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Tohoku Zunko (東北ずん子) is a Japanese VOICEROID and VOCALOID developed and distributed by AH-Software Co. Ltd., and was created in collaboration with SSS LLC.. She was released in September 2012 for the VOICEROID+ engine and in June 2014 for the VOCALOID3 engine. An update to the VOCALOID4 engine was released in October 2016.[2] She also received AI singing voicebanks for NEUTRINO and CeVIO AI in July 2021 and January 2022 respectively, as well as an AI talking voicebank for VOICEPEAK (bundled with Zundamon and Frimomen as bonuses) in January 2023 and a VoiSona Song Voice (ported from her CeVIO AI Song Voice) in June 2024.
Her voice is provided by the Japanese voice actress, singer, and narrator, Satō Satomi (佐藤聡美), who is known for her role as Tainaka Ritsu from the Japanese music anime K-ON!.[3]
Concept[]
Zunko is a high school student in her 2nd year. Her special ability is "Zunda Arrow" which transforms any kind of mochi into zunda-mochi after being struck by thunder.
Her hobbies are archery and making cakes, particularly zunda-mochi. Her dream is to own her own "Zunda Café" in Tokyo as well as a "Zunda Shop" in Akihabara. This was mentioned in a short bio that was included in her strap.
Etymology[]
Her family name, "Tohoku", comes from the Tohoku region in which she was made to support after a tsunami struck the area in 2011. Her first name, "Zunko", is derived from "zunda" mochi.
Appearance[]
Zunko's clothing is based off of Zunda-mochi, a type of Japanese rice cake with sweetened green soybean paste. It is a local specialty in the Tohoku region.
Relations[]
- Tohoku Itako - Older Sister.[4]
- Tohoku Kiritan - Younger Sister.[5][6]
- Zundamon - Pet/Mascot.[7]
- Tohoku Anko (東北あん子) - Official derivative. A Zunko who has fallen to darkness.
History[]
On June 20, 2013 fundraising campaign was in effect with the goal of creating a VOCALOID voicebank for Zunko if the required funds (¥5,000,000) were met by July 20th the next month.[8] Since then, the campaign was successful and her VOCALOID was released in June 2014. A VOCALOID4 update was announced on September 29, 2016 called Tohoku Zunko V4 Natural alongside a VOICEROID+ EX voicebank for her sister Kiritan. They were both released a month later.[9]
On November 22nd, 2019, in a VOICEROID 10th Anniversary livestream, AH-Software announced an English version of VOICEROID, and revealed Zunko as the first English voice. Zunko's Twitter confirmed on the same day that it would be a crowdfunded project.[10][11] However, in December 2020, it was revealed that VOICEROID development has silently ceased due to conflicts between AH-Software Co. Ltd. and AI, Inc., the developer of the software AITalk which is what VOICEROID is based on.[12][13][14] This caused development of Koharu Rikka's VOICEROID2 voicebank to be moved to CeVIO AI. The status of whether or not Zunko's English voicebank will be moved to a different engine is currently unknown.
On January 26, 2021, a crowdfunding campaign was launched to create a voicebank of her for the NEUTRINO software, like her sisters.[15][16] The campaign was set to end on February 22 and by February 3 had met its goal of ¥7,500,000. The voicebank was released later that year in July.
Tohoku Zunko was announced for development of a CeVIO AI Song Voice library through an AH-Software Co. Ltd. press release on October 27th, 2021.[17][18] She released there on January 27, 2022.[19]
On November 16, Zunko was announced to receive a fresh-new talk voicebank for the new VOICEPEAK text-to-speech software (co-developed by AH-Software and Dreamtonics Co., Ltd., and based on Dreamtonics' new "ultra-realistic"[20] AI speech synthesis engine Syllaflow).[21] Although its release was originally scheduled for December 16,[22] this date was later delayed to January 13, 2023 due to staff illness.[23][24]
Marketing[]
Zunko has a basic terms of use policy. After registering with the owners, Tohoku region-based companies can use her for advertisements and doujin works. She was originally created to help promote the recovery of the Tohoku region, which was the region devastated on March 11, 2011 by a major earthquake and tsunami. Prior to becoming a VOCALOID, she had a campaign to become a VOICEROID where she had to reach 4.5 million yen.[25] Zunko had to gain 5 million yen between June 20 to July 20 and she gained all the funding she needed about week before the deadline on July 12.[26]
Literature[]
Zunko received a novel that was published in Japan in Summer 2013, published by PHP Institute Inc.. Her book contains stories from her Twitter account, posted by the voice provider of Zunko herself, Satō Satomi.
Android Smartphone Widget[]
There has been a Android smartphone widget created for Zunko. The widget is simply training a chibi Zunko in her archery skills, gaining experience points to earn new levels where, on a certain level players can unlock wallpapers for their phone. After a certain amount of training Zunko will grow tired, and players have the option to replenish her energy by giving her a break and her energy goes back to normal over time, or they can prepare and give her Zunda Mochi to heal her. It is available in the Android Marketplace but only in Japanese.[27]
iOS App[]
An iOS app is currently under development for Zunko. The game is set to be released around the end of October and will be completely free of charge.[28]
Voicebanks[]
- Tohoku Zunko - Talk
- Originally Zunko was made to have a VOICEROID voicebank first. So this voicebank represents most what Zunko's original concept was as a vocal. The vocal is meant to feel warm.
- Tohoku Zunko (VOICEROID+), September 28, 2012
- Tohoku Zunko (VOICEROID+ EX), October 30, 2014
- Tohoku Zunko - Natural
- The Tohoku Zunko vocal is a voicebank that was made to match its VOICEROID counterpart. The idea is that speech and singing vocal results can be used in the same production and yet the listener can identify them as the same vocalist projecting itself.
- Tohoku Zunko, (VOCALOID3, VOCALOID NEO), June 5, 2014
- Tohoku Zunko V4 Natural, (VOCALOID4), October 27, 2016
- Tohoku Zunko (Mobile VOCALOID Editor)
- Tohoku Zunko - Others
- Tohoku Zunko (Voidol), November 13, 2019
- AI Zunko (NEUTRINO), July 3, 2021
- Tohoku Zunko Song Voice (CeVIO AI), January 27, 2022
- Tohoku Zunko (VOICEPEAK), January 13, 2023
- Tohoku Zunko Song Voice (VoiSona), June 20, 2024
Reputation[]
Reaction[]
Tohoku Zunko's VOCALOID software began development after a successful crowdfunding campaign. Two similar events occurred for her sisters Itako and Kiritan to be released for VOICEROID; both were also successful.
Trivia[]
- She is the first VOICEROID produced with a crowdfunding campaign.
- Zunko's straps come with a short bio for her:
- Her hobbies are archery and making cakes.
- Her dreams for the future are to own her own cafe in Tokyo.
- Zunko is the only VOICEROID that will solely work on Japanese-locale Windows computers.
Achievements[]
- Second VOCALOID & VOICEROID collaboration effort.
- First successful crowdfunded campaign VOCALOID & VOICEROID.
- First VOCALOID to also get NEUTRINO and CeVIO AI singing voicebanks.
- First VOICEROID to receive a VOICEPEAK voicebank.
References[]
- ↑ http://www.concept-inc.co.jp/product_information/zunko.html
- ↑ Zunko V4 tweet
- ↑ http://zunko.jp/index.html
- ↑ http://zunko.jp/sozai/zunkohoka_s/zzm_x_itako.png
- ↑ http://zunko.jp/sozai/zunkohoka_s/zzm_x_kiritan.png
- ↑ http://4komaparty.com/2014/03/12/1753.html
- ↑ http://zunko.jp/sozai/zunkohoka_s/zzm_x_zundamon.png
- ↑ anipipo (archive.org)
- ↑ Zunko V4 and Kiritan announcement
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsaGMnAzh9I
- ↑ https://x.com/t_zunko/status/1197836222497878016/
- ↑ Bumpy tweet 1
- ↑ Bumpy tweet 2
- ↑
Amanokei's tweet(deleted; archive) - ↑ NEUTRINO announcement tweet
- ↑ NEUTRINO Green Funding campaign
- ↑ https://www.ah-soft.com/press/cevio/zunko.html
- ↑ https://x.com/ahsoft/status/1453194967497674752
- ↑ https://www.ah-soft.com/press/synth-v/20211223.html
- ↑ https://x.com/dreamtonics_en/status/1438854449766682629
- ↑ https://x.com/ahsoft/status/1494145188352397314
- ↑ https://x.com/ahsoft/status/1593076410675257344
- ↑ https://x.com/dreamtonics_jp/status/1599646739111505920
- ↑ https://x.com/ahsoft/status/1599646153079132160
- ↑ http://www.minfun.jp/fund/zunko/B001-08.html
- ↑ http://www.anipipo.com/Project/Detail/6
- ↑ tabroid
- ↑ https://x.com/megamarsun/status/251719690961973248
External links[]
Official[]
Articles[]
[]
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