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Video: Kids React to Hatsune Miku

Some American kids react to Vocaloid idol Hatsune Miku:

I found the kids so annoying that I couldn’t watch more than 30 seconds of the video, but maybe some people out there will find this entertaining…

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34 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - October 3, 2011 at 1:44 pm

Categories: General Japan Tags:

Kevin not kevin

You kind of missed out by not watching the whole video. It was interesting to see how the kids reacted to fact that the pop star was completely computer generated.

Also:
“You don’t have to worry about like public scenes, and stuff. Like Hanna Montana. She was great, and then she started acting like a hooker.”
Alvin B.

I’m no Hatsune Miku fan because I rather hate how the voices sound like something that’s been way too Auto-Tuned… However, I’ve long expected and predicted that the day would come when human actors and entertainers became irrelevant. It still seems a novelty with Hatsune Miku, but it won’t be long until artificial entertainers are commonplace even in Western media. I believe the only reason it’s not happening in the West yet is because we have a higher barrier to “cartoon” characters being accepted by mainstream media. Once realism crosses the uncanny valley, we’ll see the same thing in the West.

Rob A

I think a crucial reason that the Vocaloid-type music hasn’t taken off in the US is that there isn’t really any content developed in English with Vocaloid.

The software has special tuning and intonation to work with Japanese, so English sounds weird and accented when produced with current Vocaloid software. I haven’t seen an ‘American English’ Vocaloid yet.

I think the closest thing to Vocaloid in the US right now is AutoTune, and all you have to do is turn on the radio to see how badly the US music market canes the crap out of that software.

(PS: I love Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Len/Rin, and all the other Vocaloid singers. I think they sound fine for the upbeat poppy/techy music they voice, and it’s better than most of what’s on the radio these days.)

Anonymous

Actually, the Vocaloid programs started in English, and then Japanese ones were made later. It just managed to take off in japan more for various reasons.

http://twitter.com/Archaenon eg.

These kids have better taste then the rabid fans. I don’t have a problem with the idea (I love Gorillaz, but they are doing it right, so is Dethklok). Vocaloid is niche, and I hope it stays niche.

Anonymous

Funny, considering both Gorillaz and Dethklok are both niches.

It’s been almost five years since I last tuned to the radio for music. For a niche music Vocaloid sounds a lot better than auto-tune.

Lonlon

Gorrilaz aren’t really in much of a niche. They (Damon Albarn) have put out quite a few singles that were popular with a wide range of people. Heck, if I asked most of my friends and peers, I bet a lot of them would say they enjoy songs like “Feel Good Inc.” and “Clint Eastwood”.
Dethklok on the other hand, yeah. they’re a niche for sure.

Piglet

I actually find the kids have an healthy reaction in front of this cr#p. There are various opinions and some funny comments.

The voice and the appearance of the computer was computer generated and the music was insipid J-pop. This is probably the one of the worst Japanese musical production in the recent years (especially knowing the usual level of what is sold as music to the masses).

Miku Fan

If you are going to bash on the music, then I would like to bash on the current American Pop, rap…etc music and other “crap” music that are produced in other countries as well.

Piglet

I didn’t say otherwise
Horahora.

One thing Vocaloid and American Pop/rap/etc. have in common is the fakeness. Your typical “Rockstar” image is totally manufactured and are designed to be consumed (which explains the defensive nature of lawyers/producers when it came to mp3s, etc.) I guess this is why some time ago, people got into indie/underground scenes, which then produced hipsters as we know them now. I’m venturing to guess that there are hipsters who love Vocaloid because it isn’t mainstream. Here’s the funny thing, there are probably hipsters in Japan that embrace the hipster look/lifestyle, because it’s what’s “elite” in America and don’t get much mockery for being “hip”, but those people disdain the demographic/subculture that are so into Vocaloid. Or maybe… Japanese hipsters would end up appropriating “otaku culture” the same way Scott Pilgrim is about western hipsters appropriating “geek culture”. As for the kids…. They make more sense than the rabid fans. I’m glad some of them are open-minded, though.

Huge Miku fan

I like Miku because she’s cute and her music is made by fans for fans. Sure, it gets licensed by Sega or record companies, but these are regular people going out there and giving it a try with music production. Most are crap, but the ones that are good are exceptional. And, mostly, those are electropop songs.

The lyrics are generally really cutesy but I’d rather that than hearing an American pop star talking about how many cocks she’s sucked in an alluding way.

I got into Miku from her first PSP game. Before then, I was just like many of you, “What the hell is this crap?” But after playing the game (I’m already a big music gamer), and listening to some of the decently-produced stuff from the game, I fell in love.

So everyone can bag Miku all they like. Being a fan means understanding and appreciating the concept behind Vocaloid software, rather than just saying CARTOON CHARACTER HAHAHA FRIGGEN SAD.

http://www.billowykimono.com Senor Science

“The voice and the appearance of the computer was computer generated
and the music was insipid J-pop. This is probably the one of the worst
Japanese musical production in the recent years (especially knowing the
usual level of what is sold as music to the masses).”

Is there anything out of Japan you even like?

Piglet

There are many things I love about Japan, but J-pop cannot realistically be called a tangible cultural asset lol.

Anyway, why are people like you taking any criticism as a critic of the whole country? You don’t have to feel offended because I don’t like some crap music, whether Japanese or foreign. Feel free to listen to it if you want!

HoraHora

I know, right? Maybe Japan is struggling to remain globally relevant, which is why it’s getting behind the propagation of its pop culture to a global audience. (After all, the youth of the world do not care for the diplomatic relations of Tang Dynasty with Yamataikoku.) …They’d rather fap to some hentai. Or yaoi.

Anonymous

Can’t tell if serious…

alsfdjkalsdjflkasdj

I hate kids, but you’re nuts James. Hatsune Miku is a million times more obnoxious than those kids.

http://www.japanprobe.com James

Hatsune Miku is a million times more obnoxious than those kids.

All the more reason not to sit through the entire video.
Anonymous

I find the video quite entertaining.

edit: nice first post there, and Miku is a million times less obnoxious than American pop.

flowby

Now – those kids got it.

Like, they got it.

If you don’t get it – well you haven’t got it.

Natch – eh!
Featherrivers

You did miss out. The kids had so many interesting cultural good things to say. You mind zapped and turned it off. You clearly do not know anything culturally about Kids React and why it is so popular. You should have been happy to see anime featured for the first time and been fascinated. Do a mind check
http://twitter.com/Adamukun Adam Richards

People wanna see these kids react videos? But they aren’t even real!

amy

So I’m pretty sure you’re just pointing out how silly the kid in the green shirt is… yeah, these guys should also never watch a movie or TV or anything, hey? Reminds me a bit of the movie Galaxy Quest.

If I was the interviewer I think I would point that out to them.

“Not real? Neither are Transformers, and you’re a fan of them.”

I hope that’s what you meant, at least. Because if you are saying that the reactions aren’t real… I think you don’t know very many children. At least, not many intelligent children.

Because yeah, intelligent children are obnoxious. Because they know they’re intelligent. Usually they grow up to be more bearable… not always.

Rob A

This is hilarious. I love trying to explain Miku to my friends.

“What about the good old days of rock?” – What are you talking about little girl? You’re like 12. You don’t know what the “Good Old Days of Rock” are. Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers, and Britney Spears are NOT the ‘Good Old Days’ of rock.

I feel bad for these kids, though happy they are exposed to some foreign culture. Americans are statistically the dumbest demographic on the face of the planet. If they’re lucky, their parents won’t let them grow up to be stuffy Republican protestant clones of the current ‘ruling class’.

Level3

Uh, dude, the current stuffy protestant clone “ruling class” is Democrat.
Bush isn’t President anymore, either.

I hear that all lefty “Question Authority” bumpers stickers got covered with Hopey Changey bumper stickers in 2008.
And the Hopey Changey bumper stickers will be covered again with “Question Authority” ones in 2013. Is this true? I’m not on the mailing list. My sympathies though, it must be confusing to keep changing your standards depending on who is in the White House. BTW, When’s the next anti-war protest?…

Oh, nothing scheduled?…..

Heh.

As for statistics on intelligence by country…
http://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/Nobels.aspx

Marcus

Living in Japan I’d almost forgotten how annoying American kids were…

asdjbgjasbjqan

They’re telling the truth. Deal with it

TwistedCyberChick

Wow, you give up too quick. These kids are hilarious. Benny sure knows how to get the most out of them.
http://twitter.com/mrquadrant4 MrQuadrant4

The arguments against Vocaloid not having any soul or emotion is the same arguments back when the first records were invented or when the radio was invented or the electric guitar and the first synthesizers. Music evolves and there will always be people who are against it. Vocaloids and vocal synthesizer technology is just going to become more and more common. Can’t stop progress and virtual idols like Miku are popular because she’s not real and not trying to pass as a real human being. Her stylized art has little to no uncanny valley effect on most people. Its just the fact that she’s a Japanese “cartoon” dancing around with a “high pitch squeaky chipmunk voice.” singing “horrid anime style pop songs.” That is probably the most common reason some people have against Vocaloids like Miku followed by intense hatred of the weeaboo fans. If they like it than other’s will automatically hate it. That sort of thing.

As for Kid’s React, oddly enough, at least to me, in the World is Mine song, Miku is only high pitch in certain parts of the song so I guess these kids favor deeper vocal ranges. In that case, Miku is more than capable of singing in a lower pitch without her Append Dark voice library. Example:

Weather Report by Heavenz, a soft rock song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyrGmzn3AIk

Miku Append Dark example:

Glow by keeno, another soft rock song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwJ_tkgxOds

Also using Append Dark:

Dreams and Visions by Okame-P, a sort of symphonic (?) heavy metal song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhtTh0vzafE

As far as whether or not a Vocaloid can sound close to an above average human singer or not, it would have been great to see the kid’s reaction to the following:

Supercell’s Sayonara Memories covered by Ciel featuring Megpoid Gumi. (Originally sung by the talented Nagi).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m13lto1qMEk

The biggest problem for anyone in the West curious about the technology and music is getting past all the crap posted on YouTube. Consequence of user-generated content, which is what Vocaloid is all about. Since it’s too much trouble to do research, exposure to songs comes from mostly referrals and that is entirely dependent on if the fans introducing people to Vocaloids are rabid ignorant weeaboos or veteran fans that know where to find the good stuff by Producer and genre and not by specific Vocaloid. Sites like mikubook.com help a lot in that regard for English speakers.
Carlos Jiménez

Hey, what would happen if we change Hatsune Miku to Justin Beaver, or any of the retarded american prefabricated singers??
Boulayman

I found the kids pretty endearing actually.
From Chiba

I kept getting the feeling their comments were guided. Unless I’m that out of the loop with regards to how American children are.
java lu

They should have a reaction video of Hanna Montana or Justin beaver and see who is the stupid one
Brian

I’m with you, these kids voices are so irritating!!! I turned it off after a minute and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t gain anything from these annoying brats if I did watch it.

Video: Kids React to Hatsune Miku

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