Commentary Characters & PSDTool Guide
Getting and Editing Lip-sync Character Assets
Characters are the core of commentary videos. When characters speak and change expressions, viewer engagement increases significantly. This guide covers commonly used characters and PSDTool usage.
What Is PSDTool?
PSDTool (https://oov.github.io/psdtool/) is a free web tool that lets you toggle individual layers of PSD (Photoshop) files in the browser. You can toggle eye, mouth, and expression layers of character illustrations to create various expressions for use with YMM4 lip-sync.
How to Use PSDTool
- Drag and drop PSD file into browser
- Select eye/mouth/expression layers in left panel
- Create desired expression combinations and export as PNG
- Register as lip-sync assets in YMM4
Commonly Used Characters
Yukkuri Series (Touhou Project Fan Works)
Yukkuri Reimu: Red ribbon, narrator/host role. 20+ year legend
Yukkuri Marisa: Witch hat, questioner/boke role. Used as set with Reimu
Kimee Maru: Frog-like face, reaction/tsukkomi role
Asset sources: Niconico Encyclopedia, Kimee Maru wiki
VOICEVOX Series
Zundamon: Green zunda mochi motif. Currently most popular. "~nanoda" ending
Shikoku Metan: Purple hair, calm narrator role. Popular paired with Zundamon
Kasukabe Tsumugi: Bright and lively personality, brown hair
Nurse Robot Type T: Robot nurse, suitable for emotionless narration
Meimei Himari: Calm and intellectual voice
Asset sources: Official sites, BOOTH, Niconico Seiga
CeVIO/A.I.VOICE Series
Sato Sasara: CeVIO flagship, soft female voice
Koharu Rikka: A.I.VOICE, teenage girl voice
Asset sources: Official sites
Character Asset Sources
| Site | Features |
|---|---|
| BOOTH | Japan's largest creator market. Many free/paid PSD assets |
| Niconico Seiga | Home base for Yukkuri-type assets |
| PSDTool Asset Pages | Assets with organized layer structure for PSDTool |
| Official Character Sites | Official lip-sync assets and guidelines |
Step-by-Step
Download character PSD assets from BOOTH or official site
Open PSD in PSDTool → Check layer structure
Create basic expression set: normal, happy, sad, surprised, angry → Export PNG
Register expression images in YMM4 character settings + Set lip-sync (mouth open/close)
Register conversation partner same way → Complete 2-character dialogue setup
Pros
- ✓ PSDTool is free to use with just a browser
- ✓ BOOTH has abundant free high-quality PSD assets
- ✓ VOICEVOX characters have well-organized official assets
- ✓ Character expressions improve retention by 10-20%
Cons
- ✗ Usage guidelines differ per character — must verify
- ✗ Complex PSD layer structures can be difficult for beginners
- ✗ Yukkuri (Touhou) assets must comply with fan work guidelines
- ✗ Popular characters make it hard to differentiate from other channels