Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle: Rhyme Anima(referred to asHypnosis Mic: Rhyme Animafrom here after) is an anime adaptation of a large multimedia project,Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle. The project centers around six three-member groups, each representing a district of Japan: Ikebukuro, Yokohama, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Osaka, and Nagoya. Since weapons have been banned, these groups hash it out using special microphones called hypnosis mics, each of which has a special ability. However,Hypnosis Mic: Rhyme Animaonly focuses on four of these groups: Ikebukuro’s Buster Bros, Yokohama’s Mad Trigger Crew, Shibuya’s Fling Posse, and Shinjuku’s Matenro.
You’d probably expect that the leaders of each group are the best of the best in terms of ability. However, that’s far from the truth in this series. The members of each group compliment each other well and bring out each other’s strengths and protect each other’s weaknesses, as any good team would. But what about individually? No more contemplating; here’s how these boys stack up, from rustiest rhythm to freshest flow.
12. Samatoki Aohitsugi
Samatoki is the leader of the Mad Trigger Crew and second-in-command to a Yokohama based yakuza clan, so one would guess that his verses are pretty powerful. In a way, that’s true. His rap ability is Counter Blow, which absorbs attacks and sends them back to his opponent with extra power. However, in terms of ability, Samatoki is a bit lackluster. Most of his verses are done in the same rough, growling tone, and sometimes his flow is a little bland and doesn’t show much variation. His best performance in the anime is in “Don’t Test da Master,” which shows off the powerful bite in his verses. His worst, however, is definitely in the final rap battle between Matenro and Mad Trigger Crew, which unfortunately highlighted the repetitive nature of his tone.
11. Gentaro Yumeno
A writer with a penchant for telling lies, Gentaro’s verses are often as smooth and well-spoken as he is. His rap ability, Imitation, allows him to copy the ability of his opponent. In terms of skill, Gentaro isn’t particularly weak, and his voice is rather soothing, which sometimes feels a little out of place in Fling Posse’s upbeat pop tracks until you give it a few listens. On his own, he isn’t particularly powerful, either. His strongest performance is in “Shibuya Ghost Night,” where his low and light tone works wonders. Less than stellar, though, is his performance against Matenro in the division rap battle, where he just can’t quite match the energy of the bubbly Hifumi Izanami.
10. Jiro Yamada
Second eldest of the Yamada brothers, Jiro is always watching out for his older brother Ichiro and younger brother Saburo (though he and Saburo are often at odds). He’s energetic and playful, if a bit immature, and his rap ability, Rally, suits him well since it lets him attack using the power of his teammates. However, Jiro is a bit overshadowed in the anime. He sometimes doesn’t stand out quite as much as his brothers, though his energy is high and makes his verses exciting and fun to listen to and his ability is absolutely amazing when with his crew. While he could probably tire out an opponent, his ability isn’t much help when he’s on his own. In terms of performance, his verses in “Run This City” are stellar and show off his fun flow and slight edge. However, his verses in “3 Seconds Killer” are unfortunately pretty forgettable, though not anything terrible.
9. Jyuto Iruma
Jyuto is a police officer willing to do anything it takes to investigate crime. He is also Mad Trigger Crew’s second member. Smart, slick, and corrupt, Jyuto uses his rap ability, Prison, to immobilise his opponents. In terms of sound, Jyuto has settled into a good niche with rhymes that sound both proper and rough. He tends to be rather condescending and unforgiving to his opponents, and he makes it work. He gives a great performance in “Don’t Test da Master” and “Bayside-Suicide,” showing off his unique blend of serious and cocky tone. However, the division battle against the Buster Bros is one of his weaker moments; his verses just don’t flow as well in that battle, and a lot of his bars come off as more petty than anything.
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8. Ichiro Yamada
The eldest of the Yamada brothers and leader of the Buster Bros, Ichiro is a leader through and through, full of compassion and a desire for justice. He’s always there for his younger brothers and will do anything to protect them, and his rap ability, Critical Blow, allows him to make an extra powerful attack so he can do just that. Ichiro, like his younger brother Jiro, keeps a rather cheerful and energetic sound when he raps, though he also has his moments of harshness. Alone, his ability is still incredibly useful and through his verses, we can see that he clearly knows how to craft a good rhyme. However, he is far from the most powerful rapper in the series, and that’s apparent by how he is taken out by Samatoki. His best performances are in “Run This City” and the division rap battle against Mad Trigger Crew, where he shows off both his energetic personality and his ability to hold his own in a clash. “3 Seconds Killer,” on the other hand, provides a rather forgettable and bland performance.
7. Dice Arisugawa
Dice is a gambler first and the third member of Fling Posse second, always looking for the next game. He relies heavily on luck and lives for the adrenaline high of hoping for a good outcome, and his rap ability, Max Bet, reflects that, as it changes his ability depending on how lucky he is when it’s activated. Dice is a compelling performer and his flow is usually light, playful, and reflective of his rather good nature. His verses are fun to listen to, but his ability is a bit of a mixed bag, making it hard to determine how he would fare on his own. It could be either disastrously bad or outstandingly amazing. His best performances are found in “Shibuya Ghost Night” and the division battle against Matenro, where his ability to keep up with opponents and find an entertaining flow are basically unmatched. While his performance in “Jackpot!” is decent, it isn’t quite as good as showing off his strengths.
6. Doppo Kannonzaka
Doppo is a pessimistic salaryman and the third member of Matenro. Constantly under pressure at work and often pushed around and ignored outside of the office, his rap ability, Berserker, allows him to release all that stress in an uncontrollable, explosive attack at the expense of his energy. Outside of using his ability, Doppo’s verses tend to be low energy and strangely polite, but still have great flow and sound. Unlike some of the other abilities, his is a double edged sword that is both insanely powerful and completely saps his energy, so one use in a battle and he’s done for, but one use may be all he needs. His performances in “Fallin’” and “Welcome U” are both fantastic at demonstrating his abilities, but the division battle against Fling Posse highlights one of his weaknesses, which is that he sometimes becomes overly stressed and has trouble performing.
5. Hifumi Izanami
Hifumi is a popular host and the second member of Matenro. Smooth, confident, and charismatic (at least when he has his suit on), his rap ability is Enchant, which allows him to gain control over his opponents. Hifumi is an entertainer at heart, and that shows in his verses. His sound is enticing, bubbly, and a bit sultry. In terms of his ability, it’s one of the most useful in the series. It’s not necessarily a powerful punch like Doppo or a huge defensive ability like Rio’s, but the ability to control your opponents during a battle is pretty impressive and is incredibly helpful both in a team and on his own. In terms of performance, “Welcome U” and the division battle against Mad Trigger Crew are great examples of Hifumi’s fun and sultry tone and his use of charm. “Fallin’” doesn’t quite have the same allure when it comes to Hifumi because it’s a slower number.
4. Saburo Yamada
The youngest of the Yamada brothers and third member of the Buster Bros, Saburo is a prodigy of sorts that excels in almost everything. Smart, critical, and a bit condescending, his rap ability, Delete, allows him to nullify an opponent’s attack, a great fit for his analytical skill. Outside of his team, Saburo would fare rather well with the ability he uses, which would keep him in a battle much longer than most. Not to mention, his verses are rather powerful and he tends to use his young age and cute appearance against opponents, giving him a slight edge. His sound usually moves between childish cheerfulness and edgy condescension, and it’s something that works well for him. His best performances can be found in “Run this City” and the division battle against Mad Trigger Crew, where his intelligent verses and dual tone shine through. Like his brothers, though, “3 Seconds Killer” gives us his most lackluster performance.
3. Ramuda Amemura
Ramuda is a fashion designer and the leader of Fling Posse. Despite being usually bubbly, sweet, and cute, his true nature is a bit more stormy and reveals his cynicism and calculating mind. This facade plays into his rap ability, Dazzle, which causes his opponent to experience hallucinations. In terms of his sound, Ramuda often has a cheerful and cute tone when rapping that’s fun to listen to, and his verses are the ones that tend to stand out in Fling Posse’s numbers. His ability is one of the stronger in the series and could easily help him be victorious were he on his own. “Shibuya Ghost Night,” “Jackpot!,” and the division battle against Matenro all show Ramuda’s strong points, from his entertaining verses to his interesting ability.
