SSS LLC. (ＳＳＳ合同会社) is an entertainment company based in Chūō, Tokyo, Japan. They previously collaborated with AH-Software Co. Ltd. to create their first VOICEROID & VOCALOID product, Tohoku Zunko, and later, her sisters (Tohoku Kiritan and Tohoku Itako) for VOICEROID, both of whom received libraries for the UTAU, NEUTRINO, and CeVIO AI voice synthesizers. Their focus is to design and promote Moé characters.
History
Their first VOICEROID+ vocal, Tohoku Zunko, was created to help revitalize the Tohoku region of Japan following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, and assisted in raising funds for her creation via crowdfunding on September 28, 2012.[1][2] SSS LLC. would later hold another crowdfund for production of Zunko's VOCALOID3 voicebank on the same day.[3]. An update of Zunko for VOICEROID+ EX was released on October 30, 2014.[4]
SSS LLC. would have another crowdfunding event to produce UTAU singing libraries for Zunko's two sisters Tohoku Kiritan and Tohoku Itako.[5] In 2016, SSS. LLC would once again collaborate with AH-Software Ltd. to crowdfund a speaking VOICEROID+ EX library for Kiritan[6] and would release an upgrade for Zunko to the VOCALOID4 engine on October 27, 2016.[7]
Starting on June 12, 2017, a new crowdfund was announced to raise funds for the production of the Tohoku Zunko animation Zunda Horizon (ずんだホライずん)[8]. After surpassing 226% of its initial ¥8,000,000 goal, new UTAU libraries for various Zunda Horizon characters were released including the following:
- Zundamon (ずんだもん)[9]
- Shikoku Metan (四国めたん), Kyushu Sora mk=II (九州そらmk=II) & Chugoku Usagi (中国うさぎ)[10]
- Oedo Chanko (大江戸ちゃんこ), Chubu Tsurugi (中部つるぎ) & Kansai Shinobi (関西しのび)[11]
- Hokkaido Melon (北海道めろん) & Okinawa Awamo (沖縄あわも)[12]
Later in December 2017, a VOICEROID2 library for Tohoku Itako was also crowdfunded and released November 8, 2018.[13] Following the success of the VOICEROID libraries, SSS LLC. collaborated with SHACHI to produce a new AI singing voice for Kiritan for the NEUTRINO AI neural network voice synthesizer on February 22, 2020[14]. On May 7, 2020, Itako was crowdfunded for a new singing library for NEUTRINO as well.[15]
On Feburary 12, 2021, SSS LLC. collaborated with AH-Software Co. Ltd. to create their first CeVIO AI library for Tohoku Kiritan. In May 2021, a new crowdfund was launched for Tohoku Zunko to produce a new singing library also for the NEUTRINO voice synthesizer.[16]
Voice Libraries
Released
CeVIO AI
VoiSona
Promotional involvement
In 2021, SSS LLC. assisted with providing the GREEN FUNDING crowdfunding platform to raise funds for Tsuina-chan, Koharu Rikka, and ROSA's voice libraries.[17]
Social Media
An official Twitter account for Tohoku Zunko and co was created: @t_zunko. Various PR for other SSS LLC. products and affiliates are featured as well.
References
- ↑ Tohoku Zunko VOICEROID+ Crowdfunding Page (Archive)
- ↑ https://zunko.jp/con_aboutus.html
- ↑ Tohoku Zunko's VOCALOID3 Anipopo Crowdfunding Page (Archive)
- ↑ https://www.ah-soft.com/press/voiceroid/voiceroid_ex.html
- ↑ UTAU Tohoku Kiritan/Tohoku Itako crowdfunder.
- ↑ VOICEROID+ EX Tohoku Kiritan Crowdfunder
- ↑ https://x.com/ahsoft/status/781328734968246273
- ↑ Zunda Horizon Crowdfunder
- ↑ https://zunko.jp/con_voice.html#zmon_utau
- ↑ https://zunko.jp/con_voice.html#chiho_utau
- ↑ https://zunko.jp/con_voice.html#daitokai_utau
- ↑ https://zunko.jp/con_voice.html#kitaminami_utau
- ↑ VOICEROID+ EX Tohoku Itako Crowdfunder
- ↑ https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/nl/articles/2002/26/news101.html
- ↑ NEUTRINO Tohoku Itako AI Crowdfunder
- ↑ NEUTRINO Tohoku Zunko AI Crowdfunder
- ↑ https://greenfunding.jp/pub/projects/search