UlasanAnime.com – This article captures thoughts from May 12, 2011, detailing two distinct events: Aya Hirano’s appearance at Forbidden Planet in New York City and the upcoming Hatsune Miku festival at Anime Expo.
The author begins by mentioning the Aya Hirano event, noting its location at Forbidden Planet, a store described as having a similar dense arrangement to the Strand bookstore, implying a cramped shopping experience akin to Akihabara.
Contrary to a rumored 5 PM start, the event actually commenced around 6:30 PM. The delay was attributed to Hirano and her crew filming at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the notorious New York City traffic.
The filming process is likened to an episode of “Otaku Versus Zero,” where Hirano, like the show’s host, went out to gather content. The crew was small, consisting of about seven people, including camera operators, a boom operator, and assistants.
The initial crowd was predominantly young, with some business professionals joining later. The delayed start caused some attendees to leave due to prior commitments, reducing the already modest crowd to about a dozen people.
Hirano engaged in a partially scripted interaction with a store clerk and answered questions from a few attendees. Before the Q&A, she browsed and pointed at merchandise, including a large Haruhi Suzumiya dakimakura prominently displayed near the anime/manga section on the second floor of the store.
Following the Q&A, Hirano interacted with the fans, took pictures, and signed items before being escorted away. She also demonstrated four different voices, one of which was identified as Pachira from “Pany Pany Magical Girl Kirara.”
The author then discusses the spread of information regarding Hirano’s visit, attributing the initial leak to someone who tweeted about it. This tweet was subsequently picked up and retweeted by Scott Green of AICN/CR News, and then reported on by Japanator.com and eventually Anime News Network.
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A backstory was overheard concerning the low-profile nature of Hirano’s visit, suggesting that such information, even if intended to be discreet, eventually circulates within the anime community and online forums like 2ch.
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The second topic discussed is Anime Expo’s Hatsune Miku festival, with a comparison drawn between Miku, Kalafina, and Scandal. While acknowledging the appeal of Kalafina’s music, the author finds the Miku concert more compelling due to its unique holographic projection technology.
This Miku performance is noted as being the third or fourth time a genuine holographic projection of this nature has been presented globally, suggesting a more significant production this time, despite Toyota’s involvement.
The author humorously speculates on the practicality of holographic guests, noting they don’t require physical space or amenities like green rooms, even when including other Vocaloids like Len, Ren, and Luka alongside Miku.
The production of the Miku festival is highlighted by the presence of a dedicated production committee, further evidenced by behind-the-scenes footage that the author found unsurprising.
Regarding the collaboration between Miku and Toyota, the author references a Wall Street Journal blog post that delves into the business aspects of this partnership, suggesting that while car enthusiasts might not be interested in Corollas, their female counterparts might have aspirations that align with the virtual idol’s image.
