“Zako,” the New Vocaloid Kaai Yuki Song, Got Canceled

Recently, a new song caused controversy online among Westerners. “Zako” is a new Vocaloid song written by Hiiragi with animations by Cast (the same animator from Miku’s Rabbit Hole), using the Vocaloid Kaai Yuki as the voice.

The song’s theme is a “romantic comedy”, where Kaai Yuki teases the boy she likes, calling him “zako” (which means things like “small fry,” “weak,” “noob,” etc.), along with other provocations.

“Zako,” the New Vocaloid Kaai Yuki Song, Got Canceled

However, the song sparked significant controversy among many Western audiences, who perceived the song and animation as “ped0philic.” The backlash was so severe that Hiiragi deleted the original video and apologized, announcing that a revised version would be uploaded soon.

If you’re interested in checking out the song, a user re-uploaded it along with the clip on YouTube:

Many associated both the lyrics and visuals of the clip with inappropriate content. Some argued that the word “zako” is used in a sexual context and is therefore inappropriate for Kaai Yuki to say. Others linked the various fish shown in the clip to male genitalia.

One of the issues raised was the choice of Kaai Yuki as the voice for this song since the person who provided her voice is an unidentified underage girl, and there are certain rules that must be followed when using her voice in songs.

If you want to see the negative reactions, you can check Cast’s post (the animator), where you’ll find a large number of people accusing him of various crimes.

Cast Speaks Out

A few hours ago, Cast made a post in English to directly address Western audiences. He began his text by stating that “Japanese can be confusing for foreigners” and went on to explain the context.

Cast clarified that the clip had no pedophilic intent, although it was sensationalist. He explained that the work was inspired by the genre of Japanese school romantic comedies, in the same style as Takagi-san and Nagatoro, where girls who like boys tease them provocatively.

Cast continued by saying that this genre is “something difficult for Westerners to understand.” The provocative images used, as seen in his previous works (PurePure and Mesmerizer), aim to emphasize themes and carry no inappropriate intentions.

The choice of the Vocaloid Kaai Yuki was made simply because her voice suited the style of the song. The composer acknowledged that cultural differences and wordplay might have caused misunderstandings. He also announced that a revised version of the clip is in the works to avoid further confusion in the future.

Many Defend “Zako”

Indeed, many negative comments led Hiiragi and Cast to take down the original song and work on a lighter version. However, many others defended the song, including Westerners, Japanese, and even Koreans who were upset with the Western audience.

Some of the arguments made in defense of the song include:

Kaai Yuki as an instrument: Many emphasized that the Vocaloid is just software and should not be directly associated with the person who provided her voice.

Nothing wrong was done: Some commenters urged Cast not to apologize, arguing he had done nothing inappropriate.

Past usage of Kaai Yuki: Some Koreans pointed out that Kaai Yuki has always been used in dark-themed songs and that the controversy only arose with Zako due to its fame.

Others argued that there is nothing sexual about the song or the clip and that the fish appear because “zako” means “small fry.” They added that the song is about Kaai Yuki teasing the boy she likes while expressing her love for him (he briefly appears in the clip).

Some even speculated that this controversy was an opportunity to cancel Cast due to his previous song Rabbit Hole, which featured Hatsune Miku in a sexual context.

Finally, let’s look at general reactions from Japanese audiences. Below are comments from people in favor, against, or just discovering the controversy for the first time:

(> means the comment was a reply to the one above.)

• What exactly caused the problem?

• It seems controversial because this Vocaloid is 9 years old, and they made her sing a song with sexual content.

• If you’re going to redo something out of fear of foreign criticism, what’s the point of being a creator?

• It’s because money is involved, so it’s impossible to resist, right?

• Just define the character as being 20 years old. That would make things much easier.

• These days, is it no longer possible to make music ignoring political correctness?

• If you’re willing to go without sponsors, you can make as much as you want, don’t you think?
  You can ignore it, right? There are plenty of similar songs. It’s just a matter of deciding whether to ignore it or accept it, considering the international reception or the image.

• Complaining about everything just makes living together harder and creates mutual distrust, doesn’t it?

• This is what happens when you mess with otaku culture without understanding it.

• The Loli God Requiem was also poorly received in the West, so there’s no helping it.

• If that was accepted, why is this unforgivable?

• Did it violate any YouTube or Vocaloid rules? I don’t understand.

• What’s the problem, exactly? If this isn’t allowed, then no fanart should be permitted either. If those who defend freedom of expression don’t protect this, what comes next will have no defense.

• It seems like it was too suggestive? But if this isn’t allowed, many manga and anime would also be problematic. Maybe the music market is the only one still holding on to some ethics.

• The Japanese naturally think that any sexual expression makes people happy. That’s disgusting.

• Is it necessary to care about what foreigners think?

• There’s nothing wrong, so maybe releasing an “inappropriate” version right from the start would have been the best strategy.

Either way, the controversy continues.

via Você Sabia Anime