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A collaboration between Tokyo Otaku Mode and Hatsune Miku has been realized! Versions of Miku drawn by young and popular illustrators in Japan are taking over TOM!
It’s been seven years since Hatsune Miku’s voice was first heard in 2007. It’s not an exaggeration to say that there has been a paradigm shift in Japanese music due to this innovative software synthesizer. Many pieces of music by many musicians scattered across the Internet have been created since then. It has also helped in creating an abundance of new music genres. Music packed with pop beats, dance tunes to get the club hot, glitches 1 and mixed-up beats, avant garde music covered in noises. The existence of Vocaloid Hatsune Miku has spurred on musicianship and new genres of all kinds. Not just limited to the small biosphere of independently produced music, the Vocaloid culture is spreading to other areas as well, starting with commercial music.
Meanwhile, Hatsune Miku is also spreading to Internet users as an excellent meme. A pitiable songstress who can only sing, an icon pretexted by passion, a nonchalant and moe character, isolated boys and girls organized into a pseudo-family… Her character vividly changes through songs and fanart, and she continues to pluck our heartstrings. There is also no shortage of pro illustrators who are fascinated with Miku.
A collaboration has now been realized on Tokyo Otaku Mode between TOM Special Creators and Hatsune Miku. Illustrators with their own various styles created unique illustrations of Hatsune Miku, and these were turned into products. These products all radiate in different ways. Participating in the collaboration are 18 Special Creators including Haruaki Fuyuno and Torigoe Takumi. A variety of different Mikus displaying each creator’s individualism as well as Miku’s beauty, passion, and cuteness have been gathered. These wonderful illustrations are now available as T-shirts on Tokyo Otaku Mode.
Full graphic T-shirts have a wonderful arrangement that show an illustration that completely covers the front side. With just one glance, these pierce the hearts of diehard fans who love Miku.
Miku as a trim and beautiful girl in a white one piece.
Miku playing a guitar while her passion surges forth.
A duet between the futuristically designed theremin and the “singing synthesizer.”
The leek, the extremely popular item that Miku holds. This is a scene of Miku living in the everyday world.
A pastel-colored Miku standing against vivid pink and black colors. Even putting aside the creator’s aesthetic sense, Miku is a character who just won’t crumble.
A reconstruction of Miku using a kawaii context. This doesn’t just capture kawaii, but also a kawaii Miku.
A reconstructed Miku in a Japanese manga-like illustration. In both music and illustration, Miku acts as a worthy instrument without losing her identity.
Miku sings music with a guitar in one hand and a smile on her face. We wonder if the many cables are the entrance to the infinite series of tubes that is the Internet. This illustration shows Miku as the symbol for Internet songstresses.
There are also posters, tapestries, and T-shirts available other than the ones shown here. They were sold in Indonesia on May 28 and 29 at the event Hatsune Miku Expo 2014 in Indonesia. International sales to 15 countries including those in North America and Asia will also begin on the TOM Premium Shop. These items can only be purchased from the TOM booth at Miku Expo or online on the TOM Premium Shop. These are not-to-be-missed collaboration items for both fans of Hatsune Miku and fans of TOM’s Special Creators. Don’t miss out!
^1^ A method of creating music that uses error sounds and noises from digital equipment.
Participating Creators:
Shoichi Furumi
paco
souno
Kazeno
Chisuke
Chiru Mitsuka
shiwasutakashi
Torigoe Takumi
Hiroyuki Takahashi
Haruaki Fuyuno
you-ring@Tomotoshi Kitano
bachico
alice
Asakura Hina
Risou Maeda
pikomaro
PrincessElemmiriel
DOMO
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.
