One part anime queen, one part J-Pop starlet, and one part otaku imagination, the Vocaloid synthetic voice generator has given millions of wannabe songwriters a face to go along with their music. Using Yamaha’s Vocaloid computer music sequencing software, anyone could create lyrics and music that sound remarkably realistic and professional.

Enter Miku Hatsune.

With samples from anime voice actress Saki Fujita (of Bleach fame), Yamaha introduced one of the finest and most realistic voice synthesizers to date. The extremely moe-like characteristics of Ms. Fujita’s voice make songs recorded with the Miku Hatsune Vocaloid2 package sound like they could have been taken straight from the soundtrack of the latest anime series.

But what’s a cute voice without a cute face to match? Miku Hatsune’s character design in conjunction with her sweet and innocent voice has created a pop force to be reckoned with. She is now featured in copious amounts of fan-based internet videos, drawings, and songs, and is fast becoming a cosplay favorite along with keychains, figures, and other goods. Miku has also crossed into the video gaming world, as she was recently featured as a character in the Nintendo DS game 13 sai no Hello Work.

There may be no limit to how far she can climb the J-Pop charts. Will this usher in a new era of synthetic pop darlings?