Overview
Brain Power is a high-energy electronic track by NOMA (ノマ), instantly recognizable for its infectious, vowel-heavy chant, "O-oooooooooo AAAAE-A-A-I-A-U-", that swept the internet as a viral meme in 2016. The song was originally created for KONAMI's SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-, debuting in June 2013. When its surprise popularity led to licensing restrictions that prevented NOMA from authorizing use outside KONAMI's ecosystem, he made the rare decision to terminate his contract with KONAMI, resulting in the song's removal from SOUND VOLTEX and MUSECA on March 28, 2017, and freeing it for cross-platform distribution.
Brain Power arrived in maimai on July 3, 2018, as part of the MiLK PLUS update, one of the first former SOUND VOLTEX-exclusive tracks to cross over, alongside 進め！イッスン軍団 -Rebellion of the Dwarfs-. Its maimai incarnation is layered with knowing nods to its KONAMI heritage: the MASTER chart's maximum theoretical score is 573,000, a direct wink at KONAMI's corporate code "573" (go-nana-san), and earning a FULL COMBO on EXPERT unlocks the title "mai騎士", a playful twist on "魔騎士" (maxi), the rank name for clearing SKILL ANALYZER Level.09 courses in SOUND VOLTEX. The EXPERT chart was designed by サファ太 (Safata) and the MASTER chart by 小鳥遊さん (Takanashi-san). At level 13 with a constant of 13.4, the MASTER chart packs 663 notes into the song's brisk duration, demanding precise stamina and pattern recognition from players.
Videos
Charts
STD
BASIC
5(5)
228 notesDesigner: -|Tap 207Hold 10Slide 4Break 7
ADVANCED
8+(8.6)
416 notesDesigner: -|Tap 338Hold 53Slide 19Break 6
EXPERT
11+(11.6)
457 notesDesigner: サファ太|Tap 310Hold 54Slide 45Break 48
MASTER
13(13.4)
663 notesDesigner: 小鳥遊さん|Tap 443Hold 89Slide 71Break 60
Trivia
- Brain Power was one of the first songs created for the SOUND VOLTEX series to later appear in maimai, alongside 進め！イッスン軍団 -Rebellion of the Dwarfs- in the same MiLK PLUS update.
- NOMA canceled his contract with KONAMI to allow broader licensing of Brain Power. The track was removed from SOUND VOLTEX and MUSECA on March 28, 2017, and the contract officially ended on March 31, 2017.
- The song's viral "O-oooooooooo" lyrics became a widespread internet meme in 2016. During streams, chat rooms would flood with the lyrics, with the chorus section seeing the most activity.
- The MASTER chart's maximum theoretical score of 573,000 references KONAMI's company code "573" (go-nana-san), a recurring Easter egg in KONAMI games.
- The FULL COMBO title "mai騎士" on EXPERT is a pun on "魔騎士" (maxi), the SKILL ANALYZER Level.09 rank in SOUND VOLTEX.
- Brain Power's maimai release followed its removal from KONAMI's games by roughly 15 months, making it a notable test case for former KONAMI-exclusive content appearing in competitor cabinets.
- The maimai version uses the original SOUND VOLTEX cut (1:52), while the CHUNITHM version uses a longer short edit of the extended album version (2:16).
- Multiple official remixes exist, including Brain Power (Cranky Remix) and a full remix album HEADLINER's -REMIXES OF BRAIN POWER- featuring t+pazolite, USAO, REDALiCE, MYUKKE., TAG, NAOKI, Frums, and others.
- Brain Power appears in over a dozen other rhythm games including CHUNITHM, ONGEKI, Cytus II, Muse Dash, WACCA, GROOVE COASTER, PUMP IT UP XX, Lanota, and Taiko no Tatsujin.
- The MASTER chart has undergone level adjustments across maimai versions: it launched at 12+ in MiLK PLUS, was lowered to 12 in FiNALE, and has since settled at 13 from Splash onward.
FAQ
- Who composed Brain Power?
- Brain Power was composed and arranged by NOMA (ノマ), a Japanese electronic music producer. He also created the song's distinctive vocal samples.
- When was Brain Power added to maimai?
- Brain Power was added to maimai on July 3, 2018, as part of the MiLK PLUS update.
- What level is Brain Power's MASTER chart in maimai?
- The MASTER chart is level 13 with a difficulty constant of 13.4, featuring 663 notes (443 Tap, 89 Hold, 71 Slide, 60 Break).
- Why was Brain Power removed from SOUND VOLTEX?
- NOMA negotiated an early termination of his contract with KONAMI in March 2017 because the original agreement restricted licensing to KONAMI titles only. The song's unexpected viral popularity generated licensing requests from outside the company, prompting NOMA to end the exclusivity deal so the track could reach a wider audience across multiple rhythm games.
- Who designed the maimai charts for Brain Power?
- The EXPERT chart was designed by サファ太 (Safata), and the MASTER chart was designed by 小鳥遊さん (Takanashi-san).
- What does the title "mai騎士" mean in Brain Power?
- "mai騎士" (mai kishi) is the FULL COMBO title unlocked by clearing the EXPERT chart. It is a deliberate wordplay on "魔騎士" (maxi), the rank name for completing SKILL ANALYZER Level.09 courses in SOUND VOLTEX, referencing the song's origin in that game.
- What is the meme behind Brain Power?
- The song's chorus features a striking vowel-based vocal pattern, "O-oooooooooo AAAAE-A-A-I-A-U- JO-oooooooooooo AAE-O-A-A-U-U-A-", that became a widespread internet meme in 2016. Listeners would spam the lyrics in live-stream chats whenever the song played, and the phrase became a shorthand reference for the track itself.
- Does Brain Power appear in other rhythm games?
- Yes, Brain Power has been licensed to numerous rhythm games beyond SOUND VOLTEX and maimai, including CHUNITHM, ONGEKI, Cytus II, Muse Dash, WACCA, GROOVE COASTER, PUMP IT UP XX, Lanota, EZ2ON REBOOT:R, and Taiko no Tatsujin, among others.
External Links
Related Songs
FREEDOM DiVE (tpz Overcute Remix)
t+pazolite
7912+14
MiLK+ (雪)
ULTRA B+K
nora2r
68+11+13+
MiLK+ (雪)
Let's Go Away
光吉猛修「デイトナ Championship USA」
47+10+12+
MiLK+ (雪)
Conquista Ciela
光吉猛修「バーチャロン」
47+9+12+
MiLK+ (雪)
Fist Bump
大谷智哉, Douglas Robb from Hoobastank「ソニック フォース」
581112+
MiLK+ (雪)
ENERGY SYNERGY MATRIX
Tanchiky
681313+
MiLK+ (雪)
NewOperation☆DOTABATA!
Mitsukiyo「ブルーアーカイブ -Blue Archive-」
361113
CiRCLE+
NewRE Aoharu
Nor「ブルーアーカイブ -Blue Archive-」
3710+13+
CiRCLE+