If you followed the disastrous AI Willy Wonka event, you might think that things couldn’t get any worse than that. And surely, nothing can be worse than the likes of Fyre Festival and Dashcon, right? Unfortunately, fans of the vocaloid Hatsune Miku might disagree, after the “Miku Expo” event in Vancouver fell drastically short of expectations.
Usually, the virtual influencer Hatsune Miku appears as a hologram projection. This helps make the concert experience feel more immersive and IRL. But this wasn’t the case with the North America headline show. Instead, a TV screen with a video of Miku was rolled out, like a class movie being shown to a bunch of first graders.
Naturally, fans were less than impressed by this feat. Disgruntled stans made TikToks demonstrating the stark difference between Miku’s usual concerts and the event at the expo.
Fans were also vocal(oid) about their disappointment on X, with one user dubbing it a “disaster.”
“Im sorry but if THIS is the setup for all of Miku Expo 2024 then you definitely failed the fans,” another added. “There’s no way you overcharged tickets to put on a performance with an LED screen.”
It’s also worth noting that official tickets for Miku’s North American tour range from $55 to over $500, with some resale tickets priced as high as $1000.
Still, some fans were so outraged, they started a petition to get refunds. “We were not informed, or at least CLEARLY told that it would be a TV, and not the signature, iconic hologram, the petition read. “People paid to see THE Miku Expo, NOT a TV.”
The lesson for creators? Quite simply, plan ahead and clearly advertise what the event is about. Or else, you might end up becoming the next Hatsune Miku Expo.
