Unpopular Opinions

[___]

I think Kaori doesn't sound that awfully similar to Len. Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with people calling "x" vocaloid similar to another and this isn't coming from a place of anger, it's just that it had to be literally pointed out to me that she resembles Len and that was after me using her for several months already now I definitely do see some similarities and they have the same voice type but I think she has enough unique qualities that differentiate her from Len.

 

[Rylitah]

Very late response to an older conversation (actually kind of two older conversations) but somehow I never saw any of them until now:

Comparing Vocaloid voices isn't a bad thing. Even if you disagree (I never thought Kiyoteru sounded even remotely similar to Kaito to begin with, for example -- though I couldn't tell the difference between Kaito and Gakupo for a while... somehow. This isn't the case anymore, at least), people have different opinions and thoughts. At this point I only get mildly annoyed if someone claims a new loid sounds like a mix of Merli/IA/Gumi Adult/Miku Dark/Lapis/high gen Rion. These comparisons get so specific sometimes that I honestly think it has to be a joke -- if it sounds like a mix of that many different Vocaloids... then that means their voice is unique, doesn't it?

And on another similar topic, I remember people immediately dismissing Uni once her voice was showcased because... she sounded like a bunch of the Japanese Vocaloids already. When that... literally didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that she sounded different from SeeU, and she does, and yet people really went out there claiming that Uni had a bland and basic voice. I don't care what your actual opinion of her voice is but god don't compare Vocaloids from different languages to each other

(And maybe I'm more invested than I should be, but my experience with Korean Vocaloids is... a wild ride, haha. For backstory, I'm Korean myself and was incredibly excited upon SeeU's announcement -- then was immensely disappointed that she was K-pop themed [in hindsight I shouldn't have been, but I had expected a much more traditional design and voice, and honestly I still really want that]. Eventually I got over my annoyance with SeeU, but the whole thing with her VP made things suuuper messy for a long while... and then Uni came to quite literally save the community [obviously there are Korean Vocaloid fans that like non-Korean Vocaloids, but I just mean things were so quiet on the Korean producer front it seemed]. She's so important and I can't stand to see people just casually dismiss her orz)

 

[DefiantKitsune]

I never thought Kiyoteru sounded even remotely similar to Kaito to begin with

Oh so it's not just me? I don't see how you could mistake those two tbh

And on another similar topic, I remember people immediately dismissing Uni once her voice was showcased because... she sounded like a bunch of the Japanese Vocaloids already. When that... literally didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that she sounded different from SeeU, and she does, and yet people really went out there claiming that Uni had a bland and basic voice. I don't care what your actual opinion of her voice is but god don't compare Vocaloids from different languages to each other

I have NEVER understood that tbh, I'm not a fan of UNI's vocal tone (or most vocaloids of that sort) but like, UNI and say, Nana aren't even in the same market. It'd be like saying uh, a car is bad because you've seen buses drive too? (I can't think of a good comparison tho)

Tbh, I think the big problem with saying vocaloids sound similar that is getting danced around here is, to take the most obvious example:
There are people (some on this very server) who adore Chika. Ask them how many times they've seen people say she's bad because she sounds like Gumi. Ask them.

Most of the common comparisons, the people who like the vocaloids are aware and they are incredibly sick of hearing about it, and hearing the banks criticized for it.

 

[cafenurse]

My problem with people comparing Vocaloids to each other is when they're like "this vocaloid sounds like *five vocaloids put together*"
Legit when Rana was released one of the top comments on a demo of hers was "She sounds like Miku, Rin, and Lapis with a sprinkle of Yukari" a SPRINKLE
i didnt realize new vocaloids had to be made out of a recipe book "ah yes 3/4 cups of miku, a dollop of sachiko, and finish it off with a dash of ia and now we have meika hime"
this stuff legit doesnt even make sense to me like i get going "oh she sounds like rin" but like 8 vocaloids mashed together??? what kind of science

oop just realized rylitah just said the same thing rip....well enjoy my hot take on it too

 

[DefiantKitsune]

IDK if it's true or not but I will NEVER not laugh at the story of Lapis being accused of being a ripoff of Kaito's genderbend

 

[TheStarPalace]

It's not inherently bad to compare things but it often comes from a negative place and it just feels like needless insults sometimes.
I relate to Kitsune's comment though, I remember when Songman was released and everyone called him "V4 Leon" or even suggested they had the same VP (which is...impossible since I thought Yamaha said Songman's VP was American?). Anyways, Leon was long discontinued. Isn't it a good thing that we could have a similar voice type for a newer engine? I always liked Leon anyways, so I wasn't complaining.
With Uni, I think people just kinda evaluated her based on her general design/voicetype without considering the other important factors...the vocaloid community is pretty separated by language, and every company tried to appeal to the market they're in. Simple as that.
I realized I haven't really put any opinions here, but I complain enough about vocaloid comparisons for people to know my thoughts .

 

[cafenurse]

IDK if it's true or not but I will NEVER not laugh at the story of Lapis being accused of being a ripoff of Kaito's genderbend

smh she clearly was they both have BLUE hair dont u know only kaitos genderbend can have blue hair...lapis is a SCAM


Also I've noticed, usually years ago I dont see this much anymore, people used to call all vocaloids ripoffs of any vocaloid that had a similar color scheme no matter how different the designs were. As a Lily fan I saw "her design is a rip off of the kagamines" countless times, but I lost it when someone told me Sonikas design looks like a rip off of Gumi. I think we're at a point now where theres so many voice synths and only so many color palettes to choose from that this argument isnt as frequent...but boy it was really annoying in 2012

 

[sunsun-o]

oof I'm back and I wanna comment on something:

- I think it's really disappointing that after so many years duets in vocaloid are still so samey. Like, most of the duets are X, X and X. I mean, I undertand if people only buy cryptonloids, but I've seen so many producers with LOTS of different voicebanks but stick with the same popular duets. Not a critic to those that like these duets, I just would like to see more daring duets with unpopular voicebanks.

Alsooo, I really don't understand these conceptions of "these characters are conterparts so their singing is the best when singing with eachother!" (oddly specific I know). Most of the time I see this happen with MEIKO/KAITO, Rin/Len and I mean, yeah kinda. Most of them can harmonize pretty well but honestly, that isn't enough to save a song. (I think shipping wars also has a effect on this opinion tho)

 

[ikaroll]

I don’t really get the hype with Vocaloid shipping and, well, I think it’s kinda dumb

None of them have personalities or anything. Only an age, name, and height/weight
I mean, I understand it happening with UTAU, but that’s another story

 

[Leon]

I can get that, but at the same time I think half the fun of Vocaloids not having personalities is that you can give them whatever personalities you want, given their voice and (lack of?) design. So I totally get why shipping became a big thing.

 

[Rylitah]

I don’t really get the hype with Vocaloid shipping and, well, I think it’s kinda dumb

None of them have personalities or anything. Only an age, name, and height/weight
I mean, I understand it happening with UTAU, but that’s another story

I've said this to someone recently on Vocaloid Amino, but most Vocaloids these days do have official personalities and backgrounds. Only Crypton, Internet, sometimes Yamaha (some do, some don't) and western companies have "blank slate" Vocaloids -- almost every other company (there will always be exceptions like Piko and SeeUni, though even Uni has more official info than others) have come up with all sorts of official material for their characters. Opinions may vary on this since people may see it as useless, but I actually prefer it; it's easier to market them as actual characters this way and it gives people more to like. It worked for Miku and the rest of the Cryptons because of how things were back then, but these days if you want to have any chance at being a successful character... you actually have to be a character.

Plus, like Leon said, for those who don't have anything official (and even for those who do - Vocaloid's a rare fandom where you can just throw canon right out the window and almost no one will care), there's a lot of fun in coming up with your own personalities for them. I've seen so many people say that shipping Vocaloids is weird since they're just virtual instruments and "would you ship a guitar with a bass?" If they became gijinkas and given personalities, yeah, I would. It's not a weird concept at all, at least not to me.

 

[ikaroll]

I've said this to someone recently on Vocaloid Amino, but most Vocaloids these days do have official personalities and backgrounds. Only Crypton, Internet, sometimes Yamaha (some do, some don't) and western companies have "blank slate" Vocaloids -- almost every other company (there will always be exceptions like Piko and SeeUni, though even Uni has more official info than others) have come up with all sorts of official material for their characters. Opinions may vary on this since people may see it as useless, but I actually prefer it; it's easier to market them as actual characters this way and it gives people more to like. It worked for Miku and the rest of the Cryptons because of how things were back then, but these days if you want to have any chance at being a successful character... you actually have to be a character.

Plus, like Leon said, for those who don't have anything official (and even for those who do - Vocaloid's a rare fandom where you can just throw canon right out the window and almost no one will care), there's a lot of fun in coming up with your own personalities for them. I've seen so many people say that shipping Vocaloids is weird since they're just virtual instruments and "would you ship a guitar with a bass?" If they became gijinkas and given personalities, yeah, I would. It's not a weird concept at all, at least not to me.

Ah right. Forgot about that
I was just thinking about companies like Crypton then haha
But you do make a good point

 

[ikaroll]

I think Kaori doesn't sound that awfully similar to Len. Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with people calling "x" vocaloid similar to another and this isn't coming from a place of anger, it's just that it had to be literally pointed out to me that she resembles Len and that was after me using her for several months already now I definitely do see some similarities and they have the same voice type but I think she has enough unique qualities that differentiate her from Len.

Now that I think about it she does sound like Len a bit. Not much, but enough that I can hear it. (She still sounds really nice though)
(How do you merge posts?)
SPEAKING OF LEN...I think I’ve already mentioned that I’m not a big fan of his voice, but it’s SO FREAKING hard to scroll through Vocaloid songs without coming across a song with his voice. It’s really annoying. What I’m saying is...I think he might be slightly overused

 

[Leon]

^ all the Cryptons are overused. It's just a fact of life and I'm OK with it now, though it used to annoy me.

Though I still get irritated when people say how underused/unloved Meiko is. Saying Meiko is unpopular is like saying the Ninth Doctor is unpopular -- maybe the least popular of the most popular group, yes, but still leagues above most others!

 

[___]

SPEAKING OF LEN...I think I’ve already mentioned that I’m not a big fan of his voice, but it’s SO FREAKING hard to scroll through Vocaloid songs without coming across a song with his voice. It’s really annoying. What I’m saying is...I think he might be slightly overused

^ all the Cryptons are overused. It's just a fact of life and I'm OK with it now, though it used to annoy me.

I would say that Len ( and Rin ) are especially popular choice among western hobbyists like us, from what I've seen for many just starting out they're usually their favorite vbs and a go-to. So I personally agree with the sentiment that they're overused ( personally it doesn't bother me that much tho, Rin/Len arent a huge favorites of mine by any means but I do like them )...at least here... among japanese producers that would be Miku but yup compared to others all the cryptonloids are overused overall

 

[ikaroll]

Out of the v1/v3 box arts for Kaito and Meiko, the v1 box arts have to be my favorite.
First off, they actually don’t look too bad, and they look really cartoony, which I like. Just look at them!

The v3 box arts look like the rest of the Cryptonloid’s box art and...idk, I just don’t like the recent box art much

 

[peaches2217]

Out of the v1/v3 box arts for Kaito and Meiko, the v1 box arts have to be my favorite.

I like Kaito's V1 design better than his V3 design as well! (It's the pants.) Meiko, though, I prefer her V3 to her V1. I love them both, but her V3 outfit just hits different and I really like it.

 

[ikaroll]

I like Kaito's V1 design better than his V3 design as well! (It's the pants.)

I do agree. The pants are better on his v1 design.
Here are some more of my vocaloid design opinions:
-I like Gumi’s v2 and v3 designs (but not v4)
-I don’t like Miku’s Append design
-Why does Rin’s Future Style design need to exist?
-Macne Nana’s v4 design is MUCH better than her UTAU/v3 design
-Lumi’s design is precious and I love it!
-Can someone explain to me why Sweet Ann’s v2 design has the blazing fires of Hell on her box?
Aight Imma head out now

 

[peaches2217]

I do agree. The pants are better on his v1 design.
Here are some more of my vocaloid design opinions:
-I like Gumi’s v2 and v3 designs (but not v4)
-I don’t like Miku’s Append design
-Why does Rin’s Future Style design need to exist?
-Macne Nana’s v4 design is MUCH better than her UTAU/v3 design
-Lumi’s design is precious and I love it!
Aight Imma head out now

I actually agree with all of these except the Gumi and Miku things. Gumi's V4 designs are my favorites! I was personally never a fan of her V3 designs. Her clothes seemed ill-fitting.

Miku's Append design had its issues for sure, but I don't just outright dislike it. My personal least favorite of her designs is her V4; her hair's so thin and wispy, and they added details to her outfit that seem more cluttered than anything (like those little plastic-looking tabs near her armpits). One of my favorite things about her NT Beta design is how thick and voluminous her hair is - as someone on YouTube said, "It's like she snatched Yamaha's wig on the way out."

And while we're on the topic of Vocaloid designs: I don't like Luka's V4 design. Her hair is thinner than Miku's, which, I get it, thin hair is a thing, the way it's designed makes it look like she just has a bunch of strands of hair that don't really come together to form, well, hair. Her headphones are big and bulky and the rest of her outfit just... I dunno, I've just never liked it.

EDIT: It's the top. I like her V4X skirt, but the top doesn't match it at all. Also I prefer Flower's V3 design to her V4 and I'm sad literally no one uses it anymore and okay that's it I'll shut up now.

 

[ikaroll]

One of my favorite things about her NT Beta design is how thick and voluminous her hair is - as someone on YouTube said, "It's like she snatched Yamaha's wig on the way out."

And while we're on the topic of Vocaloid designs: I don't like Luka's V4 design. Her hair is thinner than Miku's, which, I get it, thin hair is a thing, the way it's designed makes it look like she just has a bunch of strands of hair that don't really come together to form, well, hair. Her headphones are big and bulky and the rest of her outfit just... I dunno, I've just never liked it.

Ah right, forgot about Luka’s v4 design. Never liked that one, tbh. It just looks...slightly...uhhh, I don’t want to say it, but yeah, it just makes me a bit uncomfortable JUST LOOKING at it. There’s a reason I prefer her v2 design. (The reason I don’t like her v4 is the same reason I don’t like Nana’s UTAU/v3 design. I don’t want breasts to be the first thing I see when looking at a character)

And yeah Miku NT’s hair does look better than her v2-v4 designs’ hair combined. Although we really haven’t gotten any other parts of her design yet, I have a feeling it’ll look nice