GUMI

GUMI (グミ) is a Japanese VOCALOID developed and distributed by Internet Co., Ltd.. as Megpoid (メグッポイド), and was initially released June 2009 for the VOCALOID2 engine. There has since been three installments developed for the VOCALOID3 engine, one that includes an update of the VOCALOID2 voice bank. Her voice is provided by Filipino-Japanese female singer, Megumi Nakajima (中島 愛; Nakajima Megumi).

Concept
GUMI was the second VOCALOID to be released by the company Internet Co., Ltd and had a more retro-futuristic approach than Gackpo had.

Etymology
The name Gumi is the voice provider Megumi Nakajima's nickname from her childhood. The software name, "Megpoid", was taken from the provider's name "Megumi." The second half, the "poid", is short for "like Vocaloid," the full implied name of this product is a "Megumi-like Vocaloid."

Appearance
The original avatar character of the software was drawn by the illustrator Masami Yuuki (ゆうきまさみ Yuuki Masami). Her design is often said to be influenced by 's character (one of the first roles done by Megumi Nakajima as Seiyuu). Ranka Lee's most main outfit (which she wears for the notable song Seikan Hikou) had the colors green, yellow, and orange. This has never been confirmed as anything more than coincidence, but still is a popular assumption with both Japanese and overseas Vocaloid fans.

Gumi's Megpoid English illustration has a different direction to the past Gumi illustrations.

Concerning Gumi's age, during the Extend development, Noboru once tweeted that it was preferred there was a rough age set for Gumi at teenager stage. However, no overall set age was ever made for Gumi in her various designs. When writing about the Extend, it was noted the voice could be considered extensions of the age conceptualisation for Gumi.

Megpoid Talk
Speech software version to allow Gumi to do narration had been discussed in October 2012 on Noboru's twitter account, but no details were given beyond this.

This is a talk software which will allow Gumi to talk for the first time. It allows delicate editing of her vocals. It is powered by the engine "FineSpeech Ver 3".

Examples of Usage

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Marketing
GUMI originally did not have much marketing, but has since gained enough popularity for further possibilities. She is Internet co, Ltd's most successful VOCALOID and since the launch of VOCALOID3, has seen a increase in merchandise.

Originally, GUMI songs were not allowed to be sold on Karen-T, this was later changed and INTERNET Co., gave permission for both her and Gackpo in 2009.

Her English version is aimed more at the English speaking market. This is the first actual English capable vocal to be purchasable from the VOCALOID shop itself, as well as the the developer's own website. Her vocal can be bought by anyone in the USA or the UK, however other English speaking countries still cannot purchase it directly.


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Trivia

 * With 7 voicebanks in total having been released at this time, GUMI has the 3rd largest selection of vocals on sale for VOCALOID™.
 * GUMI has proven to be quite a popular VOCALOID for MMD model makers and has several models, which is notably more compared to most other Vocaloids. One of them is ISAO's model, available by purchase from the Windows 100% magazine and MMD Starter Pack magazine.
 * Less experienced overseas fans often mislabel GUMI as a "Megpoid" rather than a "VOCALOID" and sometimes dismiss that she is a VOCALOID altogether. This is owed to confusion over the name.
 * The Megpoid English vocal was the 22nd product released for VOCALOID3; putting the total amount of VOCALOID3 releases on par with the number of VOCALOID2s.

Notable for...

 * First female VOCALOID from Internet Co. Ltd.
 * One of 3 voicebanks used by the robot HRP-4C.
 * First VOCALOID from Internet Co. Ltd to be upgraded to VOCALOID3.
 * First Internet Co. Ltd. VOCALOID to get an Extend.
 * First Internet Co. Ltd. VOCALOID to get an English voicebank.
 * First Internet Co. Ltd. VOCALOID to have a video game starring the VOCALOID itself.
 * One of the first VOCALOIDs to be upgraded to VOCALOID3 (along with VY1)