snowdust64

[snowdust64]

"Winning Game" - romaji and English translation

Music and lyrics: Kaida Haru Arrangement: Genzuki Tōjirō and Natsume Yuki

Since this is a short song, I am separating the romaji and English. Implied pronouns are in brackets, and for this song, I think you could reasonably substitute them with just about any perspective.

= = = = = = = = = =

sakamaku tsuchikemuri ni koboreta ase kawaite kieteiku semishigure to sairen no oto ni kono natsu e omoi o hasete

nando mo yume mite kuzurete koko ni iru shinji tsudzuketa jibun ga

moyase bukkakō demo oresō demo hitomi dake wa sorasenai michisuji no saki ni hikari o mite sā futeki ni warae makeru shiai janai gyakkyō de koso susumu saikō no keshiki o tsukame

= = = = = = = = = =

The sweat spilled into the swirling dust Dries and disappears Sounds of droning cicadas and sirens Bring a rush of thoughts of this summer

So many times over [I] chased dreams and they collapsed, but here [I] am [Myself], who continued to believe

Let it blaze, even if it's clumsy, or seems like it might fall apart [I] won't avert my eyes Look to the light at the end of the path Now, smile fearlessly, this isn't a match [we] can lose Advance in the face of adversity And seize the greatest view

[snowdust64]

heehee I moved the decorations to my bedroom door

The context for this random thing? I, um, posted a violin cover of "Shiny Sunny Step" to my YouTube channel and these paper decorations were in the backdrop.

It was recorded with my phone, the quality is crap... but I'm happy that I actually worked up the courage to do it, so —

cheers to stepping out of my comfort zone  :)

[snowdust64]

“Oblivion” – romaji and English translation

Artist: Kaida Haru Music & lyrics: Horie Shota Translation by Snowdust64

Implied pronouns are in brackets; I used first- and second-person singular. Notes and commentary at the end.

==========

ai no kansei to wa   sore o wasureru koto boku ga itta ka   anata datta ka yoru no mukō ni   futari de ikenai koto o itsukara ka kidzuiteita no deshō    

Love is complete when it is forgotten Did I say that, or was it you? The two of us cannot go beyond the night together At some point, [you] must have realized that

dakara anata ni mahō o kakeru yo me ga sametara   waratte     

So [I’ll] cast a spell on you When you wake up, smile

anata o omoeba   kinō ga aru anata wa sotto   aruki hajimeru sore o boku no shiawase to shita mune ni itetsuku itami no naka no kodokuna uchū ni anata ga iru sayonara no naka ni anata ga iru son'na himitsu o chikatta      

If [I] think of you, there is a yesterday * You softly begin to walk I made that my happiness Inside the freezing pain in my chest In that lonely universe, you are there In the goodbye, you are there On that secret [I] made a vow **

onaji kimochi to jikan chikadzukeba atataka na hi boku wa mō sugu kiechau kedo anata no shiawase ni narezu tomo kanashimi o hitotsu ubai sareru to shitara sore ga hokorashī   ureshī      

Shared feelings and time, if [you] draw close, they’re a warm fire Though I will disappear soon Even if [I] can’t become your happiness If [I] can take just one sorrow away [I] would be proud and glad for it

anata no mukō ni ashita ga aru soko ni boku mo irareta nara son'na hanashi o umarekawattara anata to shitai      

On the other side of you, there is tomorrow If I could be there If I were reborn, I’d like to talk about that with you

mienaku natte mo furerarenaku natte mo kikoenaku natte mo anata ni mahō o tonaeru yo waratteite    

Even if [you] can no longer see [me] Even if [you] can no longer touch [me] Even if [you] can no longer hear [me] I’ll keep reciting this spell for you Keep smiling

anata o omou kinō ni naru anata no shiranai hajimari ni naru sore o boku no shiawase to shita mune ni itetsuku itami no naka no kodoku na uchū ni anata ga iru sayonara no naka ni anata ga iru boku ga ita    

I think of you, and it becomes yesterday Unknown to you, it becomes a beginning I made that my happiness Inside the freezing pain in my chest In that lonely universe, you are there In the goodbye, you are there And I was there

===== translation notes =====

*  In place of ‘there is a yesterday,’ I considered writing ‘then yesterday existed,’ but it felt too strongly worded for some reason. After all my revisions, the word 'exist' does not appear anywhere in my translation, and this stays faithful to the original lyrics so I am satisfied.

**  As in, ‘I vowed to keep that secret’

==========

Summary of Kaida’s commentary from his listen-along stream on 6/14/25, starting at 2:22:43 in the YouTube archive video:

theme: magic of memory (but also the magic of oblivion, as the title says)

Kaida asked Horie Shota to make this song like telling a story. The speaker is gradually fading away.

2:26:46 – “Well, it is sad, but ‘please forget about me completely and live on in happiness’ is what it’s saying. ‘That would be the happiest thing for me, or so I made it to be.’ Of course it’s bitter, being forgotten and disappearing. […] even so, still wishing for the other person’s happiness, for them to not feel sad over it.”

2:27:32 – In the first chorus, the lines ‘On that secret / I made a vow’ have a long pause in the middle. The flickering instrumentals that fill the space represent restless thoughts, lingering regrets, in the speaker’s mind.

2:25:05 – “Lately, I’ve been feeling more afraid of death… haha, what do you mean, this is too sudden?”  (note: in an earlier stream he talked about how, after turning 30, he suddenly felt like death was a lot nearer.)  “For example, tomorrow, something could suddenly happen and cause you to die. Is that not scary? Suddenly getting struck by lightning, or… suddenly falling from a cliff, etc. Things like that can’t be helped.” In the midst of accumulating more and more precious things – getting to work with fellow creators, growing a listener base, enjoying what he does – “the idea of reaching the end of one’s life is extremely scary.”

Naturally, he would prefer not to outlive the people around him because it’s sad to be the one left behind. On the flip side, if he had to die first, he wouldn’t like to be forgotten, but if being forgotten would allow someone to be happy then maybe it would be better that way. “Rather than forgetting, I would prefer to be forgotten. Maybe that’s the way to put it.”

2:33:03 – “Within people’s memories… Even if you’ve been forgotten, the things that you’ve done will remain somehow. […] Even if it’s intangible, something will remain.”

[snowdust64]

“Saredo Hoshi No Kagayaki Wo Shiru” – romaji and English translation

Artist: Kaida Haru Music & lyrics: H△G Translation by Snowdust64

Implied pronouns are in brackets. Line counts do not match for this one, and while I tried to preserve the original punctuation, it didn’t always work in English. Pardon the differences. Scroll to the end for Kaida’s songwriting commentary.

==========

kakurenbo shita machi no koto natsukashimu yōni hanasu boku no shigusa o mite kimi wa, kawaranai ne to waratteita    

Watching me speak nostalgically about the town where we played hid-and-seek, you said ‘You haven’t changed’ with a laugh

makkura de nani mo nai yoru. kirei na yakei mo kirameki mo nai. saredo kawari ni hoshi no kagayaki o shiru.    

The night is pitch black and empty. No pretty nightscape and nothing sparkling. But instead, [we] get to know the brilliance of the stars.

natsu no mahō ga bokura no koto o, isogiashi de otona ni shite mo. surimuita hizakozō wa ima mo, kawarazu ni kizuato o nokoshita mama.    

Even if the magic of summer makes us grow up in a hurry Unchanging, the scars on our scraped kneecaps have remained even now

hoshi uranai bakari kimi wa kinishiteru keredo, kitto mirai ya asu no koto nante, jibun de kiri hiraku mono.   nē, sōdaro?    

You're always paying close attention to your horoscope, but Surely the future and tomorrow are things that [we] have to carve out [ourselves.] Hey, isn’t that right?

“kawarenai” no dewa naku, “kawaranai” to kimeta kono yoru noni to, kore kara mo wasurenai yo.    

It’s not that “[I] can’t change,” [I] decided that “[I] won’t change” this night, And neither will [I] ever forget it from now on.

natsu no mahō ga bokura no koto o, isogiashi de otona ni shite mo. surimuita hizakozō wa ima mo, kasabuta no manma da.    

Even if the magic of summer makes us grow up in a hurry The scrapes on [our] kneecaps are still just scabs.

hoshi no shashin ga umaku torezu, shikametsura o shiteiru kimi ni. toke hajimeta aisukurīmu ga, hora natsu no hajimari tsugeteru yozora no shita de.    

To you, who frowned because you couldn't take a good photo of the stars. Under the night sky, the ice cream starting to melt is signaling the start of summer.

==========

Summary of commentary from Kaida’s listen-along stream on 6/14/25, starting at 2:09:47 in the YouTube archive video.

Theme: magic of light. Instead of a bright beaming light that purifies everything, it’s a warm and sparkling light that illuminates your surroundings. 2:10:42 - live chat: “Like lumos?”   Kaida:  “… Not quite.”

In Kaida's opinion, the phrases ‘our scraped kneecaps’ and ‘the ice cream starting to melt’ are super nostalgic on their own. The song flows sort of like a conversation.

Keywords for the songwriting process: sparkling, brilliance of youth, feels like we could even fly in the sky, refreshing, hope, facing forward, starry night sky, dazzle, constellations

To the young people who are waiting for some special moment to happen, he would like to say that the moment is right now. Like during summer break, when your friends come over to play and it’s turned into nighttime, and the ice cream you bought on the way home is melting. Or you’re going home after club activities, eating ice cream together, and the ice cream starts to melt. This is the moment!

2:15:39 – “But… I’m already a grown-up. And there are probably many grown-ups among my listeners. Lots of grown-ups for whom that moment has passed. Those people, when they remember back to those times, will think, ‘ah, those were really nice memories.’ […] ‘Those moments were truly like lights shining inside me’ but they’re never going to come back again, those moments! That is how they dazzle.”

“Remembering a bit and chuckling, and thinking ‘Ah, those were fun times. Let’s do our best tomorrow too.’ That feeling.” With your heart warmed by those memories, maybe it will be a little easier to go to work again tomorrow.

2:19:13 – This summer, Kaida would like the grown-ups among his listeners to go out on a veranda and eat ice cream and listen to this song. “Grown-ups who have gotten worn out by society, do this.”  Also, for those who are parents, you can include your kids in this activity. Please take some time to feel nostalgic about your childhood.

To the listeners who are still in their teenage years: Listen to this song again ten years from now and the meaning will probably change for you. “You’ll think, oh, this is what Kaida was talking about.”

Comments from H△G (note: this is a music group, not an individual): “We are very happy to hear that we were personally nominated by the man himself! This original song “Saredo Hoshi no Kagayaki Wo Shiru” was created in Kaida’s image. It’s a song not about being unable to change, but about a night you decide that you will not change. Please give it a listen.”

[snowdust64]

“Blue Mythology” – romaji and English translation

Artist: Kaida Haru Original lyrics: buzzG Translation by Snowdust64

Implied pronouns are in brackets; I used first- and second-person to fill them in. Translation notes and commentary at the bottom.

==========

shīkyūshīkyū   ano koro no hoshi mo “sainō ga nai.” to hikutsu na egao mo heichūheichū   nanimokamo norotta boku ga boku o sagasenai yōni    

CQ CQ  The stars back then * And the submissive smile saying, “[I] don’t have the talent.” Hate you, hate you – [I] cursed everything So that I wouldn’t search for myself

son'na ikuji nashi ga tomosu aoi honō ga kimi no te o gyutto nigitteiru    

The blue flame lit by someone so timid is Holding on to your hand tightly

utai tsunaida hi ga  hibi ga ** nibi iro no kōkai ga shinzō o ugokashiteite mahō hitotsu te ima kimi no honogurai sekai-goto kaerareya shinai kedo soba ni iru  nē  sono te o nobashite yo

The light that was connected by singing, the cracks, and Dim regrets are causing [my] heart to stir A single spell won’t change the entirety of the dark world you’re in now, but [I’m] at your side, hey, reach out [your] hand

mēdēmēdē   kimi no yobu koe ga hikūtei de tabi ni deru to shiyō

Mayday mayday, your voice calls out Let's go on a journey by airship

kitai-gayoi ni ikanai koto ga kitai-dōri-sugi de waraeru ne seikaiju wa kare  hakujitsu wa kakure  ankoku no saki o susumō ze     

Isn’t it laughable how things not going as expected is exactly what’s expected The world tree has withered, the bright sun is hidden, let's continue on past this darkness

yowasa datte kakusanakute ī yo boku ni sotto misete  sono kagayaki    

[You] don’t have to hide [your] weaknesses Just softly show me [your] radiance

mahō mo nai  kiseki mo nai  risetto botan mo nai kono hoshi ga suki da yo kimi ga kimi o sagashidaseru yōni omajinai o kaketa yo    

There's no magic, no miracles, and no reset button, but [I] love this planet [I've] cast a spell so that you can find yourself

aoi mama no boku de katarō  mikan no shinwa o kono mama saishū-ban made    

Let’s talk while I’m still in my youth,*** all the way to the final episode of this unfinished mythology

utai tsunaida hi ga  hibi ga asagi-iro no tenmei ga  shinzō o ugokashiteite kodō futatsu de hora  kimi no honogurai sekai demo dōshiyō mo naku itoshī yo hibikiau  ekō  itai kurai saewatare    

The light that was connected by singing, the cracks, and A light blue destiny are causing [my] heart to stir With two hearts beating together, see? Even your dark world Is so hopelessly dear Resonating together, echoes, so clear and pure that it hurts

osore nagara  kudake nagara  seiza o yubi de nazorō mayoi nagara  tomadoi nagara  bokura dake no shinwa o egaite   

Even as we’re feeling afraid and broken, let’s trace constellations with our fingers Even as we get lost and confused, we’ll paint our own mythology

===== translation notes ====

*  CQ CQ is an abbreviation used in radio signaling. (Look up ‘cqcq ham radio’ for more info.) It is basically a call out to anyone listening, in hopes of getting a reply.

** The original kanji of this line is 歌い繋いだ灯が ヒビが and it is sung here with the same pronunciation as 歌い繋いだ日が 日々が. 日 (hi) refers to a single day and 日々 (hibi) is more like a time period of daily life. These words are replaced with ‘light’ and ‘cracks.’

***  ‘aoi’ literally is blue or a blue-green color, but it is also used to describe youth, or the associated naivety or inexperience. Also in this line, ‘katarō’ does translate to ‘talk’ but it implies more of a free-flowing conversation.

==========

Commentary from Kaida’s listen-along stream on 6/14/25, starting at 1:56:33 in the YouTube archive video.

Theme: magic of fire/flame

Music, lyrics, and arrangement by buzzG

“Ever since he provided VΔLZ with ‘Moonwalkers,’ a certain idea took shape in my mind. I want to sing a solo song by buzzG like this! – is what I thought, and straight from that feeling, this song came out.”

2:00:52 – “I initially wanted to convey endurance, willpower, and so on… tough situations as well as opportunities. A down-to-earth, unbreakable spirit. Those were the words I came up with at the beginning. So, in my mind, it was a searing hot flame. You get what I mean? It was a red fire.”  He draws a comparison to the blazing fires of intense anime characters when they make a comeback in a hard battle, for example Endeavor (from My Hero Academia), when everything is flaring up and exploding. “But in buzzG’s mind, it was a flame that was blue and quiet, yet super high temperature.” Kaida thought that was really cool way to conceptualize it, so they went with buzzG’s version.

2:03:52 – “This part, ‘There’s no magic, no miracles, and no reset button, but I love this planet,’ this sentence had a lot of care put into it. […] This being a song about magic and all, saying that there is no magic within a song about magic felt like it had a deeper meaning.”  “No miracles, no reset button. No do-overs. Even so, I love the present moment. So, even if magic does not exist in this world, music is magic. That’s how I felt in regard to this song. This song is magic, in a magic-less world.”

2:05:36 – “I might just be selfishly making presumptions here, but…” The two lines from the song, ‘The light that was connected by singing, the cracks, and / A light blue destiny are causing [my] heart to stir’ really, really resonated with him. “I thought, this is… my song! [...] I really superimposed myself onto these two lines.”

Comments from buzzG: “Kaida-san, first, congratulations on your album release. In this project, I was in charge of ‘Blue Mythology.’ I felt that if Kaida-san and I were to create ‘magic,’ it would not be some supernatural phenomenon, nor a miracle that overturned everything in an instant, but like a quiet flame that, in the middle of the day-to-day, someone suddenly notices is softly warming them. May Kaida’s songs, which are spun together like dropping ink into clear water, or like reading a story, gently bring color to someone’s days.”

Final thoughts from Kaida: In the midst of difficult times, as you buckle down and endure it, don’t forget what’s truly important to you. Protect the things you hold dear and continue forward.  “I hope you may live on without extinguishing that flame burning inside you.”

[snowdust64]

“Raimei” – romaji and English translation

「雷命」 Artist: Kaida Haru Original lyrics: Horie Shota Translation by Snowdust64

The title approximately translates to ‘thunderous life.’ However, when 命 is read as ‘mei’ it can also mean ‘fate’ or ‘command.’

Implied pronouns in brackets with my best guesses. The repeating phrase, ‘rai rai rai rai’ is just ‘thunder’ x4, and I left it out to save space. Translation notes and commentary at the bottom.

==========

kiyari-goe   tsuranare tada karidashite uta ni natte bikabika ni mazariau enrō ze     

In kiyari voice, unite * Just rush out and make song Flashing brightly, blend together [Let’s] live it up **

ikiatari battari nayandeiru ka yonabe  kubete   asa ni shikararete sono kodoku ni ibasho wa naku nakedo nakedo   kasure-goe    

Haphazardly feeling worried Eating hotpot at night, getting scolded in the morning Within that loneliness is no place to belong Though [your] hoarse voice cries and cries

saredo itamu no da kitte hatta yōna shin'no zō ga mada itamu no da   ikiteitai kotodama ga pachipachi to kusuguttai uchinaru koe sō da   itai no da omae to onaji doshaburi ni mimi fusai da   sono riyū wa    

Even so, it still hurts As if it was slashed and strained, [my] heart Still hurts   The words "I want to live" Crackle and tickle, an inner voice That’s right, [I] want to be there In the same downpour with you The reason [I] covered my ears was —

inabikare,  tōboe o kasanete kyō,  hitotsu no sakebi to narō aiso waratte koroshita ikari yasashiku akirameta hikari inabikare,  ienai koto tabanete kyō,   todoroku hitotsu ni narō donten ni saku no wa   hajimari sono hitomi ni harema o takushite      

Flash like lightning, overlapping howls *** Today, they become a single cry The anger that was killed by an amicable smile The light that gently gave in Flash like lightning, bind together what cannot be said Today, roaring, [let's] become one Bursting open in the cloudy sky is a beginning Entrusting the piercing sunlight to those eyes †

(same as 1st verse, minus the last line)

koko ni wa nai ze   darekare mo onaji-iro no doro ni magirete koroge asobeba wakaru darō koko ga,   omae ga matsuri dato      

There’s none of that here  Anyone and everyone Blends into the same-colored mud Roll around and play, you’ll understand That in this place, the festival is you

soshite itamu no da kishimi ugoita shin'nozō ga tada itamu noda   `ikite iru' o hokoru yōni pachipachi to tobidashitai uchinaru koe sō da   itai no da kitto ima   deau tame    

And so it hurts Creaking as it moves, [my] heart Just hurts, as if to proudly say “I’m alive” An inner voice, crackling, wanting to leap out That’s right, it hurts Surely, it was all so [we] could meet now

gōgō   sawagasetai kusubutten no wa nō   nō gōgō   sawagasetai hajiratten’no ka nō   nō gōgō   sawagasetai omae ga dare toka nō nō ashita ga dō toka kankeinē kara    

Roar, roar, want to raise a ruckus What’s smoldering is – No, no ‡ Roar, roar, want to raise a ruckus Feeling embarrassed? No, no § Roar, roar, want to raise a ruckus Whoever you might be, no, no Whatever is tomorrow, it doesn’t matter

inabikare,  tōboe o kasanete kyō,  hitotsu no sakebi to narō aiso waratte koroshita ikari yasashiku akirameta hikari inabikare,  ienai koto tabanete kyō,   todoroku hitotsu ni narō donten ni saku no wa   hajimari sono hitomi ni harema o chikatte      

Flash like lightning, overlapping howls Today, they become a single cry The anger that was killed by an amicable smile The light that gently gave in Flash like lightning, bind together what cannot be said Today, roaring, let's become one Bursting open in the cloudy sky is a beginning Promising the piercing sunlight to those eyes

(same as 1st verse, minus the last line)

mata asobō ze   doshaburi de

Let’s play again in the pouring rain

===== translation notes =====

Wow, I had to use Weblio so much. There’s a lot of traditional or archaic vocabulary in these lyrics. Still feel like I might be getting some of the grammar wrong.

*  ‘kiyari’ refers to traditional songs that were sung by laborers as they worked in unison. They are now often associated with festivals and Shinto rituals. The singing style is somewhat higher-pitched and nasal, and involves a lot of long, held notes. You can find lots of examples by searching “木遣り” on YouTube.

**  宴 is read ‘utage’ or ‘en’ and means ‘to have fun by eating, drinking, singing, dancing, etc.’

***  ‘inabika’ is specifically the light from lightning; it doesn’t include the sound of thunder that accompanies it. (Consider how, in English, we say ‘firelight’ to mean the light of the fire, while excluding the cracking, popping, and whooshing noises that fires usually make.)

†   晴れ間 (harema) specifically means when a small patch of clear, sunny sky appears amidst dense clouds or during a rain/snow shower.

‡  ‘kusubutte’ – Smoldering like small fire that doesn’t go out, but also is not growing; stuck in an unimpressive state.

§  The repeating ‘no, no’ is alliteration, but the first two times, the syllable is actually coming from the kanji for ‘brain’ (脳). So, if I were to strictly translate the text: ‘[Your] brain is what’s smoldering’ and ‘Feeling embarrassed, brain?’

心の臓 (shin’no zō) which appears a few times is an older word for ‘heart,’ which nowadays is shortened to 心臓 (shinzō). 

土砂降り (doshaburi) – I want to point out a cool word! The translation is ‘downpour’ (referring to rain) but the kanji actually means ‘reduction of soil and sand’ and does not contain any character related to rain. It comes from the idea that the rain is so heavy, it washes away the soil and sand.

 ==========

Summary of commentary from Kaida’s listen-along stream on 6/14/25, starting at 1:44:55 in the YouTube archive.

Lyrics by Horie Shota, music by Mitusyo who did the opening BGM for VΔLZ’s live concert series last year.

The repeating line ‘rai rai rai rai’ is a mix of Kaida, Horie, and Mitsuyo’s voices.

Keywords: festival, raise the tension, go crazy, run riot, become one, lend your strength and I’ll lend mine

1:51:03 – “Just for today, forget about all the unpleasant things and let’s be crazy. Don’t care what’s happening tomorrow, whether it's work or vacation doesn’t matter. Man or woman, old or young, none of that matters. […] So, with everyone becoming one, let’s fire up this festival of music.”  For people who are attending a live concert for the first time and aren’t sure how to cheer on the performance – “Doesn’t matter! We’ll show you how!”

The feeling of being stronger, like you’re capable of anything, when you’re working in unity with other people is what he wanted to capture in this song. As examples, participating in a club or a tournament. Kaida also relates it to the VΔLZ live concerts, where the team was not just the three members onstage, but everyone involved in making the show happen.

1:53:09 – Comments from Mitsuyo: “This is no time to be saying ‘The rain won’t stop.’ There will be times in life when you have to carry on in spite of the rain beating down on you. With the prompt being music that can give people a push in those times, I started creating this music. The core is a percussive groove of acoustic guitar, and I created the sound with a scene of a growing procession that gradually involves a bigger and bigger crowd. I asked my good friend Horie-kun to write the lyrics. The song is called Raimei. I would be very happy if it could become a part of the lives of the people who listen to it.”

[snowdust64]

My condolences to anyone who was expecting “Tomato Ha Ai Wo Kaisanai” to have cool lyrics. It's pure comedy.

I must confess that in the midst of working on the translation, I cheerfully meal-prepped a week of lunch that heavily featured cooked tomatoes :P  and then ate some of it as I typed

[snowdust64]

“Tomato Ha Ai Wo Kaisanai” - romaji and English translation

「トマトは愛を解さない」 Artist: Kaida Haru Original lyrics: Takashiyō (also known as ‘ie no ura de manbō ga shinderu P’ which translates to ‘there’s a dead sunfish behind the house’) (or just Manbo-P, which is what Kaida calls him)

Translation by Snowdust64 The title means ‘tomatoes do not understand love.’ Notes and a bunch of commentary translation at the end.

==========

nani ga tomato da   ryokuōshoku obutsu zōkin o neburu hō ga umai gan'yū sutoresu ga eiyō o uwamawaru akuma no kessen  

What even is a tomato, that green-yellow filth Sucking on an old rag would taste better The stress contained within outweighs the nutrition Blood clot of the devil

shūaku-sa ni sekimenshitano dewa nai fu o gyōshukushita dake no mi o mini to yonde kawai koburu seishin-sei made hedo ga deru  

It’s not the ugliness that makes me turn red That body of condensed negativity being called “mini” and fawned over as “cute” Makes me nauseated down to the soul

ore no shisō ni otona-tachi wa mayu o hisometa rikopin ni dokusare mō sukuenai no da de wa junsui na kodomo-tachi yo   ore ga michibiku yatsura yori akai chishio de noroi o hoero  

Adults furrow their brows at my opinion Poisoned by lycopene, there's no saving them Well then, innocent children, I shall lead you With greater fervor than theirs, howl out this curse *

sā, ase o kaite hataraite katta tomato fume oroka dato omou no nara tomato no fukusayō da sā, shirome muite kizetsu suru made tomato fume kono tagiru nikushimi o amaraseru na kodomo-tachi yo   ore o tatae yo ore ni tsuite koi guchagucha no tomato no mae de azawarae  

Come now, work up a sweat, trample those tomatoes [you] bought ** If you think this is foolish, it’s a side effect of the tomatoes Come now, trample the tomatoes until your eyes roll back and you pass out Don’t let any of this boiling hatred go by the wayside Children, praise me Follow me Cackle with laughter before the messy tomato mush

nani ga tomato da   uchū no fuka-shokubu akasabi o neburu hō ga amai kisama ga suru yōni ore mo kodomo-tachi o somete miseyō  

What even is a tomato, that inedible piece of the universe Licking rust would be sweeter Like the rest of you all, I’ll show you just how I rub off on the children too

shibotta tomato wa hakaba no hedoro yaita tomato wa guroi kasabuta kechappu wa nandeka umai oboeta ka? sekai no setsurida  

Crushed tomatoes are like graveyard sludge Grilled tomatoes are like disgusting scabs Ketchup somehow tastes yummy Remember? That's the governing law of the world ***

osanaku tomo rippana anchi-tachi o sodatete tanomoshi-sa sura oboe hajimeta   aru hi karera wa mujaki ni hashaginagara tomato hatake ni hi o hanatta  

In raising these young but outstanding haters, I even started to find them dependable – One day, They innocently and merrily set fire to a tomato field

sā, moesakaru kono keshiki o hokori tomato fume nanihitotsu machigatte wa inai hazuna no kara sā, kono kokoro o kishimeru kotonaku tomato fume kono tagiru nikushimi wa mada aru noni kodomo-tachi yo   ore wa tada guchagucha no tomato no mae de iro o kaku  

Come now, be proud of this blazing scene and trample the tomatoes There shouldn’t be a single thing wrong here, so Come now, don’t break my heart, trample the tomatoes There’s still more of this boiling hatred left Children, I simply lose my color in front of the messy tomato mush ****

minoke ga yodatsu sonzai sae dareka no takaramono shiranai wake ja nakatta maniau nara negau yo ato hitotsu kotoba o eraberu yōni  

Even a hair-raising, horrible existence can be someone’s treasure It’s not that I didn’t know If I can make it in time, then I’ll make this wish May I get in just one more choice word

sā, ai to mujun’naku areru noroi o kono tagiru nikushimi wa mune ni kakaeta mama de sā, noroi to mujun’naku areru ai o sakasa ni yonde mo kawaranu yōni kodomo-tachi yo   ore wa tada tomato o tabenai noroinagara sore demo fuminijirazu ni  

Now, please, a curse that may exist without contradicting love So long as I carry this boiling hatred in my heart Now, please, a love that may exist without contradicting that curse Like the way it remains unchanged even if it’s read backwards Children, I simply don’t eat tomatoes Cursing them but without trampling them

===== translation notes =====

*  ‘akai chishio’ – Literally, ‘red blood,’ a term used to describe intense passion.

**  It’s not specified who bought the tomatoes. The children? The speaker? Second, ‘work up a sweat’ could be about the effort of trampling the tomatoes, or it could be about the effort it took to make the money to buy the tomatoes. I made my judgment based on how Kaida sings it. (If the children worked hard to buy the tomatoes and he’s telling them to trample them… poor children lol.)

***  Didn’t find a confirmatory source, but I believe this is referring to the idea that in the natural order of the world, things that are terrible most of the time still occasionally give rise to things that are nice.

****  ‘iro o kaku’ – Literally means ‘losing color.’ I think this ties back to second verse, as in, tomatoes make him turn red (with disgust) while the sight of destroyed tomatoes relieves it.

Clarification on the second-to-last verse: He is wishing he can persuade people to not see tomatoes as treasurable things before it’s too late.

==========

Commentary from Kaida’s listen-along stream on 6/14/25, starting from 1:30:30 in the YouTube archive.

Music and lyrics by Manbo-P, arrangement by Horie Shota

Theme: magic of a curse

He wanted the song to sound cool. And wanted it to be very clear on how much he detests tomatoes. So he asked Manbo-P and Horie to please help him convey how terrible tomatoes are in the lyrics and the instrumentation.

‘Like the way it remains unchanged even if it’s read backwards’  – from the last verse, talking about loving and cursing existing perfectly well together, and referring to how ‘tomato’ in katakana is read the same forwards and backwards.

1:35:13 – “For this song only, I gave Manbo-san too many keywords.” The list: unforgivable, hatred, tomatoes are not food, monsters infiltrating society, don’t be deceived, eating tissues would be more proper, if it has nutrition maybe it could be a good thing, isn't that red the red of being covered in blood (“Oh, Manbo-san did get this one across.”)

“When I was hypnotized and ate tomatoes, I simply felt like, huh, eating tomatoes is enjoyable! The truth is I’d really like to be able to eat tomatoes and think they’re delicious. But they taste awful so I hate them! […] Everyone says they’re delicious, and I want to eat that. But I hate them no matter what. No matter what I do, I just can’t begin to like them! Understand?”

Because there are people who do like tomatoes, and will raise children who also say they like tomatoes, it’s practically unthinkable that tomatoes would disappear from the world.

The conclusion that the song comes to is that there will be tomato-lovers and tomato-haters, and it’s okay to feel either way while acknowledging the other side. After all of the chaotic lyrics, this is the final message. “Even while cursing them, let’s continue on without trampling them.”

1:40:57 – “I feel sorry for communicating my hatred of tomatoes to Manbo-P to this extent. But I did say that ketchup is yummy, so ‘ketchup somehow tastes yummy’ made it in.”

The next time you run into someone you find unpleasant – a boss, a relative, etc. – just remember they are loved by someone too. “It’s fine if you still continue to hate them, but don’t wish for them to be eliminated. Don’t let your feelings go that way. Well, it’s a different story if they’ve done something bad, sure. But, one way or another, let’s move past it and get on with our lives.” “I won’t try to eliminate your hatred, so don’t try to eliminate my love either.”

Comments from Manbo-P: “When you talk about food you hate, you sometimes hear, ‘Ehh? But it tastes so good.’ You were just talking about how it doesn’t taste good, what were they even listening to? Conversation is like playing catch-ball. And tomatoes are the enemy of humankind.” Kaida: “I’m sorry, I brainwashed him! My apologies! I made him speak my hatred. But Manbo-san actually like tomatoes.”

1:44:29 – “But, I hate tomatoes! And won’t eat them! But it’s fine if there are people who like them. This is the conclusion I’ve drawn regarding tomatoes. Loving and cursing can exist together.”

[snowdust64]

「247love」 - romaji and English translation

Artist: Kaida Haru Original lyrics: Nor Translation by Snowdust64

Translated this in first-person. More notes at the end. ==========   

247LOVE  Give me more Sweetness   

“nani shiteru” tte tsubomi no tekisuto o kaite keshite kaite keshite kurikaesu kimi o motto shiritai kimochi ga mashite mashite mashite mashite hamidashi-sō  

“Whatcha doing?” A budding text * Writing it, erasing it, writing it, erasing it Repeat The feeling of wanting to know you better Grows and grows and grows and grows Feels like it’s going to spill out

tarinai taiyō mono tarinai yo kono mama no futari ja tarinai taiyō mono tarinai yo itsu made tomodachi nano aimai nano aimai nano hontō wa dō shitai no? mainichi ai ni hitoaji  Sweetness  

Not enough sun Something’s not enough At this rate, if it’s the two of us Not enough sun Something’s not enough How much longer will we remain friends It’s ambiguous It’s ambiguous What do I really want to do? Every day tastes like the sweetness of love

nē dōshimashou watashi no naisho mō ī kai   hora dete oide kakusu tabi ni sodatsu hāto mada da yo   mō chotto dōshitemo watashi wa kitto kimi no soba de sakasetai no mabushī yo   watashi no taiyō tsurarete   hirai chai-sō  

Hey, what should I do about my secret Isn’t this enough? Come on out already The longer I hide it, the bigger the heart grows ** Not quite yet, just a little longer No matter what, I’m sure that I want to bloom by your side My sun is so dazzling It draws me in, I think I might blossom

te o tsunagi ashihaba o awasete kyori o chidjimeru sōzō jitsu wa mōsō sotto kuchizusamu hitori bocchi no hana uta  

Holding hands Matching the length of our strides Imagining closing the distance The truth is I’m just fantasizing As I softly hum a lonely flower song

(same as verse 2)

osae kirenai yōna osaetakunai yōna docchi mo uso janai docchi mo watashi nano dōshitara kimi wa kidzuku no deshō? mitsukete?  mitsukete!   

Feels like I can’t hold it back Feels like I don’t want to hold it back Neither of those is a lie Both of them are me What should I do so that you’ll notice? Find me? Find me!

(same as verse 3) x 2

===== translation notes =====

*  A text as in a text message. If you haven’t noticed already, there is a flower theme throughout this song, and the word ‘tsubomi’ in this line means a flower that has not bloomed yet. With the grammar here, ‘tsubomi’ could be describing the text message, or it could be referring to the person writing it.

**  Three common words can be translated to ‘heart’ that I can think of. First is ‘kokoro’ which is the spiritual heart, the abstract thing that carries emotions and memories and so on. Second is ‘shinzou’ which, strictly speaking, refers to the heart as in the bodily organ, but still gets used metaphorically or idiomatically in other ways. And third is ‘hāto’ which is just katakana for the English word ‘heart,’ and usually refers to the heart shape we use to represent love. Here it is ‘hāto’ so it's the heart shape.

==========

Summary of Kaida’s commentary from his listen-along stream on 6/14/25, starting from 1:14:45 in the YouTube archive.

Music, lyrics, and arrangement by Nor

1:15:10 – “All right now everyone, what kind of magic is this one? Your answers please! […] That’s right! It’s the magic of love!”

“I’ve always wanted to do song in future bass style […] For my Minecraft streams, or even right now, the BGM that’s playing [...] I’ve been using this kind of BGM all along, so you all should have known! I like this kind of sound. […] I really wanted to make a song in this style, just once.”

“And then I also thought, up until now I haven’t truly done any romantic songs. Isn’t it about time?” So this song brought together two goals in one for him.

1:19:52 (corresponding to 1:01 in the song track) –  曖昧 (aimai) is hidden in within the last line of the verse, ‘毎日愛に一味’ (mainichi ai ni hitoaji) if you squeeze 日愛 together and put the 一 into the box in 味. This was Horie Shota’s idea. Isn’t kanji fun!

1:22:52 – The keywords for this song were: ‘heart-throbbing,’ ‘slightly feverish,’ ‘pink.’ ‘Tomorrow will be fun.’ ‘Thinking about it 24 hours a day.’ ‘Can’t sleep due to thinking about all sorts of things.’ ‘A single day feels long.’

1:23:21 – “When I was reading Kimi ni Todoke, the most exciting moment was when Kazehaya-kun and Sawako were about to start dating, finally. […] It’s true for any manga. The part just before they start going out is the most captivating. That’s what this song is about. Crushing on someone, wanting them to know, but not wanting to tell them. And hoping they’ll notice. So then, because of those feelings, thinking about it constantly 24 hours a day. That’s why you can look forward to school tomorrow, because you’ll get to meet them. Meet Kazehaya-kun.” A single day feels long when you don’t get to meet that person, and it feels short if you get to be together.

“I was aiming for a high school romance. […] A thing from once-upon-a-time long-long-ago. How does a heart-throbbing thrilling crush feel again?”

“Well, it would be nice if this song lets people remember how it felt to have a crush that made their heart race, and for those boys and girls currently in love, let this be a song of support. This is the time when it’s the most fun! Those of you who are hanging back and wavering about your crushes, right now is the most fun part! Make sure you savor it thoroughly!”

Comments from Nor: “Kaida-san!! Congratulations on releasing your album, Magic!! For longtime fans, it will bring magic that fills your life with joy in place of displeasure, and for new listeners, it will cast a spell to let you understand Kaida-san more deeply. I’m honored to have worked together on this album in which Kaida-san’s charm is in full bloom! If the opportunity arises again, please do reach out for a collaboration!” 

Kaida: “Sorry, some sort of unpleasant virus might be reflected here. yukai, rikai, mankai” (In the original text of Nor’s message, several words are in quotation marks and contain the syllable ‘kai.’) Seems like Kaida may have passed his lame-puns virus to Nor…

[snowdust64]

"Mizu no Kioku" commentary translation from Kaida's listen-along stream on 6/14/25.

I translated this song in October 2024 after it was first released, click here for that post.

Starting from 1:02:45 in the YouTube archive. “I’ve already discussed this one a lot… well, but there’s still lots more to talk about.”

Theme: magic of water

He was glad he released this song the earliest and was therefore able to perform it at the Nijisaniji “OVERTURE” live concert this February. But, no matter which song got released, he probably would have thought the same.

Water is a constantly, gradually changing thing. When water flows, the water passing by each second is not the same water that was just passing by a moment ago. Water can also exist as ice or water vapor. The water from the ocean evaporates, becomes clouds, and falls as rain or snow. It is something that is unchanging but also something that is always changing.

There are words people say to you that stick with you forever, even if the person who said it has long forgotten it. For example, a parent telling you when you were a kid, ‘You did great work on this!’ or a classmate saying, ‘You’re amazing.’ Certain words become irreplaceable memories, and you want to protect them forever. You hope you’ll never forget them.

Kaida’s perspective on following Livers is that it’s fine for fans to flow from one fanbase to another. If you find something new that you like, go pursue it. It’s natural for interests to change over time. But you’ll still remember each of the Livers (or other people/things) that you liked before. 40 years down the road, when you look back, you may have forgotten most of the people you’ve met, but you’ll still have precious memories from those few that really impacted you.

With Nijisanji growing bigger, some fans welcome the growth and some fans find it uncomfortable. Kaida wants to keep doing the same as what he always has, though maybe on a bigger scale, within Nijisanji which is changing a lot as a whole. He hopes his followers can look at the bigger picture and not be afraid of things changing. 1:13:19 – “I hope you all will keep watching as the VTuber world evolves. That’s the wish I put into this song, back then.”

The feeling of the music is somehow nostalgic, a little lonely, and also warm at the same time. An amazing song. Sabio did the music, lyrics, and arrangement. “I’d like to work with him on a song again someday. Though I’d say that about any of the songwriters!”

[snowdust64]

"Dokuhaku" - romaji and English transation

Artist: Kaida Haru Original lyrics: Shinoda Translation by Snowdust64 ========== The title 「独白」 means ‘monologue’ but if you break it down to the individual kanji characters, they mean ‘alone/solo/singular.’ and ‘white/blank.’ I used first- and second-person perspective for the implied pronouns since that was what appeared throughout the song. More notes at the bottom of the post. ==========

marude hontō datta yōni   kimi ni wa kikoetarō boku de sae mo shinjite shimai-sō ni naru no sa kowai ne

It must have sounded to you like it was true Even I'm almost starting to believe it Isn’t it scary

iki o sutte haku yōni, hana o kazaru yōni shita no ue de yasashiku tokeru yōna uso o tsuita

Like taking a breath, like arranging flowers I told a lie that gently melted on the tongue

yamashī iyashī minikui ozomashī boku ga okashī deshou? kotoba ni dekinai hodo ni orokana

Guilty*, repulsive, unsightly, horrendous I must be insane, right? So foolish, it can’t be described in words

yume ga samenai yōni, yume ga samenai yōni damashi tsudzukete ageru yagate kuru asa mo yoru ni shite ageru

So that this dream doesn’t end, so that this dream doesn’t end I’ll continue with the deception And turn the imminent morning into night too

ame ni nurenai yōni, ame ni nurenai yōni kono shiroi heya o derarenakute mo yurusaremasu yōni. uso o tsuku kara.

To not be soaked by the rain, to not be soaked by the rain Even if I can't leave this white room As if it may be forgiven. ** I'll tell this lie.

monowakari ga yokute, sukoshi shibaijimite te doko made hontō no koto ni kidzuiteru no   kowakunai no?

You’re so understanding, it’s even a little theatrical How much of the truth have you realized? Aren’t you scared?

yamashī iyashī minikui asamashī boku o abakanaide koreijō, kudaranai asahi ni obienaide

Guilty, repulsive, unsightly, horrendous Don’t expose me Don’t be afraid of the worthless morning sun anymore

ataerareta jikan wa zenbu, kimi ni waratte hoshikute ato wa dōdatte yokute awanaku naru tsujitsuma, afure-sōda, hontō ga

For all of the time I was given, I wanted so much for you to smile *** After that, it didn’t matter what happened The truth is, the inconsistencies are close to overflowing

kimi ga naitetandakke ano hi naitetandakke sore ga kini iranai dake sora ga, mabushikute yakekogeta yume

Were you crying? That day, (were you) crying? Am I bothered by that? The sky is blindingly bright, like a scorched dream

uso o tsuitetandakke uso o tsuitetandakke boku ga tokete kiete nakunatte shimatte mo ī hodo ni, tomerarenakunatte

Did I tell a lie? Did I tell a lie? Even if I melted away and disappeared I had become unable to stop saying it

yume ga samenai yōni, yume ga samenai yōni damashi tsudzukete ageru owakare no ashita mo, shiasatte ni naru

So that this dream doesn’t end, so that this dream doesn’t end I’ll continue with the deception The tomorrow after the goodbye will turn into the day after that as well

yakusoku no asa ni, yakusoku no asa ni boku no uso wa tada no hitorigoto ni narihatemashita. tsumaranai na. tsumaranai na.

On the promised morning, on the promised morning My lie became nothing more than a lonely monologue. **** How boring. How boring.

===== translation notes =====

*  ‘Guilty,’ as in objectively at fault for wrongdoing. (As opposed to feeling sorry.)

**  This line could also be interpreted as a wish or prayer: ‘May this be forgiven.’

***  ‘For all of the time I was given’  – I thought first person made the most sense, but to be accurate, the phrase does not say who is giving time to whom. It could also mean  ‘For all of the time we were given’  or  ‘For all of the time you gave me’  or, less likely, but  ‘For all of the time I gave you.’  I won’t argue that any one is the most correct.

****  ‘hitorigoto’ contains ‘alone’ and ‘words’ – essentially, ‘words spoken while alone.’ The direct translation is ‘monologue,’ but we also use ‘monologue’ in English to mean speaking solo in front of an audience, such as a character monologue in a play, and this does not translate back into ‘hitorigoto.’ (It would be ‘dokuhaku’ in that case. Ta-da, it’s the song title!)

==========

Commentary from Kaida’s listen-along stream from 6/14/25, starting from 48:10 in the YouTube archive.

The song arrangement was done by ヒトリエ  (hitorie), a rock band. Kaida has been friends with Yumao (the drummer) for a while, and he showed Kaida one of their live concerts. Kaida was really impressed by the cool, manly, mature sound of their music, and that is what he was aiming for with this song.

53:23 – (corresponding to 2:08 in the song track) This part makes him envision pouring rain. Specifically, hitorie band member Shinoda getting soaked by heavy rain. “Right here, if it were a drama, even though the rain is pouring super hard, the audio would be muted. […] I’m creating a hitorie MV in my head as I please.”

54:27 – “By the way, this song is ridiculously difficult. The falsetto wouldn’t come out.” (demonstrates with a few lines) “Where would be best for the falsetto to start? That was the issue.”

The keyword for this song ended up being ‘imitation,’ but he started with the words ‘misleading’ and ‘deception.’

It’s very human to wear different (figurative) masks in different social contexts – his examples are about acting differently in front of friends vs. upperclassmen at school vs. coworkers.  57:15 – “Have you ever wondered, ‘Which one is the real me?’ I see quite a lot of people who dislike themselves for that. […] It seems like there are somehow a lot of them among my listeners. […] But there are also people who will tell you that being like that is just fine. After all, it’s scary to show your true self. So we end up fabricating things one way or another. […] What I wanted to say was, you’re not the only one.” Everyone wants to be seen as the good kid, to be known as a likeable person, in front of others.

58:39 – “Aren’t all of them the real you?” In today’s society, wearing a mask is basically a necessary skill, so it’s okay not to mind it so much.

1:00:41 – Comments from Yumao: “Ever since Kaida-san approached hitorie about producing an original song, I imagined that one of ygarshy’s melodies would suit him perfectly. Being able to make a song with such a catchy tune was very very super satisfying (emoji text) Hope you all enjoy this thick sound!”

[snowdust64]

"Endroll de Matteru" - romaji and English translation

「エンドロールで待ってる」 Artist: Kaida Haru Music and lyrics: TOKOTOKO Translation by Snowdust64

Implied pronouns are in brackets. Additional notes at the bottom.

==========

nē moshimo uta ni mahō ga yadoru to iu no nara makkurayami o terasu dake no yūki o namida nugū dake no yasashi-sa o

Hey, if it’s possible for magic to dwell in songs May this hold the courage to light the darkest depths May this hold the kindness to wipe away tears

kimi ga kimi o akirameta toki ni maigo no yō kokora de kikoeta nakigoe no aruji o sagashiteru kokoroatari wa nai ka?

At the same time you gave up on yourself, wandering lost [I’m] looking for the owner of the crying voice that [I] heard around here Would [you] know anything about that?

akai me o shite   hiza o kakaete kon'na tokorode nani shitenda mukae ni kita yo   mukae ni ikundaro ano hi mo naiteta kimi no koto

Eyes all red, hugging [your] knees What are [you] doing in a place like this? [I] came back for [you]   Won't [you] go back? To the you that day who was crying too

tokoshie ni ai no uta hibike kaze o matō yōna imēji de mayoinagara machigainagara aruite iku tsumori da yo

Let the song of love resound forever Envisioned like wrapping around the wind Even as [I] get lost and make mistakes [I] intend to keep walking onward

sono mune ni kasuka demo tomotta hi wa kienai dakara kakusanaide kaze o uke tsuyoku hikaru honō madamada ikeru kōkai o tsudzukeyō

Even if it’s faint, the fire in [your] heart won’t disappear So don’t hide it Splitting the wind, that flame that shines brightly can still go a long way And go on carrying regrets *

hoho o naderu kaze no iro wa mienai kedo yozora o terasu manmaru otsuki-sama nare ya shinai kedo kokoro ni nanairo

The color of the wind caressing [my] cheek is invisible, but A great round moon lights up the night sky [I] haven’t gotten my bearings yet, but [my] heart is filled with seven colors

furueru ashi   kogoeru te to te sore o atatameru no ga jōnetsu butai no ue de kimi o matsu no wa hokademonai kimi jishin daro

Trembling feet, both hands frozen What warms them is passion Up on the stage waiting for you is none other than yourself

sekaijū ga ai no uta hitotsu de sukuerya īnoni na mā kītette yo shuyaku no inai endorōru de matteru tsumori da yo

If only the whole world could be saved by a single love song Well, listen At the endroll with no lead character, [I] will be waiting **

tada hitori kimi ni todoke

If this could just reach you alone

ai no uta hibike kaze o matō yōna imēji de mayoinagara machigainagara aruite iku tsumori da yo

Let the song of love resound Envisioned like wrapping around the wind Even as [I] get lost and make mistakes [I] intend to keep walking onward

sono mune ni kasuka demo tomotta hi wa kienai dakara kakusanaide kaze o uke tsuyoku hikaru honō madamada ikeru kōkai mo suru dekai goe de utau tōku made todoku yō ni

Even if it’s faint, the fire in [your] heart won’t disappear So don’t hide it Splitting the wind, that flame that shines brightly can still go a long way Making regrets too * Singing in a loud voice So that it may reach far and wide

nē moshimo uta ni mahō ga yadoru to iu no nara

Hey, if it’s possible for magic to dwell in songs

==========

*  The word ‘kokai’ translates to ‘regret’ but more narrowly describes the feeling of having missed out on something, like letting an opportunity pass, or not saying something at the right time, or turning down an invite and then realizing it would have been really fun to go.

**  I maintained the vagueness of this line, but I think the idea is ‘If we get there separately, I will wait for you’

==========

Some commentary from Kaida’s listen-along stream on 6/14/25, starting from 37:46 in the YouTube archive.

Rather than a forceful “Let’s go, let’s go!” this song is more of a “What’s troubling you?” Not everyone will be able to give it their all just because they were told to give it their all. The idea is someone with an uplifting spirit slowly getting through to the people huddled in the corners: “Are you okay? Come on, let’s go together.”

44:36 – “You know how when your mood lifts, for example when something you’re worried about gets resolved, […] it’s a matter of mental state, so your body’s not actually becoming lighter, but somehow when you go outside you feel like your body is lighter. I’d be really happy if that’s the feeling people will get when listening to this.”

46:35 – Comments from Nishizawasan-P (also known as TOKOTOKO): “I was in charge of the magic of wind. To you who are hugging your knees crying, to you who let go of something that should have been important, for the sake of you who couldn’t be saved by that song that day, it has come. May the wind of Kaida Haru blow through your windows as well.” Kaida’s reaction: “I got an amazing comment! The way people who are songwriters can just write something like this… I’m jealous.”

[snowdust64]

Mahou Ni Tsuite - romaji and English translation

「魔法について」 Artist: Kaida Haru Music and lyrics: Horie Shota

Translation by Snowdust64

========== This song is short, so there's more commentary translation than lyric translation. Scroll to the bottom for the commentary part. ==========

Can you hear my spell? Can you hear your spell?

永遠は何処にもないと云う それなら私はここで歌うのです 古ぼけた写真の中で懐かしく微笑む、そんなイメージで 魔法のように

eien wa doko ni mo nai to iu sore nara watashi wa koko de utau no desu furuboketa shashin no naka de natsukashiku hohoemu, son'na imēji de mahō no yō ni

Eternity is nowhere to be found, it’s said If that is so, then I will be singing here In the image of a nostalgic smile from within an old photograph Like magic

==========

Key points from Kaida’s commentary on this song from his listen-along stream on 6/14/25. This starts at about 25:45 in the YouTube archive video.

Theme for this song: the magic of beginning

The tracklist for the album was originally 11 songs, but Horie Shota suggested adding a simple track at the beginning to serve as an intro. Kaida wondered how his first original song, “Toumeina Shinzou ga Naiteita,” would have turned out if they had created it now. So he asked to make an intro based on that song.

He started out planning for a piano accompaniment, but since guitar seemed like a better representation for him, they changed the part to acoustic guitar.

30:06 – “When I remember back, 3 years or so, to all that happened […] At that time, when “Toumeina Shinzou ga Naiteita” was released as my first original song, my music was pretty transparent. But, since then, having continued to do music all this time – not that it was very long – doing music as a Nijisanji Liver, I do feel like my color has changed a little. I wonder what color (‘naniiro’) it is now? Haha, ‘naniiro,’ isn’t that confusing!"  (“Naniiro,” referring to one of his 2023 singles.)

There’s always this uneasiness that things, or people, are going to disappear someday. For example, Nijisanji members graduating. There’s nothing that really lasts forever. 32:43 – “But, me singing in this moment, and reaching everyone, that truth alone exists. Right now. Right now it exists. For as long as I can keep going, I mean to keep going.”

The ‘lalalala’ chorus that closes out the song is taken from “Koe No Tabi,” the last song in the album, so that this intro bridges all his work from his first song to the end of this album.

While recording, it was too hard to record the different lines separately and put them together with good flow, so he had to aim for a single take. In one particular take, he thought, “Wah, this is the one!” Horie Shota was directing for him, and immediately after the last word, Horie said “This is it, right?” It was a very joyful moment.

[snowdust64]

summary translation for Kaida's commentary on his album, Magic

I am slowly going through Kaida’s 6/14/25 stream archive, the listen-along stream for his album Magic, to translate his commentary about the music. Below is a summary of his thoughts on the album as a whole, which spans from 7:45 through around minute 25 in the YouTube archive video. I included some timestamps in case anyone wants to roughly follow along.

The concept for this album was “magic.” People can physically fall and be injured and then heal with medicine, but music is like magic in the way it can affect people’s hearts.

9:30 – “After all, I myself was saved by music, so I really felt that, ah, this is magic. Well, I do hail from the Ouma Empire, so I can do various things, but I think there are other forms of magic than that. True magic is much more difficult […] That’s what I believe, and hope I can make others believe too.”

11:20 – Kaida put most of this album together himself, “but I wouldn’t understand all the fine details, so, there is this man named Horie Shota… To this man Horie Shota, I said, ‘I’d like to make an album. Let’s make it together.’ And so the album got started.” Horie helped guide him through the harder parts of the music production, double-checked his work, etc. But Kaida did all the steps himself.

This album was planned with the big picture in mind. He had a clear idea of what songs he wanted to put together in this album from the beginning, and communicated his ideas with all the creators involved. He decided in advance to release one song for his birthday (this was “Mizu No Kioku”) and another a few months before the rest of the album (which was “Hajimari no Wakewo”).

20:45 – Completing this album “really deepened the satisfaction about fact that I could pull off something to this extent, and my pride about my love for music. I’m super satisfied.”

24:42 – The songs in this album had magic-related themes. He revealed these one by one throughout the stream, but I'm listing them all in one place here: “Mahou Ni Tsuite” – magic of beginning “Endroll de Matteru” – magic of wind “Dokuhaku” – magic of imitation “Mizu No Kioku – magic of water “247love” – magic of love (the kind you feel for a passionate crush) “Tomato Ha Ai Wo Kaisanai” – magic of a curse “Raimei” – magic of amplifying strength “Blue Mythology” – magic of fire/flame “Saredo Hoshi No Kagayaki Wo Shiru” – magic of light “Oblivion” – magic of remembering “Hajimari No Wakewo” – magic of release (as in, being set free) “Koe No Tabi” – magic of voice

[snowdust64]

hello!! i don't use tumblr much nowadays but i also wanted to say that i really enjoy your TLs as well! especially for the ouma taisen tan episodes--genuinely you're like a god to me for all your TLs. (tho i'm STILL slowly getting through the episodes...) i also wish i'd sent a message earlier but i thought i would do so after i finish watching and reading those episodes. but!! !!! in any case, genuinely thank you from the bottom of my heart and i'm glad you're still willing to continue to TL!!

Gosh, you're welcome! Glad you're enjoying the series! Ouma Taisen Tan was definitely my biggest project ever, and I'm still amazed that I completed it solo. Solid reminder that I'm pretty good at what I do huh... though I wouldn't call myself a god, haha.

I am indeed continuing! Thank you for logging on to Tumblr to write such kind words!

[snowdust64]

hi! i really like your translations so please dont feel that way about your work. your translations have always been very accessible to me because i cant go on twitter and it takes really long to scroll through hundreds of youtube comments to try and find a translation that maybe isnt even there. because of you i get to enjoy Valz a lot easier since i dont under japanese that well. i think you should focus on having fun more than anything. please dont burn out! i really appreciate the work you do. thank you!

wahhhh thank you anon! Yes I certainly will! It's hard to guess how useful my translations are to the community when there's so little feedback most of the time. This made my day, and probably week, and month. Really, it means a lot! Thank YOU!!!

[snowdust64]

Scratch my last post. Yeah I have a crazy work schedule, but to not translate anymore because other people are doing it? That's just my imposter syndrome flaring up. So I will write out this little rant mainly for my own sake, but I know there are countless other fan translators out there who feel like this too.

I have always, ALWAYS felt imposter syndrome as a fan translator. For me it stems from not being a native Japanese speaker and only informally learning it for fun. Every time I see someone else translate a song that I've translated before, I immediately start questioning all my word choices and the implied pronouns that I interpreted differently. And the dumb mistakes I catch in my own work. Oh my god the dumb mistakes. Each one makes me horribly guilty, even though I know that as a human I am going to continue making dumb mistakes for as long as I live, regardless of my level of mastery in whatever I am doing. Even experienced, professional translators make dumb mistakes sometimes. That doesn't make them any less valuable or trustworthy. The more important thing is to correct mistakes when they're found, and I have been correcting mine very diligently. At least I know to consistently give myself credit for that.

I am good at what I do here. I contribute things that other fans appreciate, and it doesn't matter if it overlaps with what other fans are also contributing. That's what fandoms are built on. Come on, brain, stop overthinking this! I translate because I enjoy it, and it's rewarding to be able to share what I enjoy with others. Besides, there's so much VΔLZ content still untouched, how could I possibly think there was nothing left for me to do? Even if I reach back a few years and translate some forgotten tidbit, surely someone will read it and be happy they did.

Okay, that's the rant. It's true that I have no energy or focus to work on something right now, but Snowdust64 is not retiring from fan translations. Heck no she is not. Hold me to it, everyone.