VY1

VY1 (codenamed: MIZKI) is a Japanese VOCALOID originally developed and distributed by Bplats, Inc., under the YAMAHA Corporation. Her VOCALOID3 and VOCALOID4 updates were developed and distributed by the YAMAHA Corporation. VY1 was initially released in September 2010 for the VOCALOID2 engine. There has since been a second installment developed for the VOCALOID3 engine and dubbed VY1v3. Both products are released in deluxe and standard editions. In December 2014, a third installment was developed for the VOCALOID4 engine and was dubbed VY1v4. A fourth installment was developed for the VOCALOID5 engine in July 2018.

The voice provider for VY1 has never been revealed.

Concept
VY1, along with its partner vocal VY2, is designed to head YAMAHA based products. VY1 has been released for more versions of the VOCALOID engine than any other voicebank, including VOCALOID first, iVocaloid, and VOCALOID EDUCATION.

Etymology
The acronym for VY1 is "VOCALOID YAMAHA 1".

The original VY1 codename for "MIZKI" is a reference to hanamizuki. "Mizki" is often used in error to refer to the VOCALOID or voice by fans of the software. A similar situation same can also occur for VY2 with its codename of "YUMA". Vocadol uses the codename, however, the game's content is considered "non-canon".

Appearance
Unlike past Japanese VOCALOIDs, VY1, along with the voicebank's partner VY2, has never had an official avatar established for it, with the aim of allowing for creative freedom that other VOCALOIDs do not. The character of the VOCALOID was intended to be the producer themselves rather than the product. As highlighted by VY1v4, because of VY1 being avatarless, there is no product-image guidelines attached to the products using its voice and as a consequence, no avatar-based restrictions. 'It' also has no official gender, though the vocal is "female". The placeholder image for VY1 is of a fan and pin, which are both forms of "Kanzashi", a type of traditional Japanese flower-based hair ornements.

The refined version of the character "Kobushi Kiku" from the VesFes contest has been used as a concept for VY1, but has not been established as its official avatar. Other designs that were used included one for the eVY1 module and a second which was used in the Vocadol game. 9 more concepts were originally shown on her release date CD ''feat. VY1''. A total of 12 designs have been used so far to represent VY1's vocal.

Due to the professional design of VY1, the vocal often appears in apps and equipment that involve derivative products produced by YAMAHA either on its own or with VY2.

Relations

 * VY2; a complementary voice bank with masculine vocals.
 * CYBER DIVA; female English VY
 * CYBER SONGMAN; male English VY

Music featuring VY1
Examples of usage

Marketing
To promote the release of the VY1, YAMAHA mainly gathered established producers for the album feat.VY1. This album was bundled exclusively with the Deluxe edition of the VY1 software. Included was a booklet with illustrated interpretations of VY1.

Trivia

 * VY1 voiced VOCALO Revolution's introduction and credits, with CUL being the mascot character. Consequently, many fans have confused VY1 and CUL as being the same VOCALOID. Later, CUL herself was announced to be released for VOCALOID3. VY1 and CUL (VOCALOID) have no relation whatsoever for VY1 only provides voices for VOCALO Revolution's videos.