Overview
夜に駆ける (Yoru ni Kakeru, "Racing into the Night") is the debut single of YOASOBI, the Japanese duo formed by producer Ayase and vocalist ikura. Originally released as a digital single in 2019, the song became a cultural phenomenon in Japan and beyond, breaking streaming records and winning multiple year-end awards. It is based on the short novel "An Invitation From Thanatos" (タナトスの誘い) by Hoshino Mayo, which explores themes of love, death, and the desire to escape together, a premise that informs the song's urgent, driving energy and bittersweet lyrics.
In maimai, 夜に駆ける joined the POPS & ANIME category as part of the maimai でらっくす UNiVERSE launch on September 16, 2021, the same day the Re:MASTER chart was made available. All five DX-style difficulties were included, with chart design handled by three different note designers: みそかつ侍 (Misokatsu Samurai) for Expert, 緑風 犬三郎 for Master, and 隅田川星人 (Sumidagawa Seijin) for Re:MASTER. The Re:MASTER chart originally debuted at Level 12+ and was elevated to Level 13 (with a constant of 12.8) in the BUDDiES PLUS version.
The song was removed from maimai across all regions in September 2024, from the Chinese version (舞萌DX 2024) on September 4, the Japanese version on September 12, and the Asian version (maimai DX BUDDiES PLUS) on September 13. An English-language version titled "Into the Night" was released in July 2021 and later included on YOASOBI's first English EP, E-SIDE.
Videos
Charts
DX
BASIC
2(2)
120 notesDesigner: -|Tap 95Hold 6Slide 8Touch 9Break 2
ADVANCED
6(6)
323 notesDesigner: -|Tap 280Hold 15Slide 15Touch 8Break 5
EXPERT
8(8)
464 notesDesigner: みそかつ侍|Tap 303Hold 62Slide 36Touch 43Break 20
MASTER
11(11)
684 notesDesigner: 緑風 犬三郎|Tap 512Hold 51Slide 88Touch 20Break 13
Re:MASTER
13(12.8)
824 notesDesigner: 隅田川星人|Tap 632Hold 61Slide 87Touch 27Break 17
Trivia
- 夜に駆ける was YOASOBI's first digital single, released in 2019 before the duo had even performed live. It became the first song in Japanese history to exceed 100 million streams on the Billboard Japan Streaming Charts.
- The song is based on the short novel 『タナトスの誘い』 (An Invitation From Thanatos) by Hoshino Mayo, which was published on the creative writing site Monogatary.com. YOASOBI's concept is to take short stories submitted to Monogatary.com and turn them into music.
- Ayase (composer, lyricist, arranger) and ikura (vocals) formed YOASOBI in 2019. Ayase was previously active in the Vocaloid-P/doujin scene, while ikura was a singer-songwriter performing under the name ikura.
- An English version titled "Into the Night" was released on July 2, 2021, with English lyrics written to preserve similar sounds and phrasing to the original Japanese. It appears on YOASOBI's first English EP E-SIDE, released November 12, 2021.
- The Re:MASTER chart was originally assigned Level 12+ in UNiVERSE through BUDDiES, and was raised to Level 13 in BUDDiES PLUS. This is noted in its internal difficulty constant of 12.8, one of the highest values within Level 13.
- The movie (music video) for 夜に駆ける was not included in maimai, likely due to its depiction of suicide, which also resulted in an age restriction on YouTube. Instead, the in-game jacket art is a still image.
- In the DX Collection system, clearing the song with FULL SYNC unlocked the title 「二人でいよう」 ("Let's Stay Together"). A limited-time campaign from December 21, 2023 to January 17, 2024 awarded the nameplate and frame 「#夜駆十億」 (a reference to the song surpassing 1 billion streams).
- 夜に駆ける also appears in SEGA's other rhythm game CHUNITHM, where it was added to CHUNITHM NEW at launch across all regions.
- The three note designers, みそかつ侍, 緑風 犬三郎, and 隅田川星人, are all regular contributors to maimai DX chart creation, each known for distinct charting styles across the series.
FAQ
- Who composed and sang 夜に駆ける (Yoru ni Kakeru)?
- The song was composed, arranged, and written by Ayase, with vocals by ikura. Together they form the Japanese duo YOASOBI.
- What is 夜に駆ける about?
- 夜に駆ける is based on the short novel 'An Invitation From Thanatos' (タナトスの誘い) by Hoshino Mayo. The lyrics depict a relationship shadowed by death, with the narrator pleading to stay together and 'race into the night' rather than be separated, a theme of love intertwined with mortality.
- What version of maimai added 夜に駆ける?
- 夜に駆ける was added to maimai でらっくす UNiVERSE at launch on September 16, 2021, in Japanese, Asian, and Chinese versions. In the Chinese version (舞萌DX), it arrived later on December 16, 2022 with the 舞萌DX 2022 update.
- Is 夜に駆ける removed from maimai?
- Yes. The song was removed from all maimai versions in September 2024: the Chinese version on September 4, the Japanese version on September 12, and the Asian version on September 13.
- What is the English version of 夜に駆ける called?
- The official English version is titled 'Into the Night,' released on July 2, 2021. The English lyrics were written to echo the sounds and phrasing of the original Japanese. It appears on YOASOBI's EP E-SIDE.
- Who charted 夜に駆ける in maimai DX?
- The Expert chart was designed by みそかつ侍 (Misokatsu Samurai), the Master chart by 緑風 犬三郎, and the Re:MASTER chart by 隅田川星人 (Sumidagawa Seijin). The Basic and Advanced charts have no credited designer.
- Why was the music video not included in maimai?
- The official music video depicts themes of suicide, leading to an age restriction on YouTube. For this reason, the movie was not included in maimai, and only the jacket art appears in-game.
Related Songs
なだめスかし Negotiation（TVsize）
鹿乃と宇崎ちゃん
36812
UNiVERSE (宙)
インドア系ならトラックメイカー
Yunomi & nicamoq
27+1013
UNiVERSE (宙)
Seize The Day
亜咲花
16811+
UNiVERSE (宙)
VOLTAGE
Rain Drops
471113
UNiVERSE (宙)
泥の分際で私だけの大切を奪おうだなんて
ツユ
27+10+13+
UNiVERSE (宙)
veil
須田景凪
268+12+
UNiVERSE (宙)
ドラゴンエネルギー
オーイシマサヨシ×加藤純一
269+12
UNiVERSE (宙)
うっせぇわ
Ado
379+11+13
UNiVERSE (宙)