Traditionally, vocaloids are virtually created avatars backed up by electronic vocals and music, usually in the form/voice of a young girl. KAF, the virtual host of the series Art & Tech: Creators Edition available on Netflix, materializes as a young [vocaloid] girl with pink hair pulled back into braids, wearing a cobalt blue, and navy kaiju fish hoodie with red long socks. “KAF is [introduced as] a virtual singer based in a virtual world, but comes to the real world to sing,”with a special appearance in this series presenting the young and talented generation of digital creators today.
The five-part series provides insights as a contemporary artist working in the creative industry living in and through digital spaces as an interface to the world around. Walking through the series like a digital art gallery, the viewer can take the time to meditate on the technical and artistic processes from a variety of multimedia creators. From gathering or sourcing inspiration from an artist's beginnings to their present practice, applying those specific techniques or applications that contribute to the overall finished product, followed by an in-depth analysis and interview of the artist, KAF becomes our intermediary guide that exists between real and virtual spaces.
Season 2, episode 1 presents multimedia artist Palow as KAF’s long time collaborator as they delve into the importance of being able to express yourself in your own way as essential to an artist's satiation for creativity. From unique character designs, concept art, and music videos, paired with KAF’s electronic voice and songwriting, Palow takes us through the creative process of worldbuilding in relation to the traditional creation of the vocaloid music genre, character/avatar, and Internet or online personality. Though KAF is, “a 17-year-old that really exists somewhere in Japan, but appears before an audience as a character through 3D modeling that created a following as a being that exists between the two worlds.”
Incorporating digital artists and creators whose abilities and scope cover from extensive concept art, character designs, music videos, animation, computer graphics, and game making, Art & Tech: Creators Edition showcases the transference of the commercialization of art into product back into the creative control of the artists and their vision.
Sources:
“#00 Palow.” Art & Tech, season 2 episode 1, 08 Aug. 2023. Netflix, https://www.netflix.com/watch/8150%209470?trackId=14170287.
“KAF (Kafu) - VTuber / VTuber / Creator - Otapedia | Tokyo Otaku Mode.” KAF (Kafu) - VTuber / VTuber / Creator - Otapedia | Tokyo Otaku Mode, otakumode.com/otapedia/creator/vtuber/kafu.
“KAF.” Virtual YouTuber Wiki, virtualyoutuber.fandom.com/wiki/KAF.
“History of Vocaloids | Teen Ink.” History of Vocaloids | Teen Ink, 24 June 2017, www.teenink.com/opinion/movies_music_tv/article/960940/History-of-Vocaloids.
“The Making of Vocaloid.” The Making of Vocaloid | Red Bull Music Academy Daily, 11 Nov. 2014, daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2014/11/vocaloid-feature.
“VOCALOID.” Vocaloid Wiki, vocaloid.fandom.com/wiki/VOCALOID.