Overview
ARROW is a VOCALOID track by producer niki, sung by the voice synthesizer Lily. Originally posted to niconico, the song arrived in maimai with the MURASAKi PLUS update on July 25, 2017, joining the game's niconico & VOCALOID lineup. niki handled the composition, arrangement, and lyrics himself, and also produced the accompanying music video, a hallmark of his solo production approach. The song's mid-tempo electronic pop arrangement at 131 BPM, paired with Lily's clear vocal delivery, creates a polished and emotive soundscape. Lyrically, ARROW uses the metaphor of a piercing arrow to evoke feelings of emotional exposure and longing, with lines like "僕の心に突き刺さるARROW" (the arrow piercing my heart) driving the theme home. The track later appeared on niki's album WAVE, released in 2019. Among rhythm game appearances, ARROW is exclusive to maimai. Its charts have undergone several difficulty adjustments across DX versions: the EXPERT chart rose from level 10 at launch to its current 12, the MASTER chart climbed from 12 to 13, and the ADVANCED chart was later bumped from 6 to 7+, adjustments that reflect maimai's expanding difficulty scale over successive editions.
Videos
Charts
STD
BASIC
4(4)
159 notesDesigner: -|Tap 137Hold 13Slide 6Break 3
ADVANCED
7+(7.6)
300 notesDesigner: -|Tap 241Hold 26Slide 21Break 12
EXPERT
12(12.1)
518 notesDesigner: rioN|Tap 385Hold 74Slide 44Break 15
MASTER
13(13.3)
657 notesDesigner: Jack|Tap 466Hold 123Slide 56Break 12
Trivia
- The song uses the VOCALOID Lily, a voice synthesizer developed by Internet Co., Ltd.
- niki single-handedly created ARROW, composing the music, writing the lyrics, arranging the track, and producing the music video.
- ARROW was uploaded to niconico as an original song (sm29348475) before being added to maimai.
- The song made its maimai debut on July 25, 2017, as part of the MURASAKi PLUS content update.
- niki later included ARROW on his album WAVE, which was released in 2019.
- Among music games, ARROW has only ever appeared in maimai, it has no other rhythm game ports.
- The MASTER chart (level 13, constant 13.3) was designed by Jack, a notes designer known for creative and technically demanding patterns across the maimai series.
- The EXPERT chart (level 12, constant 12.1) was designed by rioN.
- ARROW's chart levels have been revised multiple times: the EXPERT chart started at level 10 in MURASAKi PLUS, rose to 11 in DX PLUS, and reached 12 by UNiVERSE PLUS; the MASTER chart went from 12 to 12+ to 13; and the ADVANCED chart increased from 6 to 7 to 7+ over the game's lifecycle.
- None of ARROW's charts use Touch notes, as the song predates the Touch note mechanic introduced in maimai DX.
FAQ
- Who composed ARROW in maimai?
- ARROW was composed, arranged, and written by the Vocaloid producer niki, who also created the song's music video.
- What VOCALOID is used in ARROW?
- ARROW uses the VOCALOID Lily, a voice synthesizer developed by Internet Co., Ltd.
- When was ARROW added to maimai?
- ARROW was added to maimai on July 25, 2017, as part of the MURASAKi PLUS update.
- What album is ARROW from?
- ARROW was later included on niki's album WAVE, released in 2019.
- Who designed the MASTER chart for ARROW?
- The MASTER chart (level 13, constant 13.3) was designed by Jack.
- Who designed the EXPERT chart for ARROW?
- The EXPERT chart (level 12, constant 12.1) was designed by rioN.
- How long is the song ARROW?
- ARROW has an in-game length of approximately 2 minutes and 11 seconds.
- Has ARROW appeared in any other rhythm games?
- No, ARROW is exclusive to maimai among music game appearances.
