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Gackt Sings 2 Vocaloid Songs for July CD Single
posted on by Egan Loo
The musician and occasional anime voice actor Gackt will release his 39th new CD single on July 13 with two songs — both of which were originally performed with the synthesized Vocaloid version of Gackt's own voice. The video-sharing website Nico Nico Douga announced this collaboration with Gackt at its "Nico Nico Daikagi 2011 in Taiwan -Kansha•Kangeki•Kandō•Taiwan-" fan appreciation event in Taipei on Sunday.
The "Episode. O" single will feature the song of the same name that the user mathru@KanimisoP posted on Nico Nico Douga. For the vocals, KanimisoP originally used "Gackpoid" — a software package with YAMAHA Corporation's Vocaloid engine and voice samples from Gackt. Similar to Crypton Future Media's Hatsune Miku, ordinary computer users can create entirely new songs by typing lyrics and musical notes in Gackpoid. Berserk manga creator Kentarō Miura drew Gackpoid's package illustration of the "Kamui Gakupo" character in the image of Gackt.
Not only did Gackpoid's developer allow noncommercial derivative works, but Gackt held a "Gackpoid Contest" among Nico Nico users when he appeared on the Nico Nico Live program in June of 2009. "Episode. 0" won the grand prize, and the "Paranoid Doll" song by natsu (SCL Project) was the runner-up. Gackt had promised on the Nico Nico Live program that he would record the songs with his own voice, and the upcoming single has both songs.
The limited first pressing of the CD single will feature a DVD in which Gackt recreates a live-action version of the "Episode. 0" music video (see below).
(To turn off the superimposed comments in the videos, select the word balloon icon in the bottom right corner of the video.)
Gackt performed theme songs for Texhnolyze and two of his childhood favorite franchises, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Fist of the North Star. He also voiced the character Seiji in the New Fist of the North Star videos, Seishirō Kirishiki in Shiki, Andy in Supernatural the Animation, and Kenshin Uesugi in Tono to Issho.
Source: Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web
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