Overview
マトリョシカ (Matryoshka) is a VOCALOID song by producer Hachi, featuring Hatsune Miku and GUMI in a high-energy duet at 205 BPM. Originally released on Hachi's 2010 album OFFICIAL ORANGE, the track uses the matryoshka (Russian nesting doll) as a central metaphor for a fractured psyche, the lyrics depict a narrator whose mind is "patched-together and crazy," set to an upbeat, danceable arrangement that contrasts with the disorienting subject matter. The call-and-response structure between Miku and GUMI, punctuated by shouted interjections and a relentless beat, helped cement it as one of the defining VOCALOID hits of the early 2010s.
Matryoshka debuted in maimai at the arcade's launch on July 11, 2012, and has remained present across every version since. Its chart set spans from Basic (level 6) to a demanding Re:Master (level 13, constant 13.3), the latter designed by はっぴー (Happy) and notable for its dense slide-note patterns totaling 127 Slide notes, an unusually high count for its era. The Master chart, designed by 譜面-100号, and the Expert chart by maimai TEAM round out the upper difficulties. The song also appears in SEGA's CHUNITHM, added to CHUNITHM STAR PLUS in May 2018.
Videos
Charts
STD
BASIC
6(6)
202 notesDesigner: -|Tap 191Hold 4Slide 4Break 3
ADVANCED
8+(8.6)
229 notesDesigner: -|Tap 196Hold 10Slide 11Break 12
EXPERT
9+(9.6)
356 notesDesigner: maimai TEAM|Tap 297Hold 35Slide 11Break 13
MASTER
11+(11.6)
454 notesDesigner: 譜面-100号|Tap 422Hold 7Slide 17Break 8
Re:MASTER
13(13.3)
571 notesDesigner: はっぴー|Tap 395Hold 26Slide 127Break 23
Trivia
- Matryoshka was composed, arranged, and written by Hachi, the VOCALOID producer alias of Kenshi Yonezu, one of Japan's most commercially successful solo artists. The track features Hatsune Miku and GUMI on vocals.
- The song originally appeared on Hachi's album OFFICIAL ORANGE, released in 2010, before being added to maimai two years later.
- The maimai version of Matryoshka is a shortened edit running 1:44, compared to the original full-length version at 2:20.
- At the launch of the original maimai arcade, Matryoshka had a 1/3 chance of being unlocked automatically on a player's first play, alongside メランコリック (Melancholic) and メグメグ☆ファイアーエンドレスナイト (Megu Megu Fire Endless Night). Playing together with someone who had one of the other two songs would also unlock it.
- From maimai GreeN onward, Matryoshka became available by default with no unlock requirement.
- The Re:Master chart was added in maimai ORANGE PLUS on May 14, 2015, initially requiring 50 music tickets to unlock. It became available by default from maimai PiNK onward.
- The in-game video for Matryoshka in maimai consists of a dancing routine, rather than Hachi's original music video.
- In the Asian English and Chinese versions of maimai (舞萌), the title is romanised as MATRYOSHKA and the artist as Hachi.
- The in-game genre label for Matryoshka has shifted across maimai versions: originally categorized as VARIETY at launch, then niconico from GreeN PLUS through ORANGE PLUS, and finally niconico & VOCALOID from PiNK onward.
- The Master chart (designed by 譜面-100号) has undergone extensive level revisions: it launched at level 10, was lowered to 9 through several versions, and has since climbed to its current 11+ (11.6 constant) through gradual upward adjustments across the DX era.
- Matryoshka was also added to CHUNITHM STAR PLUS on May 24, 2018, expanding its presence beyond maimai into another SEGA rhythm game.
FAQ
- Who composed Matryoshka (マトリョシカ)?
- Matryoshka was composed, arranged, and written by Hachi, featuring Hatsune Miku and GUMI on vocals. Hachi is a renowned VOCALOID producer.
- What version of maimai added Matryoshka?
- Matryoshka was added at the launch of the original maimai arcade on July 11, 2012, making it one of the earliest VOCALOID songs in the game.
- What are the chart levels for Matryoshka in maimai?
- The current Standard charts are Basic (level 6), Advanced (8+, constant 8.6), Expert (9+, constant 9.6), Master (11+, constant 11.6), and Re:Master (level 13, constant 13.3).
- Who designed the Matryoshka charts in maimai?
- The Expert chart was designed by maimai TEAM, the Master chart by 譜面-100号, and the Re:Master chart by はっぴー (Happy). Basic and Advanced have no credited designer.
- What is Matryoshka about lyrically?
- The lyrics, written by Hachi, use the matryoshka (Russian nesting doll) as a metaphor for a fractured mental state. Lines about a 'patched-together, crazy matryoshka,' a stopped clock, and a spinning world convey dissociation and confusion, all set to an upbeat, danceable arrangement that creates a deliberate contrast.
- How was Matryoshka originally unlocked in maimai?
- At the original maimai launch, it had a 1/3 chance to unlock on the player's first play, alongside Melancholic and Megu Megu Fire Endless Night. Playing together with someone who had one of the other songs would also unlock it. From maimai GreeN onward, it became available by default.
- Is Matryoshka in any other rhythm games?
- Yes, Matryoshka also appears in SEGA's CHUNITHM, having been added to CHUNITHM STAR PLUS on May 24, 2018.
- What BPM is Matryoshka?
- Matryoshka has a BPM of 205, contributing to its fast-paced, energetic feel.
