Overview
LOVE ＆ JOY is a cover of J-pop singer Yuki Kimura's seventh single, originally released on July 19, 2000 and produced by the prolific Daisuke Asakura (of access and TM NETWORK fame, with lyrics by Makoto Asakura). The song was one of the launch tracks in the very first maimai arcade cabinet, debuting on July 11, 2012 under the J-POP genre (later reclassified to POPS and eventually POPS & ANIME in the DX era). It was removed from the arcade roster on March 19, 2015, making it a legacy song no longer available in current maimai DX releases.
Before its appearance in maimai, LOVE ＆ JOY had already crossed into the rhythm-game ecosystem through several Konami titles: it appeared as a licensed track in jubeat copious, REFLEC BEAT limelight, DanceDanceRevolution X3 vs 2nd Mix, and even received Cheer Dragons choreography in Dance Evolution ARCADE. The song's bright, synth-driven arrangement and uplifting chorus, built around the refrain "LOVE ＆ JOY 変えてゆく" (changing the future, creating rainbows in the heart), made it a natural fit for the cheerful, accessible launch lineup. In maimai, the Master chart (level 9) delivers a brisk 401-note mix of taps, holds, and slides at 173 BPM, while the Expert chart (level 8) features a notably higher hold-note density than its difficulty would suggest.
Videos
Charts
Trivia
- LOVE ＆ JOY was composed by Daisuke Asakura, a founding member of the rock/electro band access and a prolific producer for TRF, T.M.Revolution, and many other 1990s–2000s J-pop artists.
- The song was Yuki Kimura's seventh single, released in July 2000. Kimura is known for her voice work on anime series such as GROOVE ADVENTURE RAVE (FAIRY TAIL composer connections) and several Asakura-produced projects.
- In the original maimai (2012), the genre was listed as J-POP. It was recategorized to POPS in maimai GreeN and later to POPS & ANIME in ORANGE PLUS onwards.
- LOVE ＆ JOY is one of the earliest songs to have been removed from the maimai arcade lineup, delisted on March 19, 2015. It is no longer playable in current maimai DX cabinets.
- The Expert and Master charts both list no credited notes designer (listed as '無し' / none).
- A Dance Evolution ARCADE version features choreography by Cheer Dragons, distinct from the chart gameplay found in maimai or Konami titles.
- The song also appeared in three Konami rhythm games, jubeat copious, REFLEC BEAT limelight, and DanceDanceRevolution X3 vs 2nd Mix, making it a rare cross-publisher crossover track.
- The lyrical refrain 'LOVE ＆ JOY 変えてゆく / 明日を変えてく / 心に虹を創る 季節に' translates to 'LOVE & JOY, changing things / changing tomorrow / in the season where we create rainbows in our hearts.'
FAQ
- Who originally sang LOVE & JOY?
- LOVE & JOY was originally sung by Yuki Kimura (木村由姫), released as her 7th single on July 19, 2000. The version in maimai is a cover performance.
- Who composed LOVE & JOY in maimai?
- The song was composed by Daisuke Asakura (浅倉大介), with lyrics by Makoto Asakura (麻倉真琴). Asakura is a well-known J-pop producer and member of the band access.
- When was LOVE & JOY added to maimai?
- LOVE & JOY was added as a launch song when maimai first released on July 11, 2012. It was later removed from the arcade roster on March 19, 2015.
- What difficulty levels do LOVE & JOY's charts have in maimai?
- The Standard charts are Basic at level 5 (183 notes), Advanced at level 7 (246 notes), Expert at level 8 (292 notes), and Master at level 9 (401 notes). No Re:Master chart exists for this song.
- Can I still play LOVE & JOY in maimai today?
- No. LOVE & JOY was delisted on March 19, 2015 and is no longer available in current maimai DX arcade cabinets. It can only be played on older offline versions of the game.
- Did LOVE & JOY appear in other rhythm games?
- Yes, the original version appeared in several Konami titles: jubeat copious, REFLEC BEAT limelight, DanceDanceRevolution X3 vs 2nd Mix, and Dance Evolution ARCADE (with custom choreography by Cheer Dragons).
- What is the genre classification of LOVE & JOY in maimai?
- It was classified as J-POP in the original maimai through PLUS, changed to POPS for GreeN through ORANGE, and later categorized under POPS & ANIME (POPS＆アニメ) in subsequent versions.
