|
Another brief break from BLOOD, while I'm waiting for my 1st Period Best CD to be shipped. Today I'm bouncing back to the opposite extreme. The story: last night I discovered that [jem] is at long last hosting subtitled episodes of Itsumo Futari De (Always the Two of Us), a J-drama starring Matsu Takako that I watched on the International Channel last year and have been searching for ever since. It's not the best series she's appeared in (but then, I've only seen three of her dramas, heh), but any shortcomings it has are compensated by her acting and ub3r cut3ne55. Except that Hachi/Hiroko kiss scene. Horrible. =_=; Sooo... a long time ago I thought I'd try to translate this drama's theme, Always by Mitsunaga Ryouta, but I just couldn't work through Mitsunaga-san's structures and wording. He seems very fond of using words and phrases that just do NOT translate well at all. But... now, months later, I'm feeling a little more confident in my Japanese and translating skills - thanks in no small part to BLOOD's lyrics ^_^ - so in honor of my finally being able to acquire Itsumo Futari De, I'm going to translate this song now. I can't wait, because looking at it now and actually understanding it much better than I did last year, I can tell it pretty much tells the whole story of the drama. Not the romance part, but the 'never let go of your dreams' part. Matsu-chan's character, Mizuho, is absolutely stubborn, and no matter how many people tell her she'll never become a novelist, she throws her transcripts into the faces of every publisher she can find, retorting to naysayers, "If you wish hard enough, your wish will come true no matter what." Always is going to follow in the same vein, I can tell. Anyway, here we go... MITSUNAGA RYOUTA - ALWAYS "Negai wa dare de mo hitotsu wa kanau yo" Muri ni kotae o dashite wa Tomoshita hi o kesanai you ni" Futo natsukashii merodii ikikau hito no fure ni Tachi tsukushita nani o shiteru no darou? Osanai goro egaita hateshinai yume no kakera Mamottemasu ka? Mune o hatte imasu ka? Kimi no kaita kotoba ga totsuzen mune o yogiru yo "Mirai wa mugen ni hirogaru" Aitakute nakidashisou Dore dake sei-ippai te o nobashitete mo Todokanai mono mo aru to oshierareta kedo "Negai wa dare de mo hitotsu wa kanau yo Muri ni kotae o dashite wa Tomoshita hi o kesanai you ni" Omoi gakezu deatta ofisu gai kakeashi de Terewarai shita nani o hanaseba ii no? Aitakatta nante zettai iwanainda Tada kuyashikute sore yori ureshikute Itsu made kono mama konna fuu ni futari Tooku haeru orenji o mitsumerareru darou Mujaki na hitomi to kawaranu tsuyosa o Yawaraka na kaze no naka de Zutto kanjite irareru you ni Machi no akari ga kiete yuku sora ni Koibito-tachi wa ima shupuuru o egaku Dare de mo itsuka wa shiawase ni nareru yo ne Tsunaida te o hanasazu ni egao wasurezu ni Negaeba dare de mo itsuka mata toberu yo Muri ni kotae dasanaide Tomoshita hi o kesanai you ni In English: "Everyone, no matter who, will have one wish come true Don't be unreasonable in answering [1] So you don't extinguish the flame that's been lit" An unexpected nostalgic melody, among the people coming and going What are you doing, standing there perfectly still? Fragments of the dream you drew when you were young and naive Are you protecting them? Are you holding them close to your heart? Suddenly, the words you wrote touch my heart "The future stretches out forever, endless" I was moved to tears, wanting to see you No matter how hard you try to reach out, There are some things you can't reach - so I was taught, but... "Everyone, no matter who, will have one wish come true Don't be unreasonable in answering So you don't extinguish the flame that's been lit" Running full speed, we met unexpectedly outside the office [2] With a shy smile; what should we talk about? I absolutely won't say that I wanted to meet you It just frustrates me; but more than that, I'm glad The two of us, just like this forever Surely we can gaze upon the orange that glistens from afar [3] So that I can always feel Those innocent eyes and that unchanging strength In the gentle wind The two lovers leave their tracks On the sky that the town's lights vanish into [4] Everyone, no matter who, can find happiness someday I'll never let go of our clasped hands, or forget your smile If they wish for it, anyone, no matter who, can fly again someday Don't be unreasonable in answering So you don't extinguish the flame that's been lit Now I remember why I gave up on this song months ago. 9_9 [1] That second line was very hard to translate, and I don't think any English "equivalent" I could come up with made sense. I think of it as an answer to the call of destiny or something, when it gives you a chance to have your wish granted. But I dunno. [2] I think this just means somewhere in the locale of an office building where one or both of them work. "Gai," to the best of my knowledge, is kinda like a district, quarters, etc... like, the district in 'red-light district,' maybe. So my guess is an "office-gai" would be... an office building complex, or a part of town that consists largely/entirely of offices? *shrug* [3] Actually, I think I understand this. It appears to be a metaphor. Like, the shiny orange is hanging on some tree somewhere looking irresistible, and seeming out of reach, kinda like a faraway dream you'd reach for. [4] This is written with a structure that's extremely common and handy in Japanese, but that English really has no equivalent for: the sentence modifier. Put into English it makes it sound like there's more than one sky or something, but in Japanese, the thing about the town's lights vanishing just modifies "sky" like any other adjective would. Use your imagination. That's the best I can do, I think. At least you get the gist... I hope... *sigh* Mitsunaga-san, hidoi... But, on the plus side, I was right... this sounds JUST like something Hachi would sing to Mizuho. ^o^ I love this dorama. *just watched episode 2, still squeeing* (note: edited this on 4/23, and I think I like it slightly better now...) (disclaimer: this song belongs to Mitsunaga Ryouta (and/or probably his record label, producers, whatever), not me. Romanization was found at JDorama.com, with a few slight modifications by me. I only take credit for the translation. I'm just a fangirl trying to make J-music a little more accessible to Americans. No copyright infringement is intended. Please don't sue me, I'm a poor college student. T_T) posted by Becky at 2:09 PM
Comments:
Post a Comment
|
|
about me__++
name// Becky Cottrill birthdate// 6.23.1982 location// Ohio, USA interests// J-music, J-drama, Japanese language, visual kei, fluffy things... upcoming// refer to Taiji Project! | |
|
I'm always finding Japanese songs that I adore, but can't find English translations for. So I've made a hobby of translating such songs, and this is where I put them. Can't find the song you want? Send me the lyrics (kanji if possible, but romaji will do) and I'll see what I can do. But no promises, as I'm not exactly the most fluent Japanese speaker around. Also, PLEASE don't display any of these lyrics elsewhere unless you credit me. Just my name and a link back here would be great. Thanks!
| |