It’s no secret that Megan Thee Stallion has an affinity for Japanese culture, including her love for anime and cosplay. So it came as no surprise that the rapper opted to pay homage to Japanese cinema and film tropes in her recent music video for Mamushi.
The single, featuring Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba, comes from her 2024 album Megan and has since become a hit online after TikTok user @mona712_official created a viral dance to the simple but catchy chorus. Megan herself has performed the dance several times — both on stage and in the music video.
The artistic and cinematic music video was filmed in part at both Tsurumaki Onsen Jinya and Engaku-ji Temple and features multiple Japanese actors including Shô Kasamatsu. Part of the music video takes place at what appears to be a bathhouse where Megan lures men into her den before transforming into a massive viper.
Megan’s victims throughout the music video are then cleaned up and painted blue by Yuki Chiba, who appears to be a worker at the bathhouse before they’re revived into an army of the dead that follow Megan’s command. The scene with the blue-faced group of men standing at the ready behind Megan is an ode to Dreams, Akira Kurosawa’s animated film from 1990.
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Megan Thee Stallion shared some behind-the-scenes photos from the music video shoot, including multiple group photos with the lingerie-clad women who play the other workers in the bathhouse. She also asked followers what their favourite looks were from the music video while posting stills of her wearing an intricate red cutout gown with sheer material and embroidered detailing. Megan paired the dress with a slick updo adorned with flowers and a long braid, ultra-long nails, and artistic makeup.
Mamusi isn’t the only song from Megan to pull Japanese influences — her track Otaku Hot Girl is also dedicated to her affection for anime, manga, and video games. The song starts with a voiceover from Adam McArthur, who plays Yuji Itadori in the popular anime series Jujutsu Kaisen. Megan released a video for that song in July, which features scenes of the rapper’s trip to Japan.
Watch the full “Mamushi” music video here: