The article is from WeChat public account: East West Entertainment (ID: EW-Entertainment) , original title: “Akimoto cross-dimensional women’s team: in the new technology to promote” seiyuu idol + “to develop a model | virtual idol” series, author: Mo Shiyuan, red bean dumplings .XIA The title picture comes from: “22/7”
Introduction
On January 11th, the animation with the same name of the digital voice actress idol group 22/7 launched by Akimoto Yakuni as a producer, combined with ANIPLEX and Sony Music, was launched.
This virtual idol project was officially born on December 26, 2016. The name is derived from the “approximate rate” of Pi / 22/7. It focuses on futurism and cross-dimensionality. The members of the project also serve as “role” (avatar) and” real members “ (real people) Consists of 8 virtual characters and 11 voice actors candidates.
In the three years since the 22/7 project was born, it has carried out various activities such as single release, variety show production, online live broadcast, and offline live. It can be said that it is the content of Qiu Yuankang and Sony Music Entertainment. A powerful new attempt by ANIPLEX and Sony Music on “Developing an Idol X Quadratic”. Today, animation is the act of supplementing this project’s worldview and design and expanding the influence of the audience.
Earlier, Idol Master and Lovelive! ”As a representative, there are many successful cases in Japan where game and animation giants have mixed pan-secondary and idol cultures with a mixed media model to create a virtual idol IP that spans the dimensions. For Qiu Yuankang, who pioneered the 48G development female group model, this is also one of the many experiences he has accumulated in the field of real idols.After a reverse attempt.
At the time of the planning release, Qiu Yuankang said that this was the first time he tried to cultivate an artist to hide his appearance, perform activities as a voice actor, and then further become an idol.
In fact, in the past 3 years, AKB has experienced popular members graduated, the combination has been out of touch, the influence has gradually diminished and it has to cancel the iteration of the general election. The concept of “meeting idols” is no longer a victory Magic weapon. Even if the “Sakado Department” women’s group re-created by Qiu Yuankang’s updated concept has opened up new markets, the Japanese developmental real women’s group still faces challenges such as difficulty in training head members and increasingly short product cycles.
Also, 22/7 empowers each other through two-dimensional and three-dimensional images, carries out vTuber’s debut planning following the trend, and uses VR field technology to perform innovative performances. It is also an icon for incubation and development in the context of pan-entertainment. A new exploration of women’s groups to realize multiple realizations.
22/7 Birth Background
As early as 2012, AKB48 under Qiu Yuankang tried to launch the animation “AKB0048”. However, “AKB0048” needs to rely on the popularity of the AKB members themselves. They are very similar in character and appearance to the members responsible for dubbing, and only exist as a human derivative product. On the other hand, 22/7 confirmed the combination of real and virtual idols from the beginning.
This plan was announced in the second half of 2016, which is the period when the Japanese animation market is expanding and its derivative consumption is growing rapidly. The “Japan Animation Industry Report” shows that the total consumption of the Japanese animation industry market in 2015 reached 182,825 billion yen, setting a new record for three consecutive years. One of the main reasons for the boom in the market is the rapid rise in the consumption of animation entertainment participated in the scene. Animated music (Anisong) concert-based liveConsumption is expanding rapidly.
It can be seen that under the entry of large entertainment companies and performance companies, there were a number of 2.5-dimensional idol-related projects in Japan at the time. , Live-action voice acting concerts and animation cafes.
At the same time, VR, live broadcast and other technological developments have made it possible for two-dimensional idols to perform concerts and have one-on-one communication with fans. They will not betray, there are no scandals, they are easier to see than real idols, and they are considered by some practitioners to be the “ultimate idols” that can surpass real humans.
In this context, Qiu Yuankang also launched his “Ultimate Idol” project 22/7. One of the partners, Sony Music Records Corporation (SMR) has stated that it was Qiu Yuankang’s initiative to produce a digital voice acting idol, and it was ultimately decided by As a comprehensive producer, SMR is responsible for music, Sony’s ANIPLEX is responsible for animation, and the three parties jointly launched this project. Among them, Sony Music and Qiu Yuankang launched the idol girl group Nogizaka46, and ANIPLEX has experience in making idol animation pioneer-“Idol Master”. The three parties have reached a consensus on trying new idol methods.
Qiu Yuankang
Qiu Yuankang also said when he announced the 22/7 plan that he wanted to make a fictional idol. Because now it is no longer possible to simply use “brand strategy (Image Strategy) “, is the era of idol fixed people, social Media such as Instagram can always reveal the truest state of idols. In this environment, fixed people can easily collapse. “Because it is a non-existent idol, I was able to paint a picture that would never happen in daily life.thing. “
Finally, the person in charge of Qiu Yuankang set up a draft, and 8 well-known artists in the Japanese animation industry were responsible for designing 8 virtual characters for the national voice actors. In December 2016, after five rounds of selection, 11 voice actors stood out from 1,325, and in February 2017, an event was held where fans decided the stage name for real members.
In July 2017, three new virtual characters were announced. In September of the same year, 11 people officially debuted with the release of their first single “Servant Existence”. The artist agency was contracted by Sony Music’s Buzzwave The club is responsible.
Iteration of 22/7 idol development model: from 2.5 dimension, vTuber to online VR performance
Establishment of 2.5-dimensional idol mode
The positioning of the 2.5-dimensional formation idol in the early period of 22/7 is very obvious. Comics media researcher Quan Xinxing believes that 22/7 was originally a “two-dimensional character + live voice” model similar to “Lovelive!” And “Wake Up, Girls!”.
In the first two years of their debut, 22/7 did show a 2.5-dimensional idol development. For example, in the first offline live event after debuting on 22 / 7CD, a two- and three-dimensional stage overlap performance was used. The 3D two-dimensional image was first performed on stage through projection, and the first half of the song was performed by a real person wearing the same “Sakado” costume.
Real idols have since been revealed mainly through offline commemorative events, small live shows and radio programs. The two-dimensional image is active in MV and series animation.
VTuber debut of avatar
By 2017, the vTuber boom is sweeping the Japanese pan-entertainment market. After entering 2018, vTuber’s active area has been expanded from YouTube to the television broadcasting industry. Popularity led by Trip Love has participated in multiple TV programs. The concept of vTuber has also been extended to the virtual artist (Virtual Talent) level.
This trend has also affected the 22/7 idol development model. This group that originally had two or three dimensions of content began to try to make members debut in the form of vTuber, hatch new content, and explore with users New interactive mode. For example, wearing a head-mounted camera for location shooting and character interpretation, showing the effect of a two-dimensional virtual character out of the scene, allowing the audience to have an immersive and real sense of the virtual character.
In June 2018, the virtual character Sakura Fujima in the group (Tiancheng Sally as voice actor) released the first video on YouTube , Officially became vTuber. One month after Sakura Fujima made her debut as a vTuber, the group appeared on its first TV title show “22/7 in calculation” with a two-dimensional image.
In this show, real members become people wearing VR equipment to complete motion capture, so that the two-dimensional image can maximize the restoration of real actions in the show. However, overall, the vTuber plan for 22/7 was slightly hasty. Of the 8 members who appeared in the first TV show, only 4 were shown in a 3D image, and the remaining 4 were in the form of a humanoid card + sound Starred in.
High-tech X22 / 7, VR performance with virtual and real idols
The rise of the “VR technology + performance” platform and the advent of consumer-grade VR devices in the past two years have made online VR concertsThe virtual idol’s performance and interaction style. By 2019, 22/7, which is backed by Sony Group, will also officially enter the VR field.
In March 2019, the PSVR-specific game “Maison 22/7” was released. The scene was set in a shared apartment of 22/7 members. Audiences can wear VR glasses and experience the surroundings of 22/7 members Sit together and watch the concert video. In July of the same year, while holding an offline handshake meeting on 22/7, a clapping meeting of the virtual character “Sakura Fujima” was also held in VR.
In addition to virtual idols, 22/7, a cross-dimensional project, also tries to combine real-life artist performance with VR. In December 2019, a live-action live performance watched in real time through a VR device was held at GINZA SONYPARK on 22/7. This VR live broadcast is powered by the Sony Group VR creation project “Project Lindbergh”. A total of 3 camera systems were set up at the venue, and VR viewers can switch between viewing angles without stuttering.
At present, there are few precedents for watching live concert live broadcasts through VR devices. 22/7 is at the forefront of immersive concert experience. Sony Music Entertainment (SME) ‘s Miura Shao has stated that 22/7 is a combination of 2D characters and 3D idols, which has a higher affinity with technology. The appeal of “Tech X 22/7” has already brought a group of fans into their core fandom.
Product Operation Methodology for 22/7
Human aspect:
1. Multi-faceted development from amateur to idol + voice
Sony Music Records stated in 2017 that 22/7 differs from other real idol groups in that 22/7 uses voice acting as the selection criteria. “The fun of pursuing idols is to support them in their efforts to become idols, and 22/7 will even become a voice actor.”
Unlike AKB48 members, who have already become popular as idols, and then acted as voice actors in anime, 22/7 members are completely amateurs selected through national elections, and they have a total of 1 when they are formed.1 person as a candidate voice actress for 8 characters. The cultivation process is like polishing the original stone, and it has a typical Qiu Yuankang formation female style.
And for half a year, the seiyuu identities are in an undisclosed mysterious state, and they have been undergoing course training. Even the stage names are determined by fans, and only interact with fans through SHOWROOM’s live voice and reading drama. After the mysterious real-life appearance has been made public, members of 22/7 have attracted many fans with their beautiful looks.
After making their official debut as a real person, 22/7 mainly faces audiences through small concerts. The stage style is similar to Zechaka 46, and the dance has a rich sense of story and performance.
Of course, this zero-to-one training model also faces many challenges. Due to the members’ non-professional voice actors, the dubbing performance in the newly broadcast TV animation has been criticized by many audiences as “hard, people make a play”, and the theme song and ending song of the animation have a “Fat Autumn Idol” characteristic style It also made some new fans feel awkward.
2. Open more live interactive modes with technology
In the Internet era, how to better interact with fans is a topic that all idols are exploring. With the launch of Sony Group’s various plans in the field of VR, 22/7 has also taken advantage of Dongfeng, leveraging the power of technology to carry out more forms of interaction with fans.
From the use of 3DCG technology to complete motion capture and production of 3D song PVs, to 22/7 exclusive game plug-ins that can interact with members by wearing VR glasses, to VR live concerts, 22/7 can rely on Sony’s technical support At the forefront of using new technology to enable idols to interact with their audience.
avatar aspect:
1. Strong character design lineup
The person in charge of ANPLEX said in the interview that the company will select talents to maximize the realization of Qiu Yuankang’s requirements. In the end, a total of 8 Japanese animation industry animators, including Yukiko Kouguchi, General Tanaka, and Mujin Fukazaki, personally played the role of the original case on 22/7. Yukiko Kouguchi was responsible for unifying the style of painting.
Among them, Yukiko Horiguchi is the founder of Kyoto Animation and the creator of “Kyoto Face”, and General Tanaka is responsible for the original role of the hit animation movie “Your Name”, so the project was Artist brand attracts many anime fans.
2. Establish a different and differentiated person set
From the beginning, 22/7 has been set with the goal of differentiating people. At the beginning of the plan, Qiu Yuankang pointed out that the starting point of the story of 22/7 is “If such a girl wants to be an idol”, the personality settings of the 8 young girls are very different, even to the point where they are somewhat inconsistent as idols-they are bold Of Kansai girls have multilingual returnee children from the United States, and taciturn otaku girls.
Also, for the creation of the human character of the two-dimensional character, 22/7 did not fix the human character at the beginning, but was freely played by real members in the initial stage. After three years, the official character was further completed through animation. The real member Sally Amagi has revealed that there is no Taiwanese version of the variety show, and everyone is constantly trying and recording based on the setting of the two-dimensional character.
3. Shaping the image of an orthodox idol
In the animation, as a relatively well-defined person and content established officially, 22/7 also pays attention to differentiation from mainstream idol groups. For example, the heroine is a short-haired girl with a sullen heart and a closed-hearted girl, Migawa Aikawa. When she opens, she shows an aversion to adults. The important line “I came to do the last thing I want to do” is the voice actress herself. The original words at the time of selection.
Also, the previous singles from 22/7, “I don’t exist”, “Understander”, “Nothing can do for you”, “Too difficult” … also have questions and expressions to the world Self style characteristics. This style of questioning the meaning of the adult world and idols has previously been tried and successful on Kikusaka 46 and has given it a completely different recognition degree than AKB48. Today, 22/7 shaping this image is also different from the previous “Idol Master” and “love live!” 》 And other orthodox inspirational idol animations.
Conclusion
Exploration of a new training model for Japanese women’s groups
Overviewing the three years since 22/7 was a process of continually trying new ways of playing in conjunction with the trend. In recent years, how the idol girl group iterates and innovates has been a concern in the industry. Combining existing technologies, Japan is also constantly exploring new ways to break the popularity of women’s groups.
22/7, as a “cross-dimensional” women’s group, is a typical experimental product of composite idols, and it is also an attempt to apply Japan’s latest interaction, performance methods and traffic channels in all directions. Qiu Yuankang chose the “Idol + Voice Actor” artist training and IP diversified development model. At the same time, Sony’s technical support allows 22/7 to play a variety of fields in animation, vTuber, VR games, real-life VR performance, and real and virtual Mutual empowerment of images.
Of course, diversity and innovation also mean change. As of now, 22/7 has a long development cycle and slow progress, and it remains to be seen whether the audience will pay for the atypical style of 22/7. At the same time, for the IP development of the two-dimensional virtual image, the artist’s voice and professionalism has also been questioned.
In 2020, in addition to animated broadcasts and comic serials, 22/7 also plans to launch a mobile audio game “The Time of 22/7 Music” in the spring and conduct live tours in many places. Whether 22/7 can expand the influence by this animation output, so that the two-dimensional IP has more room for development and realizes the monetization and harvesting remains to be seen.
As Qiu Yuankang explained the name of the group at the beginning of 22/7: “ In the process from zero to one, we need to believe in things that don’t exist and have been discovered. 22/7 It is a symbol of imagination. What does it mean? The answer lies in the future. “
Article from WeChat public account: stuff Entertainment (ID: EW-Entertainment) , author: MO Poetry Garden, Red Doudou.XIA,