Choya Hanabi Takes On RADWIMPS' "Kaishin no Icchi"

Choya Hanabi (蝶屋はなび) has released a cover of Kaishin no Icchi (会心の一撃), and for a VSPO! talent mostly known for her energetic Street Fighter 6 streams, singing is still a newer part of her public output — she posted her first proper cover, “Ikasama Life Game,” back in May as part of VSPO!’s group utattemita project.

A RADWIMPS Classic

Kaishin no Icchi — literally “critical hit,” borrowing straight from RPG battle terminology — was written and composed by Yojiro Noda for RADWIMPS’ 2013 album × to ○ to Tsumi to. It’s since become one of the more enduring picks in the cover scene, later getting its own high-profile YOASOBI rendition, which says a lot about how much room the song’s melody and lyrics leave for reinterpretation by different vocalists.

Still Early Days for Her as a Vocalist

Choya Hanabi debuted with VSPO! in November 2024 and built her following fast on the strength of her Kansai-dialect energy and genuine competitive chops in Street Fighter 6 — she’s represented the group at VTuber fighting game tournaments and helped lead a team to a runner-up finish in her very first appearance. Singing has clearly been a slower-building part of her repertoire by comparison, which makes a cover this ambitious, of a song this well-known, worth paying attention to as a sign of where she wants to take things next.

The Team Behind the Cover

The instrumental comes from Karafac, illustration from Nanashishi (なな獅子), mixing from Kasanegi (傘葱), and the movie from Yugu (ゆぐ). It’s a full production credit list for what’s still an early step in her singing catalog, suggesting the team behind this one wanted to give the cover real weight rather than treat it as a quick side release.

Why It’s Worth Watching

A cover this deliberate, on a song with this much history behind it, is a good sign for anyone hoping to see more music from Choya Hanabi going forward. It’s a different side of her than the competitive gaming persona most fans know her for, and one that’s easy to root for as it keeps developing.