#oborodzukiyo

[brotheryanny]

A Lyrical Analysis of Mafumafu’s Oborodzuki

These are my thoughts on Mafumafu’s Oborodzuki (in essay format no less), nothing here is the definitive truth or reason behind the writing, it’s just how I understand it. It’s a beautiful song, and Mafumafu himself said he put a lot of thought into writing it, so here (it’s long orz i got carried away)  ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

Let me know what you thought, if there’s anything you agree/disagree with, if I got facts wrong etc. (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤ enjoy!

The core storyline of Mafumafu’s song, Oborodzuki, follows a prostitute, and is set, presumably by the caged backdrop and red theme in the MV, in the Yukaku (Red Light District) of Yoshiwara.

The title, Oborodzuki means by itself ‘Hazy Moon’, but I’d like to associate it with the character, Oborodzukiyo (Hazy Moon Night) from The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th Century. In Chapter 8 Genji forces himself on the married Oborodzukiyo, the beautiful daughter of the Minister of the Right. The affair results in Oborodzukiyo eventually falling in love with Genji, and unable to love her husband, the Crown Prince and living a life of guilt. So, in the recurring lines 霞む、私は朧月, Growing dimmer, I am the Hazy Moon (I am Oborodzuki), I think she may be relating to this character.

The song begins with 馴れ初めを知らぬまま、薄紅点した宵時雨 translating roughly to ‘Not knowing how love is to begin, I apply thin red (onto my face) in the late-night rain’. It firstly shows naivety and that she is still young, but she and her emotions are hidden away by makeup, and the dark, and the falling rain. This is followed by 朔日に洗われて、真白になれたら; she wishes to be washed by (the light of) the first moon, and become pure white, and 今は不香の花でありたい, to just be a fragrant flower, suggesting that she believes that she’s been dirtied (by customers). 幼き日々は貴方の傍、悠々夢の果て is quite straightforward; this song is directed at someone she spent her childhood with, but those days are at the end of a leisurely dream -and it is as if she relives those memories of when she was pure even though they are long gone. Additionally, the verse  華やかな景観に　当てられ世人は列なる、愛しみは幾匁　花は一匁 “Mankind are naturally drawn to brilliant landscapes (refering to herself), Emotions are worth several mace (an old currency used in East Asia), A flower is worth one” show her devotion to her childhood friend. On top of that,  花一匁  is a children’s game, involving singing and teams. Her emotions, in particular sorrow and love, are expensive and cannot be bought easily (and are reserved for her true love) but her body (a flower -as she is nature’s brilliant landscape) can be bought comparatively very cheaply. She will remain loyal to her love, and the money metaphor merely links back to her services as a courtesan.

For the first chorus, the instrumental and vocal line changes in character. A strong 今宵は誰がために踊るのでしょう, ‘Who will I dance for tonight?’, is a contrast from the previous, as if she is waking from the dream, coming into her harsh reality. While dancing is usually something done for joy, there’s the uncertainty of not knowing who she’ll be performing for (typical for a courtesan in Yoshiwara). In the next chorus, the uncomfortable imagery of 知らぬ吐息浴び、軋む帷 roughly ‘Bathed in the breath of someone I don’t know, the curtains creak (closed)’ produces feelings of anxiety. She refers to them in 顔の無い人影 literally ‘shadows of people without faces’, giving an atmosphere of fear but perhaps apathy to those who visit. 

The Red Thread of Fate, 赤い糸, plays a key role in the narrative. 手繰り寄せる朱殷の糸口よ、貴方に続けと願う- ‘The crimson thread-end that draws us together, I wish for it to continue’. In the cut between two lines (before 今宵は誰がために踊るのでしょう) we see a glimpse of the tangled string, but the end is tied onto her index finger. In Asian culture it is believed to symbolise destined lovers; and no matter how tangled or knotted the string might get, it will never break. Whoever she dances with each night, her ‘soulmate’ will always be the same, or so she prays.

Temari, decorative balls made from intricate embroidery, are typically gifted to children, and symbolise deep bonds and loyalty. So when Oborodzuki’s temari falls from her wrists, plunging into the darkness in the line 袖口の手毬は転ぶ、暗がりの方へ it feels like a bad omen. It causes her to feel vulnerable and lonely; ねぇ お願い ひとりにしないで ‘Hey, please, don’t leave me alone’ but 雲間に消える ‘disappearing into the clouds’ -both she and her words are lost in the clouds and the instrumental thins out -If she is the Hazy Moon, her light has been covered over by the sweeping black clouds, and inevitably she is left alone in the night sky.

The last verse, 愛しい愛しいよと木霊した、日々は想うほどに遥か ‘‘I love you, I love you,’ echoes, growing more distant the more I think about it day by day’ makes her efforts sound hopeless, however with 冷めぬ心に霏霏と六の花 芽吹きと共に 、あの人のもとへ、 帰ろう she is determined to return to his side, and instrumental growing stronger, the melody for あの人のもとへ、 帰ろう ‘I will return, to that person’s side’ changes from what we’ve already heard before, showing determination and willingness to confront.

The character of the last chorus also differs from the previous choruses. With 遊里に咲く雪月花 she describes herself as ‘The Red Light District’s blooming beauty of nature’, rather than singing about the strangers she meets. And this time, 霞む私は朧月 seems, to me, accepting of her position as a courtesan. Even though this may sound like it contradicts the revelation before, she believes this path will ensue. She pleads for the red thread to bring them together again, but knows that 千切れぬ明日に契りなどない ‘I cannot change (lit. cut into a thousand pieces) tomorrow, and I cannot make any vows (presumably wedding vows, like how Oborodzukiyo couldn’t live her married life happily)’ and the song ends with 薄月の色, the colour of the pale moon -the colour she once wished she were. If she is the Hazy Moon, then this last line could be interpreted as her emotions of wanting to reunite with the man -But we can question; what exactly is the colour of a hazy moon?

I personally see this song as Oborodzuki’s journey of thought, at first, wishing to find her lost love, and despising her current condition, having to perform to and sleep with faceless men night on night. When she drops her temari, she realises that she’s lost her connection with him, and is begging the unbreaking red thread to bring them together again -her heart refuses to be frozen and she is determined to win him back, supposedly as a prostitute, as she has nothing left to give. She cannot change destiny, so she will continue with her daily turmoil and hope they will meet again there. In the MV, the moon comes into view momentarily then slips back into the clouds, back to how they were earlier in the song. And there she will wait.

[secondlinekitty]

I’m a little bit bothered by the casting. I mean, Stephane joining this event sounds really cool and all, but him as Suzaku?! What kind of story do they have in mind with this? I’m sure he’ll be amazing and will impress us all, but that is actually what’s troubling me, knowing the original story and the character’s role. Isn’t he too beautiful for Suzaku? I’m sure Takahashi-kun will look fabulous too, but can he really look FAR better and attractive than Stephane for the story!? Or maybe they’ll just make their original version story and change the whole setting of Suzaku role, hopefully.

Daisuke Takahashi: Prince Genji (the protagonist)

Stephane Lambiel: Suzaku (Genji’s brother, to-be-Emperor)

Shizuka Arakawa: Lady Kokiden (Suzaku’s mother)

Yulia Lipnitskaya: Murasaki (Genji’s young wife)

Akiko Suzuki: Oborodzukiyo (Kokiden’s sister, Genji’s lover)

Nobunari Oda: Onmyoji (Onmyodo specialist, like Seimei, original character?)

Kanako Murakami: Sakukaze? (original character?)

Some other major roles will be played by actors/actresses, but not Kabuki artists this time.

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Kiryu: Oborozukiyo (English)

Song: 朧月夜/Oborozukiyo (Hazy Moonlit Night) Artist: Kiryu Music, lyrics: Sakai Mitsuki Single: Jou no Ka/Oborozukiyo Translation: J!L

That warped shadow was the beginning of the thoughts that pierced that young heart and began to rot it without falling away Even if I turn back to the memories burned into my eyes in youth, oh how it hurts Without even being able to dream shamefully, that warped shadow inserted itself into me deeply Numerous nights passed faithlessly, and yet…

The hand that caresses the darkness plucks away the flower petals; even if they blossom and whither away, the smell sticks to this place I dream and dream dozingly of satiating my lust for those budding flowers in the hazy, crimson light of the moon

I’m going to dig my fingers deep into my ears to shut out The pain that pierces my ears from that wailing voice The flavor of lukewarm meat

The hand that caresses the darkness plucks away the flower petals; even if they are shredded and wither away, they still turn a vibrant red I dream and dream dozingly of satiating my lust for sorrow in the early evening’s flowers

Though I love without lying, without realizing it, I begin to purr

Beneath the mask of kindness is a vile lust Tear off that thin mask and you’ll find my crude base desires

Young - rotten - budding - blossoming - dream - sleep - evening Pain - desire - peeling - indecency - drowning - crimson - haze

Let the flowers blossom in the dark of the night; it will all be dyed deep red in the light of the evening moon Touched by fingertip and the tip of my tongue, crude base desires Smeared in dew, let’s drown in it; the end and satisfaction of being outside and in And when pain turns red with crude base desire

The hand that wears the darkness plucks away the flower petals’ even if they take on color and scatter, they throw themselves at my mercy I dream and dream dozingly of satiating my lust for those dreams and count on my fingers

The hand that caresses the darkness plucks away the flower petals; even if they blossom and whither away, the smell sticks to this place I dream and dream dozingly of satiating my lust for those budding flowers in the hazy, crimson light of the moon

-

Jou no Ka/Oborozukiyo Translations

1. Jou no Ka ☆  2. Oborozukiyo C-3. ONAJI ANA NO MUJINA D-3. Setsugetsuka

[j-exclamationmark-l]

Insomnia rant

I really like Kiryu. Like, not just the costumes and the makeup and the pretty boys and the bright colors - they could literally perform shows in jeans and T-shirts and boring hair and I'd still go see them and buy their CDs. They're really talented as musicians. This might sound ignorant, but I had no idea how important bass was until I heard Hiyori play. And Mitsuki inspired me to take up guitar, myself. I love the fusion sound of traditional Japanese music and metal in their work, the dreaminess of songs like Etsu to Utsu and the rhythmic darkness of Oborodzukiyo. I love their lyrics, too: using Ameyo ni Waraeba to talk about being haunted by a former loved one as a ghost may stalk a child; Shitakiri Suzume comparing society's rules to not talk about important issues to having your tongue ripped out; in a similar vein, Kairai's video seems to compare swallowing your unspoken words to eating worms. I absolutely adore Muku, a song about innocence and purity while Kiryu's members dress in white and literally have images projected onto them that stain their "pure" image. Hyakkiyakou is about going against the grain, defying what others have deemed normal in the name of carving a new, better path for future generations; Tenshou Rinne is about Kiryu as a band and their dread of one day "dying" (disbanding) as Mitsuki literally shouts at Mahiro in the song not to give up. They're so artsy, I love it. Not only that, I'm pretty sure most of them are good people - and not to make myself sound important or anything, but that's not a phrase I say lightly about musicians. I've fallen out of love with tons of bands after meeting them. Mitsuki just seems so kind and full of love, even despite his dark lyrics and makeup. I remember the first time I saw him perform on stage - he was so captivating, I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. DVDs don't do him justice. Every song that started, he lit up like "THIS is my favorite song!" He doesn't have that too-cool-for-school attitude that other bands like Dir En Grey have (that "UGH why am I here" look, that "Kyo don't you dare come near me or I swear to god" look), and his enthusiasm is really infectious. You can tell Mitsuki adores and respects his bandmates, and they feel similarly toward him. The random high-fives mid-song, the wide grins, the way they lean on each other. Mitsuki is the artsy and critically thinking one, Hiyorin is the book-smart one, Takemasa is the friendly and personable one, Mahiro is the ditz who pretends to be angry all the time, and Junji is the healthy one. I get that they have their differences and fight sometimes but I think that they're still together is a sign of how flexible and understanding they are.

In conclusion, I have work tomorrow. Goodnight, have a good Sunday.

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Kiryu Youtube video synopses

From November 2018 - December 2018 These are synopses, not direct translations, despite the fact I began to forget that during the top one, which I wrote last.

【本人解説】己龍最新アルバム「転生輪廻」マル秘トーク！ Kiryu talks about their new album Tenshou Rinne!

Synopsis: The five members gather together and give their thoughts about their new album.

Tsurushi Mitsuki: This is an older song I wrote, back in 2017. I made Mahiro sing in a very low register. Mahiro: I like the distortion effect in doubling my voice. Junji: I was surprised by this song, it has a nice balance between quiet and movement. Muku Mitsuki: This is the song where I began using a seven-string guitar. Hiyorin: The balance is very difficult to achieve, but once you get it, it's incredible. Junji: Between quiet and movement... THIS SONG IS DEFINITELY MOVEMENT. Oborodzukiyo Hiyorin: This kind of sounds like the kind of song we would have written in our early days. Takemasa: I think this song is more popular with our male fans since it's kind of R-rated. Mitsuki: I wanted to make a song that was dark and disturbing. Mahiro: I like this song. Junji: Between sun and shadow, this song is shadow. Ibitsu Mitsuki: This is maybe the prettiest song on the album, and a bonus track. It's a song about pain. Hiyori: The bass solo is very significant. Takemasa: After having written some hundred songs together, we've yet to have made a song like this. I'm glad we put it out now. Junji: Between strength and gentleness, this song is gentle. Hansuu Mitsuki: This is a song Takemasa wrote for us. It has a nice balance and it's really fun to play. Hiyori: It's fast and busy. Takemasa: I wrote it mostly on my iPhone. Mahiro: The speed and rhythm of it really makes it a unique song. Junji: This isn't a normal rhythmic pattern for Takemasa. It's all... (sings the pattern). That's it. That's all it is for me. [Then Junji compares it to some manga thing I'm not familiar with]. Tenshou Rinne Mitsuki: This is the kind of song that people who like Kiryu will enjoy. It's a very Kiryu song. We don't use normal phrases for us, though. Hiyori: It's really nice to hear you singing for us, Mitsuki. Mahiro: That was my idea. I thought it would add a nice kind of unique sparkle to it. Junji: This is a fast song. Watashi ha Kairai, Sarugutsuwa no Ningyou Mitsuki: This is a rather slow song for us. Hiyori: I felt like this song was a sort of turning point for us, that this is the song that shows we're no longer kids. Like we grew beards for this song. Mitsuki: I don't understand what on earth you're talking about. Hiyorin: Don't you feel like you finally grew pubic hair? Mitsuki: What? Like in junior high school, weirdo. How old are you, do you still not have hair there? Mahiro: I really like the balance and sound of this song. Basara Mitsuki: This song is called "Basara," AKA Take-punk. Takemasa: WHAT? WHY?? Mitsuki: Every time you submitted a demo of this song, the feeling of it was very uncertain. But the underlying sound was always kind of punk. Hiyorin: Thank you for all the deep feelings held in this song! Mahiro: I like this. Junji: I hate the rhythm. It's the same thing over and over again. Nopperabou Mitsuki: This song was born out of my want to write a song that had this sort of bass rhythm. For you, Hiyorin, it's all bass slaps. Hiyorin: Oh yeah! This is the most difficult song to play on this album! The rhythm is hard, and when I was recording, you kept asking for more and more. Mitsuki: And the lyrics, I really felt like I was able to write something significant and deep... Hiyorin: It is a sufficiently Micchan song. Junji: When you sent it to me, I couldn't even begin to imagine what the chorus would be like. Takemasa: We had to do so much reamping and such, this was also the most expensive song to make. Mahiro: There were just so many levels to making it. But in the end, it was fun. Mitsuki: How about it, Hiyorin? Can you go more? Hiyorin: ..I'm going to have to say for now, I'd like to stay at this level. Gekkabijin Mitsuki: This is the most Japanese-sounding track on the album. It's like Kiryu-pop. Takemasa: I had absolutely no idea where to insert this song in the album. Mitsuki: Maybe we should have made it a bonus track? Mahiro: Sometimes I forget we have songs like this, too. Junji: It's Mitsu-punk. Basara is Take-punk and Gekkabijin is Mitsu-punk. Harushigure Hiyorin: This song really conveys the feeling of now. This is really Takemasa's song. Kairai is Mitsuki's song of growth, and Harushigure is -- Takemasa: HAIR? HAIR? HAIR? Hiyorin: Your beard. Mitsuki: This is the world's beard. Mahiro: From the start, I knew this would be a good song. Junji: Takemasa wrote the music and Mitsuki wrote the lyrics, so it kind of feels like a thing you both peed on together. (Everyone laughs). No, it's a good song. It's good. I just hate it. I only play TAN-TAN-TA OVER AND OVER. Except at the end, I play DO-DO-DO. Then tan-tan-ta. But it sounds nice and sparkly. Jou no Ka Mitsuki: This is THE single Junji: The song that charmed the world. Mitsuki: We used this song in an anime. The concept came from trying to tackle something we couldn't do before. I wanted to do that. Everyone: Thank you. Hiyorin: I didn't cry, but I felt as though I might. It's a moving song. Junji: But then, seeing your name appear on the opening credits as the writer was kind of a blow. This song... between light and dark, this song is light. Mahiro: I really like this song. Kuroyami ni Madou Esoragoto Mitsuki: This song is "Kuroyami ni Madou Esoragoto," AKA the Take-ballad. Junji: This sounds like something he wrote when he was in school. This is back when it was just us in a Take-band. Prince Take hasn't changed a bit. Mitsuki: This song is just so heavy. Takemasa: I thought about all the things I wanted to say, the messages I wanted to get across. But I wasn't the one singing it, so I knew if Mahiro couldn't feel it, this song wouldn't resonate. Mahiro: It was really difficult to sing. Every line felt like a wound. Hiyorin: Usually songs feel like a journey. You hit this place, then return. Then you hit this place and return. This song starts with an intro that I expect to come back to, but you never come back to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Rv-pyuEXE

5000万円以上⁉コンビニATMに入金できる額の限界を調査 Over ￥500,000,000!? Let's see how much money a convenience store ATM can take.

Synopsis: Takemasa gathers a TON of money and tries to break the ATM by putting too much in at once. Result: Eventually, the ATM does stop accepting the money after depositing ￥305,000,000. Notable: Holding THAT MUCH money at once is genuinely terrifying. Takemasa tries to make a joke about it, but you can tell he's truly nervous to be holding that much in public.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4SRtOUadMs

【黒崎眞弥を観察する会】サイン書き Watch Kurosaki Mahiro write his signature

Synopsis: Mahiro announces he will now sign posters. He then begins silently signing posters. Result: Posters have been signed. Notable: That one time he moved a poster. It was magical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tmRaTSFRys

己龍 九条武政より、今までありがとう。 Thank you for everything up until now. -Kujou Takemasa, Kiryu

Synopsis: Takemasa talks about his past in an overly dramatic way, how he decided that as long as he's in public, he will always wear his mask. As long as he has his mask, he is Kujou Takemasa. Result: In Macau, while bungee jumping, his mask flies off, and he pretends he died the moment the mask came off his face. Notable: OVER THE TOP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNb_NqnO9Fs

【初体験】まだ見ぬ仙台の味を求めて【雑談有り】 [First Experience] We found a new flavor of Sendai (chat included)

Synopsis: Mitsuki and Hiyorin go to Sendai and talk about the kinds of food it's famous for: gyuutan, zunda, sasakama... but NO! They will not try these foods today! Instead, they'll try the first hamburger shop that was opened in Japan. Result: The two agree the hamburgers are good. Notable: Mitsuki relays a story. "Sometimes, when I go buy food, an old lady will say, 'please enjoy this with ketchup.' Sometimes the kids will write their names on their food in ketchup, too. And young couples will write each other's names." "That's sweet," Hiyoin comments. "They even draw a heart around it... the little shitheads," Mitsuki laughs. "GROW UP, MITSUKI!" Hiyorin manages through his own laughter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CEiLBSyab8

メントスコーラリベンジ Mentos-Cola Revenge

Synopsis: Mitsuki analyzes what went wrong in the first mentos and cola video and decides to try again. Result: A huge mess explosion. Notable: Mitsuki isn't sure about trying by himself, and wonders if someone very special will hear him call out for help, no matter where they are... he calls out, "HIYOOOORIIIIIIINNN!" and surely enough, Hiyorin sweeps in to save the day. Notable 2: It's rather humanizing to see Mitsuki and Hiyorin cleaning up their own mess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an_JFW6ck3o

【企画会議】みんなでネタ考えよう！ [Meeting Regarding Future Plans] Let's all think of ideas for videos!

Synopsis: Chamu (Codomo Dragon) and Mitsuki ask for help thinking of Youtube videos people would like to see. Mitsuki claims he's only good at thinking of food-related things. Later, Mitsuki recruits Zero Hertz's Gaga and Rio to help him try different toast toppings while Chamu films them. Result: Nori tsukudani (seaweed simmered in soy sauce) Mitsuki: Too salty, but otherwise good. Rio: It's like jelly. Gaga: Salty, but good. Ume gonomi (pickled plum) Mitsuki: Too sour. Rio: Too sour. Gaga: (feigns vomiting) Ika shiokara (salted and fermented squid) Mitsuki: SALTY!! Rio: (makes a face and groans while Mitsuki asks "is it that bad?") Gaga: Yum! Delicious! The best one we've tried so far. Salmon flakes Mitsuki: It tastes like margarine. Rio: (no comment) Gaga: It tastes like normal bread. Tarako flakes Mitsuki: Where did the tarako go? Rio: It's bread! Gaga: It's like eating sand. The ensuing laughter sounds like agreement from everyone. Minorusaki menma (fermented bamboo shoots) Mitsuki: It's good! Rio: Good! Gaga: Yum. Tastes like something sold at a ramen shop. Nametake (enoki mushroom) Mitsuki: I don't taste it. It's good, but it doesn't taste like nametake. Rio: (makes a face) Gaga: (nods) Natto (slimy fermented soybeans) Mitsuki: DELICIOUS! Rio: Yum! Gaga: It's good! Mitsuki's conclusion: Everything needs more mayonnaise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Z1sMuQQxM

【武道館ドラマーが】ドンキーコングトロピカルフリーズをまったりプレイ Part.2 A Drummer Who Has Performed at Budoukan plays Donkey Kong Tropical Breeze part 2

Synopsis: Junji plays Donkey Kong. Result: Junji plays Donkey Kong. Notable: Nothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNUb1GWaEg8

おまえは誰だ "Who are you?"

Synopsis: Hiyorin tests the urban legend about going insane from asking your reflection in the mirror "Who are you?" repeatedly. Result: Nothing happens. Notable: A weird tapping around the 64th time Hiyorin asks his reflection "Who are you?" Hiyorin says that this must be the spirits coming after him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWNJvrJO2V8

【悶絶】辛味の奥に眠る旨味は見つけ出せるのか！？ [Watch as we pass out in pain] Can we bring out a dormant, delicious new flavor from spicy foods?

Premise: Mitsuki and Hiyorin try mixing a number of spicy soups together, despite both hating spicy food, in their quest to find something new and delicious. Result: Mitsuki decides, after getting over the initial pain, that it really does taste kind of good. Hiyorin dies from agony and says he can't tell if it tastes good or not because it's too painful to eat. Notable: Mitsuki flailing in pain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E6vfta-eF8