Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-26116982-20150422172402/@comment-5051846-20150422195832

I think Vocaloid would exist, and possibly be even more popular. O: There would be a boom for whatever Vocaloid that was released next which appealed to a large internet-based demographic. I think Miku's popularity was mainly due to her timing, she was released just as video-sharing sites were becoming big. She had a clear design, and a easy to use voice which appealed to an internet-based demographic she could be shared to.

Had they scrapped the teal pigtails, not hired Saki Fujita; it wouldn't have stopped Vocaloid's growth.

Miku's voice is quite niche, so if she had been mid-range, then Vocaloid might have spread more easily to the West. She's also underage in many Western countries, which makes it difficult to market her to America without 'creeper' accusations, also limiting the use of mature themes in songs.

Perhaps had we had a Kokone-like voice released in 2008 instead, maybe Vocaloid would be even bigger than it is today.