Haksune Miku - how weird is this?

[g1itterati]

DS' friend (14) has gone back to Japan and apparently her whole school are crazy about a pop star who is actually a hologram! Haksune Miku tops the charts with her videos and children and adults pay the kind of money you would pay to see real-life pop stars in concert to see her larger than life "Bratz doll lookalike" hologram and hear her sing. It's a computer generated voice. Teens copy her "look" (thigh high socks and mini-skirt de rigeur) and she has sell-out stadium tours, not only in Japan, but other countries too. AIBU to think this is all too bizarre? Sorry I couldn't link videos, but there are loads on YouTube.

A bit like Hanna Montana then (or made up pop star).

Yup, weird. But a smart piece of management though (a star who won't expect to get paid, won't go on a three day bender, get caught in compromising situations or - worst of all - grow old and get wrinkles).

I know all pop stars are a media construction, but a hologram? I just can't imagine paying top-ticket prices or identifying with this image at all, even if I was 12.

It's just a cartoon really and children love pop music. We paid £££ to see the 'Thomas the tank engine live' show when DS was little - what was I thinking??

My dd used to be into Haksune Miku and other Vocaloids. Mainly because they can be crazy fast so a bit of a challenge to sing along to. I quite liked some of the tracks but they were a bit samey after a while.

I guess so, but it's teens and adults who are her main fan base as I understand it, rather than little children. Her lyrics are sometimes quite political as well and she has a kind of cult following. She fills stadiums the size of the O2.

She “supported” Lady Gaga on her tour in 2014, I was actually slightlh disappointed not to experience this weird thing when she came to the UK.

She’s pretty old hat too, mad how they are only interested now

I think its a bit weird too OP.

It’s bonkers and very Japanese. I love the Japanese culture and would like be to visit the country.

She’s been around a long time, so I imagine the adults were kids when they first heard her

Ronnie James Dio, who died in 2010, is touring as a hologram

I suppose if you're trying to create the perfect pop icon, why bother with an actual human at all?

She has played at Hyper Japan in London. Actually very clever when you watch her (not really my thing was with teenage DD).

It's Hatsune! and she's pretty clever, there's a whole group of them.

My niece's kids were obsessed with her for a while, it's a whole lot better than the stuff some of my other relatives that age are into. I've always thought she was the ultimate Japanese way around modern celebrity culture. She's been around at least 10 years in Japan.

YANBU. but to me it's the same vein as that "cartoon" porn stuff they do - really really the worst sort of hard core but ok cos it's cartoons. Young girls being influenced by completely unnatural icons. Makes kylie k look natural. It worries me

There are plenty of beautiful and positive Japanese manga and anime too though. I'd choose (and have chosen) Studio Ghibli over Disney any day.

My daughter cosplays Miku and is slightly obsessed with her lol. The music is annoying but I can appreciate the cleverness. My daughter and her friends have choreographed dances to the songs which are pretty good, as well as made their own costumes, and to be fair, I would rather they were being creative and learning new skills than just sat round a console or a tv.

Radio shhhhhhhh!!! Don't tell DH for gods sake!

I think it’s quite cool...