Overview
Grip & Break down !! is a high-energy Touhou Project vocal arrangement by the long-running doujin circle SOUND HOLIC, featuring vocalist Nana Takahashi. The track reimagines Flandre Scarlet's extra-boss theme "U.N. Owen Was Her?" (U.N.オーエンは彼女なのか?) from 東方紅魔郷 〜 the Embodiment of Scarlet Devil. Its title is a direct English translation of Flandre's signature line "きゅっとしてドカーン" ("squeeze and boom"), which she delivers in the original game before destroying her opponents, a fitting translation for a song built around the character's childlike cruelty and explosive power.
Arranged by the duo SHU x GUCCI with lyrics by Blue E, the song first appeared on SOUND HOLIC's 2008 doujin album 紅 -KURENAI- before crossing into rhythm games. It was part of maimai GreeN's launch lineup on July 11, 2013, making it one of the earliest Touhou arrangements in the series. Notably, the official promotional video accompanying the song is packed with parodies of Bandai Namco's Tekken fighting game series, a nod that received official approval from the Tekken team itself. In maimai, the song was initially filed under the VARIETY genre and later reclassified into the dedicated 東方Project (Touhou Project) category. The original STANDARD charts debuted with GreeN, while DX charts were added nearly nine years later in maimai でらっくす UNiVERSE PLUS (March 2022), initially unlockable through a Stamp Card system before being made available by default.
Videos
Charts
DX
BASIC
5(5)
224 notesDesigner: -|Tap 170Hold 19Slide 3Touch 7Break 25
ADVANCED
7(7)
353 notesDesigner: -|Tap 275Hold 14Slide 21Touch 27Break 16
EXPERT
9(9.5)
556 notesDesigner: 翠楼屋|Tap 403Hold 42Slide 39Touch 31Break 41
MASTER
13(13.4)
923 notesDesigner: Techno Kitchen|Tap 615Hold 30Slide 116Touch 105Break 57
STD
BASIC
4(4)
174 notesDesigner: -|Tap 155Hold 14Slide 2Break 3
ADVANCED
7(7)
344 notesDesigner: -|Tap 300Hold 28Slide 11Break 5
EXPERT
9+(9.6)
421 notesDesigner: 譜面-100号|Tap 375Hold 16Slide 22Break 8
MASTER
13(13.4)
718 notesDesigner: mai-Star|Tap 563Hold 41Slide 88Break 26
Trivia
- Grip & Break down !! is an arrangement of Flandre Scarlet's extra boss theme "U.N. Owen Was Her?" (U.N.オーエンは彼女なのか?) from the Touhou Project game 東方紅魔郷 〜 the Embodiment of Scarlet Devil (2002).
- The song title translates Flandre's catchphrase "きゅっとしてドカーン", a line from the original game meaning something like "squeeze tight and go boom," reflecting her ability to destroy anything by crushing it in her hand.
- The arrangement was handled by SHU x GUCCI, with lyrics by Blue E, both members of the SOUND HOLIC doujin circle.
- The track originally appeared on SOUND HOLIC's Touhou arrangement album 紅 -KURENAI- (2008), one of the circle's many themed releases.
- The official promotional video (PV) contains numerous visual gags parodying the Tekken fighting game series, including character-style health bars and fighting game HUD elements. These parodies were officially approved by Bandai Namco.
- The PV was produced by multiple creators: 月見堂, yoo, ki-A, 水イロ, しののめ, and others.
- In maimai, Grip & Break down !! was originally categorized under VARIETY at its GreeN launch, but was later moved to the 東方Project genre category in a subsequent update.
- The song also appears in SEGA's other rhythm games: CHUNITHM (AMAZON version onward) and オンゲキ (since August 2018).
- The STANDARD charts have undergone multiple level revisions across maimai versions: the Expert chart rose from level 7 (GreeN) to 9+ (UNiVERSE PLUS onward), and the Master chart rose from level 11 (GreeN) to 13 (current).
- The DX charts were added on March 24, 2022, as part of maimai でらっくす UNiVERSE PLUS, initially locked behind a Stamp Card completion requirement. They became freely available on February 17, 2023.
- The lyrics include a line written in mirrored text: "N'ak Kode Tihs Ot Tuyg", a scrambled mirror-writing easter egg fitting Flandre's chaotic personality.
- The DX MASTER chart (level 13.4, designed by Techno Kitchen) features a high density of Slide and Touch notes (116 Slides, 105 Touches out of 923 total), making it a distinct playstyle from the STANDARD MASTER (designed by mai-Star, 88 Slides, no Touch notes).
FAQ
- Who composed and arranged Grip & Break down !!?
- The original composition is by ZUN (Team Shanghai Alice). The Touhou arrangement was handled by SHU x GUCCI of the doujin circle SOUND HOLIC, with lyrics by Blue E and vocals by Nana Takahashi.
- What is Grip & Break down !! based on?
- It is a vocal arrangement of Flandre Scarlet's extra boss theme "U.N. Owen Was Her?" (U.N.オーエンは彼女なのか?) from the Touhou Project game 東方紅魔郷 〜 the Embodiment of Scarlet Devil.
- What does the title Grip & Break down !! mean?
- The title is an English translation of Flandre Scarlet's in-game catchphrase "きゅっとしてドカーン" (roughly "squeeze tight and go boom"), referencing her ability to crush anything in her hand until it explodes.
- When was Grip & Break down !! added to maimai?
- It was added as a STANDARD chart at the launch of maimai GreeN on July 11, 2013. DX charts were added later on March 24, 2022, with maimai でらっくす UNiVERSE PLUS.
- What album is Grip & Break down !! from?
- The song originally appeared on SOUND HOLIC's Touhou arrangement album 紅 -KURENAI- (2008).
- What level is the MASTER chart for Grip & Break down !! in maimai?
- The DX MASTER chart is level 13 with a difficulty constant of 13.4, designed by Techno Kitchen. The STANDARD MASTER chart is also level 13 (13.4), designed by mai-Star.
- Who designed the charts for Grip & Break down !! in maimai?
- The DX charts were designed by 翠楼屋 (Expert) and Techno Kitchen (Master). The STANDARD charts were designed by 譜面-100号 (Expert) and mai-Star (Master).
- Does Grip & Break down !! appear in other rhythm games?
- Yes. Besides maimai, the song is also playable in CHUNITHM (starting from CHUNITHM AMAZON) and オンゲキ (starting from August 2018), both published by SEGA.
External Links
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