Overview
"Ontology" (オントロジー) is the title track from Rain Drops' second mini-album, released in 2020. Rain Drops is a vocal unit formed from VTubers affiliated with ANYCOLOR Inc. (formerly Ichikara), bringing together performers such as Ryushen, Akina Saegusa, Meiji Warabeda, Masaru Suzuki, Elu, and Joe Rikiichi. The track was composed, arranged, and written by Jin, who also contributed guitar, a familiar name to maimai players from his earlier works "Kagerou Days" (カゲロウデイズ) and "Additional Memory" (アディショナルメモリー), both of which appear in the maimai song library. Bass was handled by Shota Horie (PENGUIN RESEARCH), drums by Yumao (hitorie), and the music video was directed by RIRI Yamashita.
The title "Ontology" is a deliberate philosophical reference: in Western philosophy, ontology is the study of being and existence. For this song, the word is repurposed to mean "existential proof" for VTubers, a meditation on identity, presence, and what it means to exist as a virtual performer. The lyrics paint a picture of standing in the rain under mismatched umbrellas, searching for a shared sky, which resonates thematically with Rain Drops' collective identity as individual personalities forming a single unit.
In maimai, "Ontology" was added as part of the DX UNiVERSE PLUS update on June 10, 2022, and was one of several songs later removed from the arcade rotation starting in March 2025 with the transition to PRiSM. The song's four DX charts span from a Basic level 3 to a Master level 12+ (constant 12.8), with Expert charted by Jack and Master charted by Happy (はっぴー). The Master chart is notably slide-heavy, with 149 Slide notes out of 702 total.
Videos
Charts
DX
BASIC
3(3)
131 notesDesigner: -|Tap 103Hold 4Slide 6Touch 15Break 3
ADVANCED
7(7)
382 notesDesigner: -|Tap 329Hold 15Slide 13Touch 15Break 10
EXPERT
10(10)
542 notesDesigner: Jack|Tap 449Hold 39Slide 24Touch 16Break 14
MASTER
12+(12.8)
702 notesDesigner: はっぴー|Tap 479Hold 30Slide 149Touch 20Break 24
Trivia
- The song's title 'Ontology' (オントロジー) is a philosophical term for the study of being and existence. The naming was deliberately chosen to represent VTubers' 'existential proof', their claim to real existence as virtual beings.
- Guitarist and composer Jin is widely known in the rhythm game community for his vocaloid works and his song 'Kagerou Days' (カゲロウデイズ), which also appears in maimai with charts across multiple difficulties.
- The jacket art for the in-game song is the same as the regular edition cover of Rain Drops' second mini-album.
- Rain Drops member Meiji Warabeda (童田明治) graduated on April 30, 2022, making the six-person lineup's performance at the one-man live 'SQUALL' their final collective activity. 'Ontology' was among the last songs recorded with this original roster.
- In-game collection titles reference the song's rainy imagery: 'A dream-like future' (夢に見た様なそんな未来さ) is unlocked by playing with four players and achieving FULL SYNC, while 'Rain or shine' (雨天決行) is obtained by playing Ontology and VOLTAGE in a single credit.
- The song was removed from maimai arcades starting March 2025: from the Asian version in PRiSM on February 27, 2025, and from the Chinese version in 舞萌DX 2024 on March 5, 2025.
- The music video was directed by RIRI Yamashita (山下RIRI), who also produced the visual elements for the album release.
- Bassist Shota Horie (PENGUIN RESEARCH) and drummer Yumao (hitorie) contributed to the instrumental arrangement, giving the track its driving rock foundation beneath the vocal harmonies.
FAQ
- Who composed Ontology for maimai?
- Ontology (オントロジー) was composed, arranged, and written by Jin, the creator behind vocaloid hits like Kagerou Days. Jin also played guitar on the recording.
- What does the title Ontology mean in the context of this song?
- The title comes from the philosophical term 'ontology,' the study of being and existence. For this Rain Drops track, it was repurposed to signify VTubers' 'existential proof', a statement of their real identity and presence as virtual performers.
- Which maimai version added Ontology and when was it removed?
- Ontology was added to maimai DX UNiVERSE PLUS on June 10, 2022 (Chinese version on August 10, 2023). It was later removed starting in March 2025: from the Asian PRiSM version on February 27, 2025, and from the Chinese 舞萌DX 2024 version on March 5, 2025.
- Who is Rain Drops?
- Rain Drops is a VTuber vocal unit under ANYCOLOR Inc., featuring members Ryushen, Akina Saegusa, Meiji Warabeda, Masaru Suzuki, Elu, and Joe Rikiichi. Ontology is the title track from their second mini-album released in 2020.
- Who designed the Ontology charts in maimai?
- The Expert chart was designed by Jack, and the Master chart was designed by Happy (はっぴー). The Basic and Advanced charts do not have credited designers.
- What difficulty is Ontology's Master chart?
- The Master chart for Ontology is rated level 12+ with a difficulty constant of 12.8. It features a notably high slide-note count of 149 out of 702 total notes.
- What are the lyrics of Ontology about?
- The lyrics describe standing in a sudden rain shower under different umbrellas, searching for a shared sky. Themes of regret, hesitation, and finding one's way through uncertainty run through the song, reflecting the VTuber members' collective journey of self-discovery.