I'm a massive, massive fan on Sega's Virtua Fighter series, and I've been following the news on the latest Japanese arcade release, Virtua Fighter 5 R, with plenty of excitement.

I got a huge surprise when I went to check the VF5R official website today, though. Sega frequently releases new items and outfits for players in arcades to win, buy, and deck out their characters with, but the recent item release is wholly unexpected: none other than the aqua-haired virtual idol extraordinaire herself, Hatsune Miku, from Crypton Future Media's massively popular Vocaloid voice synthesis software.

Not just any Miku, mind you, but the recently released Nendoroid Miku from PVC master manufacturers Good Smile Company. Not content in standing in Miku's shadow all the time, siblings Kagamine Ren and Kagamine Len are also available as special in-game items. The dolls don't give your fighters any strength enhancements or additional special moves, though. (Shame, because I think all characters could do with an elbow-class Leekspin skill.) They might, however, be a distraction for an unwary opponent. That split-second your competition spends admiring your adorable Miku might give you the frame advantage you need to throw counter for victory! They also sing for you in-between rounds after you win, which could be either the cutest thing ever or annoying as hell depending on how it works.

So will there be additional collaborations between Sega, Crypton, and/or Good Smile Company in the future? I'm certainly hoping yes - I'dtotally dig some Vocaloid-themed VF outfit options, and if they ever issued a Vanessa Lewis Nendoroid, I'd buy the entire damn run.