Overview
不毛! (Fumou!, meaning "barren" or "fruitless") is a niconico Vocaloid track by the producer ぽてんしゃる0 (potential0), who handled composition, arrangement, lyrics, and the music video. The song features dual vocals from GUMI and IA, a pairing less common in the VOCALOID scene of the mid-2010s, set against a frantic electronic arrangement at 200 BPM.
Originally released on potential0's 2013 album 吟風弄月 (Ginpuurogetsu), the song debuted in maimai ORANGE on February 5, 2015, and has persisted through every subsequent version. Its lyrics are a whirlwind of compulsive word lists, cascades of 予-prefixed nouns (予想, 予防, 予兆, expectation, prevention, omen) answered by 虚-prefixed nouns (虚構, 虚像, 虚言, fiction, illusion, lie), all building to the shouted refrain "不毛!" The structure lands somewhere between absurdist rant and cynical pop, with the opening count "壱、弐、参、死" (one, two, three, death) immediately signaling the song's darkly playful tone.
In maimai, the standard charts were designed by 某S氏 (Expert) and はっぴー (Master). The Master chart has undergone notable level revisions across versions, starting at 11 in ORANGE, dropping to 10+ in PiNK, then climbing through 11, 11+, 12, and settling at 12+, making it a useful case study in how the game's difficulty scale has recalibrated over the years. The in-game music video is a slightly censored version of the original PV, with the word "FUCK!" edited out for arcade display.
Videos
Charts
Trivia
- The in-game music video is a slightly edited version of the original PV, the word "FUCK!" was removed for arcade display, a detail frequently noted by players familiar with the source material.
- In Asian English versions of maimai, the title is romanised as "fumou!" and the artist as "potential-0".
- The song features dual vocals from both GUMI and IA, a relatively rare vocal combination in VOCALOID tracks of this era.
- The track originally appeared on potential0's 2013 album 吟風弄月 (Ginpuurogetsu) before being added to maimai.
- The lyrics open with the count "壱、弐、参、死", substituting 死 (death, shi) for the expected numeral 四 (four, shi/yon), a morbid wordplay that sets the song's ironic tone.
- The lyrics cycle through extensive repetition of words starting with 予 (yo-, "preliminary") and 虚 (kyo-, "empty/false"), giving the verses a rhythmic, chant-like quality.
- The Master chart has been re-leveled across six different values over its lifespan: debuting at 11 in ORANGE, dropping to 10+ in PiNK, then rising through 11, 11+, 12, and finally 12+ in FESTIVAL PLUS.
- The Expert chart designer, credited as 某S氏 ("a certain Mr. S"), is a pseudonymous charter known for contributing to several early maimai niconico-Vocaloid charts.
FAQ
- Who composed 不毛! (Fumou!) for maimai?
- The song was composed, arranged, and written by ぽてんしゃる0 (potential0), who also produced the original music video.
- Which VOCALOID vocalists sing 不毛!?
- The track features dual vocals from both GUMI (Megpoid) and IA, a pairing that was relatively uncommon in the VOCALOID scene at the time of its release.
- What does the title 不毛! mean?
- 不毛 (fumou) translates to "barren" or "fruitless" in English, reinforcing the song's nihilistic and absurdist lyrical themes.
- When was 不毛! added to maimai?
- It was added to maimai ORANGE on February 5, 2015, and has remained available across all subsequent versions.
- What difficulty is the Master chart of 不毛!?
- The Master chart is rated 12+ with a difficulty constant of 12.7. It was designed by はっぴー and contains 710 notes.
- Who designed the Expert and Master charts for 不毛! in maimai?
- The Expert chart was designed by 某S氏 ("a certain Mr. S"), and the Master chart was designed by はっぴー.
- Was the music video for 不毛! censored in maimai?
- Yes, the in-game video is a slightly edited version of the original PV, the word "FUCK!" was removed for arcade display.
- What album is 不毛! originally from?
- The song was originally released on potential0's 2013 album 吟風弄月 (Ginpuurogetsu) before being added to the maimai rhythm game series.