Weekly Vocaloid Ranking #204 – Early SP

Fewer songs were uploaded because of the 7th MMD Cup, but this week is also a fierce battle! Even though Vom@s is still coming up, there are still quite some new songs.

Also, the Tettette segment (TN: the part after the presentation of the #1 song) will be longer this week… What is going to happen?

To celebrate Miku’s birthday on August 31, ryo (supercell) and Dixie Flatline present this single to all of their fans.
“Sekiran’un Graffiti/Fallin’ Fallin’ Fallin’,” to be released by Sony Music.

Also, it’s been some time a Vocaloid single has been released, so we’ll have to keep an eye on the Oricon charts. As you see, it will be a fierce battle between strong enemies. It will be hard for “Sekiran’un Graffiti/Fallin’ Fallin’ Fallin'” to reach the top spot, but let’s hope for the best.

In other news, the “month of the doujin event” will start next month. It so happens that there will be Vocaloid-related doujin events every week on September.

First, as I mentioned the other day, THE VOC@LOiD M@STER 17 will be held during the first week of September. We can say it is the epitome of Vocaloid-related doujin events.

THE VOC@LOiD M@STER 17
Date: September 4 2011 (Sunday)
Place: Ikebukuro, Sunshine City, Bunka Kaikan 2F, Conference Hall D
Public Opening Hour: 11:30AM.
Sponsor: Ketcom.

Next up will be the VOCALOID FESTA 03, which will be held on the second week of September. Apart from buying and selling items, more diverse activities will take place: behind-the-scenes stories about the development of VOCALOID3, cosplay, lives, and itasha expositions. (Be aware that Reitaisai SP2, which is usually held at the same time, will probably be very crowded.)

VOCALOID FESTA 03
Date: September 11 (Sunday)
Place: Tokyo Big Site West 1 hall
Public Opening Hour: 10:30AM

The Hakurei Jinja Reitaisai SP2 will be held at the same time.
Place: Tokyo Big Site West 1 and 2 Halls

Sponsor: Woodbell, Hakurei Jinja Shamusho.

Then, on the third week of September, VOCALOID Fantasia 2 will be held in Kanagawa. There will be a lot of events there too, including one related to the MMDFes/MMD Live Project and talkloid lessons classes by OtonaraP.

VOCALOID Fantasia 2
Date: September 18 (Sunday)
Place: Yokohama Sanbou Hall Marineria
Public Opening Hour: 11:30AM
Sponsor: Vocafan Junbikai Jimukyoku.

And then, on the fourth week of September, two events will take place: Vocaloid ISLAND, held in Miku’s hometown Sapporo, and SING A SONG III, held in the Tôkyô Ryûtsû Center.

Vocaloid ISLAND
Date: September 24 (Saturday)
Place: Hokkaido, Sapporo Shimin Hall 2F Conference Hall
Public Opening Hour: 11:00AM
Sponsor: Hayase Aki, V.I. Junbikai

SING A SONG III
Date: September 25 (Sunday)
Place: Tôkyô Ryûtsû Center (TRC)
Public Opening Hour: 11:00AM
Sponsor: Studio YOU

As you see, there will be Vocaloid events every week and everywhere in September!

It’s been four years since Miku was born. Every month there’s a new CD, hit games, successful lives, and more reporting on TV; we can now see her often in our everyday lives. But along with her increasing popularity, it seems there are some problems arising from the growth of her fanbase, in lives or doujin events, for instance. Because of the diversity of the Vocaloid culture, it seems a lot of people don’t really know what the events they participate to are really about.

That’s why we’re presenting you a special VocaRan project, named “How do the real life Vocaloid events work?,” that will span over four weeks; we’ll try to clear some doubts about these events. For the first week, on today’s VocaRan, we’ll discuss the “Differences between doujin events and regular shops.”

Before getting into the specifics, let’s see how VocaloCDs are currently being sold.

What are commercial CDs?
They’re CDs made by music publishing companies (labels) with the aim to sell them. You can buy them in CD shops such as Tower Records and HMV.
Example: “Sekiran’un” (SonyMusic), “Vocalonation” (EXIT TUNES), etc.

What are doujin CDs?
They’re CDs made by individuals/volunteers (doujin circles) who wish to share their hobbies and works. You can buy them in doujin conventions such as Comiket and Vom@s, or in doujin consignment shops.
Example: “OFFICIAL ORANGE” (Hachi/Nanpou Kenkyuuo), etc.

As you can see, there are two types of CDs: commercial CDs and doujin CDs. It may be obvious to those of you who are acquainted with the doujin world, but it seems a lot of newcomers have no idea about it. Lately it’s become possible to buy doujin CDs through mail orders on such sites as Amazon, and they’re also being sold along with commercial CDs in second hand stores. Because of that, people who recently became fans tend to buy their CDs without making a distinction between these two types. Thus, the problem we’re facing is that some people go to doujin conventions to buy CDs like they would buy commercial CDs. But since you can’t attend such events like they were commercial events, it’s necessary to reflect upon the difference between CD shops and doujin events.

Doujin events range from small to huge ones, but the popular Comiket and Vom@s are big scale events, and at first glance they may look like one huge event. However, when you take a closer look, it is individuals and doujin cricles who are exposing their works, a bit like if they were many little shops. It can be helpful to see it as a flea market or a bazaar.

It is the job of doujin circles to coordinate the individuals who work on the doujin booths, and who sometimes have to deal with hundreds of people lining up at the booths. The convention staffs take care of the organization of the convention hall to a limited extent, but they can’t watch over the several hundreds of doujin circles. That’s why the people who are lining up to buy items themselves help with the organization of the line, and there are particular rules, such as the end-of-the-line signs (TN: signs made by the doujin circles that the last person in the line must hold in order for other participants to know where they should take their place in the line. Such signs often have the prices of some of the doujin circle’s items on them) or raising one’s hand. Even when its not crowded, some guidelines have to be followed in order to keep order; this is the difference between doujin events and regular shops.

And that’s it for this week! Next week, we’ll discuss the manners ones should follow when participating to a doujin events.