Live Review: Hatsune Miku @ Nokia Theatre for Anime Expo 2011

• I'm a student at UCSD doing research for Professor Knight who would like to interview people who went to this concert for a documentary she is doing. If you're interested, please email me at ayeshaucsd@gmail.com. Interviews can be done using Skype or taping the answers if you don't lice in California. Thank you!!

•  I could not agree more. I was lucky in that a friend of mine said get thee to the ticket office bright and early on day 0 to get a good seat. I had figured since I bought mine within a few hours of the announcement I'd be guaranteed  a good seat and was surprised when no seating chart popped up. So I got up early and headed down from just above Santa Barbara and got lucky. I couldn't pick up my friend's seat so he got stuck in the mezzanine and was not happy about that since he bought his at the same time as I did.

• Well I watched those again, and it doesn't seem to be as bad. Like you said it might just be slick editing, but the ones that the youtube guy, I think his name on the tube is serenky or something like that and he has the best uploads so we'll see. I hope the show comes back next year and the view is better at all angles. I was a little surprised at the one entire section with no one sitting in it. My friend in the upper reaches of the stars, said that would have been better than where he was.

• Look at the Japanese concert closely. I was at the LA one and thought the very same thing until I watched the Japanese one again. Miku DOES fade at the sides of the screen, but you can't tell thanks to some slick video editing (cuts to other cameras...) I think if Crypton edits and releases this concert, you won't be able to tell. Its still a new tech and will only improve. I can't wait to see what future conerts look like

• The loyal following that Miku enjoys is as much a result of the way Crypton Future Media responds to her fans as the technical perfection of the sound and projection during the concert.  The audience *wants* Miku to be 'real', and almost all of the personality and background projected into the character are derived from the fans, not from the creators.  Even the songs are sourced from original compositions by an army of independent Vocaloid users, not a studio production team associated with Crypton, Sega or Yamaha.  One should note that the Vocaloid data libraries were intended to be used as musical instruments.  The fan base really brought them to 'life'. My impression, from viewing clips from the Tokyo concerts and this one, is that Crypton takes pains to maintain the illusion of a 'real' performer, even though the audience is aware that the Vocaloid characters are computer-generated.  While an animated character may be manipulated in any way desired, the performance is kept to a believable level.  No flying, no morphing from one shape to another, etc.  Even the spectacular costume changes retain a feeling of 'stage magic' that does not challenge the feeling of reality. The reward is the rabid loyalty of the fans.

•  Well I bought my ticket when this concert was first announced, but as I traveled from the top of California to see it the best I could do was be there Sat/Sun. You could pick up your tickets as early as Thursday (day 0), so even though I was there early Sat I ended up in the Loge right center. I probably spent about $800.00 to see this show (gas, flight,hotel, convention) so I would have liked a better seat!

• It was amazing! There was one issue you brought up that I wondered if it was a technical thing or something. I was sitting right and center, and like you mentioned, when Miku would move to the side (the left, from my perspective) she would fade out - almost completely. That happened only a couple times. They were right when they said they had to cut down seats for  the audience's enjoyment, 'cause I'd imagine if they opened up all the seats in the theater they wouldn't be able to see the performance at all. Overall, it was certainly a brilliant concert! I hope she comes preform live again!

• You're welcome, Decembirth. I've actually been interested in Miku and Vocaloids in general for a while now, more from a technological standpoint. I'm interested in seeing whether or not more musicians will incorporate Vocaloids in their work and how use of the software will evolve over the next few years.

• Immir, I agree that having the musicians on stage as well was a huge bonus for the show. Not only are they extremely talented performers, but I love the mix of having an synthetic singer and human musicians. I can't comment on the ticket distribution, as I don't know what the situation was, but the fade-outs were the biggest drawback for me.

• It was a great show, and overall I was pleased with it. It was not up to the standard of the Tokyo show and definitely too short. There were fading issues when Miku left the center of the screen. I was not too happy with the way AX distributed tickets, they should have assigned seating when you purchased them, not when you could be at AX to pick them up. Still, it was an incredible event and everyone was thrilled to see Miku and friends live. Having the incredible musicians from the original show was a big plus.

• Thanks for the review and your view Liz. I hope more press brings big things for all Vocaloids, as there are currently 24 more waiting to get their own day in the spotlight. Don't be too disappointed by disgruntled 'die hard' Vocaloid fans who comment. They seem to have some dislike toward Miku traveling from her native land or even speaking in English. I personally would like to see more of Miku, it's still summer! 

• Miku xD!!! Vocaloid Hatsune Miku,the worlds virtual diva n_n

• Wish I had been there to see it "live"... but must say that I am strongly reminded of Cheyenne Cinnamon. ;^} The tech is amazing, but do you think that as a hologram the extreme conventions of anime art don't quite work? Half of my head was saying "Wow, kawaiiii!" and the other half was saying "What on earth is that thing?"

• Kins of a dry review. The audience lost it's mind when she came out and started with World is Mine. I've seen the Japanese shows and this audience put them to shame when it came to cheering, screaming and going nuts. And yes this particular show seemed to not be quite up to the standard of the 39 Giving Day show in that the fade on far sides was more noticeable that show. Overall the audience got what it wanted and I would be willing to be the farm they could have sold out the next night if they had announced it and most of that audience would have broken the doors down to get tickers. The bad part I felt was the mezzanine seats. A friend of mine was up there and he said everytime they turned on the bright white lights it blinded everyone up there and he felt that when you have to watch and entire show on the monitors then you are not getting the full experience. I was about ten rows back in the center seats and from there is was nothing short of spectacular. The only serious complaint I heard from the people I was speaking to was it was too short.

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