Nekomura Iroha

Nekomura Iroha (猫村いろは) is a character created by SANRIOWAVE CO.,LTD. in 2009. Also with a collaboration between AH-Software, she was released as a Vocaloid2 on October 22, 2010. She is illustrated by okama, a Japanese manga artist and illustrator.

Concept
Iroha is one of the "Kittyler" characters who love the Sanrio character Hello Kitty. She also joined the "Hello Kitty to Issho!" project in early August, 2010.

The speakers encasing her hands are called Dynamic-Phonon Buster. The other set of speakers are called Chorus-speaker, each of these move around, supporting her. The floating microphone collects her voice and Announce Booth, which is on her head, works as an amplifier and divides the sound into three classes for the speakers, according to its range; the sound for tweeters, mid-range speakers and woofers.

According to her official profile on the Hello Kitty to Issho! page, she is interested in Hello Kitty and wants to become a "Platinum Kitty". Also a story about how she became a Kitty'er was included.

Etymology
"Iroha" is the old Japanese variant of "ABC" (as seen in the Japanese iroha poem) and "I, Ro, Ha" means "A(La), B(Si), C(Do)" of seven-note scale. "Nekomura", her surname, means "Cat Village".

Examples of Usage
To our readers and editors, for section notes please read; Notes; Examples sections.
 * -|Nekomura Iroha=

Marketing
She was originally designed by Sanrio for Comiket (Comic Market) in 2009. Iroha was released as a part of a promotional tie-in with a Vocaloid x Hello Kitty promotion.

A CD was released with two songs ("Tsubasa" and "ABBEY FLY") featuring her, along with VSQ files. She owes much of her early use to being supplied as a trial version. The offer for the free trial ended on September 30th 2010.

Until May 2011, all AH-Software Vocaloids were banned from Karen-T. However, because of her joint own over her copyright with Sanrio she was still forbidden, this lasted until Jan 2012.

How Iroha became a Platinum Kitty
One day, there was a girl standing in the front of a sidewalk. This girl had a ponytail and round eyes, she carried a traveling purse and a giant hello kitty umbrella. This girl took the the umbrella and placed it under her arm, grabbed her phone and looked at the display, a hello kitty display, obliviously, on the corner of the phone the clock marked 9:52 AM.

“Ah! Why did I have to sleep so much and be so late?” Looking at her nail you could see a very white nail with a hello kitty nail art on it, she probably stayed up till late to get the nail art done so nicely like she did, it looked pretty, but because of that she woke up late. Her mother quickly made her make up, but once she got here all sweaty there was not much make up left on her face.

“C’mon traffic sign! Go green already!” The girl stared at the red traffic sign that never changed. Today was a special day to her. There was an audition she dreamed about ever since she was a little girl, the Platinum Kitty audition. She got very happy once she received the document saying that she passed, and from that moment till yesterday, she stood at the mirror every day choosing what clothes she’d wear, what make up and what kind of hair she’d use on the great day. She asked her mom to teach her how to make up and get the hair done, and practice dancing every day without missing it. That’s why once the traffic sign went green she ran. The place was just few meters away and she couldn’t be more late. She arrived at 9:55 AM and went to the elevator, but at the moment she got there, the elevator left and there were no time to wait it get back.

“If I hurry upstairs I might still have a chance” She grabbed her umbrella and rushed upstairs, jumping step by step. Once she got on the floor, there was a man closing the door. “WAIT! I’m a participant” she screamed. She rushed and gave him her document letter, the man took it from her hand and said:

“Oh you’re number 50, we were almost close.”

“I’m sorry Im late!” She replied him almost breathless. She greeted him and smiled.

“There is the participants room” He guided her in “Now hurry up and get ready” “Thank you!”

The girl went to the room and saw all the girls there from all places in the world, all gathered there hoping to become a Platinum Kittyer. She got really nervous about it, obliviously, all the girls there had a high sense of fashion and they were all pretty. Some girls were in front of the mirror getting and doing a final check up.

“Will I be fine like this?” The girl was very afraid. She grabbed her tunic, but the girl she saw in front of the mirror it could be found anywhere. She couldn’t even smile like she practiced. She saw all the other girls shinning so bright with their own inner lights that she thought that her own light couldn’t shine brighter.

“Even if I try like this, people will laugh at me, should I really try? Maybe I should quit.” She was sad and angry at the same time, she looked below and saw a carry bag her mom used to use it when she was younger, the design wasn’t manufactured anymore. Last night, when she was getting ready for the contest, her mother came up to her and gave her the carry bad, saying it was a sort of amulet.

“I know you said it was an amulet, but I’m so sorry mom.” She said almost without any force. Once she grabbed the carry bag handle she remembered what her mother said to her: “Once you’re in a really tight situation, open this bag.”

Of course she tried to open it on her way here, but something magically strange happened at that time, she couldn’t open the bag. “Maybe, now that I’m confused and in trouble this bag will open?” She whispered and sited in front of the bag. Very anxiously, she put her hand in the zipper and proceed to open it, once the carry bag refused to open as if it were jammed, but now it opened right away. Inside it, there were hello kitty hairpins and other hello kitty accessories, all from the time her mother was a child, they were all rare accessories nowadays, almost no one had them.

“Wow! How cool!” She screamed in happiness and proceed to look for something else inside the bag. She found a white letter stamped with Hello Kitty on it. “Wow what’s this?” It was a letter from her mother.


 * This accessories were the ones I was wearing once I was chosen the Platinum Kitty, if you won’t lose yourself and be the one I know you are I’m sure you are going to open your way! Good Luck.

The girls heart beat stronger as she read the very well written hand letter from her mother. “Be myself…” As she remembered her first contact with Hello Kitty. It was a plushy kitty that her mother had. The Hello Kitty plushy had such a cute face and the second she saw the plushy she fell in love with Hello Kitty. Her mom, when saw her daughter´s love for Hello Kitty said: “I´m glad you like Hello Kitty too.” She laughed happily.

Inside the bag there was a lot of Hello Kitty dolls that came from mother to daughter, crossing generations. There was one with a monotone bum and a dark nose, another with a flower hair dress, one with a black dress a little bit older. But from all designs, her most favorite one was the first design, the red ribbon, a blue dress with yellow polka dot, it had an American air, but somehow, seeing the dolls gave her strength.

“Yes! This hair clip, and this ribbon! It´s it!” She grabbed the accessories that her mother used to wear and smiled knowing everything was going to be all right.

After a few hours waiting in the saloon, there she was, at the spotlight. The accessories that were on her carry bag now were on her, one became a belt, the smaller one a choker, she made the scarf into a hair ribbon, the other scarf she made a ribbon similar to Hello Kitty´s. Her look was 100% with her umbrella and the carry bag. She made the perfect combination between the old and new looks. She tried to calm down when they announced the results:

“and this year´s platinum Kitty is…” She couldn´t listen to the winner´s name due the other people voices surrounding her. “It´s you” some girl said. “What? It´s me? It´s truly me?” She was scared and out of reality, she only came back when the presenter said:

“From mother to daughter, dreams and hopes that break the barrier of time and the respect and affection for the brand. The concept she created is what Hello Kitty wants to show.”

The girl now was smiling in front of that bright light. Hello Kitty really is a spectacular brand!

The End

Hello Kitty Merchandise
Like other Kittylers, Iroha has had the standard array of promotional merchandise. Some of these items include postcards, an illustration book, etc. Most of these promotions are unrelated to her Vocaloid self as they are done in line with the Hello Kitty franchise.

Hello Kitty To Issho! Block Crash 123!!
Iroha and other Kittylers appear in a PSP and PSVITA games, Block Crash, in Japanese "ハローキティといっしょ! ブロッククラッシュ123! !".


 * PSP PV
 * PSVITA PV

Figurines


Since she is owned primarily by Sanrio, the Sanrio company have commissioned several figurines of this Vocaloid.


 * For more see Figurines

Christmas Illustration Contest
On December 12, 2011, AH-Software announced that they are holding an illustration contest of Iroha with the theme Nyanglebell (Nyan and Jingle Bell). Submissions were opened from December 12th to January 10th 2012. 4 winners were announced on AHS' page.

Karen-T Restriction
Until late May 2011, no AH-Software Vocaloids could be used for works sold via Karen-T. However, Iroha remained under ban until late Jan 2012. The ban was owed to her joint ownership with Sanrio.

Popularity
Iroha was well received overall by both Japanese and Western fans; the Western fans especially praised her vocal capabilities, and she was amongst the fan favorite voices of 2010's releases. This was an improved reaction from the previous Vocaloids released by AH-Software, and Iroha did not have to endure the same struggle to gain popularity as her predecessors.

A independent Vocaloid search on Nico Nico Douga revealed that most Vocaloids had less then 1,000 videos uploaded on Nico Nico Douga in between July 1 and December 15 2011 with Iroha falling into that category as well.

Trivia

 * Due to miscommunication regarding advertisement of the new collaboration happening at the same Comiket booth as another event, fans initially believed that the new Vocaloid, announced to be a collaboration between AH-software and Sanrio, would be the kittyler Rio which was illustrated by KEI, the illustrator for the Crypton Future Media CV series and the Vocaloid Lily (It is to be noted that at the time, a "Kittyler" was misunderstood to be a moe personification of Hello Kitty herself rather than someone who is simply interested in the character). This sparked a controversy, and an interview with one of the members of AH-software had to clear up the misunderstanding. Rio was used for an upcoming project by Sanrio, "Hello Kitty to Issho!" and she is one of several Kittylers illustrated by multiple artists. KEI was just one of them.


 * Two MMD Models of Iroha were released from Windows 100% magazine, one in August and another in November. The first model was based upon her Kittyler attire the other is her Vocaloid attire. The creator of the models is ISAO . Her second model (Vocaloid style) was used for an official 3D movie has shown on her official page and broadcast on Youtube. In May 2011, two more models of Iroha were released, both done by the same artist, only this model was released to the public for a limited time. The models are Iroha in a more casual (dubbed idol) appearance; the first model that was released had a large bun wrap, but after much feedback ISAO edited the same model to have a side ponytail. In July 2011 a Magician model was released from Windows 100%.


 * In total, Iroha has two birthdays. Iroha's character / mascot's birthday is on May 14th. Fans also celebrate Iroha's birthday on October 22nd; the day where she is released as a Vocaloid.

Notable for...

 * Most popular AH software Vocaloid 2
 * First AH software Vocaloid to gain satisfactory levels of popularity

Gallery

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