Overview
Divide et impera! is an original instrumental composition for maimai DX PRiSM by BlackY a.k.a. WAiKURO survive, a collaborative alias uniting two established figures in the Japanese rhythm-game and doujin music scene. The title is Latin for "divide and rule," a phrase describing a strategy of political power through division. The track serves as the commissioned qualifying song for KING of Performai The 6th (KOP6th), the sixth iteration of SEGA's nationwide arcade rhythm-game tournament. Stylistically, it carries forward the aggressive, high-energy electronic sound of its predecessor, Alea jacta est! (Latin for "the die is cast"), which appeared in maimai FiNALE. The jacket art and in-game video were created by いそにん (isonin), a freelance illustrator and video director formerly affiliated with Konami's BEMANI Designers team. The video features the maimai mascot characters Milk and Salt. Divide et impera! was initially unlockable during the KOP6th score-attack period by playing Heavenly Blast and Latent Kingdom in the same session, and became generally available on December 6, 2024.
Videos
Charts
DX
BASIC
6(6)
308 notesDesigner: -|Tap 256Hold 9Slide 11Touch 18Break 14
ADVANCED
8(8)
384 notesDesigner: -|Tap 341Hold 11Slide 16Touch 11Break 5
EXPERT
12+(12.9)
741 notesDesigner: ロシェ@ペンギン|Tap 475Hold 57Slide 62Touch 38Break 109
MASTER
14+(14.8)
1225 notesDesigner: The Dove|Tap 859Hold 102Slide 95Touch 69Break 100
Trivia
- Divide et impera! is the direct sequel to Alea jacta est!, which was used as a qualifying song for KING of Performai 2019, marking both songs as tournament lineage pieces four years apart.
- WAiKURO (the collaborative alias) had not appeared in a maimai title since STEEL TRANSONIC (FiNALE), making this a return after roughly four years. BlackY's own announcement tweet on X (formerly Twitter) carried the hashtag #WAiKURO生きとったんかワレ ('WAiKURO, so you were alive after all!').
- The Master chart, designed by The Dove, features a notable gimmick approximately 13 seconds in: slide patterns forming the letters 'Y' and 'W', representing the initials of the two composers (BlackY and WAiKURO). The Japanese wiki refers to this as the chart's 'only kindness.'
- In The Dove's venue-exclusive chart comment for KOP6th, they noted that the most difficult challenge was differentiating the chart from Alea jacta est! while still preserving the sense of a sequel, describing the balancing act as a 'fine line.'
- The Dove (鳩ホルダー / Pigeon Holder) revealed in the same comment that the Master chart was made by a pigeon, a self-deprecating joke about their username.
- An extended version of Divide et impera! appears on the maimai DX goods campaign DiSC -PRiSM- and the maimai DX Best Album Area 3 soundtrack.
- The song has no lyrics; it is a purely instrumental track.
- The video/illustration creator いそにん (isonin) previously worked at Konami as part of the BEMANI Designers team before going freelance.
- In the Chinese version (舞萌DX 2025), the song was added on November 5, 2025 and is available by default.
- The Master chart carries a difficulty constant of 14.8 (14+), placing it among the more demanding charts in the PRiSM era.
FAQ
- Who composed Divide et impera! for maimai?
- Divide et impera! was composed by BlackY and WAiKURO under the collaborative alias BlackY a.k.a. WAiKURO survive. Both are established figures in the Japanese rhythm-game and doujin music scene.
- What does Divide et impera! mean?
- Divide et impera! is Latin for 'divide and rule' or 'divide and conquer,' referring to a strategy of gaining political power by exploiting or creating divisions.
- Is Divide et impera! related to another maimai song?
- Yes, it is the sequel to Alea jacta est! (also Latin-titled, meaning 'the die is cast'), which appeared in maimai FiNALE and served as a qualifying song for KING of Performai 2019.
- What version of maimai added Divide et impera!?
- Divide et impera! was added to maimai DX PRiSM on October 31, 2024 as a qualifying song for KING of Performai The 6th.
- Who designed the Master chart for Divide et impera!?
- The Master (14+) chart was designed by The Dove (also known as Hato Holder / 鳩ホルダー), while the Expert chart was designed by ロシェ@ペンギン (Rocher@penguin).
- What difficulty is Divide et impera!'s Master chart?
- The Master chart is rated 14+ with a difficulty constant of 14.8, making it one of the more challenging songs in maimai DX PRiSM.
- Does Divide et impera! have lyrics?
- No, Divide et impera! is an instrumental track with no lyrics.
- How was Divide et impera! originally unlocked?
- During the KOP6th score-attack period (ending November 27, 2024), it required playing Heavenly Blast and Latent Kingdom in the same play session. It became generally available on December 6, 2024.
- Who created the jacket art and video for Divide et impera!?
- The jacket illustration and in-game video were created by いそにん (isonin), a freelance illustrator and video director who previously worked at Konami as part of the BEMANI Designers team.
External Links
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