The Big Picture
- The collaboration between Pokémon and Vocaloid idol Hatsune Miku is set to release 18 new songs for Project VOLTAGE 18, with the energetic "Volt Tackle" music video being the first release.
- Hatsune Miku has been redesigned in the style of different Pokémon types for this collaboration, with each artwork showcasing her with a Pokémon partner.
- The Pokémon Company has also partnered with other artists, such as Katy Perry and Post Malone, to create Pokémon-themed music as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations.
Adjust your mic and prep your Poké balls because Pokémon is teaming up with the anime-inspiredVocaloid teen idol Hatsune Miku to release 18 new songs for Project VOLTAGE 18, starting with the energized music video “Volt Tackle.” Producer DECO*27 is behind the first single, mixing several recognizable Pokémon melodies into a hyperactive, glorious beat. Paired with her Pikachu, Hatsune Miku is full of spirit and puns with lyrics themed with familiar Pokémon phrases which are nods to in-game natures and moves. The full soundtrack will feature various artists, with Hatsune Miku at the core.
Leading up to the release of “Volt Tackle,” the Pokémon Company released 18 pieces of artwork which redesigned her in the style of the 18 Pokémon types. Her recognizable twin ponytails match each version, featuring spooky glitching images for the Ghost-type or lizard-like strands for the Dragon-type. Each picture features Hatsune with a Pokémon partner, including Miraidon, Jirachi, Jigglypuff, and Lapras.
Hatsune Miku comes from Vocaloid, a singing voice synthesizing software program, often misunderstood to be from anime because of her design. The software allows users to create songs by inputting words, pitch, and tunes. Vocaloid also created characters matching the voicebanks, where Hatsune Miku came from. She became the most popular character around 2007, and fans made a background for her and her friends, the other characters in the voicebank. Major music producers like YOASOBI and Ayase got their start creating songs in Vocaloid with characters like Hatsune Miku.
Celebrating Pokémon Through Music
Hatsune Miku isn’t the only collaborator to join up with these adorable ‘Pocket Monsters.’ In celebration of their 25th anniversary, the Pokémon Company teamed up with various artists to create Pokémon 25: The Album, or “P25 Music” for short. These artists included Katy Perry, Post Malone, J Balvin, Vince Staples, and more. Post Malone held a digital concert showing the singer exploring the Pokémon world and its various regions. The concert can be seen on his YouTube channel in full.
The Pokemon Music Collective is another project with the Universal Music Group, focusing on Japanese artists. The latest track “Ghost Dive” by Polkadot Stingray, which has a gorgeously animated music video, was released earlier this month, celebrating Ghost-type Pokémon by mixing the “Lavender Town Theme” and Mimikyu’s cry to music.
“Volt Tackle” is the first of 18 tracks from Vocaloid's Hatsune Miku collaboration with Pokémon. You can watch the music video below.
