BIG AL

Big-Al was announced on January 21, 2007. A plugin version was released on the PowerFX site on December 22, 2009, with a DVD version that was available after Christmas.

Concept
The monster he is based on is Frankenstein's Monster; according to PowerFX, their Vocaloids are more like Cyborgs than Androids.

Big Al's scythe in his Taiwan design resembles a musical note.

Etymology
It is unknown why PowerFX choose the name of "Big Al".

In name meaning "Al" can be both a male and female name and is usually shorthand for other longer names beginning with "Al". When applied to boys it is shorthand for names including (but not restricted to) "Alfred", "Albert", "Allen", or "Alphonse".

Examples of Usage
To our readers and editors, for section notes please read; Notes; Examples sections.
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Marketing
Like Sweet Ann, Big-Al's original boxart bore similarities to early 20th movie posters, depicting him as a monster morph of Elvis. The new box art was a more of a loose representation of such a monster and was aimed more towards the Vocaloid fandom then Ann was, marking the switch of focus for PowerFX from souly that of professionals to that of the Vocaloid fandom.

Unlike Sweet Ann, Big Al did not gear himself up to be reviewed by normal means (software reviews) and relied upon the Vocaloid fandom more to promote and use him, building on the growing interest in English Vocaloids that was now occuring. Despite setting up a MySpace page for Sweet Ann's promotion, Big Al did not have a social networking outlet.

Soundation Release
Amongst the releases for Soundations loops and sounds for Christmas 2010 was also included some samples of Sweet Ann and Big Al. A contest was also included with a chance to win both Vocaloids.

Popularity
Big Al's original voice did not appeal to many, but the sudden change of vocal and boxart redesign pleased many fans. These changes caused much confusion at first, but also a great deal of excitement.

In the Nico Nico Douga International Vocaloid ranking 2010, Big Al was noted to have dominated the rankings and appeared in 18 of the top 30 International Vocaloid related songs, the second highest being Lola with just 5 songs. Also, his vocals were used in 8 of the top ten songs of 2010, the only exceptions were two songs where Lola was the sole English Vocaloid singing, Big Al was the only English Vocaloid in the top 10 with solo songs. Considering how little often a English Vocaloid makes it into any Nico Nico Douga ranking overall, Big Al has also been one of the more likely English Vocaloids to enter the rankings.

In 2010, Crypton Future Media produced a ranking of the Vocaloids they sold on their website. Big Al was ranked the 8th most popular Vocaloid they sold, and the process the most popular of the imported Vocaloids that Crypton sold.

A independent Vocaloid search on Nico Nico Douga revealed that most Vocaloids had less then 1,000 videos uploaded on Nico Nico Douga in between July 1 and December 15 2011 with Big Al falling into that category as well.

Trivia

 * Sonika has tweeted about Big-Al, questioning that would his release mean that she is his big sister or little sister. This is a joking reference to their release date and ages. She also tweeted about wanting to do a duet with him. She later would with Auld Lang Syne, she joked Al's high-pitch was due to the tight trousers he wore. She also made another joke regarded his late arrival in an earlier tweet and in Dec 2010 when snow fell that she made a snowman that looked a bit like Big Al. Later, when asked which Vocaloid she spoke to the most she referred to Big Al as her best friend. She also commented that he was pretty scary but friendly once you got to know him.


 * Lola, Miriam, and Big Al were slated to be featured in the original soundtrack of freeware RPG "Ad Lucem". The project remains unfinished.


 * As a joke held within the Japanese fandom, there are often references towards the popular manga Kuso Miso Technique in songs of Al's. This joke exists mostly because Al's left hand pose almost matches Takakazu Abe's right hand pose as he sits on the bench in the manga when Abe is seen for the first time in the storyline. As well as this, a joke that his breathing sounds "like he is in a gay porno" exists.


 * Notable on the fact his original voice provider was an Elvis impersonator, The New York Times report on the original Vocaloids was titled "Could I get that song in Elvis please?".


 * Amongst the western Vocaloid fans, Al's lateness gave birth to the term "Big Al's syndrome". However, its only because of Tonio's lateness this term exists.

Notable for...

 * First male vocal by PowerFX
 * First English male vocal in 6 years
 * First English male vocal for Vocaloid 2
 * First male Vocaloid to have a box art redesign
 * Gave birth to the term "Big Al's syndrome"

Gallery
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