An UTAU vs an OC.

Is an UTAU an OC?

  • Yes

    Votes: 33 75.0%
  • No

    Votes: 11 25.0%

  • Total voters
    44

Shasta

Professional Lurker
Global Mod
Defender of Defoko
As an UTAU user and creator, I don't consider an UTAU an OC. Although, yes they are an original character, when I hear an OC, I think of like a character based on either a specific character and/or series. From what I've seen, most UTAU are completely original, then there are the... Ehem.. Other types. Lots of UTAU follow a futuristic theme, but not all do. Like, when I hear a vocal synth OC, it's a fanloid. So, what do you guys think? Is an UTAU an OC?
 

KNΞMΛTCS

Just an UtaForum user
Defender of Defoko
Many are, some aren't. You don't have to have an OC to create an Utau, however most people do.
 

수연 <Suyeon>

Your friendly neighborhood koreaboo trash
Supporter
Defender of Defoko
OC implies that it's an original creation (usually in the form of a character) made with the intent of telling a story, having a background, etc. Not all UTAU have stories, personalities, etc. even though they have an avatar as visual representation.
 

lunavi

Ruko's Ruffians
Defender of Defoko
I'm going to agree with the above and say an UTAU is not the same as an OC. When I hear "OC," I usually think of a character made for the purpose of telling a story. To me, an UTAU, while original, is more of an instrument with an avatar. Creators often assign a character and image to represent the voice, but that voice can be used to sing a variety of songs, and tell a variety of stories -- by a variety of users.
 

HoneyPai

Defoko's Slaves
Defender of Defoko
I say yes and no
They could be both
It's your character, do what you want with it.

An utau is an original character/creation but for some reason when I see the abbreviation OC
I think
What everyone else here seems to think
Character used only for stories or even rping

Makes sense?
Probably not xD
 

☆彡иα∂ιѕ☆彡

Ash Ketchum
Supporter
Defender of Defoko
i think that as a writer and creator that utau is generally an OC

not all of them have backstories, but from what I've seen people make personalities and such for their utau

if you don't give an utau a backstory or personality or likes/dislikes and such, then really, they are just visual representation of the bank like vocaloids (bc i don't think vocaloids have personalities, they're determined per individual aren't they?)
 

CyberneticEden

Ruko's Ruffians
Supporter
Defender of Defoko
Well, depending on the intent, I guess

If the UTAU has a persona to it, an avatar, I guess you could call it, to illustrate the voice, I guess it can be both an OC and an UTAU. But some people create voicebanks without planning on making a design, a faceless voice like VY1 and VY2, that's I guess,, Just an UTAU, which is nothing to be ashamed of, not all need a design to be unique, but I wouldn't really call that an OC. Just an UTAU voicebank.

But if someone makes an "UTAU" character without ever planning on making a voicebank, or only describing the voice, that's just an OC. An UTAU-based OC, which is essentially the same as just a fanloid, just a fan-insert into the world of VOCALOID or UTAU, which is... Okay, I guess, I guess designing vocaloid-styled characters is pretty fun, but. I've never fully understood the part if someone uses them as just a character to insert themselves into the fan-assumed lifestyles of the VOCALOID and UTAU characters,,, but it would be nice if everyone had the ability to voice their characters, in my opinion.


But uh those are just my jumbled up thoughts. //please don't hate me
 

Kiyoteru

UtaForum power user
Supporter
Defender of Defoko
OC stands for Original Character. Should someone create and design an original character to be the image of an UTAU voicebank, then that particular UTAU is also an OC. If someone designs an UTAU character without creating it's actual corresponding voicebank, then it can only be called an OC.
 

RaccoonButler

Founder of The Church of Mawarine Shuu
Defender of Defoko
Only if they have a character, technically yes. If they're a bank with no design and/or character personality then no.

An OC is an Original Character, so if they're a character that you made then it's an oc regardless of what they were for.

So, sometimes
 

Zoku

making doper vocaloid music than the rest
Defender of Defoko
I'm not gonna vote in the poll because I'm kinda undecided on this topic, but I think I'm gonna kinda reiterate things that were previously said

An UTAU's core is the voicebank, it is not obligatory to create a design. However the popularity of most UTAU are dependent on design and/or character traits. My friends that are obsessed with or carefully plan voicebanks still focus on the character part.

OCs are characters with a design and personality or even used to tell a story. Not all UTAU are made with these in mind.

Some UTAU are OCs, but OCs are not UTAU.. If that makes sense.
 

Kiyoteru

UtaForum power user
Supporter
Defender of Defoko
I think the main thing to note is that if an UTAU voicebank does have a character image, then no matter what that character is an OC, not a separate "fictional character entity". So an UTAU can either be only a voicebank, or a voicebank plus OC. If an OC has a voicebank, it can be called OC or UTAU, but without a voicebank it's only an OC. The existance of a voicebank doesn't change the fact that an OC is an OC.
 

Maybe2Morrow

Ruko's Ruffians
Defender of Defoko
This is tricky, because I get the point in some is not OCs really. I think the community have way to many copy and paste UTAUs (here off Vocaloid like clothing) but I also think some UTAUs is great OCs (Ex. Tebero's/Gintjid's Spike, Mino and Yume and so on...)

To cast it on myself, are all the UTAUs I own OCs.
All from STJERNE to Jackerline.
Everyone is a part of a story I have, the problem may come in I can't tell the story, because I'm affraid someone will steal the idea before the manga is published. All I can say is music is involved in their stories, and they all work on the same office.

That said, I see really many UTAUs with personality and stories so I consider these OCs - well at least if their story and personality isn't clean copy and paste and their design isn't copy and paste either. I know that even those copy and paste UTAUs is OC for the owner - but not for me. But I think in the end - OC or not OC is up to the creator.

To be honest, before design and creativity school where I got educated to be even more creative, did my OCs not even have a story. Personality - yes, but story? no. I mostly used them for roleplay, so I had never thought on that I 10 years later would sit and write a book and create Mangas about them.

Sometimes a non OC can become an OC over time.
 

Cdra

possibly dead
Global Mod
Supporter
Defender of Defoko
OCs don't have to be fandom-based, for one. OCs are simply that -- original characters. Any character you create yourself falls under the category of an OC. Any connotations anyone have on what constitutes an OC are purely matters of preference and prior experience; not all OCs tell a story, not all OCs are fandom-tied, not all OCs have a personality, not all OCs have a design (!). It's all is up to the creator.

As to UTAU, I'm seconding the general consensus here -- an UTAU may be an OC or it may not, depending on whether or not you've given the voicebank a character entity or not.
 

Arissa

Ritsu's Renegades
Defender of Defoko
An OC doesn't have to be based off any existing thing or series, it's just an original character. I think your thoughts stem from the connotation the title brings
 
  • Like
Reactions: PrinceofHades

Madam Meisaki

Certified Nohrian Scum
Defender of Defoko
3f323f3dbe96e44d9c37aa225cb315c9.jpg




(I mean really)
(Cant they be both? lol)
 

✧ Elfrida ✧

The Space Witch
Defender of Defoko
I think most are usually both so long as you aren't making a fanloid of an already existing character or its not a complete blank slate (no design, no character traits, no inkling of backstory) Since most UTAU do have at least a character design and a handful of character traits, sometimes even a personality description and/or story, then by default I usually class most UTAU as OCs.
 

PrinceofHades

A wandering soul
Defender of Defoko
My UTAU are both UTAU and OCs. I have several OCs that belong in the stories I write, and my UTAU often come from those stories. So, they're both for me.
I count UTAU that are not fanloids as OCs because of this.
 

melobuniiP

Queen of Bunnies, Thou shalt not forget.
Supporter
Defender of Defoko
My Usagi is UTAU and OC. For one, she's literally all I draw, she's all I ever use, she's all I ever commissioned. She is like my mascot for my account, my persona based on my bunny, happy side(All my OCS are based on my personality types). Not all OCS I've seen has any information at all but like and dislike, and age etc. OCS are not only specifically for stories or comics to be made, it can be a representative of yourself or who you are for realsies, or who you want to be.
 

Similar threads