8-EM was composed and arranged by Sampling Masters AYA, one of the aliases of SEGA composer Ayako Saso.

8-EM is a satirical song about transactional relationships, using 'ATM' as a central metaphor. The lyrics (available in both English and Japanese from the Reconnect the Metaverse CD booklet) depict a woman asking a willing partner to buy her clothes, sweets, and smartphones in exchange for affection, with the punchline warning that the listener may already be 'an ATM' themselves.

Which maimai version added 8-EM?

8-EM was added in maimai DX UNiVERSE PLUS (2022-03-24), though it appeared slightly earlier in the Asian International version of maimai DX UNiVERSE.

Who designed the MASTER chart for 8-EM in maimai?

The MASTER chart (level 13+, constant 13.8) was designed by 小鳥遊チミ (Takanashi Chimi). The EXPERT chart was designed by Jack.

What other rhythm games is 8-EM in?

Beyond maimai, 8-EM appears in CHUNITHM AMAZON PLUS (its game of origin), ONGEKI Re:Fresh, Groove Coaster 4MAX DIAMOND GALAXY, and lowiro's Arcaea.

Why does 8-EM have different jacket art in some regions?

The Japanese version of 8-EM uses a full-body illustration of the character Verzebuth Nemesis, while the International and Chinese versions crop the jacket to a face-only close-up. This modification was applied across all licensed releases of the song, including CHUNITHM, Groove Coaster, and Arcaea.

8-EM (8-EM), maimai DX UNiVERSE PLUS Song by Sampling Masters AYA ...

All songs

Overview

"8-EM" is a high-energy original track by Sampling Masters AYA that crossed over into maimai DX from the CHUNITHM AMAZON PLUS arcade rhythm game. Despite its numeric title, the song is a phonetic pun on "ATM", a wordplay reinforced by its chorus and lyrical theme of transactional romance. The track features dual male vocals from Takenobu Mitsuyoshi and Ryoichi Hasegawa, lending an unexpected gruff delivery to lyrics that detail a relationship built on money, smartphones, and sweets from the spender's perspective. At 168 BPM, the song sits in a comfortably energetic tempo range, and its maimai DX chart set, especially the Expert chart designed by Jack and the Master chart by 小鳥遊チミ (Takanashi Chimi), makes heavy use of Touch notes across all difficulties, giving the chart a distinctive feel within the UNiVERSE PLUS song pool. Internationally, the song arrived in maimai DX UNiVERSE before its full Japanese arcade release, and it later appeared in ONGEKI Re:Fresh, Groove Coaster 4MAX DIAMOND GALAXY, and lowiro's Arcaea, making it one of the more widely circulated cross-license tracks in the SEGA rhythm game ecosystem.

Videos

Master chart

Open

Expert chart

Open

Charts

DX

BASIC

5(5)

193 notesDesigner: -|Tap 163Hold 7Slide 8Touch 10Break 5

YouTube

ADVANCED

8(8)

392 notesDesigner: -|Tap 322Hold 9Slide 13Touch 42Break 6

YouTube

EXPERT

12+(12.6)

700 notesDesigner: Jack|Tap 468Hold 103Slide 66Touch 56Break 7

YouTube

MASTER

13+(13.8)

824 notesDesigner: 小鳥遊チミ|Tap 585Hold 51Slide 84Touch 73Break 31

View chart YouTube

Trivia

8-EM originated in CHUNITHM AMAZON PLUS, debuting there on August 8, 2019 as part of the AMAZON ep.VI MAP 3 event before becoming a default unlock in March 2020.
The song title 8-EM is a visual and phonetic pun on 'ATM': the digit 8 (はち / hachi or eight) combined with 'EM' evokes the pronunciation of the acronym for automated teller machine.
The vocalists are Takenobu Mitsuyoshi and Ryoichi Hasegawa, both established figures in the SEGA sound scene, delivering a rare male-vocal performance in a song whose lyrics are written from the perspective of a woman addressing an obliging spender.
Lyrics include the refrain 'ATM ATM ATM ATM ATM / He is nothin' but her ATM' and the punchline '気をつけろ、お前も既にATM' ('Watch out, you're already an ATM too').
The Japanese and International/Chinese versions of the game use different jacket art: the Japanese jacket shows the character Verzebuth Nemesis in full body, while the Asian and Chinese releases crop the art to a face close-up. This same censorship-alternate jacket was carried over to CHUNITHM, Groove Coaster 4MAX DIAMOND GALAXY, and Arcaea.
In maimai, the song was initially locked and required playing the corresponding song in CHUNITHM NEW to unlock; it became generally available on May 13, 2022.
The International version of maimai DX UNiVERSE received 8-EM before the Japanese version did.
A collection title (称号) called 'ATM' can be earned by playing 8-EM together with 'かせげ！ジャリンコヒーロー' in a single credit, referencing the money-theme of both songs.
The Master chart (level 13+, constant 13.8) was designed by 小鳥遊チミ (Takanashi Chimi), a charter known for energetic and technically demanding layouts in the DX era.
The Expert chart (level 12+, constant 12.6) was designed by Jack.

FAQ

Who composed 8-EM?: 8-EM was composed and arranged by Sampling Masters AYA, one of the aliases of SEGA composer Ayako Saso.
What is 8-EM about?: 8-EM is a satirical song about transactional relationships, using 'ATM' as a central metaphor. The lyrics (available in both English and Japanese from the Reconnect the Metaverse CD booklet) depict a woman asking a willing partner to buy her clothes, sweets, and smartphones in exchange for affection, with the punchline warning that the listener may already be 'an ATM' themselves.
Which maimai version added 8-EM?: 8-EM was added in maimai DX UNiVERSE PLUS (2022-03-24), though it appeared slightly earlier in the Asian International version of maimai DX UNiVERSE.
Who designed the MASTER chart for 8-EM in maimai?: The MASTER chart (level 13+, constant 13.8) was designed by 小鳥遊チミ (Takanashi Chimi). The EXPERT chart was designed by Jack.
What other rhythm games is 8-EM in?: Beyond maimai, 8-EM appears in CHUNITHM AMAZON PLUS (its game of origin), ONGEKI Re:Fresh, Groove Coaster 4MAX DIAMOND GALAXY, and lowiro's Arcaea.
Why does 8-EM have different jacket art in some regions?: The Japanese version of 8-EM uses a full-body illustration of the character Verzebuth Nemesis, while the International and Chinese versions crop the jacket to a face-only close-up. This modification was applied across all licensed releases of the song, including CHUNITHM, Groove Coaster, and Arcaea.