Dec 12, 2010
The Maker Unofficial: Hatsune Mix is a compilation of short stories intended for comic relief for the Vocaloid admirer. Drawn and written by KEI - character designer for Crypton Future Media's Vocaloid2: Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin/Len and Megurine Luka - it is the ultimate example of "Why let good character concepts go to waste?" After all... Would you be satisfied with creating just a boxart?
Because of KEI's characters being only said five and a story being quite lacking with only 5 characters, KEI has added more of the Vocaloid family (MEIKO and KAITO being good examples). However, because they were not his design, their names
...
are never stated.
Begin the review:
~Story: 5~
As a long time admirer of the Vocaloid culture, finding this manga was heavenly for me. But try as I like, there were times I simply could not cope with the story(-ies). Some were cute and light hearted. Some were awkward and weird. But mostly; they were just plain outrageous.
Thumbs up if you like sillyness! Otherwise, TO THE ART!
~Art: 8~
Yes, the art in Hatsune Mix is very, very good. You can almost feel why KEI was selected by Crypton to present the boxart. It is simple yet gorgeous, two traits which I favor in manga far before heavy, overwhelming scenes.
If you need yourself a good smile or you're looking for inspiration for your fanmade Vocaloid - it's ALWAYS best to check the very heart and soul of the subject.
~Character: 9~
Let me put this simply: Vocaloid is a program. It has no personality at all, and the only thing you can judge the looks on is the boxart. Because of this fact, KEI must have had some problems with personalities. You should expect to see plenty of stereotypes, but NEVER go around saying that your favorite Vocaloid is out of character - it never had one in the first place. In the stories, however, they don't seem to be interpreted as actual human beings, but as robots of some sort. You will notice sentences like "So she's one of those Vocaloid things... Cool"
A quick list:
- Hatsune Miku: The 16 year old songstress with a vocal range human beings can only dream to match. She is insanely famous and behaves accordingly but as with the others, she is clouded in mystery, being not at all human.
- Kagamine Rin/Len: The 14 year old mirror images (Note: NOT TWINS). They portray Right and Left, and are two sides of the same coin. For this reason they are both polar opposites but inseparable nonetheless. They have a huge twin complex and cannot sing without the other.
- KAITO and MEIKO: Adult father and mother figures of the house.
~Enjoyment: 8~
Although the story was plain ridicule, this manga is a goldmine for every Vocaloid fan or producer. It gives nothing but pure enjoyment to the fandom: No special pairings or anything. It is extremely innocent, light hearted and humorous. Recommended for a late night read, a boring school day, or any time you need a little smile.
~OVERALL~
A huge 7.
Definitely a must have/read for Vocaloid enthusiasts, but maybe a slightly disappointing for a true fanatic. That is why I chop 3 off; it was fantastic, sure. But it didn't wow me in any way.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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