Overview
Fragrance is an original Drum'n'Bass composition by Tsukasa (矢鴇つかさ), chief composer of the Arte Refact music production team and founder of the doujin circle Sound Online. The track was originally created for HALFPIPE TOKYO, a digital-real attraction at SEGA's Tokyo Joypolis, before arriving in maimai PLUS on March 14, 2013 as part of the JOYPOLIS song selection. Within the maimai community, Fragrance is best known for its demanding MASTER chart, a relentless 655-note arrangement that packs 651 tap notes across a brisk 83-second runtime with zero hold notes and only two slides, earning its reputation as one of the earliest boss-level charts in the JOYPOLIS lineup and a formidable test of stamina and rhythm accuracy. The song received a Re:MASTER chart in maimai MiLK PLUS (July 2018) that completely reworks the same note count through dense slide patterns, highlighted by nine sequential eaches rotations in the final 28 seconds. A spiritual successor, Schwarzschild, later appeared in maimai FiNALE, and Fragrance itself was ported to SEGA's オンゲキ bright MEMORY in September 2023. The music video, produced by HDLV (Kodai Endo), depicts a morphing crystalline structure whose architecture carries through into Schwarzschild's visuals, tying the two tracks together thematically.
Videos
Charts
STD
BASIC
6(6)
91 notesDesigner: -|Tap 76Hold 7Slide 6Break 2
ADVANCED
9(9)
142 notesDesigner: -|Tap 96Hold 37Slide 7Break 2
EXPERT
12+(12.7)
294 notesDesigner: ニャイン|Tap 230Hold 50Slide 12Break 2
MASTER
14(14.2)
655 notesDesigner: チャン@DP皆伝|Tap 651Hold 0Slide 2Break 2
Re:MASTER
14+(14.6)
655 notesDesigner: 玉子豆腐|Tap 441Hold 19Slide 192Break 3
Trivia
- Fragrance was originally composed for HALFPIPE TOKYO, a digital-real attraction at SEGA's Tokyo Joypolis, before being brought into maimai PLUS as part of the JOYPOLIS song selection.
- The MASTER chart (designed by チャン@DP皆伝) contains 651 tap notes and zero hold notes, an unusual design among early maimai PLUS charts. The only two slide notes are placed in the outro, following a spiral eaches pattern.
- The Re:MASTER chart by 玉子豆腐 shares the same 655 total notes as the MASTER but reallocates them dramatically: 192 slide notes compared to MASTER's 2, creating a fundamentally different play experience.
- When the Re:MASTER chart first released in maimai MiLK PLUS, its designer was listed as Unknown. The credit was later updated to 玉子豆腐 at an unspecified date.
- Fragrance has a thematic sequel titled Schwarzschild, which appears in maimai FiNALE (PANDORA BOXXX). The crystalline structure from Fragrance's music video reappears in Schwarzschild's visuals, establishing a direct visual connection.
- Tsukasa (矢鴇つかさ) is the chief composer of Arte Refact and also operates the doujin music circle Sound Online, contributing to anime soundtracks and rhythm games across multiple franchises.
- Fragrance's difficulty level has been adjusted numerous times across maimai versions. The Master chart started at level 10 in maimai PLUS and has risen as high as 14+ by BUDDiES+, reflecting both the game's evolving difficulty scale and the chart's enduring challenge.
- The Re:MASTER chart was initially unlockable only by completing the Survival Course ソルトの新感覚コースなのです on Re:MASTER difficulty. It became freely available on December 13, 2018, concurrent with the launch of maimai FiNALE.
- Fragrance was added to オンゲキ bright MEMORY on September 28, 2023. Its Expert chart in that game is composed almost entirely of tap notes, directly honoring the original maimai MASTER chart's design identity.
- The music video was created by HDLV (Kodai Endo), a visual artist known for producing abstract, architectural VJ content for rhythm game tracks. The soundtrack booklet describes the video as showing a mysterious structure that transforms over time, like a flower growing.
- According to the soundtrack booklet, Fragrance starts with a quiet piano intro before building into an intelligent Drum'n'Bass arrangement with transparent, refreshing synthesizer sounds that evoke a cool sense of elation.
FAQ
- Who composed Fragrance?
- Fragrance was composed by Tsukasa (矢鴇つかさ), the chief composer of the music production team Arte Refact and the founder of the doujin circle Sound Online. He also composed the related track Black Out for the same HALFPIPE TOKYO project.
- What version of maimai added Fragrance?
- Fragrance was added to maimai PLUS on March 14, 2013, as part of the JOYPOLIS song selection. It originated from SEGA's Tokyo Joypolis attraction HALFPIPE TOKYO.
- What genre and BPM is Fragrance?
- Fragrance is a Drum'n'Bass track at 180 BPM. The soundtrack booklet describes it as an intelligent number that begins with a quiet piano and builds into transparent, refreshing synthesizer sounds.
- Why is Fragrance's MASTER chart famous?
- The MASTER chart (level 14, constant 14.2) is notorious for consisting almost entirely of tap notes, 651 out of 655 total, with zero hold notes and only two slides. Designed by チャン@DP皆伝, it was one of the earliest boss charts in the JOYPOLIS lineup and remains a benchmark of stamina and precision.
- How does the Re:MASTER chart differ from the MASTER?
- While both charts share 655 total notes, the Re:MASTER (level 14+, constant 14.6) by 玉子豆腐 shifts the focus entirely to slide patterns, featuring 192 slide notes compared to MASTER's 2. The final 28 seconds contain nine consecutive eaches rotations, making it a visually and technically different challenge.
- Does Fragrance have a sequel?
- Yes, a spiritual sequel titled Schwarzschild appears in maimai FiNALE (PANDORA BOXXX). The crystalline structure from Fragrance's music video by HDLV reappears in Schwarzschild's visuals, connecting the two tracks thematically.
- Was Fragrance added to any other rhythm games?
- Yes, Fragrance was ported to オンゲキ bright MEMORY on September 28, 2023. Its Expert chart in that game consists almost entirely of tap notes, directly referencing the maimai MASTER chart's design.
- How was the Re:MASTER chart originally unlocked?
- The Re:MASTER chart was initially unlocked by completing the Survival Course ソルトの新感覚コースなのです on Re:MASTER difficulty. It became available by default from August 21, 2018, and was later fully unlocked for all players on December 13, 2018 with the launch of maimai FiNALE.
External Links
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