So, the day has finally come for Japan's top Vocaloid star to actually step outside her native Japan. However, this is actually old news, but I think it's worth talking about because yes, it really is a big deal. If you're an avid fan of the Vocaloid franchise, you already know how a Korean one just made her debut, and the fan art is churning a mile a minute. Vocaloid is very, very popular in the US among the convention crowd, as cosplay of her and her singing companions is constantly seen at cons and on the internet. I find it funny, however, that other bloggers talk about her not being popular enough to hold up any sales over here. I dissagree with that, I'm sure if stores were to sell the right merchandise, fans in the US would buy...and probably buy some more.
So anyway, what's this about a car? Well, see for yourself:
"Toyota’s 2011 Corolla campaign for the Asian American market announced a new partnership with Hatsune Miku, a unique musical artist known for her songs, dance moves and long, blue pigtails. Most interestingly, Hatsune Miku is a 3-D holographic character developed to put a face on a singing synthesizer software developed by Crypton Future Media. The campaign showcases the 2011 Corolla and introduces the virtual pop diva, a native of Japan, to her growing fan base in the U.S. Toyota Corolla will serve as the proud sponsor of Hatsune Miku’s first U.S. concert performance, slated for July 2, 2011 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, CA during Anime Expo 2011."
Could this be the push? That one thing that could kick-start a revival of the dying manga market? As the media has shown us through movies about comics and wildly popular video games, it might just be cool to be a nerd now. Well, I won't say that just yet...I just really want to. I know it's the hipster kneejerk to get angry something that they enjoy becomes mainstream (oh no! Pull out the tiny violins!), but it's really a good thing for anyone who's a huge fan.
Case in point? I love South Park. So, so, very much. Do you think I'm mad I can buy Cheesy Poofs in Waltmart? That I can watch every episode for free easily? Why would I be? Does the availability of the merchandise really hurt my tortured fan soul so bad? Not really. Yes, having this show be known by literally everyone means some people will voice their distaste for it. That is very rare for me, normally I'm about to have constant conversations about it without having to explain what it is or show it to anyone. It's awesome, because I get a much better fan experience due to it being mainstream.
Of course, there are going to be speculations about this marketing move. If Miku is going to be this professionally supported, with Toyota even sponsoring a concert in the US (you know, the really expensive hologram kind?), does this mean Vocaloid is making it's official American debut? I would love to say yes, but there is no official word. Of course, that would mean that these characters will probably get an english dub to be understood by this english-speaking audience. I know dubbing is a can of worms argument for a lot of anime fans, so I won't go there just yet. I'm just surprised this has yet to be done. Let's hope they are still in favor enough to do this well.
And really, this is just a marketing amazement. Wrap your head around this for a second: A mascot...who was meant to sell software...is advertising a popular car...and that company sponsored her concert.
Sources:
http://www.channelapa.com/2011/05/toyota-corolla-use-virtual-pop-diva-hatsune-miku-in-us-market.html
http://www.13abc.com/story/15464726/toyota-announces-mikuscape-a-tribute-to-the-partnership-between-the-corolla-and-3-d-pop-diva-hatsune-miku-and-the-launch-of-the-hatsune-miku
http://www.toyota.com/corollamiku/
I remember having to explain what manga is to my classmates in 4th grade. I'm in college now, and it seems everyone knows what it is and the fans are everywhere. I guess you could say this is a landmark, too. What do you think? Let me know in the comments, please!
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