What is Vocaloid?
Vocaloid (Combination of the words "Vocal" and "Android") are singing voice synthesizers developed by Yamaha, first released in 2004. Originally meant to be tools for music producers, they became wildly popular after "mascots" were added to represent individual voice banks. Crypton Future Media is the most well-known producer and distributor of vocaloid software, (colloquially known as "Cryptonloids"), being the creators of the world-renowned Hatsune Miku.
This page will focus on the Cryptonloids, but there are a ton of really cool voicebanks out there! Vocaloids have been developed in countries all over the world, and they can speak a multitude of languages! This video is a really great showcase of lesser-known vocaloids if you want to dive deeper!
- Voice Provider: Meiko Haigō
- First Release: November 5, 2004
- Gender: Female
- Age: Not Given
- Character Item: Sake/alcohol
Along with Kaito, Meiko was the first Japanese vocaloid released as apart of the V1 engine. Interestingly enough, the illustration on MeikoV1's boxart was originally not meant to represent the voice bank. It was done by a hobbyist illustrator that worked at Crypton..This is what launched the modern concept of viewing a "vocaloid" not as software, but as a character! Meiko is currently not the most popular of the Cryptonloids, which I think is a shame. As much as I love a cute voice, it's not suited for all genres. Meiko's voice is powerful, and she really shines in rock ballads. But..she can do pop, too! (Nostalogic is one of my all-time favorite vocaloid songs. Truly...she is mother.)
Essential MEIKO
- Voice Provider: Naoto Fūga
- First Release: February 14, 2006
- Gender: Male
- Age: Not Given
- Character Item: Ice cream
The masculine counterpart of Meiko released for V1. Originally he was considered a commercial failure, only selling 500 units in his first year! Despite that, his V3 retooling was the number 3 best selling voice bank upon release in 2013. (Miku voicebanks were in the no. 1 and 2 spots.) Unpopular opinion but...I'm not a huuuge Kaito fan. I think he can for sure sound good, but he's difficult to tune. There are only a handful of songs that I really like featuring him. (Cantarella, for instance, slaps.) This is partially because I think Kaito really shines in a deeper register, but a lot of producers keep him at a higher range.
Essential KAITO
- Voice Provider: Saki Fujita
- First Release: August 31, 2007
- Gender: Female
- Age: 16
- Character Item: Leek
The queen. The legend. The world's number one princess.
Miku was designed by illustrator and mangaka KEI. She was the first of the Cryptonloids to truly lean into the "android" part of "vocaloid"- KEI has stated that Crypton specifically asked him to design her like a robot! He has also said that her iconic blue-green color is a reference to the color of many of Yamaha's synthesizers. Much like Meiko and Kaito before her, Miku was originally only marketed to professional music producers. However, she soon became incredibly popular- leading to the creation of a fanbase of both otaku and amateur artists alike. She is by far the most popular and well-known vocaloid to date.
Anyways, I don't have much of a revolutionary opinion on Miku. I love her. You love her. What more is there to say?
Essential Miku
- Voice Provider: Asami Shimoda
- First Release: December 27, 2007
- Gender: female (Rin), male (Len)
- Age: 14
- Character Item: Orange (Rin), Banana (Len)
Rin and Len are the first vocaloids to be released together in one box. They originally were envisioned by Crypton as being twins; however, due to the convenience of having both a male and female voice bank many producers were featuring them in romantic duets..Needless to say, this led to their sibling relationship being scrapped. They officially are simply described as "mirror images" of each other, and their relationship is up to individual interpretation. (I personally still picture them as twins!) The very talented Asami Shimoda lends her voice to both Kagamines. Her voice for Rin is super cute and high-pitched, while Len's reminds me a lot of. You know. The voice female VAs do when they need to play a young boy. Funnily enough, once they're chopped and screwed through the vocaloid engine they both sound really unique and memorable. I prefer Rin slightly more, but they're both really awesome and versatile voicebanks.
Essential Rin
Melancholic - JunkyMeltdown - iroha
Iroha Uta - Ginsaku
Essential Len
Butterfly on your Right Shoulder - noripyLaw-Evading Rock - Neru
Fire Flower - halyosy
- Voice Provider: Yū Asakawa
- First Release: January 30, 2009
- Gender: Female
- Age: 20
- Character Item: Tuna
Luka was the first vocaloid to be billigual, being packaged with both an English and Japanese voicebank. Her last name "Megurine" can roughly translate to "travelling sound", referencing this fact. She was also the third to be designed by KEI- her's being the most unique yet. He has stated he gave her a very asymetrical look to reference her dual banks.
I love Luka. If I had to pick a favorite Cryptonloid, it'd be her. Not only because I love her design, but her voice is really unique and I think stands out a lot from the others. She has a deeper register than Miku and Rin, but her voice is also soft and just really pleasant to listen to. Also her English pronounciation is really good, especially in her modern banks. I don't know, she's just great. Stan Lukaaaa.
(Furyu and Sega...more Luka prize figures please. Right now it's just me and my 10 year old project diva Luka against the world.)
Essential Luka
Luka Luka ★ Night Fever - samfreeJust be Friends - Dixie Flatline
Blackjack - YuchaP
