Ryuto

Ryuto (リュウト "Ryūto") is the offical character of the product Gachapoid (ガチャッポイド / Gachappoid) is a Japanese Vocaloid2 released on October 8, 2010. He is developed by Internet Co., Ltd. His name follows the tradition of Internet Co., Ltd giving the mascot character and software itself two different names.


 * The naming about this product is very confusing. The Vocaloid software itself is under the official name "Gachapoid", and Ryuto is the avatar character of the software.

History
At the Nico Nico Douga Live Event "2010 Summer: Egao no Chikara event" on August 26th, 2010, YAMAHA, Fuji TV Kids and the INTERNET Co.,Ltd announced that they would release a new voice pack for the Vocaloid2 singing simulation software. The pack will be based on Gachapin, a green baby dinosaurs character, from [http://www.fujitv.co.jp/b_hp/ponkicki/index.html Hirake! Ponkikki], a popular Fuji TV kids' program which ran from 1973 to 1993. The voice of Gachapoid was offered by Kuniko Amemiya, a voice actress, who also gave her voice to the original Gachapin.

The "Gachapoid", Gachapin x Vocaloid voice pack CD", was released on October 8, 2010, with a special green case and a free six-month subscription based on VOCALOID-flex to Nico Nico Douga's premium paid service.

Two demo songs have been given out on his official page.

Usage for Music
Gachapoid is intended to appeal to young audiences and is designed with young producers in mind. His voice is perky and significantly different to other voices before him. He is not intended to sound like a normal human at all since it was originally designed for a character for TV program. Though he is significantly different to other Vocaloids, his voice is reported to be difficult to work with, though results need not be as perfect as with more human sounding Vocaloids. His voicebank also has the same quality as other Internet co., Ltd voicebanks so even though his voice is not to everyone's taste it is still of a noted quality.

Vocaloid-flex
Gachapoid has access to the Vocaloid-flex engine and is used in conjunction with the software "V-Talk". V-Talk allows Gachapoid to be used in new ways, opening new methods of delicate editing to give him ways of altering his vocal results.

Reception
The following is based on fan forum, Nico Nico Douga and Youtube reactions and may not nessecary be a universal reflection on the Vocaloid for the entire fandom.

In the western fandom, Gachapoid is often considered one of the least attractive voicebanks and in populaurity polls often claims the post of "least popular" or amongst the least popular Vocaloids. This is due to a number of negative feedbacks from western fans, the most common being his voice with the complaint "he sounds like a duck" given towards the voicebanks strange results. After this is also those who do not see the point of his voicebank being made or likening him to a Vocaloid based on Barney the Dinosaur.

Despite this, Japanese fans do not share the same reactions as western fans, where the character "Gachapin" is actually quite popular to begin with. However, he was slow to gain popularity and is amongst one of the least used voicebanks of the Japanese Vocaloids.

Trivia

 * His human form wasn't added until quite late before his release and is not on his box as many other Vocaloids had done so before him. Early works feature a very different character to the one ultimately introduced, or Gachapin himself takes Gachapoid's place as song mascot.  More art was later added of his humanoid character.
 * His mascot's name of "Ryuto" wasn't revealed until the illustrations of his humanoid form were released.