Ryuto

Ryuto (リュウト "Ryūto") is the official 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 dinosaur 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.

Vocaloid 3 demo
Internet Co., Ltd released demos of his voice in Vocaloid 2, and the same imported into Vocaloid 3.

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, he is the first Vocaloid by Internet Co., Ltd not to be realistic. 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. A particular noted weakness of his voicebank is that he cannot produce a satisfactory low masculine vocal tone. His lack of masculine capabilities is owed to being voiced by a female vocalist.

Internet Co., Ltd also grants permission for his songs to be sold via the Karen-T label.

Like all Vocaloid 2 voicebanks, his vocals will be able to be imported into Vocaloid 3

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. He is the first commercial Vocaloid to have access to this engine. Previously, only the proto-type voicebank by Crypton Future Media, CV-4Cβ, was known to have used this engine. The result was that Gachapoid's voice could reach potential other Vocaloids could not.

Users can use this for 6 months, free of charge from the date of installation.

Vocaloid 3 Gachapoid
Internet co., Ltd have announced they will be updating Gachapoid for the Vocaloid3 software engine.

Reception
In the western fandom, Gachapoid is often considered one of the least attractive voicebanks. Popularity polls often claim him as "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. One of the more positive comments is that despite sounding strange, the results can often be surprisingly realistic sounding in comparison to other Vocaloids.

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 amongst producers 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.
 * He was the first Vocaloid by Internet co., Ltd not to be a "Vocaloid artist" voicebank.
 * Despite his character name being revealed the fandom continues to majorly refer to him by product name, Gachapoid. Unlike his fellow company Vocaloids who are mentioned by character name.

Notable for...

 * First children's aim Vocaloid
 * First commercial Vocaloid to use "Vocaloid-flex"
 * Least popular Vocaloid in the western fandom
 * Least used Vocaloid in the Japanese fandom