YouTuber Nagomi of Nakonako cp has been chosen as the image model for FuRyu’s PURIMANIA purikura machine. The machines will be installed at entertainment facilities nationwide starting in early October.

The new model offers an exciting new sticker printing experience, with advanced retouching and makeup functions. Visitors can still look forward to the fun analog feel of creating and printing their own original stickers.

Nagomi visuals will be featured on the exterior of each machine.

The rookie vocal VTuber group ester eight released their fifth pre-release single BUZZ on all major streaming services on February 22.

Written, composed, and arranged by Hi-ra, the track is a highly danceable song blending J-pop and EDM, revealing a new side of the up-and-coming group.

ester eight will soon make its major label debut. The song is a means to increase their buzz before moving on to the next stage of their careers.

Original goods will be released to commemorate the new track, and a YouTube Live will be held on February 25.

Check out new comments from the members below!

Member Comments

Hiro Shirai

“I’m just so incredibly happy. At the same time, I know that our responsibilities and expectations will only continue to increase day by day. BUZZ has a bit of a hip-hop feel, which is super refreshing. Each member really shows off their personality and role, so we hope you can feel ester eight’s potential. Listen to it a ton, please!”

Teru Mikado

“ester eight’s fifth single is called BUZZ!! It’s a low-pitched, groovy song that really shows off how sexy the members can be. Listen to it as much as you can and make sure you generate some BUZZ for us!”

Shun Turigane

“Our fifth original song is finally here! Another complete change from the previous songs– just how much potential does ester eight have?! Please listen and have a ton of fun with it! Buzz it buzz it…buzz it buzz it…!!!”

Souma Musumi

“BUZZ is ester eight’s fifth original song. It’s a sexy song with a little bit of a dark vibe, so please be sure to check it out!”

Kanade Hiumi

“Our fifth original song is BUZZ. It has a totally different atmosphere from the previous four songs we’ve released and it really highlights the cool and dark side of our group. Be sure to listen!”

De Miera

“BUZZ, our fifth original song, has been released! This is your chance to see an entirely different side of us, so be sure to listen to this super cool track!”

Mao Roen

Our fifth pre-debut song, BUZZ, is here!! It’s a drastic change from our past songs, and I think you’ll finally see how cool we can really be! This track really pushes the limit, so I hope everyone will give it a listen!”

moca

“Our fifth single BUZZ is a fast and furious gung-ho, boom-boom, flashy track that you won’t want to stop listening to! By the way, I performed the sexy, cute, and cool role again this time. Huh? You don’t know what I mean? Listen and you’ll find out!”

VERSEⁿ is a VTuber project that travels through various stories. Through cross-media content such as live streaming, anime, music, illustrations, novels, and manga, the project aims to weave a story of the past, present, and future of the VERSEⁿ world together for fans.

Late last year, VTuber Kashi Otoha announced during a live broadcast that a new song was in production to commemorate her 100,000th subscriber.

Otoha’s new single Signal will be released digitally on February 15. The track was composed and written by Uztama, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter and composer.

An iTunes download campaign is also underway to commemorate the song’s release. Those who preorder Signal on iTunes between February 8 and February 14 will receive an original standby screen image with a comment from Kashi Otoha herself.

Keina Suda, also known by his Vocaloid producer name Balloon, has been rising in popularity with the release of the music video for his new track Darling. On May 24, he’ll release his second full album Ghost Pop, and his track Hana ni Kaze is being used to promote Hatsune Miku’s 360 Reality Audio Experience at the Sony Store. This catchy track will be released on all major streaming services on February 10, 2023. In addition, the cover for the song, created by Avogado6,  has also been revealed.

The song was created exclusively as the campaign song for Sony Store’s exclusive Walkman and accompanying headphones featuring exclusive Hatsune Miku designs by Avogado 6. These are available to order now, and starting January 27, Sony Store locations are offering a new listening experience, allowing guests to enjoy Hana ni Kaze with Sony’s 3D Reality Audio.

In addition to this listening experience, a special viewing event was held in theater rooms, making guests feel as though they were at a live concert. Reservations were required to participate.

Visit the official Sony website for more information!

Hoshimachi Suisei, a popular member of the Hololive VTuber group, released her long-awaited second album Specter on January 25, 2023. The album is available for purchase on CD and digitally.

On January 20, Suisei performed her song Stellar Stellar on the YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE, making her the first VTuber to do so. The video trended worldwide, pulling in over 160,000 views during its premiere and over 5 million views within three days.

Suisei’s first album, Still Still Stellar, was released in September 2021. It reached the top spot on numerous charts including the Oricon Weekly Digital Album Ranking and the Billboard JAPAN Downloaded Albums Ranking.

This second album contains 11 songs written by several incredible creators including Ayase, Jin, Tomoya Tabuchi, Nanahoshi Orchestra, and more!

Hoshimachi Suisei

A forever 18 VTuber who deeply loves singing and idols. Her dream is to one day hold a live concert at Nippon Budokan.

With 1.7 million subscribers on YouTube and over 1.1 million followers on Twitter, she’s a true star on the rise.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5CwaMl1eIgY8h02uZw7u8A
Twitter: https://twitter.com/suisei_hosimati

In May 2021, the NIJISANJI EN project appeared as a part of the overall umbrella of NIJISANJI VTubers. This April, these English-speaking talents will hold their first live event titled COLORS. A total of 19 performers will appear on April 8 and 9, with the Pastel Stage being held on the 8th and the Vivid Stage being held on the 9th. Don’t miss these fully 3D AR performances!

Online tickets are on sale now, and fans can buy tickets for either a single day or the full two days. The performances can be watched as many times as you like during the viewing period, and the first part of the event will be broadcast for free on YouTube and Nico Nico Live.

For four days only starting in February 2023, fans of Hatsune Miku will want to take an incredible night cruise around Tokyo Bay. The virtual singer will collaborate with the popular Tokyo Bay Night Cruise which travels between Yokohama and Tokyo. The event will include special tickets, exclusive bonuses for guests, collaborative goods, and onboard decorations. Collaborative goods will be available to purchase on the ship or from the Shimapochi online store.

Outline

Dates: February 19, February 26, March 5, March 12

Night Cruise Itinerary:

Osanbashi, Yokohama / Check-in 16:00-18:00

Osanbashi, Yokohama / Departure 18:10, Enjoy the night view from the ship

Takeshiba Wharf, Tokyo / Arrival 19:45

*Guests will be led by a special MC narrating the night scenery. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase.

Special Ticket Fare:

Adults ¥2,000 / Children ¥1,500 (Includes consumption tax and fuel price adjusted for inflation)

[Includes Hatsune Miku Collaboration Sticker and Postcard (6 varieties, random)]

Special tickets featuring Hatsune Miku will only be available to those reserving their spot online. Reservations can be made two months prior to the boarding date. Space is extremely limited, so grab a spot while you can!

Those not interested in bonuses can also enjoy a night cruise during this period, with adult tickets costing ¥1,000 and children’s tickets costing ¥500. More details will be released at a later date.

Snow Miku has teamed up with Sanrio’s popular character Kuromi to promote the beautiful prefecture of Hokkaido! A new collection of goods went on sale starting December 14, 2022. 

Goods

Clear Folder

Pen with Clip

Mini Sign Board

Mini Towel (Set of 2)

Pin

Framed Magnet with Stand

Sticker

T-Shirt

Tapestry

Acrylic Stand

Acrylic Keychain

Rubber Keychain

Silver Foil 2-Layer Magnet

Snow Miku debuted during the Sapporo Snow Festival in 2010 when an incredible snow sculpture of Hatsune Miku was unveiled. Ever since then, Snow Miku festivals have popped up in Hokkaido each winter, and the character dons costumes designed by popular internet creators.

Kuromi is back this year, with Miku’s outfit dyed black and tons of adorable art featuring the rock ‘n roll character. The life-size version of Miku was designed by illustrator PiPi, and the chibi character was designed by illustrator Yoi. Between Miku’s cute idol energy and Kuromi’s edginess, this is the perfect collab for all audiences!

The items are available in two versions: Day, featuring Hokkaido’s beautiful landscapes covered in snow, and Night, featuring twinkling winter lights. 

Don’t miss out on these exclusive items!

The cities of Hirosaki and Hakodate in Hokkaido have announced that they will team up with Hatsune Miku’s popular iteration Snow Miku to promote tourism in the area this winter. A number of activities will begin in December 2022.

[Snow Miku x Hirohako] Collaboration Project

■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Poster Featuring Snow Miku

・Period: Mid-November~February 28, 2023

・Locations: Facilities in both cities, tourist facilities, hotels, shopping areas

■Snow Miku Illustration Contest Exhibition Event

Over 50 illustrations have been submitted under the theme of Snow Miku and Hakodate / Snow Miku and Hirosaki. These will be on display through the winter!

・Running: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Venues: Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center (Hirosaki)
                    Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse (Hakodate)

■Snow Miku Photo Spot

Snow Miku panels featuring shamisen and apples from Hirosaki will be on display, while the Hakodate version will include references to squid fishing and footbaths. 

・On Display: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: JR Hirosaki Station, Chuohirosaki Station (Hirosaki)
                        JR Hakodate Station, Hakodate Airport (Hakodate)

■Digital Stamp Rally Using the Mikunavi App

A number of panels will be installed at five checkpoints in Hirosaki and Hakodate. A total of 1,000 people–500 in each city–will win original merch including a Snow Miku mask case and decorated masking tape. All you need to do is check in!

・Available: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: (Hirosaki) Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center, Hirosaki City Machinaka  Information Center,

                         Hirosaki Tourist Information Center, Hirosaki Castle Information Center, Tsugaru-han Neputa Village

　　　　　　(Hakodate) Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, Yunokawa Hot Spring Footbath, Goryōkaku Tower,

Hakodate Green Plaza C Block (Hakodate Lumi-Pop), Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward

■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Theme Song and Music Video 

The tourism theme song will get a new music video that will be broadcast on YouTube, at local tourist facilities, and on TV and radio!

・On Air: December 1, 2022~

・Theme Song: Mahou no Keshiki (Lyrics/Composition: ryuryu)

■Snow Miku Welcome Announcements to be Broadcast at Tourism Facilities, etc. 

A one-minute welcome announcement by Snow Miku will air at tourist facilities!

・Running: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: Tourist areas in both cities

■Snow Miku Filters Using AR

When each barcode is scanned with a smartphone, Snow Miku will appear on the screen! Visitors can take pictures with Snow Miku to commemorate their winter trip to Hirosaki and Hakodate.

・Available: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku is a popular iOS/Android rhythm game and music from the title has become incredibly popular. The third single from the group Leo/need featuring the tracks From Tokyo and Ryuusei no Pulse was released on November 16, 2022. 

From Tokyo is a refreshing and powerful ballad originally sung by Hatsune Miku, while Ryuusei no Pulse was originally sung by Kagamine Len.

These tracks are sure to get stuck in your head, so check them out!

First-Edition Production Bonus

Original Trading Card (5 varieties, 1 per purchase)

1 Weiß Schwarz Special PR Card (1 variety)

First-Come, First-Served Purchase Bonus

B2-size Announcement Poster

*Available while supplies last. 
**Certain shops will offer unique purchase bonuses. 

© SEGA/© CP/© CFM

Virtual songstress Hatsune Miku will tour Japan in 2023! Hatsune Miku JAPAN TOUR 2023 ~THUNDERBOLT~ will begin in Nagoya in February 2023 and will travel to Osaka, Fukuoka, Tokyo, Sapporo, and other cities in Japan. Miku won’t be the only one performing–Rin and Len Kagamine, Luka Megurine, MEIKO, and KAITO will also appear! The online lottery for tickets will open on November 18 at noon and will end on December 5 at 23:59.

Featuring a Main Visual by Aki Akane and Theme Song by jon-YAKITORY

The main visual for the tour was drawn by popular illustrator Aki Akane and features a futuristic and extremely dynamic portrait of Hatsune Miku herself.

The event theme song, titled THUNDERBOLT, will be performed by music creator jon-YAKITORY. This will be released at a later date, so stay tuned!

Original merchandise will also be available during the tour, so keep an eye on the official website and Twitter page for more details as the tour’s start date gets closer!

Our National Treasures: 150 Years in the Future is a new exhibition at Tokyo National Museum, and everyone’s favorite virtual diva is making an appearance! Crypton Future Media is helping to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the museum by submitting Hatsune Miku as a potential candidate for a national treasure 150 years in the future. The exhibition opened on November 2 and will run until January 29, 2023 inside the Hyokeikan at the Tokyo National Museum.

The exhibition is the first event being held to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the museum and is the first exhibition in the museum’s history to be held in an open-call format. The Hyokeikan, an Important Cultural Property, represents the Western-style architecture that was in vogue during the late Meiji period. Treasures collected from both individuals and companies will be displayed as candidates for what could become national treasures in another 150 years.

The exhibition is divided into individual and corporate submissions, with the general section displaying a variety of treasures selected from entries from all over Japan. The corporate section features important products and technology that have been responsible for the development of Japanese society, food, clothing, and housing culture, as well as examples of entertainment and sports culture from Japan that has gained popularity around the world.

Hatsune Miku has been added as a potential candidate, as the virtual singer has inspired people from around the world to become more creative.

In conjunction with the exhibition, collaborative products are also on sale. The Museum Shop inside the Tokyo National Museum’s Main Gate Plaza and the online store are now selling these unique Hatsune Miku products, so grab them while you can.

What will Japanese culture look like in another 150 years?