Professor Hiroyuki Ito of The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics (KCGI), creator of the globally popular virtual singer "Hatsune Miku" and CEO of Crypton Future Media, Inc.Students listened to lectures by leading experts in the content business at the location of their choice.Professor Ito explained the birth and growth process of "Hatsune Miku," her advanced approach to voice and live technology, and her activities in Japan and abroad, using video clips.
Hatsune Miku" is a virtual idol created on August 31, 2007.It is a software program that sings a song by voice synthesis when the lyrics and melody are inputted.His specialty is idol pop and dance pop music.Live concerts are held in Japan and abroad, and it has become a symbol of Cool Japan, which promotes Japanese culture to the rest of the world.
In his lecture titled "The Potential of Digital Content Learned from Hatsune Miku," Professor Ito introduced Crypton's business and explained the relationship and history between music and technology, and computer music.He added, "Virtual Instruments is software that reproduces the sound of a musical instrument on a computer.We have developed "Hatsune Miku" using Yamaha's voice synthesizing technology.No one had made any attempt to add character," he explained.
The characterization of Miku Hatsune was so successful that people began to create not only music, but also illustrations, computer graphics, and cosplay of Miku Hatsune and post them on the Internet, expanding the chain of creativity around the world.Professor Ito said, "When a character is recognized, creative activities spread up the chain, but the issue of rights arises.We thought we should make the complicated rights clearance process easier for them," he said, explaining that Krypton's licenses for the original works were made available to the public.He explained how he created an environment that facilitates creation and how it works, saying, "I created a posting site called 'piapro' for when other fans want to use creations made by fans.
In the 16 years since the birth of "Hatsune Miku," many creators have created secondary and tertiary works of "Hatsune Miku," and as a result, the forms of expression have diversified beyond singing and voice to include dance, animation, cosplay, figures, and other forms of expression.Professor Ito explained his efforts to hold the contests in various locations, saying, "We also hold the contests as a way to concretely see a chain of empathy and gratitude, rather than a chain of unauthorized use.He added, "We believe that the value of the content will increase (through the chain of creation).He expressed his belief that "various collaborations will raise the value of 'Hatsune Miku' and the value of creators using 'Hatsune Miku,'" and introduced collaborations in fashion, classical music concerts, games, Japanese drums, Kabuki, and other fields.
As the corona situation changes, "Hatsune Miku" has even more opportunities to play an active role.The annual 3DCG live performance and exhibition event, where visitors can experience the joy of creation, was held in Osaka City in August and in Chiba City in September as "Hatsune Miku 'Magical Miku 2023'" in 2023.In 2024, we plan to hold events in Tokyo, Fukuoka, and Osaka.Cho-Kabuki" with Shido Nakamura will be performed at the Kabuki-za Theater in Higashi-ginza, Tokyo, for the first time since its premiere in 2016.The first part of the "December Grand Kabuki" production of "Konjaku Feast: Senbonzakura (此昔饗宴千本桜)" is being performed from December 3 to 26, 2023.In June, "Hatsune Miku x Kodo Special Live 2023 - Yui" was held at NHK Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo, and was broadcast on NHK-BS.The "MIKU EXPO," which can be considered an overseas version of Magical Mirai, suspended its tour after the corona infection spread in 2020 and held the VR and online "MIKU EXPO 2023 VR" in November 2023, but will resume real concerts overseas in 2024, with the "HATSUNE MIKU EXPO 2024 North America" scheduled for April to May in 16 cities in North America.A series of collaborative products are being developed to commemorate the 16th anniversary of Hatsune Miku's birth in 2023.Seiko released the "Hatsune Miku x SEIKO Happy 16th Birthday Watch" in July, and Sony released the "Walkman 'Hatsune Miku' 16th Anniversary Collaboration Model" in August.Yamaha began accepting pre-orders in October for the purchase of the Yamaha Vocaloid Keyboard, Yamaha Guitarella, and Steinberg USB Audio Interface, products from the Hatsune Miku 16th Anniversary collaboration.
Dr. Ito became a professor at KCGI in April 2013.In the fall of the same year, he was awarded the Medal with Blue Ribbon in recognition of his international activities and technical innovations.KCGI and KCG have a reciprocal class auditing system.Not only students studying content business at KCGI, but also KCG students in art and design, digital games, computer science, IT voice acting, and other content-related courses can learn a lot from Professor Ito's efforts.
KCG Group of KCGI, KCG, and Kyoto College of Automotive Technology, based on a comprehensive assessment of the infection situation of the new coronavirus, has decided to conduct classes and lectures in a hybrid format (students can attend either in the classroom or online) in principle for the fall semester of 2023, with school events also conducted in cyberspace.