s EP, “Uwanosora,” available digitally at HearJapan. A nice mix of standard synth pop, chip tunes, and *sigh* Hatsune Miku is what I found across this album, which features pretty cutesy cover art. To learn more, read the review in full, which appears after the jump! (more…)
Japanese, Reviews

Elektrifying! ElektLyze’s Intolerant Space (Review)

April 3, 2010 | Surasshu | 3 Comments Share this

I don’t know about anyone else, but to me, the Japanese vocaloid scene is truly an amazing phenomenon. It shows some of the best sides of Japanese indie spirit, which is marked by a huge supportive community and a sort of pride in being small-time. This is especially interesting when compared to the relatively small music communities you see in other countries–they tend to focus on making it big above all else. While there are certainly downsides to this underground spirit, one thing you can’t deny them is productivity. Hundreds of songs are being made by the various composers of the vocaloid scene. Apparently all the Japanese composers needed was someone who could sing… like a robot.

Anyway, ElektLyze is a group of three people: composition by Treow, lyrics by NaturaLe and art by Ichijou Meguru. Their best-known work (and the one I know them from) is on the superlative collection of vocaloid tracks called Supernova. Their track, “Blindness,” which was also their debut track as a group, is one of the darker and edgier tracks on the album, employing some great jazzy melodies and very creative sound effects to build a sound that strays quite far from most of the piano-rock that you hear in the vocaloid scene from the likes of supercell and iroha. It’s certainly one of my favorite vocaloid songs. I can’t say much about the lyrical content, since I’ve never seen a translation of their songs, but I’m sure it’s solid.

So will Intolerant Space measure up to the standard set by “Blindness?” Find out after the cut! (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Get Ready To Vocalize! Hiroto Saitoh’s Latest Experiment (Review)

January 18, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

I’m going to start calling him Hiroto Saitoh of many colors. Yes, that’s a Lord of the Rings reference for the two of you out there who know what I’m talking about. We’ve had the pleasure of checking out a lot of Saitoh’s releases from his record label, LILT Records. He’s done RPG-themed stuff with Cross Hermit, bossa nova with Dia Novo and Melodia, and the synthesizer-based Retrospective Blue.

Not one to miss Comiket, Saitoh released two albums at Comiket 77 last month: his Japanese-flavored soundtrack for Usotsuki to Inugamitsuki and this original album, Vocalize. From the time, you can probably gather what it’s all about: vocaloid. It’s appropriately cheery and cute, but also spans a number of musical styles. I realize vocaloid isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if that’s you, perhaps you should consider giving Vocalize anyway.

Find out why I think so after in our review after the jump! (more…)