MikuMikuDance
| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | MikuMikuDance |
| Abbreviation(s): | Miku Miku Dance, MMD |
| Creator: | Yu Higuchi (HiguchiM) |
| Date(s): | February 24, 2008 - present |
| Medium: | Software |
| Country of Origin: | Japan |
| External Links: | Wikipedia |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
MikuMikuDance, also known as MMD, is a freeware animation program that lets users animate and create 3D animated movies, most notable music videos, originally produced for the Vocaloid character Hatsune Miku.
History
Before the introduction of MMD, Vocaloid music videos largely consisted of a series of illustrations to be used in conjunction with a song. At that time, true animated videos required high-end commercial software as well as highly skilled animators. Those two requirements made entry into the animation scene difficult for beginners who often did not possess the funds for the software or the skill to use it. For these amateurs, MMD became their access to the Vocaloid animation scene.Yu Higuchi originally created MMD simply because he wanted to produce 3-D animation of Miku dancing as an alternative to the standard still images used with most Vocaloid videos at the time. When Crypton relaxed their licensing policy for Miku, allowing her image to be used more freely for noncommercial purposes, Higuchi released MMD as a private-use freeware for the Vocaloid Promotional Video Project (Notofu, 2009).
The success of MMD was almost immediate as user generated videos created through MMD increased to more than 100,000 on video sharing websites such as YouTube and the Japanese equivalent, Nico Nico Douga (NND). Within a span of about five years, MikuMikuDance became the number one animation software in Japan (Akimoto, 2013). Its success prompted the creation of a biannual animation competition known as the MMD Cup. This competition brings together both amateurs and professionals to see who can produce the best animated video. In recent years, the MMD Cup gained enough popularity that magazines were created to track its progress and professionals from major companies joined the ranks of judges. One such example is Sega, which, during the ninth MMD Cup, selected “Rera” by MMD producer RaikuP to receive special recognition (Fairbairn, 2012).
The success of MikuMikuDance is based on a simple formula: it is open-sourced, easy to use, and flexible. By making MMD open-sourced, Yu Higuchi created a larger potential user base for the animation software. In addition, Higuchi gave his creation English language capability which set it apart from other open-sourced software in Japan at the time. MMD required less skill to use than conventional 3DCG software, enabling amateur animators to achieve professional results. Nevertheless, the strongest character-istic of MMD was its flexibility. In the spirit of the MMD motto, users create everything in their video from scratch through collaboration over an ever-expanding network. The various components that make up a 3-D video—the 3-D models, background, lighting, movement, and so on—are made by different individuals and distributed freely over the Internet. Animators then collect these components and put them together to make an MMD video. As each user tries to improve on previous innovations, MMD continues to grow in quality to the point that even a complete amateur can produce a video that is indistinguishable from that of a professional (Akimoto, 2013). Also, by relying on a network to generate the respective components of each video, MMD is able to expand into genres that are not possible with the Vocaloid software alone. Ultimately, MMD helped spread awareness of Vocaloid into different genres, creating new animators, producers and fans.[1]
Fandom
This article or section needs expansion. |
Models may be made from bases or ripped from other media, such as video games.
Japanese-Language Fandom
MMD materials are often distributed through bowlroll and/or niconico seiga in Japanese MMD fandom. Models often need a password in order to download.
Chinese-Language Fandom
MMD materials are often distributed through BilliBilli in Chinese MMD fandom. HoYoLab of Genshin Impact fame have released their models publicly and encourage them to be used in MMD. This has led to Genshin Impact reviving interest in the program.
English-Language Fandom
MMD materials are often distributed through DeviantArt in English MMD fandom. English MMD fandom is infamous in eastern fandom circles for porting MMD models to other software, such as Source FilmMaker and VRChat. Japanese and Chinese modelists often explicitly say to not do this.
Notable Fanworks
MMD Model by roco of Iceland from Hetalia with his fridge. Iceland/Fridge fanwork.
Music Videos
- Frozen Gangnam Style (MMD) by Pixelink Dance - the most viewed MMD video on youtube, with over 144 million views, featuring the cast of Frozen
- (MMD) Follow the Leader (Motion Download) by Natsumi San
- Romeo and Cinderella (Romeo and Cinderella ロミオとシンデレラ) by Doriko
- The Snow White Princess is (白い雪のプリンセスは ) by のぼる↑-noboru- and googoo88
- izethetic is a creator who makes MCYT music videos using the software
Fan Films
- Tom and jerry version MMD by Doterapot - a trace of the whole Tom and Jerry episode "Safety Second" featuring Touhou characters
- 【MMD】-決戦機動増殖機獣-【ゴジラ】 by 華音 - a Godzilla short