The Full Original PokéRap

Years ago, I was quite good at a number of these – but things have moved on and the only one I can guarantee to get a hundred percent right is the (shorter!) last part.

Ah well, it was fun while it lasted, and this is a good reminder of the entire sequence of the original 151-'mon rap...

Coming Right Atcha!

A very odd behavioural characteristic I have noticed around our town centre in particular is the practice of someone coming toward me aiming straight at me – not to pass, but seemingly intending to collide. This is almost always in places with plenty of passing space (I avoid crowds as a matter of habit, so this is not surprising).

They often do not break off until the last moment, by which time my defences have already switched from normal to standby, ready to go to alert if necessary. Automatically, the scene is being recorded externally to me whenever this happens, and certain details taken from that – so yes, the evidence is on record.

My usual technique when one of these is coming at me is to side-step, whereupon some of them carry on and miss, whereas others immediately bend their path to aim toward me again. This has happened so many times (literally hundreds) that I know it isn't an erroneous perception on my part.

Therefore, if any of the practitioners of this odd behaviour happens to read this, or a reader knows someone who does this, I am issuing fair warning. Don't!

The Girl From Ipanema

A truly excellent (though deceptively simple) rendition of this most famous of Brazilian songs by the outstanding Maika. The Brazilian-Portuguese lyrics are included, which I found useful in brushing-up on my (admittedly rather limited) knowledge of the language.

This will probably turn out to be useful if I one day revisit the Care Home I went to yesterday, as one of the residents there speaks only Portuguese...

How to 'Panda' to a Need

In China, when the Changa Benni car maker needed a mascot, they chose vocaloid Luo Tianyi. Back on  25 March this year, Tianyi's first concert was held in Chengdu province, where there is a Panda centre.

Below is a seven-minute video touching on the Panda Centre, and featuring the opening number from that concert which launched this new status as mascot. The video was uploaded only this month, and discovered (via one of my sources) just today, which is why I didn't post it before now.

Although I don't think the model on stage looks right, overall it was quite a good production from what we see here (and I am looking beyond the snazzy effects for this, without ignoring them), and it is pleasing that the whole concept is becoming a more widespread kind of event nowadays.

It seems to me that the market suddenly 'grew up' in regard to projected stage performances and virtual divas, as the last year has shown – most recently with THE END opera and the Lady Gaga tour.

The cosplayer featured so much in this video seems to have been a good choice as well...

Male Vocaloids

There is a natural tendency, at least by those not as deeply involved in the vocaloid world as some of us are, to gain the impression that they are nearly all female. In fact, although there are nearly three times as many females as males, the fellas number around twenty. Most people are probably aware of only Len, Kaito and Gakupo.

Here, mostly from memory, are the ones of whom I am aware, listed alphabetically, just to show that there really are that many...

1. Big Al
2. Bruno
3. Gachapoid (a.k.a. Ryuto)
4. Gakupo Kamui
5. Kiyoteru Hiyama (Yuki Kaai's teacher)
6. Kyo (Zola Project)
7. Len
8. Leon
9. Lui Hibiki
10. Oliver
11. Piko Utatane
12. Ritsu Namine
13. Tonio
14. Ueki-loid
15. USee (a.k.a. SeeWoo)
16. VY2 (codename: Yuma)
17. Wil (Zola Project)
18. Yohioloid
19. Yuu (Zola Project)

I think I have missed one, because when I did this as a mental exercise a week or so ago, I counted nineteen and there's a new one in the above list so there ought to be twenty, I think. If I think of him, I add him as an update.

Producing a Miku Track

The vocaloid producer known as '40meter', or 40mP for short, yesterday uploaded this eight-minute video showing something of how his new track Love Trial was made. It covers band rehearsals and takes, vocal editing, and even how the promotional video (PV) was illustrated. What little commentary there is (hardly any!) is in Japanese, but it's easily ignored.

If anyone is in any remaining doubt that producing a piece using Vocaloid is any less of an effort, or any less professional and talent-driven (and resourced) than traditional forms of music, this should drive the final nail into that myth's coffin! We already knew much of the truth from the concerts I have featured here over the last eighteen months, so regular visitors will not be surprised by much if any of this, but it's still interesting to spend a few minutes watching 40mP and his colleagues at work...

More Miku Expo events this year!

The first Miku Expo, in Indonesia, was a great success. Just announced are two more Miku Expo two-day events, one on the eastern side of the USA and the other on the western side – but let this short video tell the story...

Miku in San Diego

This is a good quality, closer-in video of Miku's opening set for the Lady Gaga artRave tour, this time from the San Diego event. Both the sound and the visuals are good, and I think this is perhaps the best such recording from the tour to appear online to date.

I recommend switching to full screen and a decent resolution (it does go to full HD but there is no apparent advantage over 720px)...