Leiden University Student Repository

Molenaar, J.J.E. (2018)

Fandom in the Modern Age: The Culture and Economy of Japanese Icon Hatsune Miku

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

Since the release of her software in 2007, Vocaloid Hatsune Miku has taken the world by storm. She first reached number one on the Japanese charts in 2010, being the first non-human to own that success. Most of Hatsune Miku’s music is created by fans, alongside music videos, illustrations and song lyrics and is shared among fans worldwide. This thesis examined how fandom works and whether there is a common notion of fandom to be found in academia. In this paper I have been trying to answer the question how the Hatsune Miku fandom fits into the notion of modern international fandom and how they deal with object attachment, gift economy and gatekeeping. The Hatsune Miku fandom deals with the previously mentioned concepts similarly to other fandoms, however it has a unique position as a fandom that is entirely based on the online productivity of fans and the creation of your own unique experience as a fan, which is different for anyone, as there is no official narrative.

Hatsune Miku

fandom

vocaloid

japanese culture

popculture

Author

Molenaar, J.J.E.

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

East Asia

Supervisors

Hoogerbrug, Jeanine

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en