HEART RABBIT COASTER

Nato introduced HEART RABBIT COASTER as a new song in Pump It Up XX (patch 1.04.0). Setting aside his usual Lovecraftian mood, here he goes for cheerful, glossy happy hardcore at 200 BPM. The song later picked up extra charts, including a Double Performance, expanding its footprint in the PHOENIX lineup.

The song's real hook is its BGA, starring Matsuri, a character that placed fourth in the 2018 Pump It Up content contest; the character's own designer animated the video. The story reimagines Pump It Up as a shoot 'em up: Matsuri is pulled into the machine, rides a rabbit-shaped roller coaster, and battles Yog-Sothoth, who transforms into PARADOXX. After a carrot potion restores her, she defeats final boss Nyarlathotep with a carrot cannon. The video is packed with cameo gags from Nato's catalog and the series itself, and its cuteness inspired fans to make T-shirts and even a spin-off fan game.

The normal charts are by FEFEMZ*, with the CO-OP by AEVILUX. In PHOENIX the levels run S10/14/17/21/23 and D13/18/22/25; the S10 was nerfed down from a former 11. The D18 punches above its level thanks to uncommon 200 BPM runs and a weight-shifting late section. The standout is the D25: a stamina-heavy boss song whose double-jump 'rabbit hop' section kicks in around 1:29 and drains many players before the final breakdown. A MASTER pattern was ported in on March 24, 2022.