Overview
演劇 (Engeki, meaning "Theatre" or "Play") is a VOCALOID track by Japanese producer ナノウ (nanou), featuring Hatsune Miku on vocals. The song was first released as a self-titled single/album in 2023 before joining the maimai でらっくす PRiSM song list on November 8, 2024. Nanou handled composition, arrangement, and lyrics, while the music video was produced by よし and カンミ缶.
Thematically, the song explores the roles people play in everyday life, the title "演劇" frames social interaction as a theatrical performance. The lyrics open with someone stating that everyone has a role to fill, and the narrator anxiously questions who will fill their own "blank space." This tension between performing for others and yearning for an authentic self runs through the entire track, underscored by a driving 176 BPM instrumental that shifts between introspective verses and an urgent, cathartic chorus. The line "このふざけた演劇を" ("this ridiculous theatre") distills the song's central frustration with the masks people wear.
In maimai, the song is classified under the niconico & VOCALOID genre. Its four DX charts span from Basic (level 3) to Master (level 12, constant 12.5). The Expert chart (level 9+) was designed by アマリリス (amaryllis), while the Master chart was designed by はっぴー (Happy), each bringing their own interpretative flair to the song's dramatic rhythmic shifts. Outside of maimai, 演劇 has not appeared in any other rhythm game as of its PRiSM debut.
Videos
Charts
DX
BASIC
3(3)
175 notesDesigner: -|Tap 124Hold 15Slide 4Touch 29Break 3
ADVANCED
6(6)
256 notesDesigner: -|Tap 218Hold 14Slide 8Touch 13Break 3
EXPERT
9+(9.6)
426 notesDesigner: アマリリス|Tap 304Hold 36Slide 38Touch 31Break 17
MASTER
12(12.5)
587 notesDesigner: はっぴー|Tap 408Hold 34Slide 90Touch 35Break 20
Trivia
- The song was originally released as the title track of nanou's album 演劇 in 2023, approximately a year before its maimai debut.
- The music video was created by the artists よし (Yoshi) and カンミ缶 (Kanmi Kan).
- The lyrics explore the metaphor of life as a stage play, with lines like 'If I have only one wish, I want to end this ridiculous theatre.'
- In the Asian version of maimai DX PRiSM, 演劇 was added several months later on April 25, 2025.
- The Chinese version (舞萌DX 2025) received the song even later, on February 10, 2026.
- The Master chart (level 12, constant 12.5) by はっぴー features 587 total notes including 90 Slide notes, making for a slide-heavy pattern at the upper end of the 12 range.
- The Expert chart (level 9+) by アマリリス has 426 notes with a balanced mix of all note types, including 17 Break notes that punctuate the song's dramatic peaks.
FAQ
- Who composed 演劇 (Engeki) for maimai?
- 演劇 was composed, arranged, and written by ナノウ (nanou), with vocals provided by Hatsune Miku.
- When was 演劇 added to maimai?
- 演劇 was added to maimai でらっくす PRiSM on November 8, 2024 in Japan. The Asian version received it on April 25, 2025, and the Chinese version (舞萌DX 2025) on February 10, 2026.
- What difficulty levels do the 演劇 charts have in maimai?
- 演劇 has four DX charts: Basic (level 3), Advanced (level 6), Expert (level 9+), and Master (level 12). The Master chart has a difficulty constant of 12.5.
- Who designed the Expert and Master charts for 演劇?
- The Expert chart was designed by アマリリス (amaryllis), and the Master chart was designed by はっぴー (Happy).
- What is the song 演劇 about?
- 演劇 (meaning 'Theatre' or 'Play') uses the metaphor of a theatrical performance to critique the social roles people adopt. The lyrics express frustration with performing for others and a longing to strip away the act and find one's true self.
- Does 演劇 appear in any other rhythm games?
- As of its maimai DX PRiSM debut, 演劇 has not appeared in any other rhythm game.
- What BPM is 演劇?
- 演劇 has a BPM of 176, giving it an energetic, driving tempo throughout its 2-minute 33-second runtime.
