Doujin music


Doujin music, also called otokei doujin in Japan, is a sub-category of doujin activity. Doujin are non-official self-published Japanese works which can be based on official products or completely original creations. Such products are sold online on specialized sites, on the authors' own sites, and at conventions such as Comiket and the audio-focused M3.

Genres and production

Doujin music is not a musical genre in itself, but instead a term used for independently produced and self-published music. Doujin music may entail fan arrangements and remixes from anime and video games, or wholly original works in a variety of genres. Electronic music makes up around a third of all doujin music, though other genres such as rock and jazz can also be found. Vocaloid and utaite albums are often sold at doujin events. A large portion of doujin music is dedicated to the doujin game franchise Touhou Project.
Doujin music is produced by circles, which can range from being individuals to small groups. Circles often put out around two to four albums per year depending on their size, typically selling CDs through events like Comiket and Music Media-Mix Market, both of which are held on a semiannual basis. Events dedicated to specific franchises are also held, such as the Hakurei Shrine Retaisai for Touhou Project and The Vocaloid Master for Vocaloid music respectively. Doujin music is also commonly sold in shops within Akihabara. Albums are sometimes promoted with dedicated sites, with some using specialized templates for Tumblr.

Notable artists and groups