Overview
HANIPAGANDA is an energetic vocal arrangement by the doujin circle 暁Records, based on the stage 5 boss theme "Ceramic's Staff Swordsman" (セラミックスの杖刀人) from the Touhou Project game 東方鬼形獣 ~ Wily Beast and Weakest Creature. The song takes its inspiration from the boss 杖刀偶磨弓 (Jōtōgū Masagorō), a haniwa, an ancient Japanese clay figurine, elevated to a commanding general. The title itself is a portmanteau of "haniwa" (埴輪) and "propaganda," capturing the martial, crowd-rallying energy that defines the track.
Arranged by Stack Bros. with lyrics and vocals by Stack, the song was first released on 暁Records' album HANIPAGANDA in 2020. It arrived in maimai でらっくす BUDDiES on February 16, 2024 (Japan), followed by an Asian release on June 14, 2024, and a Chinese release on April 16, 2025 via 舞萌DX 2024. At 181 BPM, the track weaves driving percussion, Stack's dynamic vocal delivery, and call-and-response chants into a relentless rhythm that mirrors the urgency of a boss encounter. The official PV, credited to Cafuu and 原之, visually reinforces the haniwa army motif with imagery of marching clay soldiers.
On the charting side, the Master difficulty, designed by サファ太 (Safata), debuted at level 13 in BUDDiES and was re-evaluated upward to 13+ from BUDDiES PLUS onward, reflecting the chart's genuine demands. The Expert chart, designed by 鳩ホルダー (Hato holder), sits at level 11+. The lyrics interlace playful onomatopoeia ("ハッハ ハニハニ ハニワ!") with verses that explore the haniwa as vessels for souls, drawing directly from the Touhou source material's themes of clay soldiers animated by will.
Videos
Charts
DX
BASIC
4(4)
183 notesDesigner: -|Tap 141Hold 9Slide 8Touch 20Break 5
ADVANCED
7(7)
312 notesDesigner: -|Tap 246Hold 28Slide 6Touch 28Break 4
EXPERT
11+(11.6)
508 notesDesigner: 鳩ホルダー|Tap 353Hold 63Slide 30Touch 30Break 32
MASTER
13+(13.6)
842 notesDesigner: サファ太|Tap 557Hold 85Slide 92Touch 26Break 82
Trivia
- HANIPAGANDA is an arrangement of "Ceramic's Staff Swordsman" (セラミックスの杖刀人), the stage 5 boss theme from Touhou 17: 東方鬼形獣 ~ Wily Beast and Weakest Creature. The boss, 杖刀偶磨弓 (Jōtōgū Masagorō), is a haniwa (ancient clay figurine) general.
- The title is a portmanteau of "haniwa" (埴輪, clay figurines) and "propaganda," reflecting the song's theme of a clay army marching to a hypnotic, rallying beat.
- The song originally appeared on 暁Records' album HANIPAGANDA, released in 2020, four years before its maimai debut.
- Lyrics and vocals are by Stack of 暁Records; the arrangement is credited to Stack Bros. The official music video was produced by Cafuu and 原之.
- In its initial BUDDiES release, the Master chart was rated level 13. It was upgraded to 13+ from BUDDiES PLUS onward after a difficulty re-evaluation.
- Playing the song in maimai DX unlocks the title "ハッハハニハニハニワ!ハニワ!" (Hahaha hani hani haniwa! Haniwa!), directly quoting the chorus.
- The Expert chart was designed by 鳩ホルダー (Hato holder), a notes designer known for several Touhou-arrangement charts in the BUDDiES era. The Master chart was designed by サファ太 (Safata).
- Regional release dates differ: Japan received the song on February 16, 2024; the Asian version followed on June 14, 2024; and the Chinese version (舞萌DX 2024) added it on April 16, 2025.
- The lyrics contain military-style commands ("右向けーっ右!", "Right face!") layered with playful haniwa-themed syllables, creating a contrast between strict drilling and absurdist wordplay.
- The song length as listed on the album is 2:02.
FAQ
- Who composed and arranged HANIPAGANDA?
- The original melody was composed by ZUN (Team Shanghai Alice) for Touhou 17: 東方鬼形獣. The arrangement for HANIPAGANDA was done by Stack Bros. of 暁Records, with lyrics and vocals by Stack.
- What is the original song behind HANIPAGANDA?
- HANIPAGANDA is a vocal arrangement of "Ceramic's Staff Swordsman" (セラミックスの杖刀人), the stage 5 boss theme from 東方鬼形獣 ~ Wily Beast and Weakest Creature. The stage 5 boss is 杖刀偶磨弓 (Jōtōgū Masagorō), a haniwa general.
- What version of maimai added HANIPAGANDA?
- HANIPAGANDA was added to maimai でらっくす BUDDiES on February 16, 2024 in Japan, June 14, 2024 in Asia, and April 16, 2025 in China (via 舞萌DX 2024).
- What difficulty level is HANIPAGANDA's Master chart?
- The Master chart debuted at level 13 in BUDDiES and was re-evaluated to 13+ starting from BUDDiES PLUS. Its difficulty constant is 13.6.
- Who designed the charts for HANIPAGANDA in maimai?
- The Expert chart (level 11+) was designed by 鳩ホルダー (Hato holder), and the Master chart (level 13+) was designed by サファ太 (Safata).
- What does the title HANIPAGANDA mean?
- HANIPAGANDA is a portmanteau of "haniwa" (埴輪, the ancient Japanese clay figurines that inspire the Touhou boss character) and "propaganda," reflecting the song's theme of a marching clay army spreading its influence.
- What album is HANIPAGANDA from?
- HANIPAGANDA first appeared on 暁Records' self-titled album HANIPAGANDA, released in 2020, before being added to maimai DX in 2024.
- Does HANIPAGANDA have an official music video?
- Yes, an official PV for HANIPAGANDA was produced by Cafuu and 原之 and is available on YouTube via the 暁Records official channel.
External Links
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