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Miku is Flash Mag's 1st Virtual Cover Girl in 25 Years (Updated)

On Tuesday, the virtual idol character Hatsune Miku appears on the cover of Kobunsha's weekly photo magazine Flash — the first time that any fictional character has been featured on this national magazine's cover in its 25-year history. To mark her first overseas concert at Anime Expo last week, Flash put its title logo in Hatsune Miku's signature blue-green color. The magazine's feature article noted that Hatsune Miku is now part of the ranks of Japanese idols, having performed at Anime Expo one year after AKB48 and two years after Morning Musume.

Flash launched in 1986, and it featured idols almost exclusively on its front cover for its first 24 years. However, it began experimenting with putting people who are not idols on its cover last year. Editor-in-chief Toshiaki Yamauchi explained that his staff put Hatsune Miku on Flash's cover to get young people to read the magazine.

Character designer Kei drew Hatsune Miku in 2007 to personify a vocal music synthesis package from Crypton Future Media. The resulting songs, music videos, art, manga, and games created by fans helped spread her popularity in Japan and overseas.

Source: Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web via Hachima Kikō

Update: Hatsune Miku also appeared in a "photoshoot" (but not the cover) of Shueisha's Weekly Playboy magazine. Unlike the American vesion, most pages of Shueisha's version (including the Hatsune Miku photoshoot) do not contain explicit material.