It virtually feels pointless to elucidate who Hatsune Miku is—famously, the world is, after all, hers. The digital singing sensation and one-time Domino’s mascot has dominated the globe with innumerable iconic songs made by these using her vocal software program, and has been internet hosting “reside” performances and excursions (extra on this shortly) internationally for a number of years. And the newest of those excursions to come back to North America, Miku Expo 2024, was being “powered by Crunchyroll.”
In the event you can recall listening to about Miku Expo regardless of not having been there nor being a very large Vocaloid fan, odds are you heard concerning the criticisms regarding each it and Coachella’s use of LED screens. Earlier “reside” Miku performances had Miku appear as if a hologram on-stage (that is in all probability achieved by using the Pepper’s Ghost method, which is greatest identified for its utilization in Disney’s Haunted Mansion journey). Naturally, there was an assumption that this tour could be comparable—in any case, there was no proof on the contrary, and a quantity of folks would later report seeing phrasing that urged the holographic look. So concertgoers had been outraged when the tour began and Scarlett Johansson’s esteemed bestie was trapped in an LED display. A petition to provide folks refunds—which, as of time of writing, boasts almost 8,000 signatures—was rapidly posted. Whereas they didn’t drop this low throughout the board, ticket costs for a minimum of one remaining present plummeted to as little as $5. One disgruntled fan would allege that they consulted a regulation agency about the opportunity of launching a category motion lawsuit on the grounds of false promoting.
The information left many followers questioning if Miku’s efficiency at Coachella—which was solely days away when the information concerning the display started to unfold—would equally make the most of the display. Coachella is, in any case, one of many largest music festivals within the US. Certainly, one would assume, it could be a worthy sufficient stage for the holographic-looking Miku, even when the tour had a display. However nope. Miku’s Coachella present utilized the display as nicely. And as if so as to add salt to the wound, Lana Del Rey utilized what gave the impression to be a hologram for her Coachella efficiency. Regardless of the variety of followers eager to know why each Coachella and (particularly) the tour had been using the LED screens and why this wasn’t made clear sooner, Miku Expo’s social media remained silent on this matter.
One other level of competition has been merchandise accessible on the Miku Expo exhibits—or to be extra particular, the shortage of sunshine sticks. Within the introduction of Rightstuf’s assimilation into Crunchyroll (relaxation in peace), no different anime retailer is ready to straight compete with Crunchyroll’s. But regardless of this, for the reason that very first present within the tour, concertgoers have complained on-line concerning the restricted inventory of gentle sticks accessible on the exhibits themselves (and even on-line, the sunshine sticks reportedly offered out in a short time). This was an issue not simply because folks needed gentle sticks, however as a result of the tour’s website stated (as of time of writing, nonetheless says, really!) that they wouldn’t be permitting for third celebration gentle sticks, “as a result of they might intervene with the live performance efficiency.” Naturally, many assumed that this meant that the third celebration gentle sticks may intervene with the expertise permitting for Miku’s holographic look. So when it turned obvious the tour had forwent this expertise in favor of the LED display, folks didn’t perceive why third celebration sticks weren’t allowed. Additional including to the confusion: various concertgoers reported that they had been in a position to herald third celebration gentle sticks. To cite a befuddled fan on reddit: “The official website says one factor, the expertise of individuals at completely different venues says one other. It appears it’s not even constant from venue to venue. This could have all been moot if they’d simply introduced sufficient lightsticks to promote everybody.”
Anecdotally, I can vouch that group and merchandise-related points had been current on the present I used to be at, too. I used to be in line simply to get into the Boston present for over three hours, after which went straight to the merchandise desk once I received in. Or a minimum of, that’s what I attempted to do; I’m guessing everybody else had the identical thought (I don’t doubt a lot of them had been making an attempt to get gentle sticks earlier than they offered out), as a result of upon getting into the venue, the road misplaced all semblance of its kind as folks crowded round, desperately looking for the place the merchandise desk was. Because it seems, it was in a decrease degree of the constructing. So at some unidentifiable level across the stairwell, the mass of individuals making an attempt to get to their seats ended, and the mass of people that needed merchandise started. I couldn’t inform you the place, particularly, the road ended, simply that it didn’t really begin resembling a line once more till it hit the stairwell—this was seemingly out of necessity, because the stairwell was housed in a skinny corridor. What any followers who couldn’t go down the steps would’ve finished—in the event that they had been even capable of get any merchandise due to this—I don’t know. Regardless of how early I lined up, and even though I went as on to the merchandise line as I may, by the point I received to the entrance of the road almost an hour later (by the point I received to my seat, there have been actually lower than 30 seconds between the time I sat down and when the present began), gentle sticks, happi jackets, acrylic standees, buttons, patches, and enamel pins had been already gone.
These had been removed from the one criticisms that the tour attracted (e. g. there was a large useless pixel in Phoenix), however these had been, a minimum of, the extra widespread ones. But regardless of the chaos surrounding it, the present itself was—in my view—a blast. The band members had been stored in cages (which, I promise, didn’t look almost as sinister because it sounds) so Miku’s being confined to a display didn’t stand out as a lot. That is to say nothing of how, a minimum of from what I may see from my just-barely-not-in-the-nosebleeds seat, the graphics on the display regarded nice. My solely criticism of the present itself was that, as a Vocaloid boomer, I might’ve appreciated to have heard a minimum of a number of of the extra traditional hits—Magnet, Love is Conflict, or Meltdown for instance, which have been carried out at Miku Expos previous.
In any case, I left Miku Expo with blended emotions. On one hand, the present itself was a good time. The “efficiency” was enjoyable, the band was nice, and the power from the group was electrifying. However on the opposite, I couldn’t assist however take into consideration the criticism that this tour was steeped in; I couldn’t assist however really feel reminded that Sony/Crunchyroll is the one entity left that may afford to placed on occasions like these on an excellent considerably recurring foundation. So when their organizational abilities—whereas they might be a lot worse—nonetheless go away a lot to be desired, it means one thing.
When followers tried reaching out to Crypton Future Media and Crunchyroll, each corporations responded with what quantities to little greater than them saying, “Thanks for sending us an electronic mail. We’ve acquired it.” When Kotaku ran a narrative concerning the criticisms surrounding Miku Expo on April 8, they reached out to Crunchyroll and Crypton Future Media for remark. Just a few days after the story was posted, on April 12, Crypton Future Media responded with the next:
We admire the fan suggestions concerning MIKU EXPO’s North America tour and can proceed to refine our present expertise with our viewers in thoughts.
To rejoice MIKU EXPO’s tenth anniversary, followers throughout North America and Europe can proceed to count on the identical high-energy live performance expertise that includes the LED display expertise that followers have loved throughout different MIKU-related occasions.
For future updates to MIKU EXPO, followers can control our SNS Channels or can share suggestions with us straight through https://www.crypton.co.jp/cfm/inquiry-aboutus_en
We thank everybody for his or her continued assist of Hatsune Miku and MIKU EXPO.
That is very transparently a non-answer—a long-winded method of claiming “Shrug emoji” which very a lot mirrors the aforementioned lack of a direct response on Miku Expo’s social media and fan emails. It’s additionally the very same assertion they’d give Anime Information Community after they ran a narrative concerning the state of affairs a number of days later.
Crunchyroll didn’t make that written eye-roll of a public assertion, and admittedly, they aren’t in charge for each one of many tour’s shortcomings. However for a tour being “powered by” them, this entire episode means that Crunchyroll didn’t appear terribly within the tour’s goings-on, not to mention responding to (justified) criticism of it. And that is removed from the primary time, even in simply the previous few years, {that a} Crunchyroll-powered occasion has confronted widespread criticism solely to get waved off by Crunchyroll—simply ask the attendees of Crunchyroll Expo Australia 2022, the place badges had been massively oversold, leaving a number of folks ready in line outdoors within the rain for a number of hours. Settling for addressing the state of affairs as vaguely as attainable (“capability points and lengthy delays”), they provided refunds “for many who not want to attend.” Whereas the occasion has but to return (whether or not that is because of the difficulties in 2022, Crunchyroll’s 2023 announcement that they had been pausing Crunchyroll Expo, “to give attention to attending a rising roster of expos and festivals all over the world,” and/or one thing else is unclear), they by no means responded to the criticisms concerning the occasion straight, nor did they apologize. And in an anime trade panorama the place each different firm can solely exist in Crunchyroll’s lengthy, orange shadow, Crunchyroll’s continued apathy is price placing beneath the microscope.
Crunchyroll’s early historical past exhibits us that they’ve all the time had a behavior of what you might generously name throwing every thing on the wall to see what sticks. Much less generously, nevertheless, you’d name it stretching themselves too skinny. Amongst loads of different issues, of their first few years they tried having their very own anime encyclopedia/wiki, making a Gaia On-line-ish browser sport, and (bafflingly) including a automobile part to their website. Most of those facet initiatives did not get off the bottom, however their significance lies much less of their success (or moderately, their lack thereof) as a lot because it does in what their very existence alerts about what Crunchyroll needed: consolidation.
Realizing that Crunchyroll was pursuing this objective even earlier than they’d a lot in the best way of cash or assets, it’s fully unsurprising that they’re nonetheless doing this right now. The one distinction is that now that they really have cash and assets, they will do that on a a lot grander scale—and oh expensive lord, do they ever.
Due to all of the anime and anime-adjacent corporations they’ve Kirby-absorbed, Crunchyroll has efficiently grow to be the one-stop store they’ve all the time dreamed of being, all while concurrently eliminating their competitors—two birds with one stone. And due to this, they’re now free to boost their costs and decrease their high quality to their coronary heart’s content material. In any case, who’re they competing with? And certain sufficient, in 2024 alone we’ve already seen them elevate the costs for his or her Mega Fan and Final Fan tiers, and announce to widespread boos that they’re experimenting with AI utilization of their subtitles. But when occasions like Crunchyroll Expo Australia and Miku Expo have informed us something, it’s that Crunchyroll doesn’t care what their prospects say—they’ll do no matter they need to do. And it’s this lack of direct competitors that, I believe, about 75% explains Crunchyroll’s seeming lack of concern about criticism.
The remaining 25% is greatest summed up by Kim Morrissy, who posted earlier this yr that Crunchyroll, “place(s) themselves as a tech and way of life model, as in the event that they created the anime themselves.” And I can’t assist however take into consideration this publish each time I’ve seen Crunchyroll make unpopular choice after unpopular choice within the time since. As a result of, should you view these decisions by the lens of Crunchyroll fancying itself as a way of life model—the approach to life being, on this case, anime fan—moderately than a streaming service, abruptly you’ll be able to see a highway that simply results in these questionable locations. However as a lot as I need to snort on the thought of Crunchyroll envisioning itself as a way of life model, I can’t as a result of they’re truthfully nicely on their option to reaching this. They’ve their very own anime information hub. Their very own anime retailer. Their very own cell sport division. Their very own anime awards ceremony, full with main celebrities. And shortly, their very own chain of film theaters. That is solely scratching the floor of the numerous issues they’ve—of their huge, anime-themed empire. And when you consider it, the following logical step above being a one-stop store is being a way of life model.
That is all to say that I don’t have any hope that Sony will cease buying different corporations for Crunchyroll any time quickly—if something, I count on it’ll proceed for a while, as this has all the time been Crunchyroll’s intent. Recently, Sony/Crunchyroll appears to have extra curiosity in occasions which might be wide-reaching, however nonetheless cheaper, committal, and organization-heavy than a fully-fledged conference—though admittedly I additionally wouldn’t be in any respect shocked if I heard that Sony/Crunchyroll purchased (insert massive, pre-established anime con right here) with hopes of reworking it into a brand new Crunchyroll Expo. In any case, I count on we’ll quickly begin seeing Sonymationroll pour extra assets into occasions like these, as they in all probability see them as their subsequent frontier—stuff like live performance excursions and film screenings. Moreover, I additionally don’t count on them to take criticism of any of their current initiatives—whether or not it’s Crunchyroll itself, occasions which might be powered by Crunchyroll, or in any other case—terribly severely any time quickly, both. As ever, they’re simply going to maintain on rolling.
