![Double Screening of "Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-" and "Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ TABOO NIGHT XXXX" at Anime Expo 2025! [Official Report]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fenglish-kyodo.ismcdn.jp%2Fmwimgs%2Fb%2Fc%2F1200x%2Fimg_bc68242378defe6d6e4572968157915a276251.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Double Screening of "Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-" and "Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ TABOO NIGHT XXXX" at Anime Expo 2025! [Official Report]
Official Report: Double Screening of "Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-" and "Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ TABOO NIGHT XXXX" at Anime Expo 2025
"Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-" Movie
I arrived at the cinema fifteen minutes early, securing a front-row seat on the second floor. The crowd seemed sparse, but a glance downstairs revealed groups of cosplaying fans, light sticks in hand. My attention then shifted to the screen, displaying a QR code for an app to vote for battle winners during the film. This wasn't just a movie; it was an interactive experience where the audience would decide the outcome of the rap battles.
The film, "Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-" or "HypMic," depicts a world where physical violence is outlawed. Conflicts are settled through rap battles using "Hypnosis Mics," which influence the mind, with winning teams gaining territory. These battles are organized by the "Party of Words," a female-led group, featuring teams from various divisions.
The battles are fought in teams of three, with six representative teams:
● Buster Bros!!!: Representing Ikebukuro Division
● MAD TRIGGER CREW: Representing Yokohama Division
● Fling Posse: Representing Shibuya Division
● Matenrou: Representing Shinjuku Division
● Bad Ass Temple: Representing Nagoya Division
● Dotsuitare Hompo: Representing Osaka Division
Teams advance from the first stage of the tournament and emerge victorious from the second stage's round-robin battles to earn the right to challenge the "Party of Words" in the final battle. While the movie itself covers the entire final stage, this special Anime Expo edition concludes after the second stage.
A key feature of this film is an innovative movie experience powered by the CtrlMovie app. After each battle sequence, a 10-second voting countdown begins, during which viewers tap the logo of the team they believe performed better. Within seconds, the winner is displayed on screen, and the story progresses.
As the outcome for each team hinges on the audience's earnest votes, tension builds during the countdown, even for those unfamiliar with the series. When results are revealed, the venue fills with cheers of joy and cries of disappointment, fostering a powerful sense of unity among attendees.
The team members' reactions and comments vary based on the results, offering a unique story with each viewing. With an astonishing 48 different possibilities, fans will undoubtedly be eager to experience every permutation.
Anticipation surged as I observed the venue filling up, with seats completely taken and standing room only at the rear and throughout the ground floor. The MC began to hype up the crowd, and finally, the screening commenced.
The event began with thunderous applause, as each team showcased their performance in their respective divisions. The atmosphere was electric with excited cheers and fans waving color-coded glowsticks, a detail whose purpose—color coordination—now became clear. The video presentation effectively highlighted each character's unique traits and team dynamics. This was followed by an opening movie featuring all participants, allowing their individual voices to be heard, and setting the stage for the upcoming competitions. The crowd's equally intense enthusiasm for all teams made the outcome entirely unpredictable.
And now, it's time for the rap battles!
Battle 1: Buster Bros!!! vs. Bad Ass Temple
This highly anticipated face-off pitted former teammates Ichiro (Buster Bros!!!) against Kuko (Bad Ass Temple). As the voting results were revealed, the Buster Bros!!! logo appeared, eliciting a dramatic mix of cheers and gasps. A touching moment of mutual respect between Ichiro and Kuko on screen was met with warm applause from the audience.
Battle 2: MAD TRIGGER CREW vs. Dotsuitare Hompo
Samatoki (MAD TRIGGER CREW) and Sasara (Dotsuitare Hompo), once partners, knew each other's every strength and weakness. However, this was a team battle, demanding maximum collective power for victory. Dotsuitare Hompo's logo appeared during the decisive voting, sparking a massive cheer. Samatoki's gracious acceptance of defeat garnered encouraging shouts, leaving a lasting impression.
Battle 3: Fling Posse vs. Matenrou
The relationship between Ramuda (Fling Posse) and Jakurai (Matenrou) was marked by an apparent mutual discomfort, adding intrigue to their battle. Their close proximity during the performance ignited shrill screams of excitement from the crowd. Matenrou's logo emerged victorious at the crucial voting moment, leading to a mix of cheers and screams. The tension between the two seemed to dissipate, with Jakurai considering Ramuda a friend, though Ramuda's amusement and irritation at Jakurai's unintentionally condescending remarks were a highlight.
The Second Round: Round-Robin Battle
The three victors from the first round—Buster Bros!!!, Dotsuitare Hompo, and Matenrou—faced off in a round-robin format. During the decisive voting, with cheers echoing for each team, Dotsuitare Hompo emerged triumphant. The arena erupted in the loudest cheers and screams of the day, bringing the event to a thrilling conclusion.
The "Hypnosis Mic" screening concluded just as we were anticipating the final face-off with "Party of Words."
Despite the outcome not favoring my preferred team, I'm eager to witness how the battle unfolds between the Kansai-based "Dotsuitare Hompo" and the all-female "Party of Words."
You can find the voting results for this screening at: https://hypnosismic-movie.com/voting-status/ax2025/
For those interested, all voting results from screenings held in Japan are available here: https://hypnosismic-movie.com/voting-status/results/
I highly recommend checking them out!
"Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ TABOO NIGHT XXXX" Movie
Following a brief shift in the audience from "HypMic" to "UtaPri" fans (though in small numbers), the MC's introduction of "UtaPri" ignited immense excitement. This marks the third theatrical release in the "Uta no Prince-sama Maji LOVE" series, a multimedia franchise rooted in an otome game (a dating simulation for female players). This particular film features full live animation and centers on QUARTET NIGHT, a group of four senior idols, in an entirely new story.
The members are:
● Reiji Kotobuki
● Ranmaru Kurosaki
● Ai Mikaze
● Camus
Setlist:
● Jewelful XXXX
○ Seize me if you can (Reiji)
○ Force & Faith (Ranmaru)
○ Wandering in a maze (Ai)
○ Do you know who I'm (Camus)
● Ice Pierrot (Camus)
● Rei-Zero- (Reiji)
● Black Panther (Ranmaru)
● Am I a fairy or...? (Ai)
● The RUN to the RAY (Reiji & Ranmaru)
● God Love Keihou Hatsurei (Ai & Camus)
● TABOO NIGHT XXXX (All)
● JINN-Ω-RAY (All)
The audience changed their light sticks to match each idol's image color, cheering enthusiastically and perfectly executing the call-and-response chants - all in Japanese, of course. Th scene was reminiscent of an idol live concert in Japan, brought to life right here in the theater.
Event Overview
Anime Expo 2025
'HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle- Movie / Utano☆Prince Sama TABOO NIGHT XXXX' Screening
July 5, 12:30–2:30 PM | The Novo
About "HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle- Movie"
Introduction
"HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle-" is Japan's first theatrical film to be an interactive movie. The outcome of the rap battle that unfolds on the screen is decided by the audience's votes in the theater. Voting takes place in real time via a smartphone app, and the story progresses according to the choice that receives the most votes. The development and ending (= the winning division) of each screening will change depending on the choices made by each audience member... This is Japan's first participatory video experience.
Cast
Buster Bros!!!
Ichiro Yamada: Subaru Kimura
Jiro Yamada: Haruki Ishiya
Saburo Yamada: Kohei Amasaki
MAD TRIGGER CREW
Samatoki Aohitsugi: Shintaro Asanuma
Jyuto Iruma: Wataru Komada
Rio Mason Busujima: Shinichiro Kamio
Fling Posse
Ramuda Amemura: Yusuke Shirai
Gentaro Yumeno: Souma Saito
Dice Arisugawa: Yukihiro Nozuyama
Matenrou
Jinguji Jakurai: Show Hayami
Hifumi Izanami: Ryuichi Kijima
Doppo Kannonzaka: Kent Ito
Dotsuitare Hompo
Sasara Nurude: Ryota Iwasaki
Rosho Tsutsujimori: Kengo Kawanishi
Rei Amayado: Takaya Kuroda
Bad Ass Temple
Kuko Harai: Shota Hayama
Jyushi Aimono: Yuki Sakakihara
Hitoya Amaguni: Eiji Takeuchi
Party of Words
Otome Tohoten: Yu Kobayashi
Ichijiku Kadenokoji: Chiaki Takahashi
Nemu Aohitsugi: Nozomi Yamamoto
©HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle- Movie
About "Utano☆Prince Sama TABOO NIGHT XXXX"
Synopsis
Witness QUARTET NIGHT's New Pinnacle: Utopia!
Cast
Reiji Kotobuki: Showtaro Morikubo
Ranmaru Kurosaki: Tatsuhisa Suzuki
Ai Mikaze: Shouta Aoi
Camus: Tomoaki Maeno
©UTA☆PRI-MOVIE TN PROJECT
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