Neko The Sappiness (猫 The Sappiness), the VSinger fans affectionately call Nekoza (ネコザ), has released a cover of Byoushin o Kamu (秒針を噛む) by Zutto Mayonaka de Iinoni. (ずっと真夜中でいいのに。, known as ZUTOMAYO) — and it’s the kind of pick that tells you exactly how much confidence she has in her own voice right now.
Why Byoushin o Kamu Is One of the Hardest Covers to Pull Off
Let’s be honest about what this song demands. Byoushin o Kamu — literally “chewing the second hand” — is famous for its relentless pace, its rapid-fire phrasing, and ACAune’s slippery, conversational delivery that seems to sprint ahead of the beat and then double back. Plenty of singers have posted covers and quietly regretted it. The song punishes hesitation, and it leaves zero room to hide. That Nekoza chose it as her 31st cover release says a lot about where she’s aiming.
Neko The Sappiness’ Vocal Take on the ZUTOMAYO Classic
What works here is that she doesn’t try to impersonate the original. Nekoza’s voice sits lighter and rounder than ACAune’s, so instead of chasing that clipped urgency note-for-note, she leans into clarity — every syllable of the rapid verses lands where you can actually hear it, and the choruses get a cleaner, more open read. It turns a song that usually feels like being chased into something that feels more like running alongside someone who knows the route. Whether that’s a deliberate reinterpretation or just her natural instrument doing its thing, it gives the cover its own identity rather than feeling like a karaoke run-through.
Self-Mixed and Fully In Her Control
One detail worth flagging: Nekoza handled the mix herself. For an independent VSinger, that’s not nothing — vocal mixes on fast-paced material live or die on how the consonants sit in the track, and this one keeps her voice right up front without ever getting brittle. The visuals round things out with illustration by Hirunebou (ひるね坊) and video work by LOST, giving the release a proper full MV treatment rather than a static-image upload.
Where This Cover Sits in Nekoza’s Growing Catalog
This is the 31st entry in her cover series, and the catalog around it is getting genuinely interesting — previous picks include Hoshimachi Suisei’s Stellar Stellar and a collab cover of Utada Hikaru’s Ni-jikan dake no Vacance (二時間だけのバカンス) with MEDA. She also has an original under her belt, yakusoku o’clock, streaming across platforms. Between the weekly Wednesday streams, the podcast, and a fanbase (the Hitoza / ヒトザ) that gets wallpapers and membership perks, this is someone steadily building a real operation — and this release slots in as another solid brick in the wall.
The Verdict on This Cover
If you’ve ever wondered how Byoushin o Kamu sounds through a softer, more melodic lens, this is a version worth your three and a half minutes. It respects the original’s madness while refusing to be bullied by it — which, for a song this famously unhinged, might be the highest compliment a cover can get.
Track Credits
- Title: Byoushin o Kamu (秒針を噛む) — Cover
- Original Artist: Zutto Mayonaka de Iinoni. (ずっと真夜中でいいのに。 / ZUTOMAYO)
- Vocals: Neko The Sappiness (猫 The Sappiness)
- Mix: Neko The Sappiness
- Illustration: Hirunebou (ひるね坊)
- Video: LOST
- Released: October 28, 2026
▶ Watch: Neko The Sappiness — Byoushin o Kamu (秒針を噛む) (Cover) on YouTube
