Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-99.71.121.131-20150614195741/@comment-53539-20150630124553

@Otter, I think someone pointed out the issue currently at VO forums. Zero-G has always marketed their vocals to professionals, but over time, the professionals they market to aren't giving enough money to complete with Japanese vocaloids. Thus the only way forward is to expand the market by venturing into new territory and try and appeal to new producers. The problem with relying on the old market is that there is a chance over time it will diminish. The designs will appeal to wider, younger audiences like Sonika and Avanna's did. :-/

The Japanese likewise provided another issue in that its becoming increasingly difficult to release "stand out" vocaloids. Going back to the issues of Uni and Stardust, there is problem of trying to find new and original designs these days. A lot of the recent Vocaloids re--use a lot of the old design tropes. The duo have at least been credited with doing something new.

Either way there is a risk of whenever you try something new... A risk they played with Sonika and Avanna and both reflected the consequences of that risk. Sonika got a backlash for any errors made in her production and Avanna was thought of "unpopular" and "not selling" because of her lack of presence in the fandom; despite the fact she is currently Zero-G's best selling Vocaloid and overall one of the two most popular Engloids.

If Zero-G doesn't do anything to attract new markets, then Japanese studios like Crypton will fill in any chance any of the studios have of getting ground. Their already gaining a lot of ground since their vocaloids are uber popular. At this stage there is no way a Engloid could ever compete with a Engloid, but they still have the advantage of not being tied to the same cliches The cultural diffences give Engloids the advantage of being different and its pretty much the only way they can go forward.

The problem with both Chinese and Koreans is their designs don't always remembrance enough differences to distinguish themselves from Japanese designs. And Yamaha is pushing this problem by making the studios look "Japanese-y" as exampled by Avanna.

Dont' forget in all of this, in America, the culture towards animal traits is more "relaxed" then one think. I've already seen a lot of embrace from fans who are into things like MLP or Sonic the Hedgehog and those are just *my* areas of scope.

I don't like the designs 100% myself but I understand the sitatution going down with many modern Vocaloids and the pressure there is. After an Elf, I also don't find there much of a difference in this concept to Avanna. And even then... I remind everyone PowerFX has had 3 Frankenstein monsters... And Taiwan version Prima and Tonio are based on beings from Chinese opera. How is this too much of a leap from these type of concepts? Despite the mockery and laughter at "unicorn Tonio" (people don't get its a "ogre/oni/magical being"), but many choose these design over the stock photo and have fun with it. If a design appeals because its "fun" then its okay.

Remember, people had plenty of "fun" with Microsoft Sam's voice in the day, despite how awkward it is compared to something like Vocaloid at this point in time.

In a couple of years time, I doubt there will be too much concern with any of this and we'd had moved on, hence why I'm defending the design choices. I remember a lot of people being put off by miki due to the doll-joints that now praise her and are disappointed by their absence in V4...