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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.

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.

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

If there's a secret plan to make Vocaloid Hatsune Miku go mainstream in the United States this is almost certainly part of it. Sony Music Direct Inc. announced today that they'll be releasing supercell's first single, "THE WORLD IS MINE feat. Hatsune Miku" in the US. The track, which is instantly recognizable by Vocaloid fans and was recently used in US car commercials for Toyota, is now available on both Amazon and iTunes for 99 cents.

supercell is the creative group behind other hits including the ending theme of TV anime, Bakemonogatari. The group is led by composer/lyricist Ryo. Using  the creative talents of the group's members they first released THE WORLD IS MINE on the Japanese video sharing site, Nico Nico Douga featuring artwork by Redjuice. The video quickly went viral, gathering over 20 million views and creating a large interest in the group as well as the Vocaloid software used in it.

One has to wonder what's coming next. One thing is for sure, there is a lot to look forward to stateside these days as Crypton shows its marketing prowess. Let us know what you think in the comments below or pay our Facebook a visit.

Toyota's American division launched a site yesterday announcing a collaboration between their popular Corolla line of cars and Crypton Future Media's virtual pop idol, Hatsune Miku. The site touts Miku and the Corolla as both "driven by the sound of success". The site features 2 videos and more can be expected if this new advertising campaign is successful.

It seems like too much of a coincidence that Toyota would start running commercials with Miku in the same week that we've been told to expect the English version of Miku. Who knows, maybe the mysterious debut will involve a fleet of itasha Miku cars on the streets of New York.

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.

We've been following the news of an English Hatsune Miku quite closely. This morning, the official Miku facebook page announced that they're done preliminary recording. So what lies ahead? They're going to check the recordings, make demos and all sorts of things that ensure quality.

If you ask me, their turn around time between reaching the necessary fans and getting to work on it was quite fast. At this rate we'll be hearing Miku covers of Susan Boyle within the next year.

Editor's Note: Today's header is by ToMo.

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!

During the "Hatsune Miku: Meet the Makers of a Digital Idol" panel in this year's New York Comic Con/New York Anime Festival, it was revealed that Hatsune Miku could potentially come to the United States in an English version - if she got enough friends on Facebook, that is.

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