Monday, July 17, 2017

Harmonie OST Lyrics

Thought I might try something different and write out lyrics from songs I hear in anime. I'll try writing the original version in Japanese (as much as a human, non-native & amateur Japanese learner ear can hear) and translate it into English. (WARNING: I've only been learning Japanese these past several years, so the translation may not be fully accurate. Discretion is advised.)

Soundtrack from a 2014 movie anime, Harmonie, which I keep coming back to every now and then (just realized). The anime was one of the four featured in Anime Mirai 2014. Don't really know what it's called, but you can listen to the song here. Here goes.

Kanji Lyrics
小さなその両手でどれほど抱えて歩いたのか
僕は知っているんだ
あの時も君は笑顔を見せたけど
一人で泣いていた
誰にも気付かれずに

大丈夫
僕がいつでもそばにいるよ
泣かないで
その痛みも引き連れて飛べるはず
君となら

Romaji Lyrics
Chiisana sono ryou te de dorehodo kakaete aruita no ka
boku wa shitteirunda
Ano toki mo kimi wa egao wo misetakedo
hitoride naiteita
darenimo kizukarezuni

Daijoubu
Boku ga itsudemo soba ni iru yo
Nakanaide
Sono itami mo hikitsurete toberu hazu
Kimi to nara

English Translation
How you've put up with many things with those tiny hands of yours
I know
That time, you still put up a smile
even though you cry when you're alone
without anyone noticing

It'll be alright
I'll always be right beside you
Don't cry
I can take that pain along with me, flying
if it's together with you

---
The music has a heart-warming feel to it--a bit sad, but, calming. The movie, too, is okay to watch when you just want something light. Should check it out. 😊

また

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Anime Afterthought: NANA (ナナ)

I don't easily look down on people based on what they are, or what they do. It's the attitude and the way of thinking that I rather look up to. Whether they do good things or bad things, I think it's only a matter of context (the percieved "good/bad things" itself may differ each person, depending on their principal values). Maybe we end up choosing the same path if we were in his/her condition. Maybe we fall into a much darker pit. No one knows. But the two things I mentioned, it's what differentiate the true, "good" person from the other.

(Err.. I think this will be more like a review than an afterthought like the first one. Maybe I'll write another later. 😅)

In my life of watching anime, I've never seen anything as comforting as it is depressing and as real as watching NANA. The feeling of love, anger, betrayal, pride, fear, sympathy and regret I received from learning both the lead characters, living the "determining stage of life" that is the transition into adulthood, gave me chills and warmth throughout the course of the series.

NANA is a 2006 anime adapted from a manga written and illustrated by Ai Yazawa. It tells about the chance encounter of Nana Komatsu and Nana Osaki, later about their friendship and each of their own lives. The two met on a fateful night in a bullet train to Tokyo, and sat next to each other. Hachi (lets just call the first girl this) came to Tokyo to finally meet her boyfriend, Shoji, after a year of LDR (and purposedly to live together), though, honestly it seems like she came just to find love. While Nana came to Tokyo to become a rock star. Both have same name, same age, same destination, and same motive: to start a new life.

Nana (Hachi) and Nana on a train to Tokyo
Nana Komatsu, an air-headed girl from a small town up in northern Japan (I have a feeling it's right around Tohoku region? It's never explicitly stated) who finds "love" as much as people do their laundry. I hate this girl. Ya, she's got the appeal, but blatantly speaking she really gave me frustration almost every 2-3 episodes, if not every episode, for all her "wishy washy" attitude when deciding about anything and still regret it after. I honestly couldn't care less about her desire for love, "doing it" every time she thinks she's found "the guy"; but the repetitive mistakes she made after finding out "it wasn't really what she wanted" really ticks me off.

Goodness lady, you say that everytime-_-
Then there's Nana Osaki, also from a small town in northern Japan, who wanted to become a rock star. Back home she already made a name for herself together with her band called the Black Stones, until one of the members decided to leave and join a soon-to-be popular band in Tokyo. This caused conflict and later hiatus, and was devastating for the band at first. But Nana quickly stood up and continued to chase her dream.

Hachi and Nana coincidentally met again when they were looking for a place to live in Tokyo, and, as fate would have it, decided to live together (Yes, Hachi ultimately didn't live with Shoji. Say this was the first drama of many). The two bear different personalities, yet it's what made them so close. I like how their apartment became the "connecting hub" of different people and friends, and how they became a host of many moments and stories, past and present (and future), all mashed in one room. Outside, they have their own different lives, doing different things, interacting with different people. But when they get home, it's their world together. It's fate--one of the things that made me like this series.

Every season never cease to astound me, like riding a never-ending roller coaster. One time it made me so frantic I felt like flipping a table. And the fact that it was left hanging upset me even more. But if it were to resemble life, it would never have a "true ending", it'd keep moving and changing everytime as long as you're alive (I heard the author have recovered from her illness, and will soon continue the manga. よかったじゃん 😇). It's 47 episodes long, but I highly recommend people watching it. It immediately made into my top 5 all-time favorites, out of 5. 😊

また