#Composer: Yamakawa Etsuko

[redfreesias03]

Hishochi no Mori no Tenshi-tachi (“Angels of the Summer Lodge Forest”)

“Love me; a friend group of four (it’s frustrating). Kiss me; it should be two and two, but it’s not that simple. You know? Me and her (and you…) There’s two guys, but one left over.”

OR: A girl’s in love with the friend who constantly teases her, but her other friend is also in love with him, and they’re all at a forest lodge for the summer with another guy friend who’s probably so not here for this.

n? ijiwaru ne BISHOnure yo

Hmm? How mean! I’m soaking wet

sumikitta ROJJI no kaze kimorebi no UINKU yoku MENDOKUsakunai ne mata, sensha shiteru

A perfectly clear breeze, at the lodge The wink of sunlight streaming through the trees We’re not quite tired out of it yet So we’re washing the car over again

mizushibuki    waza to HOOSU no saki wo watashi ni muketa no

A sheet of spray—you pointed the hose Towards me on purpose!

Love Me yonin de kousai (jirettai) Kiss Me    ni tai ni dakedo WA・ri・KI・re・NA・i・NO・yo

Love Me A friend group of four (it’s frustrating) Kiss me, it should be 2 vs 2 but iT’s・nOt・tHaT・SiMpLe

You Know? watashi mo ano ko mo (anata no) You Know? kare wa ninzuu・ni・ha・I・ra・NA・i・NO・yo

You Know? Me And her (and you…) You Know? There’s two guys but oNe・tOo・mANy

nee   SHIIZUN ne hishochi no mori no tenshi-tachi

Hey, it’s the season where There are angels in the summer lodge forest

hirusagari    futarikiri ne minna TENISU・KOOTO nukegake shitakute BAKA ne    DOKIDOKI shichau no

Early afternoon, it’s just us two Everyone’s at the tennis court I want to steal a march on her My stupid heart is    racing like crazy

sonna ni ne    soba ni chikayoranaide kimochi ga BAREsou

Hey, don’t get so close to me It feels like my feelings will get exposed

Love Me yonin de kousai (okureteru) Kiss Me   nipaku sannichi no BA・ka・N・su・Na・no・NI・ne

Love Me A friend group of four (we fall behind) Kiss Me, it’s a 2-night, 3-days VaCaTiOn・AnD・yEt—

You Know? onna no ko no yuujou wa (KARUI no yo) You Know? ki ni shinaide do・CHI・ra・KA・e・RA・n・DE

You Know? Friendship between Girls isn’t (some heavy, serious thing) You Know? So don’t worry pLeAsE・cHoOsE・bEtWeEN・uS

nee    watashi dake ijimeru no naze    kitai shichau

Hey, why am I The only one you tease? I can’t help but get my hopes up

Love Me TOMODACHI kankei (haji da yo ne) Kiss Me    kono manma ja na・TSU・wa・O・wa・RE・na・I

Love Me Being just “friends” (is a shame) Kiss Me, I can’t let sUmMER・eNd・LiKe・tHiS

You Know? KURUMA nanka yori (shitsurei yo) You Know? watashi dake ni kyo・U・mi・WO・mi・SE・te・YO

You Know? Instead of the car (Excuse me) You Know? Show some interest in mE・aND・OnLy・mE

nee   SHIIZUN ne hishochi no mori no tenshi-tachi

Hey, it’s the season where There are angels in the summer lodge forest

---

No real notes, but in all honesty, the mix of upper and lowercase characters irritates me. Even so, I felt it was important in conveying the age and trendy 80′s aesthetic the original was going for with the use of alternate hiragana and katakana so there you go. : (

[redfreesias03]

Popcorn Batake de Tsukamaete (“Catch Me in Popcorn Fields”)

“Pop like popcorn does. Hey, enjoy yourself! Pop like popcorn does! Turn love, turn love into kernels.”

OR: Due to the Japanese translation of JD Salinger’s famous novel, this title can also be translated as “Catcher in the Rye Popcorn”.

chiisana haru no hizashi ga midori no sukima de kakurenbo shiteiru mitai ne yasashii kaze ga dokoka de anata wo mitsukete koko ni iru yo nante    sasayaku

It’s as if the little bit of spring sunshine Is hiding in a corner of green, Playing hide-and-go-seek. Somewhere, the gentle breeze Finds you And whispers “here you are!”

DEETO suru nara niai no kisetsu ude wo kuminagara (futari de) aruite goran

When it comes to dating, this is the perfect season Arms linked (the two of us) Let’s go on a walk

hora POPPUKOON mitai ni hajikete nee    tanoshinde POPPUKOON mitai ni hajikete koi wa    koi wa    MAME ni shite

Look! Pop like popcorn does Hey, enjoy yourself Pop like popcorn does Turn love, turn love into kernels¹

shizuka na ike no hotori de mitsumeteiru yori onigokko no hou ga muiteru mizutoritachi ga totsuzen tabidatsu mitai ni motto chigau basho de aitai

Rather than standing by the verge of the quiet pond Gazing into it I turn my eyes towards the game of tag Just like how the water fowl suddenly Take off in flight, I want to meet you somewhere completely different

nanika suru nara    suteki na jikan fuzaketa manma de (oshare ni) KISU shite goran

When it comes to “something happening”, now’s a wonderful time for that As we continue romping around (trendily) Kiss me

hora Love Chance nogasanai you ni nee    oikakete Love Chance nogasanai you ni koi wa    koi wa    MAME ni shite…

Look! Don’t let our chance for love go by Hey, chase after me Don’t let our chance for love go by Turn love, turn love into kernels

DEETO suru nara niai no kisetsu ude wo kuminagara (futari de) aruite goran

When it comes to dating, this is the perfect season Arms linked (the two of us) Let’s go on a walk

hora POPPUKOON batake de tsukamaete nee    dakishimete POPPUKOON batake de tsukamaete koi wa    koi wa    MAME ni shite…

Look! Catch me in the popcorn fields Hey, hold me Catch me in the popcorn fields Turn love, turn love into kernels…

---

¹ This is a bit of a pun, as mame means “bean/kernel”, but can also mean “faithful/loyal”. So, “turn love into kernels” can also be taken as “turn this into a loyal love”.

[redfreesias03]

MARIINA no Natsu (“Marina Summer”)

“In my heart, a marina breeze, the distant mirage of that summer.”

OR: A girl goes to the beach year-round to relive a summer crush.

sora no BURUU ga tokedashite irie ni natsu ga chikadzukeba shiroi YOTTO no SEIRU made hizashi no suberidai

The blue of the sky melts away As summer approaches the bay Even the white yacht sails Act as a slide for the sunshine

kyonen    BOOTOHAUSU no baiten de ARUBAITO shiteta ano hito ni aitakute

Wanting to meet the guy who Worked part-time at the boathouse shop Last year

mou ichido    MARIINA no koi hitonatsu no awai omoide watashi dake    hitori koko made kitemita no mou ichido    MARIINA no koi taiyou ni yaketa teiki no FOTOGRAFU kataomoi juunii kagetsu wo taisetsu ni shitai kara

Once again, marina love The pale memories of one summer– I came back all the way here All by myself Once again, marina love A commuter pass ID photo where I’m tanned Because I want to treasure that unrequited love 12 months in a year¹

sukoshi kokoro wo hazumasete ano hi no DOA wo aitara itsumo yume mita    ano hito ga watashi wo matteita

My heart leapt a little When I opened the door to that day– That guy I always dreamed of Was waiting for me

kyuu ni    nani mo hanaseyashinai kara kono mune no atsui tokimeki ni ki ga tsuite

Suddenly, I can’t say a word I notice the heated throbbing In my chest

HAATO ni    MARIINA no kaze ano natsu no tooi maboroshi hohoemi de    kioku tsunaide mitai dake HAATO ni    MARIINA no kaze ichinen no nagai yakusoku kawaranai ai wo daite umi ni kaettekita no

In my heart, a marina breeze The distant mirage of that summer I just wanted to try connecting to The memories with a smile In my heart, that marina breeze The long promise of one year Holding onto that unchanging love, I came back to the beach

mou ichido    MARIINA no koi hitonatsu no awai omoide watashi dake    hitori koko made kitemita no mou ichido    MARIINA no koi taiyou ni yaketa teiki no FOTOGRAFU kataomoi juunii kagetsu wo taisetsu ni shitai kara

Once again, marina love The pale memories of one summer– I came back all the way here All by myself Once again, marina love A commuter pass ID photo where I’m tanned Because I want to treasure that unrequited love 12 months in a year

---

¹ The implication is that the singer goes to the beach year-round, even when it isn’t summer, and her photo in the commuter pass (bus pass/train pass/etc.) is tanned as a result.