Top 10 Most Famous Vocaloids from Japan

Meiko is a Vocaloid released around the same time as Kaito, both produced by Yamaha. Her voice is provided by Japanese singer Meiko Haigo, which is where the character's name comes from. Unlike the more famous Hatsune Miku, Meiko wasn't designed to be personified, meaning she doesn't have a last name. Fans have since referred to her as Sakine Meiko and depict her as a more mature figure, like a mother or older sister compared to other female Vocaloid characters.

Although she is well-known, Meiko is one of the few Vocaloids with relatively few original songs. Her voice is provided by singer-songwriter Meiko Haigo. The vocals and background choruses can be generated by the software by inputting lyrics and pitch. No specific music genre is assigned to Meiko, and she can be used for pop, rock, jazz, R&B, and children’s music. Her name is derived from her voice provider.

Due to her voice not being as natural as human singers, the initial response from the music industry was unfavorable. However, the software allowed music enthusiasts to add vocals to their tracks just using a computer, even without special device connections. Videos featuring songs created by Meiko were uploaded to the video-sharing site Nico Nico Douga, and they became popular. The release of Hatsune Miku helped establish the Vocaloid software as a character, and as a result, Meiko’s popularity surged.

Kagamine Rin and Len immediately stood out from other Vocaloid characters when they were released on December 27, 2007, thanks to their unique 2-in-1 marketing gimmick. The golden-haired duo is the only twin Vocaloids released by a major company. Rin and Len were developed by Crypton Future Media using Yamaha’s Vocaloid 2 engine.

However, the “twin” concept is an oversimplification of Kagamine Rin and Len. Initially, Crypton Future Media had intended to present the two characters as siblings, but this plan was never realized. Instead, the company decided to see how producers and fans would interpret the duo, allowing for greater creative freedom in describing the Kagamines. The lack of an official “twin” label helped avoid stigma, especially when writing love songs.

The voice samples for Kagamine Rin and Len were taken from voice actress Asami Shimoda, with pitch and tone control. Rin was the first character to be illustrated, and Len was created to complement her, according to Crypton’s vision. They have performed together in live concerts, as they are reflections of one another.

Although popular, these Vocaloids aren't as famous as their predecessors due to their relatively low visibility in media and advertising. If you are familiar with Gackpoid, it's likely you're an active listener of Vocaloid characters. The popularity of Gackpoid is rather strange, considering his voice source is Gackt, a renowned Japanese singer known for pioneering genres related to visual Kei. His music has been featured in games like Final Fantasy.

Released on July 31, 2008, Gackpoid was introduced as Camui Gackpo, sometimes spelled Kamui, with a design by none other than Kentaro Miura, the artist behind Berserk. His voice is sampled from the Japanese singer and actor Gackt, using Yamaha's Vocaloid 2 software as their first project in the voice synthesis industry.

Gackpoid features a deeper, more masculine voice, which often overpowers other Vocaloids. This has made him a prominent figure in serious, sometimes tragic Vocaloid songs, particularly those involving female characters, thanks to his seductive tone. One of his standout songs is The Madness of the Duke of Venomania.

Gumi is another Vocaloid 2 voicebank. Unlike most other popular Vocaloid characters, Gumi was developed by Internet Co., Ltd. and released in 2009. Her voice is based on Megumi Nakajima, a Japanese voice actress of Filipino descent, known for her role in Macross Frontier and the game KanColle. GUMI’s release, closely following Gackpoid, led fans to nickname her “Megpoid” or “Megpoid Gumi.” Her bright orange outfit is thought to be inspired by Ranka Lee, a character voiced by Megumi Nakajima.

Although she never achieved the same level of fame as other female Vocaloid V2 characters, Gumi became the most famous Vocaloid of Internet Co., Ltd. Like Luka, fans quickly realized that she could speak English with her Japanese voice. This feature was later improved with the official release of her English voicebank in 2013.

What sets Gumi apart is the approach her developers took in designing her add-ons. An add-on in the Vocaloid universe refers to modifications made to the original voicebank, which can make her voice softer, stronger, or raspier. Combining different add-ons creates a more natural-sounding voice, which is why many add-ons were released for popular Vocaloids. In Gumi's case, Internet Co., Ltd. released voice variants and age-based variations, allowing users to choose a Gumi with a more mature, older voice.

Miki, or SF-A2 Miki, is one of the later versions of Vocaloid 2. When she was initially launched, she was the sole Vocaloid from her developer, setting her apart from the fan-driven and creator-driven narratives often surrounding more popular characters. That being said, SF-A2 Miki stands out because her voice is a more faithful replica of her voice source, Japanese musician Miki Furukawa.

This was seen as unique at the time because most Vocaloids had their voices slightly altered to differentiate them from their voice source. While it may seem counterproductive for a Vocaloid to sound unlike its source, this was often due to many voice sources being voice actors (seiyuu) or Japanese anime performers.

Miki was intentionally designed to resemble a robot, and as a result, her character design was inspired by science fiction. SF-A2 Miki has a few original songs, and you can check out Satellite and Miki Miki Romantic Night to hear her sing at her best. Her design is unique compared to other Vocaloids. She is not tied to YAMAHA-based instruments like other Vocaloids and was specifically designed to have a more cybernetic appearance, which gave her a sci-fi look more distinct than most other Vocaloids at that time.

A recent addition to the famous Vocaloid hall of characters, IA is one of the first Vocaloid 3 voice banks to be released. She was introduced by 1st Place Co., Ltd. in 2012, named after her voice provider, Lia. After Lia married and became pregnant, IA was created as a way to 'replace' her during her hiatus from singing.

Lia is another Japanese singer whose songs have been featured in anime and games. Her focus on technical expression is reflected in IA's design, which is much simpler compared to other Vocaloid characters. Licensing IA is different from previous Vocaloids. Unlike some others, users can use her image on CDs, flyers, and posters without permission, though approval from the company is required for more extensive uses.

The design philosophy from 1st Place was to make the voice simple and easy to understand but also adjustable and customizable, allowing creators to make their own versions of IA. Some of IA's most famous songs include Six Trillion Years, Overnight Story, and A Realistic Logical Ideologist. She has also performed live at concerts as an animated projection or a ghostly figure of Pepper.