Japanese YouTube meme

[Radien]

Calling all fellow nerds... I have a trivia-like question, and I thought this would be the best place to find people who would know.

I stumbled across the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J3htln7ch8

Yep, cute pink-haired girl bopping her head back and forth and singing catchy J-pop. I'm sure a number of you will find that enjoyable.

But there are two things that catch my attention.  One is the related videos. It looks like this song is a popular topic of mash-ups and edits.  Japanese YouTubers have animated other characters to replace the girl in the original (at least I think I posted the original). Some of them sound like they've been re-voiced using Vocaloid (and, presumably, a karaoke track of the song).

The second thing that caught my attention is the simplicity of the animation. I'm sure it's pretty easy to edit considering how much it loops. In fact, I wonder whether a company released a Vocaloid-esque program for creating head-bopping, singing animations.  I'm probably leaping to far-fetched conclusions, though.


Now, additionally, I think this is a Japanese meme because someone mashed the instrumental music together with the vocals from that weird Tunak Tunak Tun song that got passed around the internet a few years ago (Google Tunak Tunak Tun -- he's weird but harmless). The results of the mashup were....disturbing.  I won't post that music video yet since it'd probably scare you off, bizarre as it is.  And I'm not even talking about the music.


Anybody know more about this?

[fleur_fraise]

The pink-haired girl is a fan-made Vocaloid.

[Pots]

^{i like this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHw_soIXhL0&feature=related}

[Blue Leader]

Kind of neat in a way. Though I never did really understand Vocaloid... I gave the program a try once, couldn't really figure it out. If that's what this is, anyway. It'd be fun to do.

Though this one scares me...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKSmSTu2qkI&feature=related

[Higuma]

I like this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f77KDX5AS1Q&feature=related

[Higuma]

Kind of neat in a way. Though I never did really understand Vocaloid... I gave the program a try once, couldn't really figure it out. If that's what this is, anyway. It'd be fun to do.

Though this one scares me...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKSmSTu2qkI&feature=related

that is from Arakawa under the Bridge. That one is so Awsome!

[Radien]

Ahaaa. Thanks for the information, dear internets.

Ha, the one or two videos I clicked on that had male voices reminded me of something I tried once on a karaoke machine that could alter pitch: interestingly, if you take a female voice and simply make it lower (or a male voice and make it higher), it really does sound like the other gender. If the pitch change is only about an octave, it isn't distorted enough to really tell that the singer was originally the other gender.

Vocaloid certainly came to mind when I saw that pink-haired girl. The way she dresses is very similar to Vocaloid. The only reason for doubt is that I couldn't see a telltale number on her shoulder (like "01").

And here's my contribution to the YouTube links. The voicing is strangely computerized and distorted, so it doesn't quite fit, but it is quite fun to watch this character doing the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9x_pMo-jJs

Kind of neat in a way. Though I never did really understand Vocaloid... I gave the program a try once, couldn't really figure it out. If that's what this is, anyway. It'd be fun to do.

Though this one scares me...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKSmSTu2qkI&feature=related

I should try Vocaloid sometime. Was using it in Japanese a problem?  I might be able to brave my way through it.

As for that YouTube link you posted... haha... it's better than the CG mashup I mentioned in an earlier post. What's interesting about it is that if you listen carefully, they changed the lyrics to various masculine pronouns. So, like some of the other videos, it's probably a fan-recorded vocal track.

Some of these lyrics sound like fans actually rerecorded them, while others sound like particularly electronic Vocaloid voices, or the product of some other audio distortion program.

[Ichi_Kagetora]

Thanks to this video Vocoloid has aquired a new convert woot!

[thesirensings]

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/fukkireta-%E5%90%B9%E3%81%A3%E5%88%87%E3%82%8C%E3%81%9F

I found the answer!

[Ichi_Kagetora]

and I found the last thing I think I'm gonna be allowed by society to post in this thread. BEHOLD SPIDERMAN FUKKIRETSU!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWWCSKheYqM&feature=related

[Blue Leader]

Hmm, it's interesting how this meme evolved. First it was just the music track, then Vocaloid was added into the mix, then users sang it themselves (Lon's version is friggin' awesome, she has one hell of a voice if that video is any indication), and then people danced it.

I'm tempted to make a video of this too, using images of some anime-styled Star Wars characters I made. XD

I should try Vocaloid sometime. Was using it in Japanese a problem?  I might be able to brave my way through it.

Honestly, I couldn't make heads or tails of the program. I tried using the Japanese version and though I had an English guide I just couldn't get it to work. I don't know if I screwed something up or what I did, but I tried using both English and Japanese text and all I could get was an "aah" sound and an "ooh" sound, if I was able to get anything at all.
Which was a bummer. The program seems like it would be rather fun to get into; just wish I could figure it out...

[Radien]

Thanks to this video Vocoloid has aquired a new convert woot!

Possibly. I don't know if I'll get much use out of the program, but I already know I like the music and find the whole idea amusing.

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/fukkireta-%E5%90%B9%E3%81%A3%E5%88%87%E3%82%8C%E3%81%9F

I found the answer!

Ultra-super bonus points for using Know Your Meme. <3

and I found the last thing I think I'm gonna be allowed by society to post in this thread. BEHOLD SPIDERMAN FUKKIRETSU!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWWCSKheYqM&feature=related

Heh heh. Actually, that's kinda awesome.

I was expecting it to use that strange "dancing Spider-man" animation, but I guess Japanese live action Spider-man is even more appropriate.

Hmm, it's interesting how this meme evolved. First it was just the music track, then Vocaloid was added into the mix, then users sang it themselves (Lon's version is friggin' awesome, she has one hell of a voice if that video is any indication), and then people danced it.

I'm tempted to make a video of this too, using images of some anime-styled Star Wars characters I made. XD

Do eeeeeeeet!!!...

Honestly, I couldn't make heads or tails of the program. I tried using the Japanese version and though I had an English guide I just couldn't get it to work. I don't know if I screwed something up or what I did, but I tried using both English and Japanese text and all I could get was an "aah" sound and an "ooh" sound, if I was able to get anything at all.
Which was a bummer. The program seems like it would be rather fun to get into; just wish I could figure it out...

Could it possibly be because the program is designed for Japanese pronunciation of words?  You might have to convert it to katakana or romanji in order for it to handle English.  For instance, "happy birthday" = "happi baasudei."  Yeah, it'll come out as mangled English, but if you're like most Vocaloid fans, you'll find it horribly cute.

[Ichi_Kagetora]

By becoming a "Vocaloid" fan i mean a fan of the music people have been creating from it. I'd like to point out that the character is Kasane Teto and she isn't actually a vocaloid character she was created using Utauh an open source version of vocaloid. she was intednded as an aprils fools joke meant to convince people that a new voice had been released for Vocaloid.

[Darknight2433]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4GAxbth6-E&feature=related

Ash ahhhh! ...hope this wasn't already posted!

[Radien]

By becoming a "Vocaloid" fan i mean a fan of the music people have been creating from it. I'd like to point out that the character is Kasane Teto and she isn't actually a vocaloid character she was created using Utauh an open source version of vocaloid. she was intednded as an aprils fools joke meant to convince people that a new voice had been released for Vocaloid.

Sweet. It's funny how people sometimes create the most quality stuff for April Fool's Day. Did you see the fake Legend of Zelda movie trailer last year?

Also, was it a Japanese prank or American? Because I wasn't aware of April Fool's carrying over to Japan.  In any case, it caught on, at least as a meme.

Anyway, yeah, I already like Vocaloid, so I'll hunt down some of the music sometime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4GAxbth6-E&feature=related

Ash ahhhh! ...hope this wasn't already posted!

Don't think it was. Ha, good one. I don't do Pokemon, but I'm sure people who do will get a kick out of this one.

Funny enough, the style of humor in that one seems oddly... American... it reminds me of the lyrics to "Yoda," as well as some of Weird Al's other parodies......


EDIT:

Some of you probably know this already, but I found out that the video I posted first isn't the original, though it *might* be the most popular. It's a fan cover of the original song.  The original song was more Vocaloid-style, with a robotic-sounding lyrical track created through voice sampling.  I'm not sure how close it comes to passing for a real Vocaloid; you Vocaloid fans out there will have to form your own opinions.

[Ichi_Kagetora]

OMG YES I SAW THE LOZ FAKE MOVIE TRAILOR AND YES I CRIED WHEN I FOUND OUT IT WAS A JOKE. and I think it was amaerican just to mess with the american fanbase. not sure though.

[Radien]

OMG YES I SAW THE LOZ FAKE MOVIE TRAILOR AND YES I CRIED WHEN I FOUND OUT IT WAS A JOKE. and I think it was amaerican just to mess with the american fanbase. not sure though.

Yeah it was American, hence the American actors. I think IGN funded it. Google it and you can watch a "Making Of" special which talks about it.  It wasn't a small production, even for a trailer. While it's sad that it wasn't real, I think a trailer is more than enough to spark our imaginations. Sometimes what we imagine is better than any movie could be, anyway. I'd rather have no movie than a bad movie.

Sorry, getting off-topic. I think the fake Vocaloid they made for this prank is popular enough that I wouldn't be surprised if she inspired a real Vocaloid. It's happened before, even as a result of an April Fool's Joke. If so, they'll try to be discreet about it, especially if they try to do their own design rather than seeking out the original fan creation. I'll keep an eye out for a pink-haired girl with bouncy pigtails who dresses kinda like Miku.

[Ichi_Kagetora]

Well She has been included in "Vocaloid" videos but you have to rember that most Vocaloid songs are created by users. That is the purpose of the software after all. So far it seems that nobody is actually trying to make clones of other ones but instead all of the several different softwares are being incorperated into one big 'loidverse.

[Radien]

well, I should clarify a few things I said:

First, when I said "it''s happened before" I was referring to Street Fighter. Can't remember the character name.

Secondly, when I said "clone," I meant an official character with a different name that looks similar to this fan-made one.  Not enough to count as "stealing" the character, but enough to excite fans of the fan-made character.

Lastly, you raise a good point with the intent of the program. Yes, they do indeed encourage user-made content, unlike -- heh -- Street Fighter.

But if it's legal, fair, and there's profit in it, the company that makes Vocaloid might still consider incorporating a particularly popular character.  I'm just thinking of how they took the popular real life star Gackt and made his voice into "Gakupo."  I actually think the idea of taking cues from fans is pretty cool, and I usually love it when it happens.

[Blue Leader]

Could it possibly be because the program is designed for Japanese pronunciation of words?  You might have to convert it to katakana or romanji in order for it to handle English.  For instance, "happy birthday" = "happi baasudei."  Yeah, it'll come out as mangled English, but if you're like most Vocaloid fans, you'll find it horribly cute.

Ah, that could be. I never thought of that.
Still, I'd have no idea how to convert the words anyway. Heh. Is there like a reliable converter or a list or something somewhere?

[Radien]

Ah, that could be. I never thought of that.
Still, I'd have no idea how to convert the words anyway. Heh. Is there like a reliable converter or a list or something somewhere?

Hrm.  To convert into katakana pronunciation?... I don't know of one... buuuut... you're probably surrounded by people who could help you out. Or even teach you how to convert it yourself. It's not too difficult.

The main problem is that English converted into katakana pronunciation has many more syllables than it originally did. For instance, my name, "Steven," two syllables, becomes "Sutiibun," which is FIVE syllables according to Japanese sensibilities.  Japanese syllables have no inherent dipthongs, so it's not as bad as it sounds, but you still have to figure out how to cram those extra syllables into the same melody line.

[Ichi_Kagetora]

Yamaha makes an english version of vocaliod. The software is still completely written in japanese but the singers will sing in english.

[Tsukinya]

How fun!  I totally want to learn that dance....

And I like the Hetalia one : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzIk-QvDuAY

[Ichi_Kagetora]

How fun!  I totally want to learn that dance....

Try to learn this dance. It's a tricky one but there is a link to a walkthrough for it on the page.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ObEN9jNMeQ