Einstein yori Dianna Agron

Title:                アインシュタインよりディアナ・アグロン | Einstein yori Dianna Agron | Dianna Agron Above Einstein
Info:                 HKT48 7th Single - 74okubun no 1 no kimi e
Member(s):        Tashima Meru, Tanaka Miku, Yabuki Nako, Tomonaga Mio

難しいことは何も考えない 頭からっぽでいい 二足歩行が楽だし ふわり軽く 風船みたいに生きたいんだ 女の子は 可愛くなきゃね 学生時代は おバカでいい 今　一番　大切なことは　そう キャピキャピと 音が聴こえることでしょう？ アインシュタインより ディアナ・アグロン テストの点以上 瞳(め)の大きさが気になる どんなに勉強できても 愛されなきゃ意味がない スカートをひらひらとさせて グリーのように 世の中のジョーシキ 何も知らなくても メイク上手ならいい ニュースなんか興味ないし たいていのこと 誰かに助けてもらえばいい 女の子は 恋が仕事よ ママになるまで 子供でいい それよりも重要なことは　そう スベスベの お肌を保つことでしょう？ アインシュタインって どんな人だっけ？ 聞いたことあるけど 本当はよく知らない 教科書　載っていたような なんか偉い人だった 好きなのはディアナ・アグロン もっともっともっと 輝きたい 人は見た目が肝心 だってだって 内面は見えない 可愛いは正義よ チヤホヤされたい アインシュタインより ディアナ・アグロン テストの点以上 瞳(め)の大きさが気になる どんなに勉強できても 愛されなきゃ意味がない スカートをひらひらとさせて グリーのように

muzukashii koto wa nani mo kangaenai atama karappo de ii nisokuhokou ga rakudashi fuwari karuku fuusen mitai ni ikitainda onna no ko wa kawaikunakya ne gakusei jidai wa oBAKA de ii ima ichiban taisetsu na koto wa sou KYAPIKYAPI to oto ga kikoeru koto deshou? AINSHUTAIN yori DIANA AGURON TESUTO no ten ijou me no ooki sa ga ki ni naru donna ni benkyou dekite mo aisarenakya imi ga nai SUKAATO wo hirahira to sasete GURII no you ni yononaka no JOOSHIKI nani mo shiranakute mo MEIKU jouzu nara ii NYUUSU nanka kyouminaishi taitei no koto dareka ni tasukete moraeba ii onna no ko wa koi ga shigoto yo MAMA ni naru made kodomo de ii sore yori mo juuyou na koto wa sou SUBESUBE no ohada wo tamotsu koto deshou? AINSHUTAIN tte donna hito dakke? kiita koto aru kedo hontou wa yoku shiranai kyoukasho notte ita you na nanka erai hito datta suki na no wa DIANA AGURON motto motto motto kagayakitai hito wa mitame ga kanjin datte datte naimen wa mienai kawaii wa seigi yo CHIYAHOYA saretai AINSHUTAIN yori DIANA AGURON TESUTO no ten ijou me no ooki sa ga ki ni naru donna ni benkyou dekite mo aisarenakya imi ga nai SUKAATO wo hirahira to sasete GURII no you ni

I never think of anything complicated I’m fine with being ignorant It’s easier to just walk on two legs– So light and floaty I want to live like a balloon As a girl I’ve got to be cute, right? While I’m still in school It’s okay to be stupid What’s most important now Is to be all cheerful and energetic And sound cute, right? Above Einstein Dianna Agron matters more More than test marks I care about the size of my eyes No matter how well I can study It’s meaningless if no one loves me So I’ll twirl my skirt around Just like in Glee Even if I don’t have Much general knowledge It’s fine as long as I’m good at makeup I couldn’t care less about the news All these ordinary stuff– I could just ask someone to help me with them As a girl Love is my profession Until I become a mom I'd rather remain a child More than that, isn’t it more important To take care of my skin So that it remains nice and smooth? Who was this Einstein person again? I know I’ve heard of him before But actually I don’t really know him He was sorta like this great person Who is written about in my textbooks But Dianna Agron is the one I like I want to shine More and more and more A person’s appearance is vital Because, after all No one can see our inner self That’s why cuteness is justice I just want to be pampered Above Einstein Dianna Agron matters more More than test marks I care about the size of my eyes No matter how well I can study It’s meaningless if no one loves me So I’ll twirl my skirt around Just like in Glee

Wow. Just wow. This is the most irresponsible song I have ever seen from the AKB group - much more so than all the idealistic songs about how all your dreams will come true as long as you work hard together with all your comrades. Bear in mind that Tanaka Miku and Yabuki Nako are only 14, and they're singing about how it's useless to study hard in school??

I could go on to talk about how it's interesting to see MeruMio and NakoMiku in one unit. Or about how this is cheekily commented upon in the MV, where MeruMio appear to be upset at being "upstaged" by NakoMiku as the young, dynamic power duo of HKT48. Or that it's interesting to see such a prominent and overt Western pop culture reference to Dianna Agron and Glee. Or even that once again, the AKB group's younger/obscure members get a song that touches on famous historical figures and philosophical themes... oh wait, this song is like the antithesis to philosophy, or thinking of any sort for that matter.

Congratulations, Aki-P. You have officially written a bimbo song.

(All kanji/kana and romaji lyrics on this site are taken from Studio48 unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce anything from this site without giving due credit.)

Degas to Ballerina

Title:                ドガとバレリーナ | Degas to Ballerina | Degas and The Ballerinas
Info:                 NMB48 Team N 3rd Stage "Koko ni datte tenshi wa iru"
Member(s):        Ichikawa Miori, Ogasawara Mayu, Kadowaki Kanako, Kishino Rika, Kinoshita Haruna, Kotani Riho, Kondo Rina,                         Koga Narumi, Jonishi Kei, Shiroma Miru, Nishimura Aika, Yamaguchi Yuuki, Hayashi Momoka, Yamamoto Sayaka,                         Yoshida Akari, Watanabe Miyuki

僕はあれから向かい続けた 記憶より大きなキャンバスに どんな絵の具を使ったって そんなに透き通った瞳は描けない 君の清らかなその心は 鏡のように写してしまう 僕の汚れたものをすべて どこかに捨てなければもうここを出る ドガのように 光の中の君を写したい 愛のために 僕は何をすればいいのだろう もっと君を知りたいんだ 床に溢れた半円の日向 窓から溢れる天使たち 君は木のバーに掴まって 遠くを見てるようにレッスンしてた 長くしなやかなその手足は 言葉以上に語り始めた 僕が夢を見ていたものは 本当に僕が欲しかったものかな？ ドガのように 光の中の君を写したい キャンバスと 筆と絵の具　買って来たけれど… 素顔の君を知らなかった バレリーナ 誰のために君は踊ってるの？ バレリーナ 幼い頃　信じていたもの ドガのように 光の中の君を写したい ドガのように せめて絵の中　伝えたかった 美術部に入った理由

boku wa are kara mukaitsudzuketa kioku yori ooki na KYANBASU ni donna e no gu wo tsukattatte sonna ni sukitootta me wa egakenai kimi no kiyoraka na sono kokoro wa kagami no you ni utsushite shimau boku wa yogoreta mono wo subete doko ka ni sutenakereba mou koko wo deru DOGA no you ni hikari no naka no kimi wo utsushitai ai no tame ni boku wa nani wo sureba ii no darou motto kimi wo shiritainda yuka ni afureta hanen no hinata mado kara afureru tenshitachi kimi wa ki no BAA ni tsukamatte tooku wo miteru you ni RESSUN shiteta nagaku shinayaka na sono teashi wa kotoba ijou ni katarihajimeta boku ga yume wo mite ita mono wa hontou ni boku ga hoshikatta mono ka na? DOGA no you ni hikari no naka no kimi wo utsushitai KYANBASU to fude to e no gu katte kita keredo... sugao no kimi wo shiranakatta BARERIINA dare no tame ni kimi wa odotteru no? BARERIINA osanai koro shinjite ita mono DOGA no you ni hikari no naka no kimi wo utsushitai DOGA no you ni semete e no naka tsutaetakatta bijutsubu ni haitta riyuu

I've since striven towards this canvas Larger than how I’d remembered it But no matter what paint I use I can’t draw such clear eyes Such a pure heart as yours Is as clear as a mirror reflection What do I do – all of my stains Will surely be revealed here Just like Degas I want to paint you, who are in the light For the sake of love What on earth should I do I want to know you more The arc of light shining on the floor Is like angels pouring in from the window During lessons, you held on to the barre As I watched you from afar Those long, supple limbs of yours Spoke of things beyond mere words Are the things from my dreams The things that I truly wanted? Just like Degas I want to paint you, who are in the light But even though I’ve bought The canvas, brush and paints... I’ve never known the real you Ballerina For whom do you dance? Ballerina A belief from when I was a child Just like Degas I want to paint you, who are in the light Just like Degas At the very least, may my painting speak Of why I entered the Art Club

To sing of 19th century French painter Edgar Degas is so uncharacteristically avant garde of the AKB group that it's hard to think of this song in relation to any other AKB song. Plus, zero romance. For the record, I'm not against romantic songs, but AKB's discography is so saturated with generic idol love songs that it's often hard to pay enough serious attention to every single one of them to be able to pick out the more unique ones.

And yet, despite the zero romance, the song has some really clever lines that can be misconstrued as romantic when taken out of context - the breathtakingly clear eyes, the "watching from afar", and even the mention of Art Club is cheekily reminiscent of high school romance tropes.

Having said that, the airy, ethereal music firmly lifts it clear out of any associations to rom-com and idol cutesiness. It's just like a breath of fresh air. Aki-P is a master of saying the same thing in a thousand different ways, but this song is definitely not one of those. A song that glorifies ballerinas? That's why I never get tired of AKB.

(All kanji/kana and romaji lyrics on this site are taken from Studio48 unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce anything from this site without giving due credit.)

Kimi wa Melody

Title:                君はメロディー | Kimi wa Melody | You Are a Melody
Info:                 AKB48 43rd Single - Kimi wa Melody
Member(s):        Iriyama Anna, Kojima Haruna, Shimazaki Haruka, Takahashi Minami, Yokoyama Yui, Minegishi Minami,                         Mukaichi Mion, Kashiwagi Yuki, Kato Rena, Kizaki Yuria, Watanabe Mayu, Matsui Jurina, Yamamoto Sayaka,                         Sashihara Rino, Miyawaki Sakura, Kitahara Rie, Miyazawa Sae, Itano Tomomi, Oshima Yuko, Shinoda Mariko,                         Maeda Atsuko

春の魔法に陽射しは変わって 人も街も明るめに着替えた 風に誘われ気づけば知らずに 僕は口ずさんでいた 遠い昔の記憶の彼方に 忘れかけてた2人のfavorite song なぜこの曲が浮かんだのだろう? 突然に 愛しさは いつも ずっと前から 準備してる ノイズだらけのRadioが 聴こえて来たんだ 歳月(とき)を超え… 君はメロディー メロディー 懐かしいハーモニー ハーモニー 好きだよと言えず抑えていた 胸の痛み 僕のメロディー メロディー サビだけを覚えてる 若さは切なく 輝いた日々が 蘇るよ 君と歩いたセンター街から 通りに抜ける青春に迷って 知らないうちに大人になってた 歌を聴くこともなく 何を忘れてしまったのだろう? 新しいものばかりを探して 今の自分に問いかけるような あのMusic 偶然は いつも 教えてくれる 意味があると… 思いがけない未来 眠ってた恋が 目を覚ます 甘いメモリー メモリー 夢を見たグローリーデイズ グローリーデイズ サヨナラに込めた永遠こそ 僕の誓い ふいにメモリー メモリー 面影も鮮やかに… 無意識にそっと 口ずさむ僕は 今でもまだ… 振り返るように 君も思い出すだろうか? あの頃 いつも流れた ヒットソング 君はメロディー メロディー 懐かしいハーモニー ハーモニー 好きだよと言えず抑えていた 胸の痛み 僕のメロディー メロディー サビだけを覚えてる ほろ苦い感情が 溢れ出す今も… こんなメロディー メロディー きっとどこかで 君だって… 口ずさむだろう 思い出は時にはやさしい 口ずさむだろう いつの日にかあの頃のメロディー

haru no mahou ni hizashi wa kawatte hito mo machi mo akarume ni kigaeta kaze ni sasoware kidzukeba shirazu ni boku wa kuchizusande ita tooi mukashi no kioku no kanata ni wasurekaketeta futari no favorite song naze kono kyoku ga ukanda no darou? totsuzen ni itoshisa wa itsumo zutto mae kara junbi shiteru NOIZU darake no Radio ga kikoete kitanda toki wo koe... kimi wa MERODII MERODII natsukashii HAAMONII HAAMONII suki da yo to iezu osaete ita mune no itami boku no MERODII MERODII SABI dake wo oboeteru wakasa wa setsunaku kagayaita hibi ga yomigaeru yo kimi to aruita SENTAA gai kara toori ni nukeru seishun ni mayotte shiranai uchi ni otona ni natteta uta wo kiku koto mo naku nani wo wasurete shimatta no darou? atarashii mono bakari wo sagashite ima no jibun ni toikakeru you na ano Music guuzen wa itsumo oshiete kureru imi ga aru to... omoigakenai mirai nemutteta koi ga me wo samasu amai MEMORII MEMORII yume wo mita GURORIIDEIZU GURORIIDEIZU SAYONARA ni kometa eien koso boku no chikai fui ni MEMORII MEMORII omokage mo azayaka ni... muishiki ni sotto kuchizusamu boku wa ima demo mada... furikaeru you ni kimi mo omoidasu darou ka? ano koro itsumo nagareta HITTO SONGU kimi wa MERODII MERODII natsukashii HAAMONII HAAMONII suki da yo to iezu osaete ita mune no itami boku no MERODII MERODII sabi dake wo oboeteru horonigai kanjou ga afuredasu ima mo... konna MERODII MERODII kitto doko ka de kimi datte... kuchizusamu darou omoide wa toki ni wa yasashii kuchizusamu darou itsu no hi ni ka ano koro no MERODII

The light changes in the magic of spring Brightening up the whole town and its people Seduced by the wind, before I know it I find myself humming a song From one corner of my distant memories… Our favorite song, which I’d forgotten Why has it come back to me All of a sudden? Love is always something That prepares itself From way back in time I can begin to hear The noise-filled radio As it transcends the years… You are a melody (melody) A nostalgic harmony (harmony) I suppressed the pain in my chest from not telling you “I love you” This is my melody (melody) Though I can only remember the chorus Youth is painful But those glorious days Have now been revived Together, we started down the center street But in our youthfulness, we began to stray Before we knew it, we’ve become adults And we don’t even listen to songs anymore Have you forgotten something? You keep searching for something new Such was the question which That music seemed to be asking me Coincidences Always teach us That there’s a reason for everything The future is unforeseen But my love, which was only sleeping Now begins to awaken Such sweet memories (memories) – Our glory days of dreaming big (glory days) An eternity laden with farewells, such was my promise Suddenly my memory (memory) Of even your face returns afresh… Without realizing it I’m softly humming that song And even now, I… If you were to look back Would you remember it too? The hit song which was always playing In those days You are a melody (melody) A nostalgic harmony (harmony) I suppressed the pain in my chest from not telling you “I love you” This is my melody (melody) Though I can only remember the chorus My bittersweet emotions Are overflowing even now… Such a melody (melody) Someplace somewhere, surely even you Must still be humming it Memories can be so forgiving at times Someday, I’d probably be humming That melody once again

When I first looked at the lyrics of the song, I was immediately reminded of Kojima Haruna's 7kaime no "Les Mis". Both are ballad songs about a past love which is connected to one thing that symbolizes their time together. In 7kaime no "Les Mis" that thing is of course the movie Les Miserables, whereas in this case it's a "hit song" from the past.

But particularly since this "hit song" isn't named, there's almost a sort of meta reference to the song Kimi wa Melody itself as that hit song which is always being played (by virtue of being an AKB single, obviously). The somewhat muted arrangement of the music further adds to the suggestion of the song as being from the past. Plus, I find that it reflects the persona's pain very well. There is just something in the restrained, almost calm flow of the music that really brings out the sadness in the lyrics.

Add to that the whole hype about this being the "10th anniversary single" and the inclusion of 4 of the most popular graduated members, this song cleverly plays with the whole concept of nostalgia about the past in numerous ways. So for me, these are some of the things which make the song especially effective, in spite of its rather generic theme.

(All kanji/kana and romaji lyrics on this site are taken from Studio48 unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce anything from this site without giving due credit.)

Star ni Nante Naritakunai

Title:                スターになんてなりたくない | Star ni Nante Naritakunai | I Don't Want to be A Star
Info:                 NMB48 10th Single - Rashikunai
Member(s):        Ijiri Anna, Iso Kanae, Ichikawa Miori, Ueda Mirei, Umeda Ayaka, Kadowaki Kanako, Kamieda Emika,                         Kawakami Chihiro, Kinoshita Haruna, Kusaka Konomi, Kurokawa Hazuki, Shibuya Nagisa, Takayanagi Akane,                         Naiki Kokoro, Hayashi Momoka, Yabushita Shu, Watanabe Miyuki

CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA… 本当の自分がきっと この街の人混みの中 どこかにいる 普通の人に紛れて まわりは誰も気づかないけど どこかにいる どうして どうして どうして ずっと隠れているの？ 私… スターになんて なりたくないのよ 追いかけるカメラから 振り切るように逃げる 今の暮らしは もう我慢できない キレイな夢には 棘(とげ) があるのよ 知らない世界 昨日はあのコンビニで アイスとか雑誌を買って 向こうにいた お願い お願い お願い ねえ　誰か代わってよ 私… スターにずっと なりたかったのに… 奪われてしまったの 大事なものと自由 車の窓に 失ったすべて キレイな夢って すぐに消えてく 儚い世界 どうして どうして どうして 街が滲んで見える 私… スターになんて なりたくないのよ 追いかけるカメラから 振り切るように逃げる 今の暮らしは もう我慢できない キレイな夢には 棘(とげ) があるのよ 知らない世界

CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA... hontou no jibun ga kitto kono machi no hitogomi no naka doko ka ni iru futsuu no hito ni magirete mawari wa dare mo kidzukanai kedo doko ka ni iru doushite doushite doushite zutto kakurete iru no? watashi... SUTAA ni nante naritakunai no yo oikakeru KAMERA kara furikiru you ni nigeru ima no kurashi wa mou gaman dekinai KIREI na yume ni wa toge ga aru no yo shiranai sekai kinou wa ano KONBINI de AISU to ka zasshi wo katte mukou ni ita onegai onegai onegai nee dareka kawatte yo watashi... SUTAA ni zutto naritakatta no ni... ubawarete shimatta no daiji na mono to jiyuu kuruma no mado ni ushinatta subete KIREI na yume tte sugu ni kieteku hakanai sekai doushite doushite doushite machi ga nijin de mieru watashi... SUTAA ni nante naritakunai no yo oikakeru KAMERA kara furikiru you ni nigeru ima no kurashi wa mou gaman dekinai kirei na yume ni wa toge ga aru no yo shiranai sekai

CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA... Surely the real me Is here, somewhere Within this crowded town Mingled among ordinary people Nobody notices me But I’m here, somewhere Why Why Why Am I always Hiding... I don’t want To be a star I run away, trying to shake off The chasing cameras I can’t stand This life anymore This beautiful dream Is so full of thorns It’s an unfamiliar world Yesterday, at that convenience store As I bought ice-cream and magazines There they were, across the street Please Please Please Can I switch places With someone... I’d always wanted To be a star... But I’ve been robbed Of precious things like freedom Everything has been lost To tinted car windows A beautiful dream Quickly faded away It’s an ephemeral world Why Why Why Does this town look so blurry To me... I don’t want To be a star I run away, trying to shake off The chasing cameras I can’t stand This life anymore This beautiful dream Is so full of thorns It’s an unfamiliar world

Huge props to Aki-P for writing this song. I don't know what exactly his motivations were, but it's certainly the perfect antithesis to idol-fantasy songs such as Idol nante Yobanaide, Mousou Girlfriend, Mayuyuroid, and most recently Yume de Kiss Me.

On this end of the spectrum there's also Setsunai Reply (but this song is rather specific to Sasshi's context) and Idol wa Uunyanya no Ken (but this song's serious themes is neutralized by all the silliness). In comparison, the edgy tunes of Star Nante ni Naritakunai is refreshingly consistent with the weight of the lyrics.

Add to that the "let's work hard as idols" songs (Ougon Center, Idol no Yoake and Miniskirt no Yosei, to name a few), as well as songs about the idol-fan relationship (e.g. Enkyori Poster, Fan Letter). These form the 4 main categories of songs explicitly about idols. I'm not saying that any of these categories are bad, and to be fair I don't think many of the girls (if any) are big enough to actually encounter such paparazzi. But I'm just glad to see Aki-P addressing certain biases, if not for the sake of a balanced representation of idols, then at least for the sake of variety.

(All kanji/kana and romaji lyrics on this site are taken from Studio48 unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce anything from this site without giving due credit.)

[AKBanter] That elusive AKB 'MIX'

As an international fan, you've probably felt a little left out because you have no idea what you're chanting every time an AKB song plays. But here's something you might not have expected: most Japanese fans don't really know what the MIX means either!

As I searched through Japanese websites and forums for an explanation of the MIX, the only thing I encountered over and over again, word for word, was the following text:

虎の如く火の如く人の造らざる繊細な心も維新となれば海を飲み女を喰らふ
その振動を心の有るがままに化身し本来繊細な心を飛ばし刹那に思ふがまま除き去る
これ己に忠実
刹那な刻の流れに身を任せるのみ
これこそタカまりの心髄なり

This text is referred to as the "極意" ("main point") of the MIX, and I have yet to encounter any attempt to further explain the MIX. Based on my research, I think the reason for this is the unique history of the MIX.

History of the MIX
A lot of the posts I found on the MIX's history cite this page as their source. Essentially, the MIX originated from a group of 5 guys who called themselves 'EVEL'. It all began in the 90's, when EVEL would frequent concerts by heavy metal/hard rock groups. When EVEL got really hyped up and excited at these concerts, they would shout out random words. This was called doing a "MIX".

After that, the MIX continued to circulate among a small group of otakus, who began using it at the concerts of other artistes. As it went along, the MIX slowly began to become more and more unified, until it finally emerged as the set of formulaic phrases now used for AKB48. However, based on the reference to "maidens of the sea" (see below), I would assume that this particular form of the MIX was adapted specifically for AKB, or at least for female idols.

Translation/explanation of the MIX
I have to warn you, however, that the MIX is highly idiosyncratic, both in terms of content and grammar. I have tried my best to make the most sense out of it, but I think you can now understand why even Japanese fans are so vague about the MIX. Still, the fact that something created by a small group of hardcore otakus has formalized, caught on and spread across Japan and beyond, is just one of the more bizarre aspects of AKB48.

So. The "main point" text above can be broken down into smaller chunks, with each chunk corresponding to a phrase in each subset of the MIX. These 3 subsets are known as Standard, Japanese, and Ainu Zenkyou Original.

"Main point"	Standard	Japanese	Ainu Zenkyou Original1
虎の如く Like a tiger,	タイガー tiger	虎(tora) tiger	チャペ(chape)
火の如く like fire,	ファイヤー fire	火(hi) fire	アペ(ape)
人の造らざる if people can cause	サイバー cyber	人造(jinzou) man-made	カラ(kara)
繊細な心も維新となれば their delicate souls to be restored,	ファイバー fiber	繊維(sen'i) fiber2	キナ(kira)
海を飲み女を喰らふ then as I partake of the maidens of the sea,	ダイバー diver	海女(ama) female shell diver	ララ(rara)
その振動を心の有るがままに化身し these vibrations reincarnate my soul into its true form.	バイバー viper3	振動(shindou) vibration	トゥスケ(tusuke)
本来繊細な心を飛ばし刹那に思ふがまま除き 去るこれ己に忠実 My originally delicate soul soars, and in an instant, all is willed away except my fidelity.	ジャージャー ja-ja3	化繊飛除去(kasentobijokyo) all synthetic fibers are expelled	ミョーホントゥスケ(myohontusuke)
刹那な刻の流れに身を任せるのみこれこそ タカまりの心髄なり In the ebb and flow of that moment in time, I give up my body; this becomes the true height of my existence.	-	-	- 4

Notes:
¹ Ainu is a native language which only survives in Hokkaido, and the Ainu subset apparently came about because one of the EVEL members is from Hokkaido. I have not attempted to translate this subset... ><
² Notice the recurring kanji '繊' and '維'. That and the fact that fibers are delicate?? I'm stumped too.
³ These are probably just onomatopoeic.
⁴ For some reason, this last section is not incorporated into the MIX.

Also, a few other MIX elements that might require translation:
- よっしゃぁいくぞー(yossha ikuzo) = All right, let's go!
- もういっちょいくぞー(mou iccho ikuzo) = Let's go again!
- それそれそれ(sore sore sore) = There it is!

Souzou no Shijin

Title:                想像の詩人 | Souzou no Shijin | The Poet that is My Imagination
Info:                 NMB48 2nd Album - Sekai no chuushin wa Osaka ya ~Namba Jichiku~
                        NMB48 Research Students 5th Stage "Souzou no shijin"
Member(s):        Akashi Natsuko, Ishida Yuumi, Uno Mizuki, Odan Mai, Terui Honoka, Jo Eriko, Nakano Reina, Nishizawa Rurina,                         Matsuoka Chiho, Matsumura Megumi, Morita Ayaka, Yamao Rina

WOW WOW WOW AH WOH WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW… 木の葉のその背中にころがる 朝のしずくのように ちっぽけでも とにかくぼくは透明なまま ずっと飽きることもなく 空を見上げたい 誰かが言う 大人になることは ここではないどこかを知ること 遠く鐘がきこえたら ぼくは思い浮かべよう まだ行ったことない世界とか いつか出逢う大切な人 喜びとか悲しみは どんな風（かぜ）になるのだろう 想像の詩人がいつしか ぼくのこと迎えに來る その日まで WOW WOW WOW AH WOH WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW… ゆっくりふわふわ流れて行く 晴れた日の云のように すぎる時間 確かにぼくは不器用だから もっと今のこの場所で 考えたいんだ あきれられた 大人にならないとは 向上心がないのかなんて 遠く鐘がきこえたら ぼくはそっと目を閉じる 見たくもないげんじつのあれこれ 耳もきっと塞ぐのだろう まだ少ない思い出に まんぞくしてるわけじゃなくて 想像の詩人の言葉に あまりにも感動して 踏み出せない 遠く鐘がきこえたら ぼくは思い浮かべよう まだ行ったことない世界とか いつか出逢う大切な人 喜びとか悲しみは どんな風（かぜ）になるのだろう 想像の詩人がいつしか ぼくのこと迎えに來る その日まで WOW WOW WOW AH WOH WOW WOW AH WOW　 WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW…

WOW WOW WOW AH WOH WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW... konoha no sono senaka ni korogaru asa no shizuku no you ni chippoke demo tonikaku boku wa toumei na mama zutto akiru koto mo naku sora wo miagetai dareka ga iu otona ni naru koto wa koko de wa nai doko ka wo shiru koto tooku kane ga kikoetara boku wa omoiukabeyou mada itta koto nai sekai to ka itsuka deau taisetsu na hito yorokobi to ka kanashimi wa donna kaze ni naru no darou souzou no shijin ga itsu shika boku no koto mukae ni kuru sono hi made WOW WOW WOW AH WOH WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW... yukkuri fuwafuwa nagarete iku hareta hi no kumo no you ni sugiru jikan tashika ni boku wa bukiyou dakara motto ima no kono basho de kangaetainda akirerareta otona ni naranai to wa koujoushin ga nai no ka nante tooku kane ga kikoetara boku wa sotto me wo tojiru mitakunai genjitsu no are kore mimi mo kitto fusagu no darou mada sukunai omoide ni manzoku shiteru wake ja nakute souzou no shijin no kotoba ni amari ni mo kandou shite fumidasenai tooku kane ga kikoetara boku wa omoiukabeyou mada itta koto nai sekai to ka itsuka deau taisetsu na hito yorokobi to ka kanashimi wa donna kaze ni naru no darou souzou no shijin ga itsu shika boku no koto mukae ni kuru sono hi made WOW WOW WOW AH WOH WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW...

WOW WOW WOW AH WOH WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW... Like a drop of morning dew Rolling down the back of a leaf I may be small, but for now As long as I’m still transparent I will never get tired Of looking up at the sky like this That thing people call ‘Growing up’ Exists somewhere else, not here Whenever I hear the distant bells I begin to contemplate About a world I’ve yet to enter Or the precious people I might someday meet Things like joy and sorrow What kind of storm will they stir up? Such will be my thoughts, until the day The poet that is my imagination Returns for me WOW WOW WOW AH WOH WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW... Like the fluffy clouds on a sunny day Drifting lazily along Time passes by It’s true that I’m useless But right now, in this place I want to remain with my own thoughts I’m amazed that they can say The reason I can’t be an adult Is because I’m not ambitious enough Whenever I hear the distant bells I gently close my eyes ‘Cuz I don’t want to see the details of reality And so I stop up my ears as well It’s not that I’m satisfied With what little memories I have It’s just that I’m too deeply moved By the words of the poet that is my imagination That I can’t step forward Whenever I hear the distant bells I begin to contemplate About a world I’ve yet to enter Or the precious people I might someday meet Things like joy and sorrow What kind of storm will they stir up? Such will be my thoughts, until the day The poet that is my imagination Returns for me WOW WOW WOW AH WOH WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW AH WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW...

This song just captures the trauma of growing up so vividly that it takes my breath away. From the time we are born, we grow up within the protective bubble of our parents and school - our inner community. So when the time eventually comes for us to step out of that bubble and into the 'real world', there is a wealth of potential - but also a wealth of fear and uncertainty. Densha wo Oriru is about the former, whereas this song focuses more on the latter. And the fact that this song is sung by NMB Kenkyuusei makes it all the more impactful.

The phrase "souzou no shijin" is rather complicated to translate. The most straightforward translation of "poet of imagination" implies the concept of imagination in general as opposed to someone's personal imagination, whereas "poet of my imagination" sounds more like having an imaginary poet, but then "my imagination's poet" sounds so awkward. So the best I can come up with is the still-slightly-awkward "the poet that is my imagination". However, even this translation is slightly off, because it describes the person's entire imagination as a poet, whereas the Japanese phrase seems to refer only to a poetic 'persona' or aspect of someone's imagination. I feel this nuance makes a difference, because it highlights the intensity of the imagination in this particular instance, i.e. when thinking about growing up in the future.

This is a song of a young person waiting to grow up, but finds him/herself incapacitated by the immense possibilities of growing up, as well as the fear of failure. To dream big is also to experience the pressure to fulfill that dream. To those who are currently going through this phase of their life, this song will definitely hit home, and deeply.

(All kanji/kana and romaji lyrics on this site are taken from Studio48 unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce anything from this site without giving due credit.)

"Seito techou no shashin ki ni ittenai" no housoku

Title:                “生徒手帳の写真は気に入っていない” の法則 | "Seito techou no shashin ki ni ittenai" no housoku | As a Rule,                         Nobody Likes Their Student ID Photo
Info:                 NMB48 2nd Album - Sekai no chuushin wa Osaka ya ~Namba Jichiku~
Member(s):        Kotani Riho, Jonishi Kei, Yamamoto Sayaka, Yoshida Akari, Kinoshita Momoka, Kondo Rina, Shiroma Miru,                         Murakami Ayaka, Yagura Fuuko, Yamada Nana, Kadowaki Kanako, Kinoshita Haruna, Shibuya Nagisa,                         Yabushita Shu, Watanabe Miyuki, Ogasawara Mayu

リュックサックの中 入れていたはずの 生徒手帳がなくなっていた 通学路　逆に 戻ってみたけど 道の途中に見つからなかった 携帯電話に見たことない番号 「駅で拾ったんだ」って 男の子の声ドキドキした 生徒手帳　その写真 気に入っていない法則 運命的　出会いだったら どうすればいいの？ だからちゃんと目をパッチリと メイクして加工して プリクラみたい裏技とかで 盛ればよかった なんて後悔しちゃう だって　そんな私だもん 可愛くない　最悪だわ 今すぐdelete 「どこでもいいから 預けてください」 そう　彼にお願いをしたのに… 「直接渡したい」 押し切られちゃって 駅の改札　待ち合わせした 少女漫画の 主人公みたいな めちゃカッコいい男の子が 私を見て　すぐに手を振ったの 生徒手帳　その写真 気に入っていない法則 運命的　出会いだったら どうすればいいの？ だからちゃんと目をパッチリと メイクして加工して プリクラみたい裏技とかで 盛ればよかった なんて後悔しちゃう だって　そんな私だもん 可愛くない　最悪だわ 今すぐdelete 「この写真よりも 生で会った方が 100万倍可愛いんで マジ驚いた」って言ってくれた 生徒手帳　その写真 そのままがいい法則 ノーメイクでハードル下げ 期待させずに… ほら　そうすれば　あら不思議 本人が輝くよ 「ねえ意外に可愛いね」って 言ってもらえる そうだ　証明写真 ありのままの自分でいい そこから先　会った時に キレイになろう

RYUKKUSAKKU no naka irete ita hazu no seito techou ga nakunatte ita tsuugaku ro gyaku ni modotte mita kedo michi no tochuu ni mitsukara nakatta keitai denwa ni mita koto nai bangou "eki de hirottanda" tte otoko no ko no koe DOKIDOKI shita seito techou sono shashin ki ni itte inai housoku unmeiteki deai dattara dou sure ba ii no? dakara chanto me wo PACCHIRI to MEIKU shite kakou shite PURIKURA mitai urawazato ka de moreba yokatta nante koukai shichau datte sonna watashi damon kawaikunai saiaku da wa ima sugu delete "doko demo ii kara adzukete kudasai" sou kare ni onegai wo shita no ni... "chokusetsu watashitai" oshikirarechatte eki no kaisatsu machiawase shita shoujo manga no shujinkou mitai na mecha kakkoii otoko no ko ga watashi wo mite sugu ni te wo futta no seito techou sono shashin ki ni itte inai housoku unmeiteki deai dattara dou sure ba ii no? dakara chanto me wo PACCHIRI to MEIKU shite kakou shite PURIKURA mitai urawazato ka de moreba yokatta nante koukai shichau datte sonna watashi da mon kawaikunai saiaku da wa ima sugu delete "kono shashin yori mo nama de atta hou ga hyakumanbai kawaiin de maji odoroita"tte itte kureta seito techou sono shashin sono mama ga ii housoku NOO MEIKU de HAADORU sage kitai sasezu ni... hora sou sure ba arafushigi honnin ga kagayaku yo "nee igai ni kawaii ne" tte itte moraeru sou da shoumei shashin ari no mama no jibun de ii soko kara saki atta toki ni KIREI ni narou

I must’ve put my student ID Into my rucksack But now it’s gone missing So I backtracked all the way to school To try and search for it But I couldn’t find it along the way An unfamiliar number called me on my phone “I picked it up at the train station” Said a male voice that made my heart pound As a rule, nobody likes Their student ID photo But as this was a fated encounter What was to be done? I promptly added some makeup To brighten up my eyes – If only I could use those beauty tricks From the purikura photo booth! I immediately regretted it It’s so horrible That I’m not cute at all I just wanted to delete my face "Please just hand it over To someone in charge" That’s what I asked him to do... "No, I want to hand it to you directly" He overpowered my objections So we arranged to meet at the ticket gate A guy just like the hero Of a shoujo manga So very cool and handsome Waved at me as soon as he saw me As a rule, nobody likes Their student ID photo But as this was a fated encounter What was to be done? I promptly added some makeup To brighten up my eyes – If only I could use those beauty tricks From the purikura photo booth! I immediately regretted it It’s so horrible That I’m not cute at all I just wanted to delete my face "Seeing you in real life You’re a million times cuter Than in this photo I’m really surprised” he said New rule: my student ID photo Is fine just as it is Having no makeup on lowers the hurdle So there wouldn’t be any expectations… That way, ta-da! The real person gets to shine "Hey you’re cuter than I thought" That’s what they’ll say That’s right, it’s okay For my ID photo to show me as I am From there, when they actually meet me I’ll become beautiful

The issue of natural beauty is becoming more and more prevalent in this age of increasingly accessible digital photo editing tools. And in case you don't know, Japanese photo sticker booths or purikura really take things to the extreme. Just Google 'purikura' and you'll understand. But the reality is that, all else equal, people often look better in real life than in photos. After all, human faces are, 3-dimensional, so something definitely changes when it is transferred to a 2-dimensional photo.

This song has a very good point. Why make yourself look so good in photos if your actual appearance is unable to live up to it? It's almost like inviting people to compare you with a prettier version of yourself. At the end of the day, no matter what tricks you use to make yourself prettier in photos, it's not going to change what you really look like; in fact, it might even make you look uglier. What an empowering message framed within a very cute setting. Thank you, Aki-P.

This song does not comment on the use of physical makeup, though. But I guess that is a much deeper issue that has been going on for thousands of years...

(All kanji/kana and romaji lyrics on this site are taken from Studio48 unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce anything from this site without giving due credit.)