Otaku culture utilized in the car industry.

[Tri-ring]

Most of you especially people from the US witnessed the apex of Otaku culture invade the 3 dimension US otaku culture, cars with Toyota appointing Hatsune Miku, a vocaloid(that really have not made it's formal debut in the US yet), to star in their brand new TV commercial to promote their sub-compact COROLLA sedan to the audience.

It records 600K views on youtube and growing.

Car enthusiasts may have seen this coming with more and more "Itasha" hitting the circuit and roaming the streets of Japan.

Now Subaru is trying to cash-in even greater as they have launched a promotion tying up with Gainax to create an anime called "Hokago no Pleiades(放課後のプレデイアス)" or "Pleiades after school" it is a four part anime and is loaded on the youtube for people to watch.

There was an interview(sorry only in Japanese) concerning this project.

http://ascii.jp/elem/000/000/598/598399/

This boom may stay for a while as Toyota had announced that they will sponsor Hatsune Miku's debut concert in the US on July 2nd at the Nokia Theater.

http://dt.business.nifty.com/articles/3488.html

http://mikufes.com/post/en/24/Hatsun...s+Angeles.html

[Sumeragi]

Can I say this is one of the most ridiculous car commercials I've seen?

[Vexx]

Ah, but it succeeds if it plants a virus in the viewing public's mind... no matter how absurd. That's the marketing chant anyway.

I'm very curious to see how this anime+car partnering fares in the US... its not impossible that there's actual synergy, but my gut feel is that it happened 3 or 4 years late (before the multiple economic and tech sector crashes).

[Lost Cause]

It might just work! I especially like the Gainax version myself.

[DonQuigleone]

I can see the Hatsune Miku thing working in Japanese, to a Japanese audience. But in English?

[JokerD]

Maybe otakus are the only ones still willing to spend money in this economic climate.
Also there's no social stigma associated with anime otakus in the west. Some even see it as a badge of honor.

[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by JokerD

Maybe otakus are the only ones still willing to spend money in this economic climate.
Also there's no social stigma associated with anime otakus in the west. Some even see it as a badge of honor.

Ehhh, considering so many people think it's all kid's stuff/porn I'm not sure if that's true...

[Sumeragi]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

I can see the Hatsune Miku thing working in Japanese, to a Japanese audience. But in English?

It's a concert, so if Miku was an actual person, it would work, assuming she can speak English to get her point across in interviews and stuff.

[Kyuu]

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

It's a concert, so if Miku was an actual person, it would work, assuming she can speak English to get her point across in interviews and stuff.

Here's a sample of her English skills.

Spoiler:

What do you think?

Originally Posted by Tri-ring

http://mikufes.com/post/en/24/Hatsun...s+Angeles.html

Anime Expo? Miku concert?!

What?!

I can't go. Oh so sad now... ;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;

[Tri-ring]

I believe they are developing a version that sings English not Engrish.

They will probably use it at the concert to announce it to the English speaking Miku fan community.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Ah, but it succeeds if it plants a virus in the viewing public's mind... no matter how absurd. That's the marketing chant anyway.

I'm very curious to see how this anime+car partnering fares in the US... its not impossible that there's actual synergy, but my gut feel is that it happened 3 or 4 years late (before the multiple economic and tech sector crashes).

Well remember who the market is. They're targeting younger buyers, the 30's and under crowd, who grew up with a lot of anime and anime influenced products, video games, and are (especially the so called "millennium" generation) much more tech oriented.

Anime+car partnering is a bit strange in the US, but now's as good a time as any imo. Younger people probably don't remember older Fake Bands and acts like Ziggy Stardust/Spinal Tap, but they are familiar with stuff like Gorillaz and Dethklok, among others.

Anyway, people are going to buy Corollas anyway, and I don't think tying Miku to it will hurt, and if it gets more people in the West aware of some of the cooler things Japan brings out (and not just stupid blips like crap about rape games and nuclear fallouts*), all the better.



*not making light of the disaster, just the overreaction in the West about it.

[Vexx]

I'd actually just like to see this concert... as much for anthropological and technical reasons as anything else (just to observe the event).

[HasuMasu]

I'd actually just like to see this concert... as much for anthropological and technical reasons as anything else (just to observe the event).

wait wait wait, how could they do a concert?

some dude wearing a miku costume?

[Solace]

Originally Posted by Da_Box

wait wait wait, how could they do a concert?

some dude wearing a miku costume?

Like this:

[HasuMasu]

Originally Posted by Solace

Like this:

oh god

but wait, is that...a hologram? DO WE HAVE THOSE!!!???

what next, jetpacks!!!????

[Solace]

Originally Posted by Da_Box

oh god

but wait, is that...a hologram? DO WE HAVE THOSE!!!???

what next, jetpacks!!!????

I'm glad you asked!

[TurkeyPotPie]

God, that's terrible. Like a bunch of old Buick ad executives trying to figure out how to appeal to "dem yoots".

[JMvS]

Originally Posted by Solace

Like this:

As forecasted in S1m0ne, welcome to the new world, where flesh and bones actors, stars and the like are obsolote.

[HasuMasu]

As forecasted in S1m0ne, welcome to the new world, where flesh and bones actors, stars and the like are obsolote.

is it a hologram or not?

[JMvS]

Originally Posted by Da_Box

is it a hologram or not?

Yup, hologram performer on stage.