Hatsune Miku Concert: Videos and Overview

UPDATE: The videos have been removed from Youtube following a copyright claim by Sega. We are trying to resolve the situation as soon as we can, as we believe we had the proper permissions and release to post the videos. In the meantime, please enjoy the photo gallery of the concert below:

It’s 8:30 on the 2nd of July 2011, and the Nokia Theater is jam packed.  Glow sticks illuminate the auditorium, as nearly 5000 fans eagerly await the American debut of Hatsune Miku,  Japan’s virtual pop-star phenomenon.  The lights dim, and the crowd erupts in a roar of applause as Miku appears to rise from under the stage and start to sing her hit song “The World Is Mine.”

Hatsune Miku isn’t real.  She is a fully computer generated creation from a collaboration of Yamaha, Crypton, and Sega.  Her body is projected onto the stage to a clear screen that gives the illusion she is standing there bouncing, bopping and belting out tunes.  While the effect isn’t perfect, it is a remarkable sight to see.  She is there standing on stage and singing her songs, we can see her, we can hear her… but simultaneously she isn’t there because she doesn’t exist, her voice and body completely computer generated.  It’s like some bizarre Schrödinger’s pop-star.

And while Miku may not properly exist, there no denying her appeal.  Backed by a live band consisting of guitarists, drummers, keyboardists and an entire string section, you forget the whole philosophical argument of a nonexistent pop-idol.  She may just be a hologram, but damn this girl has stage presence.  She has dance moves that would make the most seasoned pop star envious and she is able to sing a pitch not attainable by the human throat and yet still sound real.

The concert was an amazing achievement, and the fans adored every minute of it and when it was over begged for more.  Miku and her digital companions Rin, Len, and Luca, rocked the Nokia center that night.  If this keeps up, that won’t just be a song title, and the world will soon belong to Hatsune Miku.

Author: ElectricV01

Daniel is a writer, part time artist in training, avid game player, and pop culture analyst... nice guy too. He has been an anime fan since 1999 and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. You can follow him on twitter at http://twitter.com/electricv01.