It's that time of year again. As March approaches, Vocaloid fans everywhere know to be on the look out for 39's Giving Day. 39's Giving Day, a play on words (since 3 is san and 9 is kyu in Japanese it sounds like "Thank You"), is the annual Vocaloid concert held in Japan using 3D technology. This year's event is extra special though.

This year is the final 39's Giving Day concert and as it's name suggests it will be held on March 9, 2012. But if that isn't enough, Hatsune Miku Live Party 2012 (also called MIKUPA for short) is on March 8 this year, meaning two days of back to back Vocaloid events. While tickets to watch both events live may be gone already, Nico Nico Douga and it's English counterpart, NicoNico, are streaming both concerts. Each concert will set you back about $25 and can be viewed any time between when it airs live and March 16, 2012. If you purchase a ticket to watch both it will only cost you $40.

Since Hatsune Miku came out four years ago, VOCALOID has become popular not just in Japan but also overseas. What many don't remember is that Miku was one of the voices of the second generation of VOCALOID character products, with the first generation featuring the less widely known (though no less beloved) MEIKO and KAITO. Now, there's going to be a third generation of VOCALOID.

Straight from the VOCALOID panel at Anime Expo (courtesy of a picture from twitter user ashleyseto), is news that VOCALOID3 will be set for release this fall. While details of VOCALOID3 have been revealed a while ago - such as the new program's ability to create not only Japanese and English songs but also Spanish, Chinese, and Korean songs - the panel marks the first instance of a release timeframe being given. In addition, VOCALOID3 will feature the separation of the VOCALOID Editor and Singer Library, as well as the ability to import the VOCALOID2 libraries.

If you're a VOCALOID fan like me, you probably already accumulated a bunch of favorite songs, most of which you found through YouTube, Nico Nico Douga, or forums dedicated to VOCALOID. While those sites are quite useful, they're not exactly one-stop hubs where you can both save favorite songs and find new music. Though YouTube does come closest in that regard, songs can get randomly deleted at any time, and while the "Suggestions" sidebar, which shows up to the right of the video you're watching, can be helpful in finding new music, it's solely populated by suggested videos based on the video you're currently watching and won't give you videos based on songs you favorited previously. What's a fan to do to organize their growing VOCALOID collection and to get new songs that fit their tastes?

Go to MIKUBOOK, of course.

There's not a lot of information out yet, but according to a tweet by Crunchyroll at this year's Anime Expo, Crypton - the company behind Vocaloid's KAITO and Miku - might be "investigating possibility of creating English Kaito with original voice".

This piece of news, along with the announcement at last year's New York Comic Con that Hatsune Miku would get an English version if enough fans "liked" her page on Facebook (and the page eventually received more than that number), along with an announcement that work on English Miku would be underway, has established that VOCALOID, long considered an otaku niche, could finally be reaching mainstream status.

We will have more details as they become available.

That's right, VIZ Media now holds the exclusive American product licensing rights to Hatsune Miku in North America - meaning VIZ, and only VIZ, gets to sell Miku-related items in the States.

This won't mean much right now as the Vocaloid software has yet to be sold to the States (though an English version of Miku will be coming to the U.S.), but VIZ does plan on showing Miku off during the 2011 Licensing International Expo, which will take place in Las Vegas from June 14 to June 16. VIZ plans to use the Expo to find potential partners that would help the company sell Miku products.

Sources: ANN, Japanator

According to a post on Facebook earlier today that cites a tweet by Crypton's CEO, the long awaited English version of popular Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku, will be making its debut this coming week. The announcement of an English version of Hatsune Miku came at last year's New York Comic Con and Anime Festival. While many are excited there are some concerns over the digital pop diva going mainstream (such as Justin Bieber covers).

We're pretty pumped about it here and will be sure to report the news as it happens! Let us know how you feel in the comments below.

Yesterday (22 hours ago to be precise), Vocaloid Hatsune Miku's facebook page finally reached 39390 likes. This prompted Crypton to confirm the the creation of an Engish Miku (which they had announced at New York Comic Con / Anime Fest last month.)

The official announcement and specifics are on their way according to a post on Miku's facebook page, that says they will "officially inform that 'Hatsune Miku sings in English' later."

Will you be buying the Vocaloid software once it's released stateside? Let us know in the comments below!

If you're a Hatsune Miku fan and you live near San Francisco, great news! According to Anime News Network, the city's J-Pop Summit Festival, which takes place on September 18th in Japantown, is slated for an appearance by Miku in Miku Hatsune LIVE!, making this her first stateside "concert". The concert itself will actually be a showing of a DVD/Blu-ray disc called 39's Giving Day, containing a VOCALOID performance done earlier in Japan as well as popular songs such as "Just Be Friends," "from Y to Y," "magnet," and others. It will also be available for purchase at the event in Blu-ray. Attendees will receive a Miku poster as well.

If you don't know who Hatsune Miku is, then why don't you give this a read?

Sources: Anime News Network, The O-Network Online, Moetron

+Program Information+
In 2003, Yamaha announced a project called Vocaloid to the public and on January 15th, 2004, two Vocaloid products were launched for use. Vocaloid is a vocal synthesizing software that enables song writers [or Nico Nico Douga members] to generate authentic sounding singing on their computers by simply typing in the lyrics and music notes of their choice.