Nico Nico

Coming all the way from Japan, Nico Nico enters the battle! Don’t get too close to Terebi-chan, as many devious tricks are hidden behind the cute face on its screen. The voice samples it emits are just a small sample of the toolset this little television has prepared for the tournament. With the sounds of Miku, Aniki, and many more, this contestant is ready to win the crown and go MAD with power!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring sources popular on Nico Nico Douga
  • Rips featuring music from popular late-2000s anime
  • Examples
  • Inmu, Ippon Manzoku, Promise, Dance Robot Dance, Cheetahmen 2
  • IOSYS’ well-known Touhou remixes, e.g. Cirno’s Perfect Math Class or Overdrive
  • Fuwa Fuwa Time, Hare Hare Yukai, Luka Luka★Night Fever
Illustration: 813N (@813N_)

Metal Ajit Pai

After his crushing defeat in the last tournament, Ajit Pai, now a sentient pile of dust, comes back with a vengeance… and a giant mech sponsored by Reese’s® peanut butter. Armed with a massive Nerf gun and fidget spinner, he is equipped to rule the Internet with an iron fist… and, of course, finally make his dreams of a Harlem Shakeover a reality.

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring Ajit Pai-related memes
  • Mecha-related rips
  • Rips featuring latency (such as slow internet)
  • Examples
  • Harlem Shake by Baauer, the Reese’s Puffs rap, fidget spinners
  • Gundam franchise, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Transformers franchise
  • Online Practice Stage from Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Illustration: thefluffyslipper (@fluffySlipper1) and Eevee (@eivuiee) ft. art team

Rhythm Masters

Brought together through the power of bangers, Hakuko and Don-chan set their sights on a perfect full combo all the way to the crown title. Whether it be by twisting knobs, tapping keys, or swiping at a washing machine, this duo can conquer any rhythmic challenge! Get ready for the ultimate tournament beatdown deluxe version, ta-don!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring music from rhythm games
  • Rips featuring music by artists with frequent appearances in rhythm games
  • Examples
  • Dreams of Our Generation, Mausoleum Mash, Xepher, Brain Power, FREEDOM DIVE
  • Songs by Camellia, Sakuzyo, Shinji Hosoe (sampling masters MEGA)
Illustration: dr. awesome (@DrAwesome125)
and Keeby (@KeebyAstrokat)

Geno

Returning from the stars, Geno blasts back into action! This denizen of Star Road has once again sensed his calling at this gathering of powerful rivals, and this time around, he’s brought lots of jams from a certain “higher authority” — let’s wish upon a star that this extra help will boost him straight to the crown!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring songs composed by Yoko Shimomura
  • Rips featuring music from Super Mario RPG and the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series
  • Examples
  • Kingdom Hearts series, Street Fighter II
Illustration: iahtruong (@iahtruong)

HOBaRT

Looking for the perfect contestant to stir things up a little bit? No problem! Our state of the art Hyper Operative Baking and Ripping Technology, or “HOBaRT” for short, comes straight from Australia with the power and durability to mix both the toughest doughs and the highest quality rips. Built to withstand any challenge that comes its way — HOBaRT is unstoppable.

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring music related to or from Australia
  • Rips featuring cooking or food-related music
  • Rips featuring Hobart
  • Rips featuring music by Lil Jon
  • Examples
  • Cooking by the Book (LazyTown), songs from Cooking Mama
  • Down Under by Men at Work, music from Crash Bandicoot
  • Hobart Drive by Jerry Galeries
Illustration: Coach (@CoachArt_)

Wario Partners, LLP

Wario’s successful game development company has set the business world on fire, and a strategic partnership with a certain street food business has created the corporate merger of the century: Wario Partners, LLP! They’re wasting no time diversifying — now in addition to making games, they’re kicking ass and taking names. And thus, their first order of business: win that tournament and get all that sweet free advertising! Wahaha!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring music from Wario games
  • Rips featuring music from the Mario Land games and other Mario spin-offs (excluding Super Mario RPG and its descendants)
  • Examples
  • Greenhorn Forest, Hurry Up!, Its-all Mine
  • Muda Kingdom, Star Maze
  • Coconut Mall, This Way That, Creative Exercise
Individual portraits: WarioWaluigiIllustration: SparkBag (@spark_bag)

DJ Professor K

He’s back, and he’s on the Up-Set Attack! The Professor has re-entered the building, and this time he’s brought his whole crew along for the ride! The Noise Tanks of this competition better watch out, because DJ Professor K is ready to enact his revenge with power grooves that will rock your soul!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring music from any SEGA game outside of the Sonic and Puyo Puyo series
  • Rips featuring music by or in the style of Hideki Naganuma (includes Sonic Rush)
  • Examples
  • Songs from the Jet Set Radio, Super Monkey Ball, and Sega Rally series
  • Get It 2 Win It, LUV CAN SAVE U, AIN’T NOTHING LIKE A FUNKY BEAT
  • Songs from Daytona USA, Space Channel 5, NiGHTS into Dreams…, Phantasy Star Online
  • Songs from the original Bayonetta, and the Yakuza series and its spinoffs
Illustration: Galacksy (@GaIacksy)

Jack Bros.

He may be small, he may melt under even the slightest bit of heat, and he may ho, but Jack Frost sure isn’t going to melt under this pressure. Armed with some weak Bufu skills, his pal Mothman’s piercing gaze, and just a couple of Life Stones to their names, they’re ready to give this contest a shot. Today the Shinjuku underground, tomorrow the world!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring music from games developed or published by Atlus
  • Examples
  • Songs from Megami Tensei and its sequels/spinoffs, including Persona and Devil Survivor
  • Songs from the Etrian Odyssey, Trauma Center, Power Instinct, and Growlanser series
  • Songs from Catherine, Radiant Historia, Odin Sphere, or BlaZeon
Illustration: Eevee (@eivuiee)

Johnny Bravo

Whoa, mama! Johnny Bravo steps into the ring, along with his charm, dance moves, dashingly good looks, and all the music from his fellow Cartoon Network superstars he could carry with him. (And, to be fair, that’s a lot; check the pecs!) Of course, he doesn’t care about the crown itself — he’s just in it because he knows he’ll easily get the adoration of all the women in the audience… or, at least, that’s what he thinks, anyway.

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring music from Cartoon Network original properties
  • Rips featuring music from Hanna-Barbera shows that have aired on Cartoon Network (excluding The Flintstones and The Jetsons)
  • Examples
  • The Johnny Bravo theme
  • Music from the Scooby-Doo franchise
  • Adventure Time songs
  • CN bumper music like Powerhouse and the Cartoon Cartoons theme
Illustration: davidbecile (DeviantArt link)

Off the Hook ft. Paruko

After a respectable second place finish in the last tournament, Off the Hook are looking to wow the crowd once more with an encore performance! Marina and Pearl are once again joined by Paruko, bringing her chiptune-rock flair to the stage. With their talents combined, these seaborn superstars are more motivated than ever to claim their turf on the throne once and for all!

  • Sources
  • Rips featuring songs from the
    Splatoon franchise
  • Rips featuring “God of ink”
  • Arrangements done in a Splatoon style
  • Examples
  • Ebb & Flow, The Girl From Inkopolis, Octarmaments, Fly Octo Fly
Individual portraits: PearlMarinaParukoIllustration: Dead Line (@DeddoRain)

Paruko was previously known under the stage name “Glenna Nalira” but has opted to return to using her real name.