In the semifinals, Buster Bros!!! is against Mad Trigger Crew, and Fling Posse is facing Matenro.
In Hypnosis Mic we follow the storyline through Ichiro’s eyes a lot, to the point that among the large cast, we get the impression that he is the main character. So we were expecting, as viewers who have not followed the original rap battles between the voice actors, that Buster Bros!!! stand a great chance at winning. However, Ichiro and his brothers were not able to win against Samatoki’s cold rage, who, with each attack, gets stronger. Little do they know that both Ichiro and Samatoki share similar motivations related to their past rivalry. Ichiro cannot forgive Samatoki for putting his siblings in danger, while the tough yakuza leader is fighting to reunite with his sister, both sides putting their family first.

The second battle is nerve-wracking because we know that Fling Posse’s Ramuda has the original Hypnosis Mic that can control his opponents’ minds. He plans to use it against Jagurai to get hold of his healing abilities, which the Party of Words desperately wants. However, Ramuda’s teammates remind him that his style is playful and non-aggressive, and he experiences a change of heart... In the end, Ramuda does not use the special microphone and fights fair and square, which costs Fling Posse the win.

Reaching the final battle, the Mad Trigger Crew seem destined to win. Doppo starts off weak, he panics and loses his tempo. Jagurai uses his turn to heal Hifumi and Doppo after Mad Trigger Crew imposes severe damage. Unsurprisingly, Samatoki mocks Jagurai for his dedication that leads him to use his turn on defense instead of attack. However, this camaraderie lies at the core of Matenro as a group: their signature song is Kizuna, “Bond”, a testament to their friendship and commitment to being honest about themselves, weaknesses and all.

This is how Matenro wins, by respecting each member’s strengths and weaknesses. Best boy Doppo goes full-on rage mode and saves the day when his teammates are knocked out, in a savage freestyle session. By having Matenro win, Hypnosis Mic as a series perhaps takes a stand and perhaps shows the way out of the unequal and competitive system imposed by the Party of Words. If there’s any group that could approach their competitors to team up against the Party of Words, it would be Matenro, because they are not only capable of competition but also of coexistence. They show their weaknesses instead of trying to be constantly strong like Samatoki and his companions and truly depend on each other. Matenro’s existence proves the claims of the Party of Words wrong, that the duelists are selfish and violent guys who should be controlled by a totalitarian government. Even though the division between men and women as a plot device is an old one, we are curious to see how Hypnosis Mic will treat it in the finale.