:Crypton Future Media

Crypton Future Media started business importing audio products in 1995, and has been involved in the development, import, and sales of sampling CDs and DVDs, FX and BGM libraries, and musical synthesizer/synthesiser applications. Its main business partners in Japan include musical instrument shops, computer stores, and software distributors.

The company has licensed software to the following organizations:

• Video game publishers and developers, such as Konami, Sega, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Bandai Namco Entertainment, and Nintendo
• Public and private broadcasting media (television, radio, and cable), such as NHK
• American computer manufacturers, such as Apple Inc., Dell, and Microsoft
• Musical instrument companies, such as Roland Corporation and Yamaha Corporation
• Public institutions, such as local governments, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
• Educational institutions, such as high schools, universities, and vocational schools

Crypton Future Media also operates a number of Japanese mobile websites, mainly for i-mode of NTT docomo, EZweb of au by KDDI, and Yahoo! Keitai of SoftBank Mobile, to distribute ringtones, sound effects (SFX), and voice-based ringtones (chaku-voice), including:

• Hatsune Miku Mobile
• Pocket Sound Effect Pro
• Mazeteyo Nama Voice

Crypton Future Media imports products from more than 50 international suppliers based in Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In 2010, Crypton Future Media was announced as a number-one company for sound-related software, bringing a share of 21.4% of the marketing for its products.{{Cite web |url=http://bcnranking.jp/award/sokuhou/p3.html |title=link |access-date=2011-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501212128/http://bcnranking.jp/award/sokuhou/p3.html |archive-date=2011-05-01 |url-status=dead }}

File:Hiroyuki Ito 20081012.jpg titled "Hatsune Miku Night - the diva transcending science" in Sapporo.]]

Crypton is best known for production and sales of speech synthesis software for computer music. Its products use the Vocaloid singing synthesis engine developed by Yamaha Corporation; they were also charged with finding and contacting English studios in order to gain recommendations for the English version of the Vocaloid software.{{cite web |author=Utaenai |url=http://vocaloid-creativity.totalh.com/index.php/vocaloid-news/15-qits-a-toyq |title=It's a toy! |publisher=Vocaloid Creativity Community |date=August 13, 2010 |access-date=September 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515030526/http://vocaloid-creativity.totalh.com/index.php/vocaloid-news/15-qits-a-toyq |archive-date=May 15, 2011 }} The company released Meiko in 2004 and Kaito in 2006, who were originally developed by Yamaha leaving the commercial release to Crypton Future Media.[http://vocaloid.blog120.fc2.com/blog-entry-16738.html link] The company then released the first Vocaloid developed by them, and member of the official Character Vocal Series, Hatsune Miku, which used the upgraded engine Vocaloid 2. The success of the Hatsune Miku Voicebank in Japan (and later in other countries) greatly raised Crypton's profile. The second Character Vocal Series are Kagamine Rin and Len and the third Megurine Luka. Because the popularity of these Vocaloids grew, Crypton launched the website Piapro to upload fan-made content and its own music label KarenT to sell Vocaloid songs.

On 31 August 2019, it was confirmed that Crypton ceased releasing new Vocaloid products on Yamaha's synthesis engine and Cubase editor. Instead, they will release new "Vocaloid" products on their newly-developed Piapro Studio engine-editor with the name NT (New Type) once Crypton has removed compatibility with the Cubase editor for their speech synthesis products.

Kaito was the only one sold using the Vocaloid 1.1 engine; the previous Vocaloids before him were sold as Vocaloid 1.0, which he was also supplied with. However, he needed the additional Vocaloid 1.1.2 patch to work on the Vocaloid 1.0 engine.{{cite web|url=http://www.crypton.co.jp/mp/do/support/prod?id=27720|title=VOCALOID ENGINE製品サポート（KAITO）|trans-title=Vocaloid Engine Product Support (Kaito)|publisher=Crypton Future Media|access-date=December 18, 2010|language=ja}} A patch was later released to update all Vocaloid engines to Vocaloid 1.1.2, adding new features to the software, although there were differences between the output results of the engine.{{cite web|url=http://www.vocaloid.com/en/download/en_1.html|title=VOCALOID Software Update version 1.1|publisher=Yamaha Corporation|access-date=December 18, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717230030/http://www.vocaloid.com/en/download/en_1.html|archive-date=July 17, 2011}} Even though Kaito and Meiko were Japanese and sung using Japanese phonetics, the main interface was written in English for both English and Japanese Vocaloids.

Due to the success of placing a character on the box art of Meiko, the concept was carried over to her successor Kaito and later Vocaloids to encourage creativity; however, neither Vocaloid's box art originally had the intention to represent that Vocaloid.{{cite web|url=http://blog.crypton.co.jp/mp/2007/09/vocaloid2_15.html|title=[Vocaloid2情報] 出張終了のお知らせ。|trans-title=Vocaloid 2 News Official Tour End Notification|publisher=Crypton Future Media|date=September 29, 2007|access-date=October 17, 2010|language=ja|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605092224/http://blog.crypton.co.jp/mp/2007/09/vocaloid2_15.html|archive-date=June 5, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vocaloid-rank.com/rank/vocaloidinfo/kaito/kaito-1.html|title=KAITOのプロフィール・仕様|trans-title=Kaito's Profile and Specifications|publisher=Weekly Vocaloid Ranking|access-date=October 17, 2010|language=ja|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601001052/http://www.vocaloid-rank.com/rank/vocaloidinfo/kaito/kaito-1.html|archive-date=June 1, 2010}} Though Meiko experienced good sales, Kaito failed commercially, causing less demand for male voices for a while after Kaito's initial release.{{cite web|url=http://internet.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/president/2008/05/12/19477.html|script-title=ja:クリエイターを支えるクリエイターでありたい クリプトン・フューチャー・メディア社長 伊藤博之氏（前編）|trans-title=I Want to be a Creator Who Supports Creators: Crypton Future Media President Hiroyuki Itō (part 1)|publisher=Internet Watch|date=May 12, 2008|access-date=January 1, 2011|language=ja}} However, sales eventually picked up and Kaito later won the Nico Nico Douga second best seller award of 2008.{{cite web|url=http://vocaloid.blog120.fc2.com/blog-entry-2664.html|title=出た!「2008年ニコニコ市場年間売上ランキング」でKAITOが2位!|trans-title=It's Here! Kaito Got Second Place in the 2008 Nico Nico Market Yearly Sales Ranking|publisher=Hatsune Miku Miku|date=January 18, 2009|access-date=January 1, 2011|language=ja}} In 2010, it was reported that Meiko and Kaito were in the discussion to receive updates.{{cite web|url=http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/295/295998/index-2.html|title=ミクの英語版や『リン・レン Append』が!? ミクの日感謝祭の上映イベントをレポ|trans-title=Miku's English Edition and "Rin and Len Append"!? Report on the Miku's Day Festival Event|work=Dengeki Online|publisher=ASCII Media Works|date=September 6, 2010|access-date=October 14, 2010|language=ja}} Several updated vocal expressions have already been recorded for Kaito that year.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/vocaloid_cv_cfm/status/14657406248157184|title=Crypton's Twitter page|publisher=Twitter|access-date=December 15, 2010|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/vocaloid_cv_cfm/status/14658658822529024|title=Crypton's Twitter page|publisher=Twitter|access-date=December 15, 2010|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/vocaloid_cv_cfm/status/13136290778185728|title=Crypton's Twitter page|publisher=Twitter|access-date=December 15, 2010|language=ja}} In April 2011, it was confirmed six vocal expressions had been created for Kaito, two of which were dropped and the remaining four were being brought forward with one having reached alpha stage at that point. The Character Vocal (Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin/Len and Megurine Luka) series Appends had been created from the vocal performances of their voice providers; however the new Kaito Appends were created by adding echo, force, and tension to the samples.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/vocaloid_cv_cfm/status/57953674210709504|title=Crypton's Twitter page|publisher=Twitter|date=April 12, 2011|access-date=April 19, 2011|language=ja}}

{{See|Vocaloid 2}}

Crypton released Hatsune Miku, on August 31, 2007. The second of the Character Vocal Series is the first dual Vocaloid Kagamine Len and Kagamine Rin, a Japanese male and female, released on December 27, 2007. On July 18, 2008, the updated edition of Kagamine Rin and Len, named "act2" was released.{{cite web|url=http://bcnranking.jp/news/0809/080901_11641.html|script-title=ja:ボーカロイド市場、「初音ミク」の対抗馬登場で激化|trans-title=Vocaloid Market "Hatsune Miku" Rivalry Intensifies|work=BCN Ranking|publisher=BCN Inc.|date=September 1, 2008|access-date=July 14, 2010|language=ja|archive-date=December 10, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210095742/http://bcnranking.jp/news/0809/080901_11641.html|url-status=dead}} For a period of time, users who had bought the old version were allowed to get the new version for free. On June 18, 2008, beta demonstration songs using the new version were released on the company's official blog.{{cite web|url=http://blog.crypton.co.jp/mp/2008/06/vocaloid2_act2_1.html|title=Rin/Len act2 beta demonstration songs released|publisher=Crypton|date=June 18, 2008|access-date=June 24, 2008|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922235841/http://blog.crypton.co.jp/mp/2008/06/vocaloid2_act2_1.html|archive-date=September 22, 2008|url-status=dead}} The expansion disc is an entirely different software and does not affect the original Kagamine Rin/Len installation in any way, giving the user options to either use the old or new voice sets exclusively or combine their usage. Crypton Future Media have now retired the sale of their old Kagamine Vocaloid and it is now no longer possible to buy the software from them.{{cite web|url=http://www.crypton.co.jp/mp/do/prod?id=30121|title=KAGAMINE RIN/LEN act2（音楽ソフトウエア）|trans-title=Kagamine Rin/Len act2 (Music Software)|publisher=Crypton|access-date=July 8, 2010|language=ja}} This was also the very first Vocaloid update to be done for any Vocaloid. The third product of Crypton's Character Vocal Series is Megurine Luka, the first bilingual Vocaloid.

On April 30, 2010, an updated version of Miku called Hatsune Miku Append was released containing a package of six different tones of Miku's voice: Soft (gentle, delicate voice), Sweet (young, chibi voice), Dark (mature, heartbroken-like voice), Vivid (bright, cheerful voice), Solid (loud, clear voice), and Light (innocent, heavenly voice).{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00305HJKQ|title=初音ミク・アペンド（Miku Append）|trans-title=Hatsune Miku Append (Miku Append)|publisher=Amazon.co.jp|access-date=April 30, 2010|language=ja}} Crypton Future Media also released Kagamine Rin/Len Append on December 27, 2010.{{cite web|url=http://jp.ibtimes.com/press/article/34277/|title=『VOCALOID2 鏡音リン・レン』の追加音声『鏡音リン・レン・アペンド』本日発売。|trans-title=The Additional Voice of "Vocaloid 2 Kagamine Rin/Len", "Kagamine Rin/Len Append", Is Released Today.|work=Crypton Future Media|publisher=International Business Times|date=December 27, 2010|access-date=January 16, 2011|language=ja|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710232515/http://jp.ibtimes.com/press/article/34277/|archive-date=July 10, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1011/26/news098.html|title=鏡音リン・レンの追加音声「Append」発売|trans-title=Kagamine Rin/Len's Additional Voice "Append" To Be Released|publisher=IT Media|date=November 26, 2010|access-date=December 4, 2010|language=ja}}

• Crypton has a "Project if..." with a mysterious, childlike voice.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/project_if_cfm/status/15684228554|title=Crypton's Twitter page|publisher=Twitter|date=June 7, 2010|access-date=July 4, 2010|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/project_if_cfm/status/15683680493|title=Crypton's Twitter page|publisher=Twitter|date=June 7, 2010|access-date=July 4, 2010|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/project_if_cfm/status/15684689042|title=Crypton's Twitter page|publisher=Twitter|date=June 7, 2010|access-date=July 4, 2010|language=ja}}
• Crypton has also done some work on a "CV04" with a male voice{{cite web|url=http://www.vocaloidism.com/2010/01/14/new-append-for-kagamine-len/|title=New Append For Kagamine Len!|publisher=Vocaloidism|date=January 14, 2010|access-date=July 4, 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://blogs.itmedia.co.jp/closebox/2009/10/vocaloid-a779.html|title=クリプトンの「新しい男声VOCALOID」を聴いてきたよ|trans-title=We Listened to Crypton's New Male Vocaloid|publisher=IT Media|date=October 21, 2009|access-date=July 4, 2010|language=ja}}

{{See|Vocaloid 3}}

According to Crypton, a petition started on Facebook exceeded the needed 39,390 members in November 2010 to join Hatsune Miku's account for an English version to be released; Crypton announced that they were working on an English Miku and was planned to be released in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.itmedia.co.jp/closebox/2010/08/post-faa4.html|script-title=ja:英語シンガー初音ミクがついに始動したようだ|trans-title=English Singer Hatsune Miku Has Finally Seemed to Have Started|publisher=IT Media|date=August 31, 2010|access-date=October 9, 2010|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/vocaloid_cv_cfm/status/5076931619848192|title=Crypton's Twitter page|publisher=Twitter|access-date=November 18, 2010|language=ja}} Hatsune Miku English was released on August 31, 2013. Hatsune Miku V3 was released September 26, 2013.

{{See|Vocaloid 4}}

In response to the growing popularity of derivative works created with Hatsune Miku and the other Vocaloid applications, Crypton opened an online community Piapro (stylized as PIAPRO) on December 3, 2007. Vocaloid fans can upload their own content, such as music, art, lyrics, characters, and 3D models to the platform.{{Cite news |author = Yuka Okada |url = http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/0803/27/news128.html |title = 「出口がない」「権利者は誰」――初音ミク2次創作の課題 |publisher = ITmedia |date = March 27, 2008 |newspaper = ITmedia News |access-date = June 5, 2012}} "Piapro" stands for peer production and promotes consumer generated media.{{Cite news |author = 岡田有花 |url = http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/0802/25/news017.html |title = クリプトン・フューチャー・メディアに聞く（3）：初音ミクが開く"創造の扉"|publisher = ITmedia |date = February 25, 2008 |newspaper = ITmedia News |access-date = June 5, 2012}}

{{More citations needed section|date=February 2025}}

Also under the Piapro brand is Crypton's Piapro Studio, a Vocaloid vocal editor implemented as a VST/AU plugin bundled with all of their full V3 Vocaloid products (Miku V3, Miku V3 English, Miku V3 Bundle, Meiko V3, Kaito V3). This allows for full vocal editing functionality nearly identical in feature support to Yamaha's full Vocaloid 3 Editor software, which is available either as a standalone application or a plugin for Cubase. All Vocaloid 3 voice libraries include the Tiny Vocaloid 3 Editor for free, however this is severely limited in functionality compared to the full V3 editor - serving mainly as a beginner's taste of Vocaloid editing or a way to easily test out a new vocal library. Piapro Studio was created to allow owners of Crypton's V3 products to have a fully featured vocal editor with a modernized and streamlined interface bundled free of charge. It also allows for the loading of 3rd-party, non-Crypton Vocaloid 3 voicebanks - as well as V2's that have been imported into the full V3 editor beforehand. Being a VST plugin, it allows the user to operate entirely within their DAW of choice, in contrast to the tiny or full V3 editors which are standalone applications and the user must export a wav to import into their DAW each time a change or update is needed - or export an updated wav file from their DAW as the background music to import into the V3 editor allowing for convenient editing and a smoother workflow. Currently Piapro Studio lacks some features of the full V3 editor, but most of these are not needed to work with the vocal composition and tuning of the Vocaloid. Crypton however has mentioned they would like to implement something similar to Job Plugins at some point in the future.

Piapro Studio is also regularly updated every few months with new features and bug fixes. Vocaloid 3 Editor updates appear much less frequently, generally only around the time of release of a new Vocaloid. Piapro Studio also features some Piapro social designed singer icons and vocal preview samples, added in an update in the Summer of 2014.

{{Expand section|date=February 2025}}

Karent is a record label operated by Crypton Future Media. The label, which specializes in Vocaloid content, publishes albums and songs from musicians across the world.{{cite news |last1=Fox-Priest |first1=Brianna |title=2023 is Hatsune Miku's Year |url=https://otakuusamagazine.com/2023-is-hatsune-mikus-year/ |work=Web Otaku USA |publisher=Sovereign Media Company Inc |date=March 31, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Nakata |first1=Daiki |title=Hatsune Miku Takes Indonesia By Storm! Here's Our Exciting Miku Expo 2014 Report! |url=https://otakumode.com/news/538c6af4a144afae0a000306/Hatsune-Miku-Takes-Indonesia-By-Storm!-Here-s-Our-Exciting-Miku-Expo-2014-Report! |work=Tokyo Otaku Mode |publisher=Tokyo Otaku Mode Co. Ltd. |date=June 10, 2014}}

In addition to their collaboration with Sega on the Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA series and Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage!, Crypton Future Media also release their own smaller titles for smartphones, VR, and consoles.{{cite web|url=https://www.crypton.co.jp/cfm/cfmgames|title=クリプトン{{!}}Crypton Future Media Games|website=crypton.co.jp|access-date=April 22, 2024}} On Steam, their games are published by Komodo (formerly known as Degica Games).{{cite web|url=https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/KOMODOHAWAII/|title=KOMODO HAWAI'I|website=Steam|access-date=April 22, 2024}}

• Vocaloid
• Meiko
• Kaito
• Hatsune Miku
• Kagamine Rin/Len
• Megurine Luka
• Speech synthesis
• Computer music
• Auto-Tune

• {{Cite journal|author = 根津禎 |title=実録 開発物語 パソコン用歌声合成ソフト「初音ミク」(第1回)出会いは着メロから |journal=Nikkei Electronics |issue=971 |date=2008-02-11 |pages=107–110 |publisher=Nikkei Business Publications |issn=0385-1680}}

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{Official website|http://www.crypton.co.jp/}} {{in lang|ja}}
• {{Official website| https://www.crypton.co.jp/cfm/inquiry-aboutus_en}} {{in lang|en}}
• {{YouTube|user=cryptonfuturemedia|Crypton}}
• [http://piapro.jp/ Piapro] {{in lang|ja}}
• [http://karent.jp/ KarenT]
• {{YouTube|user=KarenTCrypton|KarenT}}

{{Vocaloid}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Mass media companies of Japan

Category:Software companies of Japan

Category:Companies based in Sapporo

Category:Japanese companies established in 1995

Category:Mass media companies established in 1995

Category:Vocaloid production companies

Category:Mass media in Sapporo