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Hatsune Miku to Appear in American MMO TinierMe (Updated)

San Francisco-based "virtual world" TinierMe announced on Tuesday that it has established a partnership with Crypton Future Media, creators of the Hatsune Miku Vocaloid2 "virtual idol." Hatsune Miku will appear in the TinierMe world via an online "concert" featuring music from recent Hatsune Miku albums. Users will also be able to purchase in-game clothing, accessories, and other items based on Hatsune and Crypton's other Vocaloid characters: Meiko and Kaito, from the first Vocaloid, as well as Kagamine Rin and Len and Megurine Luka from Vocaloid2. HearJapan has been selling songs from the Vocaloid idols online worldwide since last July.

A member of Crypton Future's Media Phage division, Kenji Inoue, stated that the company wants Hatsune Miku to "reach a wider audience" and "would like her voice to reach the world," resulting in the collaboration.

Masaru "Nogi" Ohnogi, CEO of TinierMe/GCREST America, commented that "we hope to bring Japan and the love for anime to the world and the Hatsune Miku campaign is a major step in that direction."

Vocaloid2 was released by Yamaha in June 2007, and Crypton Future Media released the Hatsune Miku voice bank in August 2007, a singing voice based on samples from seiyuu Saki Fujita with character design by manga creator Kei. Since her release, Hatsune has spawned several hit CDs, manga, a music video by the manga quartet CLAMP, a video rhythm game series (Hatsune Miku - Project Diva), and a variety of figures and other merchandise.

Hatsune Miku has already "performed" several live concerts, including ones with a simulated holographic projection. Earlier in 2010, Democratic Party of Japan politician Kenzo Fujisue attempted to secure permission to use Hatsune Miku's image in his campaign for the Japanese House of Councillors election, which took place on July 11. However, Crypton Future Media rejected the proposal, and Fujisue played the song "We Are the One" with Hatsune's vocals, but no visuals.