Overview
VERTeX (ウェルテクス) is an original instrumental composition by SEGA sound creator Hiro (Hiroshi Kawaguchi), introduced to maimai during the ORANGE era as part of the inaugural Tenkaichi Otogesai (天下一音ゲ祭), a cross-company rhythm game festival where SEGA, KONAMI, Bandai Namco, and TAITO each contributed songs built around one of the four classical elements. SEGA's assigned element was water, chosen because the development team unanimously agreed that the maimai cabinet's rotating drum resembles a washing machine. Hiro channeled that conceit into a stormy seascape of a track, pairing a soaring, lyrical melody with his then-personal record of 237 BPM.
The title VERTeX derives from the Latin word for "vortex" or "whirlpool" (vertex), directly evoking the song's oceanic imagery, while the stylized lowercase 'e' in the middle was a deliberate chuunibyou flourish by Hiro. Musically, the piece shifts between compound 6/4 and 3/4 time signatures, giving it a rolling, tempestuous momentum. Its MASTER chart, first crafted by designer Jack at Level 12, was re-rated upward across multiple maimai versions, ultimately reaching Level 14+ in maimai でらっくす BUDDiES PLUS, retroactively becoming the first chart to hold that difficulty ceiling in the DX series. The MASTER chart is also remembered for a climactic key-change section that foreshadows patterns from another notorious maimai boss track, Caliburne ～Story of the Legendary sword～.
Videos
Charts
STD
BASIC
5(5)
197 notesDesigner: -|Tap 184Hold 4Slide 5Break 4
ADVANCED
8+(8.6)
321 notesDesigner: -|Tap 306Hold 6Slide 4Break 5
EXPERT
11+(11.6)
527 notesDesigner: mai-Star|Tap 433Hold 46Slide 26Break 22
MASTER
14+(14.7)
888 notesDesigner: Jack|Tap 725Hold 36Slide 119Break 8
Trivia
- VERTeX debuted simultaneously across four arcade rhythm games on November 26, 2014: maimai ORANGE (SEGA), jubeat saucer fulfill (KONAMI), Taiko no Tatsujin Kimidori Ver. (Bandai Namco), and GROOVE COASTER EX (TAITO), as the centerpiece of the first Tenkaichi Otogesai cross-company event.
- The water/sea theme was assigned to SEGA because the maimai development team and the other three companies all agreed, only half-jokingly, that the maimai cabinet's spinning drum looks like a washing machine.
- BPM 237 was Hiro's fastest composition at the time of release, a personal speed record he noted in his artist comment.
- The title VERTeX comes from the Latin 'vertex,' meaning a vortex or whirlpool, directly reflecting the song's nautical motif. The second 'e' is deliberately lowercase, a stylistic choice Hiro openly described as 'chuunibyou-ish and cool.'
- The MASTER chart was originally rated Level 12 in maimai ORANGE and was gradually re-rated upward over eight major version updates: 12 (ORANGE) → 12+ (MURASAKi) → 13 (MURASAKi+) → 14 (でらっくす+) → 14+ (BUDDiES+), making it the first chart in maimai DX to reach the 14+ ceiling.
- The MASTER chart's climactic key-change section incorporates note patterns that Hiro and the wiki note bear a resemblance to the infamous difficult passages of Caliburne ～Story of the Legendary sword～, a later maimai boss track also composed by Hiro.
- A demo sketch version of VERTeX is uploaded to Hiro's personal SoundCloud account, offering a glimpse into the track's early compositional development.
- A remix by Rintaro Soma titled VERTeX (rintaro soma deconstructed remix) was included on the maimai 10th Anniversary Original CD, reimagining the track in a deconstructed club style.
- A spiritual successor titled ViRTUS, sharing the Latin portmanteau naming convention, was added to maimai DX FESTiVAL, continuing the thematic lineage.
- VERTeX was the second maimai original contributed by an artist from the [H.] circle, following Fukuyama Mitsuharu's Danza zandA.
- The song later crossed over into CHUNITHM STAR (December 2017) and CHUNITHM SUPER STAR, and also appears as part of the maimai DX + ONGEKI Pack in GROOVE COASTER WAI WAI PARTY!!!!.
FAQ
- Who composed VERTeX for maimai?
- VERTeX was composed and arranged by Hiro (Hiroshi Kawaguchi), a SEGA sound creator and member of the [H.] production circle. He is also known for other maimai originals such as Caliburne ～Story of the Legendary sword～.
- What does the title VERTeX mean?
- VERTeX comes from the Latin word 'vertex,' meaning a vortex or whirlpool. The lowercase 'e' in the middle is a deliberate stylistic choice by composer Hiro, meant to evoke a chuunibyou (middle-school syndrome) aesthetic.
- What was the Tenkaichi Otogesai event and how does VERTeX relate to it?
- The Tenkaichi Otogesai (天下一音ゲ祭) was a 2014 cross-company rhythm game collaboration where SEGA, KONAMI, Bandai Namco, and TAITO each contributed original songs themed around one of the four classical elements. SEGA's theme for maimai was water, chosen because the cabinet resembles a washing machine, and VERTeX was the resulting track.
- What BPM is VERTeX?
- VERTeX runs at 237 BPM, which was Hiro's fastest composition at the time of its release in maimai ORANGE.
- Who designed the MASTER and EXPERT charts for VERTeX?
- The MASTER chart was designed by Jack, and the EXPERT chart was designed by mai-Star. Both are prominent notes designers in the maimai series.
- Why was VERTeX's MASTER chart re-rated so many times?
- The MASTER chart started at Level 12 in maimai ORANGE but was re-rated upward across multiple version updates as the game's overall difficulty ceiling expanded, first to 12+, then 13, 14, and finally 14+ in maimai でらっくす BUDDiES PLUS. This gradual escalation reflects both the chart's enduring challenge and the series' evolving difficulty standards, and made VERTeX retroactively the first 14+ chart in the DX era.
- Does VERTeX appear in any other rhythm games?
- Yes. VERTeX appears in CHUNITHM STAR and CHUNITHM SUPER STAR. It is also included in the maimai DX + ONGEKI Pack for GROOVE COASTER WAI WAI PARTY!!!!.
- Is there a sequel or remix of VERTeX?
- A deconstructed remix by Rintaro Soma, titled VERTeX (rintaro soma deconstructed remix), was released on the maimai 10th Anniversary Original CD. A thematic sequel titled ViRTUS was later added to maimai DX FESTiVAL.
External Links
Related Songs
Caliburne ～Story of the Legendary sword～
Project Grimoire
5912+14
ORANGE (橙)
おても☆Yan
光吉猛修
461013
ORANGE (橙)
oboro
ヒゲドライバー
681213+
ORANGE (橙)
Dragoon
Shandy kubota
58+1113+14
ORANGE (橙)
ピーマンたべたら
カタオカツグミ
57+1113+
ORANGE (橙)
planet dancer
樽木栄一郎
47+111313+
ORANGE (橙)
BETTER CHOICE
Jimmy Weckl feat.高貴みな
4810+12+
ORANGE (橙)
Dreampainter
Sta feat.tigerlily and DOT96
47+1112+
ORANGE (橙)