Overview
"True Love Song" reimagines Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air on the G String" (G線上のアリア), the serene second movement of Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068, as an upbeat, synth-laced dance track. Arranged and penned by Sega sound creator Takahiro "Kai" Kai (甲斐考博), the song features guest vocalist manami, whose clear, emotive delivery rides a bed of driving percussion, piano arpeggios, and Bach's unmistakable melody line. The result is a classical-crossover piece that stands apart from maimai's usual original-song catalog.
Kai has described the arrangement as rooted in a personal memory: hearing "Air on the G String" played on organ at his middle school graduation ceremony. That association with parting shaped the lyrics into a wistful English-language breakup song about lingering feelings and the difficulty of letting go. Writing English lyrics was a first for Kai, who recalled leaning heavily on a dictionary during the process.
The track was one of the very first songs ever featured in maimai, appearing during the arcade's location test under the bare title "G線上のアリア" as an instrumental credited to "クラシックアレンジ." Kai's lyric-writing and manami's vocal performance were later additions that gave the song its final form. In the Chinese version (舞萌), the song is known simply as "True Love," and the Asian English release credits "Kai / classical 'Air on the G String'." The jacket art and in-game video were both updated in maimai でらっくす, with the video replaced by a still image of the new jacket.
Videos
Charts
STD
BASIC
5(5)
96 notesDesigner: -|Tap 63Hold 23Slide 8Break 2
ADVANCED
7(7)
122 notesDesigner: -|Tap 85Hold 27Slide 6Break 4
EXPERT
10(10)
177 notesDesigner: 譜面-100号|Tap 110Hold 56Slide 9Break 2
MASTER
12(12.4)
302 notesDesigner: ニャイン|Tap 263Hold 14Slide 19Break 6
Trivia
- During maimai's location test, the song appeared as an instrumental titled "G線上のアリア" credited to "クラシックアレンジ", before Kai's lyrics and manami's vocals were added.
- Another arrangement of Air on the G String by Kai, titled "管弦楽組曲 第3番 ニ長調「第2曲(G線上のアリア)」BWV.1068-2," appears in Sega's rhythm game CHUNITHM STAR PLUS.
- The Master chart was designed by ニャイン (Nyain), a notes designer known for several maimai original charts across the series.
- The Expert chart was designed by 譜面-100号 (Fumen -100 gou), a recurring maimai chart designer.
- True Love Song received a completely new jacket illustration in maimai でらっくす, replacing the original launch-era artwork.
- In maimai でらっくす, the song's animated in-game video was changed to a static display of the new jacket.
- The song's difficulty levels have been adjusted across multiple versions: the Master chart began at level 10 at launch and has since risen to level 12 (UNiVERSE+ onward).
- An in-game title (称号) called "Nice boat." can be earned by playing both もぺもぺ and True Love Song in a single credit.
- The soundtrack booklet describes True Love Song as a "stylish dance number" whose PV featured classical ballet-inspired choreography.
- Kai's composer comment notes that hearing the original piece played on organ at his graduation ceremony left him with an association of farewell, which directly inspired the breakup-themed lyrics.
FAQ
- What is the original classical piece behind True Love Song?
- True Love Song is an arrangement of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air on the G String" (G線上のアリア), the second movement of his Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068.
- Who arranged and wrote the lyrics for True Love Song?
- Takahiro "Kai" Kai (甲斐考博), a Sega sound creator, arranged the music and wrote the English lyrics. The vocals were performed by manami.
- When was True Love Song added to maimai?
- True Love Song was available from the very first release of maimai on July 11, 2012, and was originally present in the arcade location test under a different title.
- Why does True Love Song have English lyrics about heartbreak?
- Kai associated the original Bach piece with his middle school graduation ceremony, where the vice principal played it on organ. That memory of parting led him to write a wistful English breakup song.
- Who designed the Master chart for True Love Song?
- The Master chart was designed by ニャイン (Nyain), while the Expert chart was designed by 譜面-100号 (Fumen -100 gou).
- What level is True Love Song on Master difficulty?
- The Master chart is level 12 with a difficulty constant of 12.4. It has been rebalanced several times, starting at level 10 in the original maimai.
- What is the Chinese version of True Love Song called?
- In the Chinese version of maimai (舞萌), the song is titled "True Love" and credited to "Kai / 古典乐《G弦上的咏叹调》."
- Did True Love Song change in maimai DX?
- Yes. In maimai でらっくす (DX), the song received a new jacket illustration, and its animated video was replaced with a static image of the updated jacket.

