Who is Hatsune Miku?
Hatsune Miku is a vocal synthesizer developed by Crypton Future Media and first released on August 31st, 2007. She is one of, if not the most popular vocal synth to date, with over 100,000 songs uploaded featuring her vocals.
Her influence has been acknowledged worldwide. She, alongside other Vocaloids, has been featured in hologram concerts in events such as Magical Mirai, Miku Expo, and even Coachella.
So... why the shrine?
I'm so glad you asked! Hatsune Miku is my favorite character ever, to date, that has ever been developed. I don't know if I'll ever be able to properly express just how much she means to me, but I'll try to right now! I have been invested in Vocaloid ever since I was in elementary school, and introduction was actually an anthology manga my friend had! Ever since I read that manga, I continued doing research, and found out more about the culture surrounding Miku and vocal synths in general. The vocal synth community quickly became a music scene I frequented, always on the search for new songs.
I have met a lot of people through the Vocaloid space-- some I'm still friends with, some I've drifted away from, and some that I now hate! But the fact remains that Miku-- and the Vocaloid scene as a whole-- connects people in a way that is incomparable to other spaces. Because music is such a widespread, easily shared part of our cultures, its no surprise that Miku dominates as much as she does.
Some Vocaloid fans might remember the Brazillian Miku trend-- that trend spawned into an even bigger one, where people drew Miku as being from different countries, cities, etc; I think this trend really drove home the fact that Miku can be anything, and that's why she has so many fans worldwide. She may be a blank slate, but I think that's a part of the beauty of her. Her character depends on the person you're talking to, and you can learn a lot about someone from how they interpret and represent her.
Hatsune Miku is a very important part of my life and I'm glad I got into Vocaloid when I did. I've been through so many ups and downs in my life, but the extensive gallery of the Vocaloid scene will always be there for me to sit down and connect to others with.
