One of the noticeable changes that has occurred since I was here last is the significant decrease in the selling of pirated goods. As far as I could tell, the regular shops selling official merchandise were far busier than the few remaining stores selling bootleg products. In this district you can even find cd’s by Japanese idols that have just been released in Japan. They had a price tag to match too, of course.

“Being an otaku in Hong Kong can be tough,” my guide informs me, giving a wry smile.

On Sunday afternoon, as I arrived at the station nearby the event hall for Miracle Vox in the western district of Hong Kong Island, the organizers of the event came to meet me. Needless to say, they were of course self-professed otaku. During my trip I found a travel companion in Misa Misa (nickname), a female university student and otaku from Tokyo, who tweeted to me, “Just once I would like to attend an event overseas!” She met up with me for the event. I’ve been saying it for a while now, that young people should be getting more involved in Japan related events being held overseas, and I think we’d be better off if there were more active otaku like her out there. Taking the subway all the way from her hotel in a Hatsune Miku outfit, Misa Misa was most warmly received when she was greeted by the male organizers.

Surely enough, when we went inside the venue there was but one uniform theme: Vocaloid. From fanzines to cosplay, Vocaloid was the only thing on everyone’s mind and it was clear they were all enjoying it thoroughly.
Hong Kong’s famous 5 piece cosplay group, “V Project,” were also there and outfitted accordingly.
As usual, we seemed to be the only Japanese at the event. Regardless of which, this place could very well have been Japan. As though playing the role of representative of Japan, Misa Misa was in amongst it, interacting with all the other otakus.

At this Miku dedicated event there were no borders, of race, sex or age. People free to like what they like. It’s not easy to achieve such a simple outlook, but this is something that has been made possible thanks to Hatsune Miku. And that’s why Miku is the link that can unite the world.

At night, after the event, the organizers of Miracle Vox took me out to karaoke. It was basically an ani-song (anime song) marathon! Then to wrap up the night, Misa Misa and one of the guys finished with a bit of a otagei performance for us.

When I see the baton of cross-cultural relations being passed along by the youth of various countries all over the world I can’t help but think that the direction we’re now heading in is the right one. One day in Hong Kong and a renewed sense of faith in the outlook for the future.

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