#i don't listen to VOCALOID as much as i used to

[silverskye13]

Would you ever think of voice claims for the RnS characters? (Asking because I am god awful at imagining their voices)

I'm not the best person to ask about this because I choose voices based on songs, generally speaking? So I don't have like, actors or voice actors in my head for them. I can give you the songs I associate with their voices? If that helps?

Too much under the cut tbh.

Tanguish:

I associate his voice with singers like CG5, LeGrande. His voice to me is in the higher range, with a little bit of a crack/rasp to it, especially when he whispers or speaks in the lower register of his voice. He's expressive. He gets soft and loud and soft again, with a variety of pitches and tones. His stutter mostly appears on hard consonants, ts ds and ps, because when he's nervous his teeth chatter. He tends to downturn his sentences so they sound apologetic.

Songs: Give A Little [CG5, LeGrande], Run Little Hero [LeGrande], Dancing After Death [Matt Maeson], You're Not Welcome [Naethan Apollo]

Tango:

Sounds like Tangotek, though he's considerably more tired, especially at the start of the fic. I recommend listening to some of the late night Decked Out II streams for the vibe I'm thinking of. It's more calm than his YouTube videos, and he tends to drop his voice lower as the stream goes on.

Helsknight:

Helsknight is a little harder to pin down because I don't have a clear of a voice for him in my head, and I don't think he can sing? So all those song voice claims don't work as well. He sounds angry. He sounds like he yells a lot. His voice is deeper, and it growls. Man has gravel in his voice box. Think 90s alt rock singer growl.

Songs: Intro III [NF, a little too high in pitch, but this is the cadence/anger level I picture when he's shouting. This is how he and Wels argue.], The Wolf in Your Darkest Room [Matthew Mayfield], Hero [Chad Kroeger, Josey Scott], Had Enough [Breaking Benjamin], Somebody That I Used to Know [Jonathan Young].

Also, a bit of a left turn, but if you'd like a more feminine voice for Helsknight, my voice claim would be Wayfaring Stranger by Melody Gardot.

Welsknight:

Welsknight is NF to me. Pick a song. It's 110% because whenever I script Wels / Hels fights in my head, NF songs are the main ones I use. But he just Sounds NF to me now. Welsknight has a similar cadence to Helsknight, especially when he's angry. When he's not angry, his voice is noticeably higher and smoother. He hasn't broken it yelling quite so much, and he laughs easily.

Songs: Intro III [NF], HOPE [NF], All Eyes On You [Smash Into Pieces]. Head Up [The Score].

Martyn (Ofthearena):

He sounds exactly like Mr. Inthelittlewood. If the two ever stood in the same room, it would sound like there's an echo.

The Red King:

He sounds like? A wolf? Whenever someone has a wolf character, and their voice is deep and snarly. Stereotypical Big Bad Wolf vibes. I imagine his voice is kind of trashed because of the whole 'i was made in a ritual where someone chopped off my head' thing. Make him talk for more than a few minutes, and his voice turns into broken words and vocal disturbance. He coughs a lot during long conversations.

Songs: My Mother Told Me [Matthew K Heafy], Ó Valhalla [SKÁLD], Ride of the Valkyries [Brothers of Metal, the male voice is... perfect......]

EB: I don't really have a voice claim for EB :') he sounds like a vocaloid in my head. Deep cuts in fandom, but when Undertale used to do vocaloid versions of songs for the UT characters? There was a Gaster version of Echo that got really popular. That's the closest I really have to a voice claim. And then the dialup-style noise that plays during the musical breaks is generally what I think of when I think of his voice turning to static. It's just a bunch of garbled, chunky noises.

Uh! Hope this helps!

[kyouka-supremacy]

Average bsd anime watching experience

[hollownekomata]

//my monthly figures preorders arrived! (bonus: my cat as my working station's wallpaper) ->

[doushiteworld]

Akkanbee da and 404 are like. the autism twins of PinocchioP songs. to me

[xisanamii]

liu wei featuring his homie (gay) and homie (platonic)

[makarovspussy-moving]

anyway. vocaloid head followers and mutuals. what producers do y'all like these days? or utaite?

[happy10thousandyears]

top songs and top artist from my music app wrapped

[moonrise-illustration]

🎵 9, 19, 29!

9, a song that makes you happy: Yume Fanfare by LIPXLIP (It always gives me energy haha)

19, a song that makes you think about life: Hated by Life Itself by Kanzaki Iori (Mafumafu's cover is *chef's kiss*)

29, a song that you remember from your childhood: Undead Enemy by Suzumu and Giga (I still come back to listen to it now and again. I had it on repeat all the time when I was younger lol)

Asks from this post!

[jamiepaige]

Constant Companions Closeup #11: MACHINE LOVE

(also on bandcamp and spotify!)

Welcome back to the Constant Companions Closeups - a series of in-depth dives into the songs off of my latest album, Constant Companions! Yesterday was the title track, My Darling, My Companion, which means today is the final track on the album - a song about the truths that lay in hiding within artifice, and a computer falling in love - Machine Love!

Before we get started on this particularly long closeup - I'll be doing a follow-up post after this one, answering various miscellaneous questions I've gotten over the course of writing these! If you've got anything you wanna hear more from me about, album-related or otherwise, feel free to reply to this post or send me an ask! It may very well end up part of the bonus closeup :~)

---

Let's circle back to the very first track, Dyad.

In that track's closeup, I mentioned the main sonic touchstones of this release relative to my previous ones being guitars and vocal synths. The whole guitar rock thing I think I've gone into detail enough about, what with all the inspirations I've rattled off in other posts, but there likely is still a burning question for some long-time listeners.

Why vocal synths? Why am I not singing on like half of this album? I thought you were a singer, Jamie Paige, so what is this Hatsune Miku robot Vocaloid crap?

Truth be told, the Vocaloid scene and community has always been a massive source of inspiration for me. So much of my favorite music ever, music that inspires me or touches my heart or makes me go apeshit, has been sung by synthesized vocalists in a language I don't even speak. I grew up with it, and it's grown up with me - music just as intricate, mind-boggling, twisted, fun, and ridiculously creative is being put out every single day by vocal synth producers, and nowadays it's coming from English speaking musicians in droves!

Before this year began, I'd made at least one major contribution to the culture, but in spite of my genuine adoration of everything vocal synth related, I felt like I was just looking in from the other side. Caught between worlds, existing outside of any communities, simply gesturing vaguely towards what I wanted to do.

But I wanted more! I wanted to make the same kinds of things that stirred my heart and made me want to write! I wanted to sing with those same voices! I wanted it to be true - to be like you!

---

I won't lie to you and tell you Kasane Teto has always been my favorite vocal synth. That title used to go to GUMI, and in general, I wasn't particularly attached to any UTAU voicebanks as a younger vocal synth fan. (Nowadays, I genuinely open up OpenUTAU just as much as SynthV because I've fallen deeply in love with Adachi Rei, but that's a story for my next album.) Obviously, I knew of Teto, and found her presence in things like Triple Baka delightful, but for the most part, she was mostly something of an oddity, a wayward piece of vocal synth history that had her Fans like any other.

However, there was one Teto song I've been inexplicably attached to since the moment I first heard it - Song of the Eared Robot, by nwp8861. I was introduced via this particular cover, which I love, but I quickly gravitated to the original. Something about the warbly, childish nature of her very first voicebank, the ambitiously orchestrated and unabashedly digital instrumental, the lyrics referencing fundamental frequencies and Markov chains and compiling code all just spoke to me!

That song stuck with me, laying in a part of my heart that had been collecting dust, all the way to April of 2023.

Now, yes, Teto wasn't always my favorite, and I had other vocal synths I was attached to, but I don't live under a rock, and I still understood how monumental the announcement of Kasane Teto's Synth V voicebank was - to the point that I interrupted a call full of FFXIV-playing friends who knew barely anything about vocal synths and gave them an impromptu TED talk because I was so excited.

(An excerpt of a summary of that night's events, written the morning after. i was up my own ass a little bit but in my defense Kasane Teto had just been announced for Synthesizer V)

I was watching, in real time, a dream made manifest. It's literally one of the Bits with Teto! That she'd be a Vocaloid one day too! And here she was, on the fan favorite engine, sounding genuinely fucking incredible. Especially in hindsight, it's such a beautiful and perfect twist of fate for her.

I saw myself in her. A weird little outcast, explosively reborn and thrust straight into a community's open arms with love. I wanted it to be true - To be like that, too.

It didn't fully hit until later, hearing another cover of a song I'd almost forgotten.

Machine Love, my love letter to the entire world of unbridled creativity and artistry surrounding vocal synths filtered through one sentimental little song, was fully written by the start of May, maybe 4 days after I had gotten my hands on Teto SV and long before a certain compilation album was even a glint in my eye.

If you haven't heard DAEMON/DOLL yet, you really, really, really should go listen to it - yes, I mastered this album, many of my friends and collaborators are featured, and I have two entire songs on it, but I genuinely mean it when I say I believe it's some of the best fucking music that's come out this year in general. In many respects, it also feels like a companion (hah) to Constant Companions.

I had finished writing Machine Love by this point, but it was working on this album in its entirety - discovering artists like Anh Duy, Eggtan, and beat_shobon through it, and hearing everyone in top form making this twin-drilled chimera fucker sing her heart out - that not only made me confident in my decision to go down this artistic path, but that made me fall completely in love with Kasane Teto. And honestly, how could I not? She feels like a microcosm of everything that makes vocal synths so special, this community of creatives all leaving their marks and touchstones along the trail of a great big shared folk mythos. Yeah, maybe the folk hero we're all collectively mythologizing is an anime girl, but yknow maybe Odysseus could take some branding cues from hatsune miku idfk

Basically, even if he says he wants to kill me, I owe fucking everything to rice for inviting me to work on DAEMON/DOLL.

---

On that note, my vision for Machine Love's MV was pretty clear from the beginning.

the actual factual setup for the above shot, which was done entirely in-camera with my laptop, a tv, and two video files manually synced using VLC

The fundamental idea was always there - live-action shots of animation playing back on various screens, edited together to feel somewhat seamless. However, I really struggled with what exactly was going to be on said screens for a while; Big commissions were very far out of my budget, but I knew this song needed something grandiose.

Ultimately, what I arrived at was exactly the kind of scrappy, DIY bullshit it was always meant to be.

I asked my Twitter mutuals for help. And spent a couple months in Final Cut Pro and Apple Motion hell turning all the Teto art I got into a bunch of tiny little mini MVs, some of them parodying real vocal synth MVs, some of simply just evocative of vocal synth MVs, all of them painstakingly edited by yours truly and filmed with the help of some friends over the next couple months across two states and many more cities just to be painstakingly edited and synced up again by yours truly.

THE NEXT MV I DO WILL BE SMALLER IN SCOPE

---

And with that, I believe that's the album!

There's a reason it ends with Machine Love, and not with the title track. I do think that in some respects My Darling, My Companion would have made a better closer, but that song only really resolves one of the thematic strands running through the album.

There isn't really a definitive answer to the specific question "Baby, do you know what you wanna hear?", but it evokes a theme running through the entire album - wanting something, knowing that you want something, and simply needing to find the courage to do it or say it or be it. My Darling, My Companion is in many ways a declaration of intent, an acceptance of what needs to happen, but Machine Love, to me, is that action being done. The words being said!

And now, if I may give this a somewhat selfish tint - with the explosive response my works from this album have gotten, my contributions to things like DAEMON/DOLL and Flavor Foley, the collaborations I've done and that I still have in the pipeline, the friends I've made and the community I've found a spot for myself in, and the newfound voices that I can lay my heart bare with -

Well, shit, I know what I wanna hear, and I've gotten to hear it. I'm a vocaloP. It's real!

Thank you all so goddamn much for reading and listening. I'll see you back here either tomorrow or Monday for the bonus AMA post thing!! Make art and be gay, motherfuckers.

❤️💚

[tsururoach]

can you give a recap on the cupsleeve event?

Absolutely! Though there's only so much I can say as cupsleeve events are primarily just for fans to meet with fans, though I have a few photos!

Here's Me! We just set up the tables at the event, arriving two hours before time! Luckily we finished right before event start...!

Wait woah... Whos this!?!?

It's Big Al and Oliver! Ready to take pictures with you!

Big Al was drawn and designed by the lovely @mystsaphyr !! And he stands tall!

And next to him... part of the PowerFX family... It's (drum roll) Oliver! Designed and drawn by... the one and only ... Me!

But that's not all folks....!

To your left you'll see....

Ta-Da! It's the (condensed) AHS family! Starring SF-A2 miki, Hiyama Kiyoteru, and Kaai Yuki! Designed and drawn by @.untramentaro on twitter and bsky!

Here's a shot of all of them! (oops I'm sorry I cut off a bit of Miki...) ...

Wait... What's this? We have a lovely cosplayer to help us give a tour?

Ta-Da! It's Sam Oliver!

He wants to show us... The poster in front of the counter!

The owner had the poster up in front of the counter! She's the sweetest person ever... If you're interested in more So-cal events (general) you should follow @.4seasonsteacafe on instagram!

She was the life of the party and the perfect host!

Not only can you take pictures with our life sized standees, we had three different stations you could hang out at: The Doodle station where you could leave a message, The Deco Station so you could decorate your own top loaders, and the beading station so you could make your own kandi!

But that's enough excitement inside, it's getting busy! Lets take you back outside!

What the-!?!?!?! Miku you parked your car so badly!!!! Miku!!!!!!!! 10000000000$ Parking ticket to you!!!

Just kidding! That's our special itasha guest: @.andexinspi on instagram! Here to show off his special car wrapped with racing Miku!?! Isn't that cool!

"What's those tables in the back?" I'm glad you asked!

It's our Vendors! We couldn't have an event like this without them!

First off tabling to your left is... Cozytune ft. Ranagain!

Starring the cutest merch you'll ever set your eyes on from hairclips to mini-figures !?!?! Huh!?!? Isn't that way too cool!?

They weren't lying! The vibes are so utterly cozy with those desk buddies!!

Next up is the organizer table!

What's this?!? There's a treasure hunt!!! I wonder where all 5 of them are... (Genuinely don't know)... maybe someone could tell me........

Here is where you'd redeem the activies and pay for my co-organizer's side of the merch!

You see the things to the right?

That's the raffle, to help fund this (and future events)! We aren't just taking donations though... there's very real prizes! From the Big ALbum to lovely donations from our vendor Lady Pau... and standees? That's pretty cool, those acrylic standees are fancy enough-

WH!?! Life-Sized!?!? How would you ever fit that in your car!?!?

No. seriously how do you?

Oh. 😨

Uhm... very street-legal driving aside, let's go back to the vendors!

Ta-Da!

Me and @ladypau shared a table! Isn't her merch way too cute!??! It took my all not to pre-emptively buy everything!!!

...and the fact i forgot to bring cash...... (BOOO!!!!!)

.... I wish i indulged and got some before the event... Lady Pau was the absolute delight to have and had an amazing selection of merch! I hope to see her again soon!

Hi Sam! Hi Charlie! Hi Me! That's my merch!

I didn't announce it but I was also selling touched up postcards.... why did no one tell me I misspelled Ibuprofen until the event..........

uh... is it obvious I forgot to take close ups of my own booth....?

The Venue was also playing songs sung by the focus vocaloids... It felt so cool listening to Oliver singing on the big speakers!

But the event starts and... surprise to no one... I got busy with running my table and such!

(NOT MY OLIVER) but I got to hold his REAL original physical box.... Isn't that so cool... That was the craziest thing in the event...

And yeah... Rana ended up getting freed from her cage!

If you're curious at what people made at the Kandi and Deco stations, check on twitter or bsky to see what people psoted, since @.socalloid rted everything we were tagged in!

However we do have a picture of the end of the day doodle station!

Wow... so cool! Synths as far as the eye can see!

We even had two cosplayers! Sparkle On Longya! And a lovely Kaai Yuki!

So uhm.... I bet you're wondering now who got my Oliver standee...

Well... Uh...

Good night!

[ilovemenlolz]

! MY INTRODUCTION !

Hello hello there !! Thanks for dropping by :D

My name is Nathan, but I go by Nikou / N as well!

• I use he/they pronouns, as well as any neopronouns ! (I'm trans as well :D)

• I am a minor, so please act accordingly around me .

• I have autism, I apologize in advance if I come off as rude / overly annoying at times ... I'd also prefer to have tonetags used while talking to me ! /nf

• I'm an artist, but I also enjoy singing, voice acting (not professionally.), acting in general, analyzing, and I write! I'm not sure if I'll ever post my works here, as I ... Am really not confident in my ability to write characters that aren't my own. But-- Who knows !! I'll definitely post an analysis or two at some point ... hopefully ......

(Current) hyperfixations ! :

Danganronpa Despair Time, Tetro Danganronpa Pink, Alien Stage, Moriarty The Patriot, Ace Attorney.

Other interests include ! :

Bang Dream! Girls Band Party, Project Sekai: Colorful Stage, vocaloid, OMORI, Pokemon, Process of Elimination, Project: Eden's Garden, Danganronpa Another, MILGRAM, Total Drama Island, Steven Universe, Genshin Impact, Death Note, Blooming Panic, SeekL, A Date with Death, Sims, Doki Doki Literature Club, Mouthwashing, Holostars, Hololive, VShojo, Meadowlark, Dungeons and Dragons, Cradle (on book 6 currently), The Golden Idol, Escape The Night, Ramshackle, musicals (Hamilton, SIX, Heathers, Mean Girls, Ride The Cyclone, ect.), true crime, and probably some more things that I forgot ...

Content creators I enjoy watching ! :

CarynandConnie, Smosh, Shooshimooshi, Save Data, FunkyFrogBait, Kubz Scouts, Rotten Mango, Game/Film Theory, CyYu, Amalee, Markiplier, Dropout . . . there's so many those are the main ones rn ..

Music I listen to ! :

Mitski, Will Wood, Jhariah, TV girl, The Crane Wives, Will Stetson, Laufey, Rio Romeo, Yaelokre, Steven Universe soundtracks, Mother Mother, Liana Flores, Ricky Montgomery, Bo Burnham, Sushi Soucy, Jack Stauber, vocaloid, musicals, MARINA, Pomplamoose, Miracle Musical, Kaden Mackay, Ado, Phantom Siita, ATARASHII GAKKO, Mori Calliope, Emei, Random Encounters, Leo., Shayfer James, Lemon Demon, Fish in a Birdcage, Beabadoobee, Chappell Roan, Penelope Scott, Conan Gray, YOASOBI, and. Again. A lot more. My Spotify is linked below if someone's actually curious as to what I listen to / check out my oc playlists (#shamelessplug)

Characters I kin ! :

Refer to list above .

(Akito and Ena Shinonome, Furina, Shiho Hinomori, Chiba Airi, Ace Markey, Charles Cuevas, Monika (ddlc), Miles Edgeworth, Shidou Kirasaki.)

OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME ! :

The easiest way to reach out to me is through discord, nikou.nathan .

↓ MY YOUTUBE !!! I post skit animatics (for now?)

DNI criteria + what makes me uncomfortable.

DNI:

Anyone under 13.

People who are: racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, ect.

Things that make me uncomfortable:

Graphic descriptions / imagery of pills and needles.

NSFW jokes made about me. (In general, I don't mind them much. Depending on the situation.)

Telling me to end my life if you are not a very close friend.

All in all, I'm just a nerd . And a loser .

Don't be afraid to shoot me a DM anywhere, or ask to be mutuals / friends !! :D I'd love to !!

! THANK YOU FOR READING <3 !

[vampire-meta-knight]

I swear, some of these "goth is whatever you want it to be" people act like telling them they're not goth means the Federal Bureau of Goths is going to break down their door and confiscate all their black clothes.

Loves, no one is gatekeeping what you wear. No one is even gatekeeping goth events! You can still go to goth clubs as a non-goth--you just may not enjoy it as much if you don't like the music. All we ask is that you not use the label, which is shorthand for "fan of goth music," to describe yourself if you are not, in fact, a fan of goth music.

We love seeing your cool outfits and gorgeous makeup and flawlessly-dyed hair, and we love sharing aspects of our subculture! But the second you try to redefine it and take away the ONE requirement, we get protective. Darkly-inclined is a wonderful label--use it! Use alternative! Don't use goth, emo, punk, or grunge if you aren't fans of the corresponding music genres. Can you imagine if I, who's never listened to K-pop, only heard of two K-pop bands, and couldn't name a single member of BTS called myself a K-pop stan? (Punk is probably the only one here that's a little more flexible, since it's also rooted in a political movement and protesting, but it still found its birthplace in the music--music which then led to post-punk and goth rock, might I add).

Subcultures have to have a barrier of entry to be a subculture. There has to be a way to set apart the people who are in it and those who aren't. Saying someone isn't goth is not an insult! We don't look down upon you. We get annoyed with poseurs, but not someone who's just into the fashion and makeup aspect and doesn't try to redefine what a goth is. I guarantee there's probably a spooky, black-clad non-goth that I've followed a makeup or DIY tutorial from, and I think that's wonderful. I love that we have this shared interest, even if we have different taste in music.

We're not trying to be mean when we enforce the one rule to be a goth (there is a second unspoken rule, to not be a bigot, but that's a rule that goes without saying for most groups--please know that when you see a so-called "goth" spewing racist bullshit or other kinds of hatred, the rest of us are NOT in agreement with them and want them evicted from our subculture). We love welcoming new people in, and we love seeing the goth scene thriving. It's just that our subculture means a lot to us, and although fashion is a big part of it, it has always truly been about the music. The music came first (watch old videos of 80's goth clubs--hardly anyone there looks recognizable as a goth today!), and it's the backbone of goth. When you call yourself goth, you're telling fellow goths "we like the same kinds of music." I want to get music recommendations from you, dang it, and share some of mine! I've had so many people insult the music I like and tell me my taste is shit, so it's nice to find someone who likes the same sounds and connects with the same lyrics, you know? Music is the strong glue that holds us together and unites us all. It brought us together in the 80's and has kept us together up until now. So when you try to take that away, to mold the goth label into whatever it takes to fit you because you didn't fit it, that's when we've got a problem.

And if you're into the fashion but don't like goth music now, do not despair, because that doesn't mean you'll never be a goth! Give it a listen. Check out different subgenres and bands. You might like what you hear. Synth and EBM were what bridged the gap for me. I started off being super into the fashion, but would be hard-pressed to name a goth band other than Bauhaus or Siouxsie and the Banshees. I was listening to Halloween Vocaloid songs and Lady Gaga, for the most part. I tried a few goth rock songs and didn't like them. And then I found The Birthday Massacre, and suddenly, those goth rock songs didn't sound so bad anymore. They sounded beautiful, atmospheric, ethereal, melancholy in a way you can still dance to. It wasn't long before I was devouring every subgenre of goth music I could get my hands on and making an ever-growing list of bands to check out and songs I liked. I was digging goth music like a grave, and all it took was a band that fit somewhere in the middle of the upbeat, techno dance-worthy music I was used to, the spooky lyrics I liked, and a gothy sound that got me craving more. Sometimes that's all it takes. Goth music is noticeably different from other genres, and hearing the unfamiliar sometimes results in dislike. It's an acquired taste for some, kind of like coffee, but once you get into it, you'll wonder how you even hated it at all in the first place.

Goth is my home, my family, and although I welcome all who show an interest, there's a difference between someone who actually wants to get involved in the subculture and those who wear a mask so they can pretend to be because they like the sound of the label, the allure, how cool it makes them feel, and insist they must be goth and all who tell them otherwise are just elitists. We call those people "poseurs," friend--don't be like them. If goth music just isn't for you, but you love the fashion, that's cool. Just don't call yourself "goth" if you're not a fan of goth music, since that's what the word means in the first place.

[grizzlyofthesea]

Now for our final (and sadly least voted) member of the Big 8, Camui Gackpo!

Gackpo has lost some popularity over time, but he's my favorite male Vocaloid bar none. Sure, he has the tendency to be portrayed as a deviant freak in songs (Duke Venomania is only the tip of the iceberg). Yeah, maybe he's a weirdo at the NicoNico Cho Parties. But his portrayals don't affect the sound of his voice, which can be absolutely stunning. (Being voiced by Gackt certainly helps--) I don't hear a lot of his Native voice nowadays, but with how amazing his Power and Whisper voicebanks are, I don't blame people for wanting to use them. You can even get some decent English out of him if you try, as shown by Minnemi's talkloids.

He is seeing a surge in marketing again as part of Internet Co.'s main trio, but I still feel like he's underappreciated by the larger Vocaloid fandom at the moment. Give the samurai a listen and some love if you can.

Gackpo's base design is basically identical across his artwork, just with a few minor touches for each of his V3/V4 voicebanks. It's not really a design update so much as a vibe change. So, with that said...

[queervocasongtourn]

Queer Vocaloid Song Tournament: Side A, Round 1

Please listen to all songs before voting!

Shama by NILFRUITS feat. VFlower

VS

Zero Talking by Harumaki Gohan feat. Hatsune Miku

Propaganda under the cut!

SHAMA

"extremely potent yearning, the powerful dynamic of safety in disguise but a dangerous freedom in truth, beautiful characters…what more can you ask for?"

"if i am being completely honest i dont actually get everything that happened in shama - that can be left to all the other people who are more knowledgeable about nilfruits songs than me and immediately thought of submitting this - but I immediately thought of this song because its so SO good. the song itself is incredible and the mv adds on to make it an even greater work!! i might not know all of shama's story, but what i do know is that shama's a fantastic song regardless and i'll go crazy whenever i hear it. and i also do know that clay and kalmia (especially clay) are some great lgbtq+ rep in a vocaloid song!!! the section from 2:00-2:36, when accompanied by the mv, is maybe one of my favorite moments in any vocaloid song. what follows is also great! as propaganda i am begging the reader to go listen to shama with the mv if they haven't. i don't want to explain it because i don't entirely know how to but they're fucking gay and i really like how the mv shows this!"

"sapphic 👍👍"

"Okay so this one is kinda hard to explain but the MV is some flavour of queer for sure. Just… watch it and you'll get what I mean"

"a femme-fatale prisoner and one of her guards have a doomed romance..! the mv is by wooma, who uses a graphic colour palette to complement nilfruits's addictive guitar melody. this song is also the first in a series, so if you're interested in the prisoner's backstory, you can watch the other works to find out more :-)"

ZERO TALKING

"tbf most harugoha songs are so #yuri but this one has an actual kiss. royalty x maid childhood friends who have drifted apart over the years and the royal lady (unsure of her english title, in japanese shes just named daireijo) desperately wants to just Talk to her dearest maid dorothy again but can't get anywhere with it (hence the title). In the final chorus of the MV she has enough and kisses dorothy on the lips. They're referred to as "sisters" sometimes but this is a reference to the classic catholic school yuri trope where an older girl will take in a younger one as a "younger sister" and they have a sort of romantic friendship going on. They're like definitely not actually sisters it would make no sense. It's such a good song. the bass in it is really good. please listen to harumaki gohan"

"despite the sister term scare that happened when the mv first came out this mv is about a princess and her maid who used to be friends and i believe grew apart and the princess is trying to reconnect with her friend. also first harumaki gohan mv kiss iirc!! the song is also just a brainworm in general i looped it so much it was stuck in my head for months"

"The song is about a girl who has a strained relationship with another girl, and who wishes for things to go back to the way they were (the maid doesn't talk to her anymore). The use of "sister" is also not literal, instead being a term found in yuri to describe a relationship between women (often shorten to S/esu), as well as the comparison between the two girls and the story of orihime and hikoboshi, as well as the fact they literally kiss in the song. I don't know if you can really deny it with that."

"this was in my head for weeks and weeks after it released!! the mv really makes it, the surprise near the end is so cool"

"😳"

"ZERO TALKING TALKING TALKING .Harumakigohan is the king of vocaloid yuri rn but oh my god first on-screen kiss in his songs!!! For a cute song about a princess trying to win back the affection of her childhood friend now employed as a head maid at her castle. just listen to the beat and tell me u are not enthralled. the lil "pop" noise in the song when they smooch is adorable. the song is so catchy it's ridculous i just hit that shit on loop."

[twst-rose-prisms]

Twst boys and their respective Vocaloid songs

Part 2 of this post!

Characters: All NRC students Warning: Some of these songs contain angsty/dark themes or imply self-harm, however it's nothing too much as that's the nature of Vocaloid songs in general and I recommend you checking them out if you guys can!

Part 1 | Part 2

🕌 Scarabia 🕌

Kalim: Tondemo-Wonderz

This song is full of fun, excitement and upbeat, colorful beats that make you want to smile and dance along, just like the ball of sunshine Kalim he is! The song talks about embracing the unknown and excitement the world offers to us while also having fun, encouraging us to have faith in the wondrous possibilities, while also embracing the failure and mistakes with laughter and positivity. I’d say it’s a perfect song for Kalim, from the vibe to the lyrics!

“Even in this sort of era, We still believe in "wonders," no, no, no? Know! The adult's sharp, money-making memories Make us worry too much! I'm gonna go cross-eyed!” "Why?!" "Do it like this!!" I love everything! That's fine, isn’t it? In this plot to make everyone laugh I can call them rival monsters, right?! We live in a wild, awesome world.” “I reckon it's fine to have troubles you can't do a thing about! I make a pose like I'm gonna save everyone. How about this smile, it's not gonna crumble at all! Even if I fall 100 times, I'm like a phoenix. I won't get upset! Wan wan, too quick, three four! Everybody, showtime!” “Come on professor! This exam is so tough! Agh! Alright, done? Is it final? If I don't get 0 points, it's OK! Let's rain a shower of arrows on those true and false questions! Right and wrong answers are important memories." "There are days when I fail too. You still deny "wonders", no, no, no? Know! Before I'm taken to pieces, listen, wait! This slanted society is too on edge. Charge in, leap in, one more time! Are you ready?!”

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Jamil: Ghost City Tokyo

Like a ghost who is almost invisible to other’s eyes, Jamil used to do the same too, he always makes sure everything he does is at an average level so nobody will notice him. That’s why I picked this song for him, also because of the lyrics - he’s used to losing, to not be able to shine and stand out for the sake of others, and it’s not something he dreamt of at all. Also I think the city here can be interpreted as Scarabia too, because he still wants to be here despite everything that happened in Book 4.

“The lights of the brilliant shining city Shine down on me in stark contrast They mix with the neon colours changing and escaping from the spaces between those buildings" "I trade my time and this world And sink into the night” “It’s fine, someday it will all be fine How many days I’ve thought so, that have piled up on each other But even today, the me who fades into the Tokyo scenery all alone Seems like a ghost” “Even as I grow used to losing These important feelings that I haven't lost - When I held them close to myself, my tears fell suddenly Because I think I still want to Keep living in this city”

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👑 Pomefiore 👑

Vil: Cinema

This song is pretty self-explanatory with the lyrics, it’s like someone views their life as a movie, their story is like an unchanged script, yet they’re being satisfied with everything - they want to be the leading star, the protagonist of the movie. Being someone who always has to play the villain role, I picked this song for Vil because it just fits him so much with his backstory and his goal as a whole!

“A delusion of dawn Invaluable escapades and A misunderstood hero play-pretend Traffic's already jammed up now- Oh well, nothing I can do about that anyway” “No, it can't be this, not this. This is a bad fit for me I'm not suited for it- Should I quit it now, or— But that's not right, right! I wonder, when will I get to be The leading star of this show?” “We're not here yet, yet. This can't be the end, so If you're not suited for the role Then just rewrite the script! Look, for the most part, I'm sure it'll always just be me The leading star will only be me!” “The future I wanted to change has come. Whatever you like, however you like it, This is it. I made it here, all the way from the bottom. Just like a movie, this is my story.”

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Epel: Telecaster B-boy

A song talking about the struggle of growing up, trying to find one’s place in this vast world, the singer desires to be loved and appreciated but always gets misunderstood and underappreciated and also frustrated with society,  just like Epel himself. He hates being the stereotype, cliche thing. If you know his story and goal then this song is very fitting for him! Also the funky, youthful but somewhat fast beat and lyrics fit him very well too!

“The more I grow up DeDeDe The less I fit in, a vacant temple. The girl the life philosopher spoke to Turns into a bird … With just lip service PaPaPa I'll tie up my raggedy shoes … The boy whom a believer in digitization cursed Turns into wind …” “No matter how you look at it DeDeDe It's a stereo bias, sadistic The girl who sang like she was stung by a bee Turns into a flower... Even if you cover your ears PaPaPa Those guys' voices become loud The boy who got these words stabbed in his chest Turns back…” “In this world where I can't Even breathe for a bit Declaring a goodbye to reality Won't you just forgive us? We, the weak ones Let's meet up again somewhere”

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Rook: Liar Dance

Rook is a bit hard to find, but in my opinion this is the best song for him. It talks about a couple who both hide and lie to each other. But it also means that the singer’s POV is them knowing they’re a liar, a criminal just like other people. Rook himself is not an exception, he also lies and hides many things away even to his friends or someone like Vil. Also I think the lyrics fit him really well, with constant mention of love and lies many times throughout.

''Stolen? Just whatever do you mean?'' Feigning ignorance today as well Having made a vow, to you and you alone Declaring this loveless love of mine in front of you" "Stolen? Just whatever do you mean?" Committing myself to this performance, set lines and all Those memories we've desperately created and clung to, they blend together and feelings between us intensify” “Dance away liar This love has swelled up like a balloon let's turn it into a lie with the prick of a needle On the count of "I-love-you" “Dance away, liar It's too late to apologize We're already partners in this crime called "love" Who cares if there's no going back?”

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💀 Ignihyde 💀

Idia: All I Need are Things I Like

While there could be many other songs that fit Idia, I decided to pick this one because of the lyrics and overall meaning. The song talks about indulging solely into one’s interests and favorite thing everyday, almost every time without paying much attention to reality much at all. Even though the singer sounds happy and satisfied, they also sound lonely, deprived of energy and strength and also longing for actual companionship instead of coping up to the things that they like. It sounds like Idia himself after what happened to him and also his backstory!

"I don’t like weekdays, I like the weekend I don’t like work, I like going back to sleep It’s impossible to live on slacking like this My consciousness recedes" "I don’t like vegetables, I like hamburgers I don’t like barley tea, I like juice Don’t be sweet on me, but I like sweet tasting things My lifetime’s first page" "Only looking at things I like gradually my eyesight gets worse Only being filled with things I like gradually my mind gets duller" "I don’t like living things, I like machines I don’t like the real world, I like the virtual Your tastes were always biased deteriorating and ceasing to think" "Surrounded by the things I like I’ve become unforgiving to the things I don’t like Living only with the things I like I'm resented by someone, somewhere"

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Ortho: Near

This song is gentle, yet emotional and bittersweet, its meaning also fits Ortho and Idia + their relationship a lot if you take it into their backstory context too. At first, Ortho is just a robot that only acts according to how he was programmed but gradually, he starts acting outside his intended programming and learns his own sentience and emotions - just like the robot girl as the song progresses. Overall, I think this fits him a lot!

“Hey, Near. If I don't make fun of someone And if I won't be able to forgive myself How do you feel about This horrible person?" "Hey, Near. Watching other's strides Stepping out without a purpose How do you feel about this Dull person? Hey Near” “Hey, Near. I think living every day with a smile Is something natural How do you feel about This arrogant person?" "Things that do not take any form and cannot be predicted Will interfere with the calculation process" Even so" "Ah, I'll still continue to believe And ask you who doesn't have a heart Because your hand was So much warmer than mine”

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🐉 Diasomnia 🐉

Malleus: Hare wo Matsu

I feel like this song fits Malleus the most with how the lyrics constantly talk about one’s loneliness and about past’s memories. For Malleus, his biggest fear perhaps is his dearest, most cherished people leave his life, like Lilia - his guardian that raises him up ever since he’s still a little lizard or maybe even MC - his ever first friend that treats him so dearly despite his status or his fearful magic power unlike others who is afraid of him. Even the beat is also beautiful but sad, full of longing for your loved one when they leave - just like Malleus himself.

"I'm not getting tired of this morning, One that I've waited for. Very faintly, I'm laughing while appearing to be sorrowful, And wishing to completely forget you." "Because there's no end to this curse Of sleeplessness and the painful past. I'm singing a song in the morning glow, If only I could completely forget, it would end." "There's just one thing I can't yield, And still, without knowing the reason, I live, even now..." "Since I don't have a dream I want to protect, These are days with no answer, But that isn't kindness, isn't it?" "Look, since absolutely nothing hurts, It's alright," I say. Someday, when you'll be gone, ah~ Will I be living alone?”

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Lilia: Kanade Tomosu Sora 

I feel like this song fits Lilia the most in terms of the vibe, the lyrics that matched well with his backstory. This song, while sad, full of longing and reminiscent from the past yet it’s like a glimmer of hope somewhere in the deep, dark sea of sad memories. Lilia was the same too despite how we see him acting outwardly. He gives love to others, but he also needs love and hope. He went through events that could crush him easily and yet, he still stayed strong - for a whole 200+ years, for the sake of others. (I recommend checking out the 25ji, Night Code de version too!)

“Every time I trace back my memories, I feel as if I’m going to be crushed, yet Since I have no place to take refuge,  I just keep questioning myself over and over. Ah…” “There are too many things in my way,  It’s as if there are only things I can’t see Is it alright if I try touching it a little? I want to say it. Even though it might surely be impossible, I want to somehow. Hey, more; hey, more; I want to see more” “So I can turn the images I’ve found of your world still unknown to me Into song" "Blaming myself all this time,  I simply live and breathe but only just barely I’ve always shut it away in a cage I’m not asking for a plain, simple story. I simply wish to hear your voice” “It still hurts. Words keep tightening the cord round my neck, but... These eyes of mine I closed so gently as well, still hurt a little, but… I want to say it. Even though now, I still don’t know when it’ll be but someday for sure. Hey, more; hey, more; I want to see more”

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Silver: Ice Drop

I think this song fits Silver a lot mostly because of the lyrics, and the deep sea could symbolize the dreams that he dives into in Book 7. Although it’s upbeat, the lyrics are full of longing and reminiscing of the past and also his father, but eventually move on and “grow up” from it.  Not to mention, you could even take it as a SilverMC song if you think about that aspect! But even if it's not in a romantic sense, it's still a song talking about how much the past affects us and how we long for our loved one even if it's just a memory, that's why to me this song is really for Silver!

“Even the memories of the past are merely a thousand-year tale I take a deep breath as I fall into the deep sea” “Uh- that voice of yours drenches my whole heart Tangled up and captivated by each other, we sing our unchanging love once more You, not letting go of your hands become a rule of mine It's a heart that will melt away the rusted last page That one and only magic will turn this world around” “I’ll be waiting. Inside my dream, I reach out my hand” “Uh- On this planet, I fell in love without sleeping I longed for you and hesitated what to do, but from now on, I'll grow up You, If it’s with you, I’ll dive in without hesitation”

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Sebek: Kashika

Sebek was the hardest to find for me in the entire list mainly because while he has his own character, he doesn’t have too much depth but I tried my best and I think this song fits him the most! This song is powerful, full of willpower and hope towards tomorrow despite the hard, tough times. The song encourages us to keep living, even in the most uncertain moments, you need to cherish each moment of your life as well your living heartbeat, which represents the tenacity and perseverance of life. I feel like the energy as well the meaning of the song fits Sebek a lot overall for his character - with the desire to rise, stand up and protect he always have.

“When my quivering voice breathed life into a song, It was then I realized, That was the first time my breath could be seen. They say that in the end, the value of music is subjective– Well then, I'll sing as I please, I'll show you the message I want to convey. I won't despair over Or be afraid of my mistakes. They say to "live the right way," But I want to fight against that. My whole life has consisted of "it's my fault." Even if I'm treated like a fool, I'll be hurt and I'll hurt others, I'll live, causing both kindness and injury. The present I see is everything to me, So I don't want to cling onto ideals of the past or the future. Beat, beat, o heart of mine! It might be unsteady, but even so, this is my pulse.”

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[dapper-dinosaursblog]

Convo Between Bros

//SPOILERS FOR LIKE, ALL OF MY HERO ACADEMIA//

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Denki: Woah, dude. Since when do you eat cup ramen?

Kat: Shut the hell up, what I eat doesn't concern you.

Denki: Except it does because we work together, and I'm going to be the one who has to deal with you complaining about how you feel like shit tomorrow.

Kat: Listen here, you vocaloid reject I-

Denki: Oh! I get it now. You're broke.

Kat: MY FINANCES DON'T-

Denki: 'Don't concern you,' whatever. How on earth are you of all people low on cash? You've been working nonstop since we made our official debuts!

Kat: Just because I work so much doesn't mean I'll just have money to spend like a loser. Some of us actually budget our money, so we don't end up on the streets.

Denki: Yeah, but you've been taking on almost every call that comes in, dude. Even if you were focused on your bills, you could easily afford to- oh. Oh.

Kat: What're you 'oh-ing' for, you sound stupid.

Denki: Who is it?

Kat: Hah?

Denki: Whoever you've been spending your money on; who is it? Is it someone I know?

Kat: What makes you think I'd spend my hard earned money on some extra?

Denki: You literally dropped a few hundred for Midoriya's birthday one ye- IT'S MIDORIYA, ISN'T IT?

Kat: SHUT YOUR TRAP, PIKACHU!

Denki: Sero owes me so much money.

Kat: Why would he- never mind. I ain't spending shit on Deku, so get that thought out of your head.

Denki: You can't lie to me, Kats. I'm pretty smart, ya' know?

Kat: Didn't you fail the practical portion of our finals in first and second year?

Denki: Didn't you die that one time because you thought you could take on you-know-who by yourself?

Kat: Woah, too soon.

Denki: It's been eight years, get over it.

Kat: You can't just get over something like that.

Denki: Fair. But you know what you can get over? It's actually a river in Egypt-

Kat: I will blast your ass out of here so hard, that you'll be shitting ash for weeks.

Denki: This isn't the end of this.

Kat: Get the hell out of my kitchen.

Denki: You were the one who invited me over!

Kat: Yeah, a lapse in judgement. Now, get out.

Denki: Fine, but remember, you'll just have to see me at work tomorrow.

Kat: *after Denki has left* why the fuck am I friends with him.