Hatsune Miku: ACUTE is a 2013 manga by Shiori Asahina based on Kuroswa-P's Vocaloid song of the same name. It is notably one of the few Vocaloid adaptations to feature the Vocaloid characters themselves instead of crafting an original cast (as previous adaptations such as Black★Rock Shooter and Kagerou Project have done prior).
The story largely follows the same story as the song. Two childhood friends Hatsune Miku and Megurine Luka come across a young man named named Kaito, who they both became close friends with. Things get complicated though when Miku and Luka revealed that they both have feelings for him, after which they made a promise to each other to not get into a romantic relationship with him. Things at first seem fine, as the two go on about with their friendship with Kaito with no issues.
Cut a few years later though and things quickly get even more complicated as Miku learns that Luka got together with Kaito, who had confessed his love to her. Miku, enraged and taking this as a personal betrayal, quickly deterioates mentally and starts to take action in ways that would change their relationship forever.
The manga would receive an official English translation by Dark Horse Comics in 2017.
Hatsune Miku: ACUTE features the following tropes:
- Adaptation Distillation: The events of "ReAct", the original song's sequel, are mostly ignored, with the manga only adapting that song's ending (with the trio reconciling in the hospital).
- Adaptation Expansion: Being a four chapter manga adaptation of a five minute song. The manga naturally expands on various aspects of the song, such as the origins of the trio's childhood friendship and how Kaito fell in love with Luka.
- Adaptational Alternate Ending: Downplayed. The ending remains the same as it does in "ReAct", however, unlike in the original song and its sequel, where it's implied that Miku has become aimless and incapable of love thanks to the whole ordeal, the manga doesn't imply this, ending on a slightly more hopeful note compared to the song.
- Adapted Out: As a byproduct of the events of "ReAct" getting cut out, Len and Rin are absent from the manga.
- Ax-Crazy: After finding out Luka's relationship with Kaito, Miku slowly becomes more mentally deranged as the manga goes on, culiminating in her threatening to kill Luka and stabbing Kaito. Fortunately, Miku is implied to have gotten better by the end.
- Bittersweet Ending: Miku's actions and suicide attempt get her sent to a hosptial, with Kaito being stuck on a wheelchair for an indeterminate amount of time, but both do survive and it's implied at the end that the three are able to repair their friendship.
- Childhood Friend Romance: Luka and Kaito have known each other since childhood and would get together in their teens, much to the shock and anger of Miku, who also has had a crush on Kaito since childhood.
- Driven to Suicide: Miku attempts to stab herself after realizing what she had done. She survives the ordeal though.
- Easily Forgiven: Despite Miku's Ax-Crazy actions, the end shows that Luka and Kaito are quick to forgive Miku for the whole ordeal.
- Love Triangle: Like the song, the manga revolves around one between Miku, Kaito and Luka, with Miku and Luka having crushes on Kaito, but Kaito deciding to choose Luka, which Miku doesn't take well.
- Heel Realization: Miku has one regarding her actions after she stabs Kaito in an attempt to attack Luka, which leads to her stabbing herself.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Luka and Kaito begin to quickly realize Miku is acting off when she starts to put off cute things and shows an unsettling comfort around knives.
- Yandere: Miku ends up turning into one due to her crush on Kaito and being hurt by Luka entering a relationship with him despite promising her she wouldn't. She gets better.
