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The following is a user-interpretated explanation of the storylines of all the maimai areas and an extended look into the story of KALEIDXSCOPE.
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"7sRef" refers to a thematic area and story arc within the maimai Deluxe (でらっくす) rhythm game series. The name "7sRef" is short for "Sevens Refraction" and is presented as a gateway of worlds or a multi-layered universe within the game's lore. In recent maimai entries, 7sRef has been central to special in-game events and story sequences, especially in connection with the KALEIDXSCOPE event.
The storyline involves the main character (the player or "wanderer") working with Acid and others to gather fragments, solve puzzles, and ultimately open the forbidden seventh gate—a once-unreachable portal that could access new worlds and perhaps grant freedom to Ris.
All areas part of the same “maimai world” (maimaiわーるど, referred to as Universe) and can be divided into 7 “areas”:
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Beginning, Hajimaji, maimai
This is the place everyone visits first. I hear you can visit the stars from there.
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[World’s] End, Shumatsu, Metropolis
Humanity has fallen, and now the world is inhabited by a new generation along with machines. Kinda feels familiar.
Contains the Metropolis (メトロポリス) series of ちほー and kawaiiちほー
In a world where humanity has abandoned Earth and fled to space, only robots remain. Humans discovered the planet Diosa, and constructed colonies as satellite cities, but eventually, humanity perished, leaving behind only the robots they had created. The robots had been programmed with a special command to return to Earth, and upon their return, they began an invasion as part of the Imperial forces. Meanwhile, on Earth, which was left with only robots, a city called Metropolis was constructed and unified under the rule of "Kurohime".
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World Tree, Sekaiju, Dragon
I hear that inside a massive tree there’s a whole world! How big is the tree?
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Black Rose
A world in which a different kind of civilization has developed. There’s word that a devil exists there.
Contains the BLACK ROSE series of ちほー (Kotonoha Project 2nd Season).
A world where the epidemic called "Black Rose Disease" and incidents caused by demons occur. Owl, who became the youngest State Alchemist, solves bizarre mysteries by alchemy. In the intricately intertwined case, the mysteries only deepen with "angels", "demonization", and "Azoto". This is the story of a detective who, along with their companions, solves various mysteries and requests.
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God, Kamisama, Heaven
This world is known for being home to gods. I’d like to take a look.
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Youth, Seishun
A world inhabited by children with mysterious powers. I wonder what kinds of powers exist.
Contains ちほー with a youth/teen/school theme.
Sky Street, where young talent from all fields of art, sports, and music talent gather. Four teams specializing in each talent, commonly known as "Yozora", have come together to create a unique aspect of the city. One night, the Sky Hall's large screen suddenly shone intensely. Countless butterflies twinkled above the heads of the four, and the mysterious scene disappeared, afterwards they found a strange butterfly-shaped birthmark on their left hands. The butterflies gave them the power to "Time Leap", allowing them to go back in time and dramatically change their destinies.
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Prism, 7sRef
Contains the 7sRef ("Sevens Refraction") series of ちほー. A "gateway" of worlds.
A white world with white colors lined up, "7sRef". This is the place where all colors return. Seven doors, seven worlds, seven principles, seven colors. A place where worlds that are not supposed to intersect refract, change shape, and eventually merge into one. What this place is and how long it has existed. "Ris" is the administrator who simply watches over this world. Let's go to the mysterious world that connects these seven different worlds, "Sevens Refraction".
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7sRef is a dimension where 7 gates lie, each leading to a different world with different people to meet and things to do. Ris is the administrator of this world, watching over everyone as their guardian and as a prisoner of 7sRef. As the administrator, she is not allowed to have fragments or venture across the gates without risking the collapse of 7sRef. Each gate is guarded by a gatekeeper, that watches over and protects wanderers passing through.
In the world of maimai, players play as wanderers, exploring 7sRef and six of the worlds to collect fragments and improve their power. Fragments are manifestations of memories, emotions and hope collected by wanderers. When wanderers become lost or lose hope, they may turn into Fillers, which cause instability in 7sRef and are blocked from entering by the gatekeepers or manually terminated.
As PRiSM has continued to exist over time, things have gradually become more unstable due to the nature of entropy. As problems arise, Ris has fractured herself, summoning Eperouge, Orangette and Flotenspiele as a result of strain and trauma caused by the worlds crises. The fragmentation is the cost that Ris pays to protect 7sRef, distributing her power to contain chaos but loses her unity and self-control as a result.
In the present, a catastrophic bug created by Acid causes 7sRef to corrupt. ****The gatekeepers have failed. Acid attempts to flee with Ris, but she refuses, attempting to fight off the bug. In a last effort attempt, she absorbs all the power of the six boxes and blasts all the bugs away with a shockwave. In the afterlight, Ris is left unconscious in the centre of the ruined 7sRef. (Amereistr)
Ris, now out of control, reboots into her PRiSM form and holds all the fragments hostage, intending to reset 7sRef back to it’s factory state using the power gained from them in order to eliminate the bugs. Doing so would destroy everything, including all of it’s inhabitants, gatekeepers and gates. In the process, the Tower of Eternity is destroyed, and the power is abused by Ris. In a last effort, Acid enlists the help of the wanderers and her friends so she can gather enough fragments to fight back and to reawaken Ris to who she was before she sacrifices her humanity for 7sRef. (Xaleid◆scopiX, First Half)