Overview
Caliburne ~Story of the Legendary sword~ is a boss-tier original composition by Project Grimoire, a five-person supergroup comprising Team Grimoire, Ice (Wilson Lam), Amaneko, Verdammt, and 悠久屋こてつ, that debuted in maimai ORANGE on March 5, 2015. It stands as the definitive climax track of its home version, demanding an unprecedented 1,000 music tickets to unlock (the highest single-song ticket cost in the series at that time). The song narrates the story of Rufu, the last heir of a clan sworn to seal magical weapons, as he reaches for the legendary sword Caliburne. Musically, it is a direct sequel to Brionac ~Lugh Lamhfhata~ from Rayark's Cytus, and later spawned its own sequel, Excalibur ~Revived resolution~, in maimai MiLK (with a fourth series entry, Arthur ~once Upon a Time~, existing outside any rhythm game). At a driving 190 BPM the track barrels forward for 2:23 before gradually decelerating in its closing measures, while the jacket and music video display the title simply as "Caliburne." The MASTER chart (level 14, designed by はっぴー) earned the community nickname "肩バーン" (shoulder burn) for its grueling three-quarter-time slide sequences that demand wide, whip-fast arm movements across all three lanes, a chart so physically demanding it became a meme among veteran players. The EXPERT chart (level 12+, designed by Jack vs mai-Star, originally credited as "合作だよ" before maimai DX PRiSM PLUS) is itself no small feat. Outside maimai, Caliburne crossed over into CHUNITHM STAR (February 2018), CHUNITHM SUPER STAR, and ONGEKI bright MEMORY (September 2022). An extended version incorporating Brionac motifs appears on the Grimoire of Emerald album and the maimai ALL PERFECT COLLECTiON soundtrack, while t+pazolite's despair remix features on the Garakuta Scramble! album.
Videos
Charts
STD
BASIC
5(5)
216 notesDesigner: -|Tap 173Hold 30Slide 8Break 5
ADVANCED
9(9)
501 notesDesigner: -|Tap 426Hold 25Slide 42Break 8
EXPERT
12+(12.9)
680 notesDesigner: Jack vs mai-Star|Tap 533Hold 35Slide 93Break 19
MASTER
14(14.3)
956 notesDesigner: はっぴー|Tap 734Hold 10Slide 208Break 4
Trivia
- Caliburne required 1,000 music tickets to unlock in maimai ORANGE, the steepest ticket cost for any single song in the series at launch. With maximum bonuses (first-play SYNCHRO ALL PERFECT across four songs) a player could earn at most 27 tickets per credit, making the unlock a multi-week grind even for dedicated players. It became freely available from maimai PiNK onward.
- The song is the second chapter in a narrative arc that began with Brionac ~Lugh Lamhfhata~ (from the Rayark rhythm game Cytus) and continued with Excalibur ~Revived resolution~ in maimai MiLK. A fourth piece, Arthur ~once Upon a Time~, exists as a composition but has never been added to any music game.
- Project Grimoire is a collaborative name shared by five creators: Team Grimoire, Ice (who contributed the standout piano melody), Amaneko (drum programming), Verdammt (video production and character animation), and 悠久屋こてつ. The team's artist comment, translated from the soundtrack booklet, playfully urges fans to 'keep fluffing Rufu.'
- The MASTER chart is widely called 肩バーン (kata-burn, a portmanteau of 肩 'shoulder' and 'burn') in the Japanese player community, referencing the physical strain of its rapid three-lane slide patterns. The chart's 3/4 time signature produces a distinctive right→center→left (and reverse) slide flow that is easy to mistime and notoriously easy to break one's technique on.
- The song's BPM is steady at 190 through most of its runtime, but gradually slows down at the very end, a production detail that the charts must accommodate and that players feel as a subtle final deceleration.
- Before maimai DX PRiSM PLUS, the EXPERT chart designer was credited simply as 合作だよ ('it's a collaboration, yo!') rather than the individual names Jack vs mai-Star.
- Earning MASTER/RANK SSS in maimai FiNALE awarded the title ナイト・オブ・ラウンズ (Knight of the Round Table), while EXPERT/RANK SSS gave 選定の剣(偽) (Sword of Selection (Fake)), both referencing Arthurian legend. The in-game collection also included icons of Rufu (including a sleeping variant) and a frame for MASTER/RANK S.
- In maimai, half-width tildes are used in the displayed title (Caliburne ~Story...), whereas CHUNITHM and ONGEKI render the title with full-width tildes.
- The extended version of Caliburne on the Grimoire of Emerald album and the maimai ALL PERFECT COLLECTiON soundtrack incorporates melodic elements from Brionac ~Lugh Lamhfhata~, linking the two compositions more explicitly.
- t+pazolite produced a remix titled Caliburne ~Story of the Legendary sword~ (tpz Despair Remix) for the Garakuta Scramble! soundtrack.
- Caliburne was the fourth and final song in the 橙皆伝 (Orange Kaiden) Dan'i Nintei course in maimai ORANGE, following B.B.K.K.B.K.K., 幻想のサテライト, and VERTeX, cementing its status as the ultimate boss of its version.
FAQ
- Who composed Caliburne ~Story of the Legendary sword~?
- Caliburne was composed by Project Grimoire, a collaborative supergroup consisting of Team Grimoire, Ice (Wilson Lam), Amaneko, Verdammt (who also handled the music video), and 悠久屋こてつ.
- What maimai version added Caliburne ~Story of the Legendary sword~?
- Caliburne debuted in maimai ORANGE on March 5, 2015. It was originally unlockable by spending 1,000 music tickets, the highest ticket cost for any single song at the time, and became available by default from maimai PiNK onward.
- What is the BPM of Caliburne ~Story of the Legendary sword~?
- The song runs at 190 BPM for most of its duration, with a gradual deceleration toward the very end.
- What does 肩バーン (kata-burn) mean in reference to Caliburne?
- 肩バーン (shoulder burn) is a community nickname for the MASTER chart, a play on words combining 肩 (kata, shoulder) and 'burn.' It reflects the physical strain of the chart's relentless three-quarter-time slide patterns, which demand fast, wide arm movements across the left, center, and right lanes.
- Is Caliburne ~Story of the Legendary sword~ related to other songs?
- Yes. It is the direct sequel to Brionac ~Lugh Lamhfhata~ from Rayark's Cytus. Its own sequel, Excalibur ~Revived resolution~, appears in maimai MiLK. A fourth series entry, Arthur ~once Upon a Time~, exists as a composition but has not been added to any rhythm game.
- Who designed the MASTER and EXPERT charts for Caliburne in maimai?
- The MASTER chart was designed by はっぴー (Happy). The EXPERT chart was designed by Jack vs mai-Star; before maimai DX PRiSM PLUS it was credited under the pseudonym 合作だよ ('it's a collaboration, yo!').
- Does Caliburne ~Story of the Legendary sword~ have lyrics?
- No, Caliburne is an instrumental track with no lyrics.
- What is the story behind Caliburne ~Story of the Legendary sword~?
- The song depicts the journey of Rufu, the last descendant of a clan that seals magical weapons, as he claims the legendary sword Caliburne. The Arthurian-themed in-game titles, Knight of the Round Table and Sword of Selection (Fake), reinforce this lore.
External Links
Related Songs
おても☆Yan
光吉猛修
461013
ORANGE (橙)oboro
ヒゲドライバー
681213+
ORANGE (橙)Dragoon
Shandy kubota
58+1113+14
ORANGE (橙)ピーマンたべたら
カタオカツグミ
57+1113+
ORANGE (橙)planet dancer
樽木栄一郎
47+111313+
ORANGE (橙)VERTeX
Hiro「maimai」より
58+11+14+
ORANGE (橙)BETTER CHOICE
Jimmy Weckl feat.高貴みな
4810+12+
ORANGE (橙)Dreampainter
Sta feat.tigerlily and DOT96
47+1112+
ORANGE (橙)
