Most people who see Miku Hatsune’s design assume that she is the main character of a major Anime series, making her a cultural icon in both Japanese culture and Anime. However, Miku does appear in the Anime Shinkansen Henjei Robo Shinkalio.
However, this is not where she first appeared because she was not created as an Anime character. Let’s examine Hatsune Miku’s beginnings and her multiple appearances in various media initiatives.
| Who Created Miku | Wataru Sasaki |
| When Was Miku Created | 2007 |
| Anime She Is Featuring In | Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion |
What is Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion?
Takara Tomy created the Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion toy franchise in collaboration with the Japan Railways Group. From January 2018 to June 2019, OLM’s anime adaptation aired on all JNN stations in Japan. Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion Z, a new anime, aired on TV Tokyo from April 2021 to March 2022.
Following the appearance of the mysterious Black Shinkansen, several incidents of monster attacks by a mysterious group called Kitoralsus appeared unexpectedly in Japan. In response, the Shinkansen Ultra Evolution Institute was formed as a covert organization to investigate the Black Shinkansen and its links to Shinkalions; bullet trains that transform into giant robots.
However, Hayato Hayasugi, a young grade schooler who is a big railfan because his father works at the Railway Museum, got caught up in the recent monster attack and discovered his father’s secret work with the Shinkansen Ultra Evolution Institute.
Who is Miku Hatsune?
Miku Hatsune is a software that makes and creates voices and songs.
She was originally a Vocaloid software voicebank (a singing voice synthesizer software). Crypton Future Media created her and she is their official Moe anthropomorphism.
A teenage girl with lengthy twin tails was promoted as a virtual idol who appeared onstage as an animated projection during live events.
Here’s a video on Hatsune Miku to dig in further:
Where can I watch Miku Hatsune?
Miku Hatsune serves as the main character in the Manga series Maker Hikoshiki Hatsune Mix.
Although the Manga is unofficial and not canon, it features her in several entertaining scenarios and shows both her potential as a stand-alone character and as a Vocaloid sensation.
The Hatsune Miku Project DIVA series is her line of rhythm video games. Her own Nintendo 3DS game, Hatsune Miku and Future Stars: Project Mirai, was also available.
What Anime is Miku Hatsune from?
Only one significant role in an Anime series has been played by Miku Hatsune. Hatsune appeared in the Anime series Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion, which ran from 2018 to 2019.
In Anime, Miku is a bright and active young woman who enjoys learning about and practicing the Kendo martial art, which is a style of sword fighting. Hatsune enjoys museums, especially the Mashumaru Seikan Ferry Memorial Museum in Hakodate.
Hatsune appeared in both the show’s movie and its television series, albeit in the movie, she changed from her original character to become a singer. She is also spoken by Saki Fujita, the actress who portrays her in all media, using a robotic voice filter that makes her sound just like her Vocaloid software.
Hatsune won the top spot in the Shinkalion Anime Character Popularity Poll despite merely serving as a supporting character, showing both how well-liked she is as a stand-alone character and when promoted as a Vocaloid program.
In addition to this, Hatsune Miku has appeared in a few other Anime and has been mentioned in a few of them. In a scene from an episode of the Anime Zoku Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei might be seen trying out for a voice-over part.
She has also made brief appearances in other Anime series like Baka and Test, Chrome Shelled Regios, and Himoto! Umaru-Chan, and others.
Her singing voice, which serves as the most distinguishing feature of her persona due to her ethnic background, has also been featured in several Anime, including the theme song for Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories.
Is Miku a Musician?
A large part of Miku’s appeal to people worldwide is her Anime-like appearance, but she is also regarded as a musical artist in her own right with tens of thousands of songs to her credit. She has also shared the stage with many well-known musicians, including Lady Gaga.
Even before Coachella 2020 had to be postponed, she was scheduled to perform there.
Miku—who merely existed to serve as the physical manifestation of her Vocaloid—has become popular thanks to the catchy nature of Vocaloid music and the cute, Anime girl design.
Miku Hatsune is a vocal library for the Vocaloid software. She is a software, wholly artificial, and instead of producing music herself, individuals purchase her voicebank and use it to make music.
Similar to the voices used for text-to-speech software or virtual assistants like Alexa, the Vocaloid program is an artificial voice synthesis engine, but it is designed exclusively for singing and is far more challenging to operate. One of the many voices that may be purchased for the Vocaloid software is Miku.
In other words, anyone who is prepared to fork over the cash to do so can use her voice in a song, which is exactly what they do since hundreds of new songs utilizing her voice are still released every single day. She is not an artist herself, but rather a tool.
Why is Miku in the Vocaloid lineup?
Her strong association with VOCALOID has led her to believe that she must be included in all things VOCALOID. This point of view has sparked debate.
For example, at the VOCALOID:AI performance, critics made both positive and negative remarks about Hatsune Miku. She appeared briefly on screen during an explanation of the technology. The criticism stemmed from the fact that she had nothing to do with the VOCALOID technology demonstration.
This was a performance about a beloved real-life singer, Hibari Misora, and Miku was a fictitious singer who fans did not come to see or like. The general consensus was that fans were disappointed with Hibari Misora’s rendering of voice and image.
Is Hatsune Miku dead?
Hatsune Miku is not an artist, nor is she a persona associated with a particular human artist like Cherry from Studio Killers. In more precise terms, Hatsune Miku is a product because she is software.
She is a plug-in for the voice synthesis program Vocaloid, which allows composers and music producers to replace human vocals in their songs with an artificial, computer-generated voice. In other words, she is a tool or an instrument.
Therefore, she can’t die. However, she can technically be deleted if the source code for her software is deleted.
Nevertheless, this hasn’t happened. The software is well and working and amazing music is being produced!
Conclusion
- The original goal of Hatsune Miku, which was to serve as a marketing tool and the physical representation of a Vocaloid software program, has been great and significantly exceeded by this extraordinarily adaptable character.
- A revered figure in pop culture, Miku has worked with a variety of musicians from around the world to make music and has appeared in Manga, Anime, and video games.
- In Anime, Miku is a bright and active young woman who enjoys learning about and practicing the Kendo martial art, which is a style of sword fighting.
- Anyone prepared to fork over the cash to do so can use her voice in a song. She is not an artist herself, but rather a tool.