J-Music: PRIMITIVE – BiSH (JP→ENG Lyrics Translation)

Beside your frigid words, stand close and still.
Face toward me and wave your hand ‘goodbye’. There’s no way to turn back to that time.

I don’t want to reflect on this.
Surely you’d just make me doubt in my abilities, you hypocrite.
I never want to see something like yesterday again.

What colour will I dye the memories circling my brain?
Something more enchanting – higher? Oh, a thousand star galaxy.

You couldn’t see the details of the world before us, but even if you pretended you did
You can’t reach out for it.
You can’t take it in. Could you even believe in it all?

Frigid words can be like a knife that no one can see.
When you don’t expect, you’ll dribble out guilt, and the feelings you can’t stomach.

Did you see the little bit that slipped away? And how it made me feel ashamed?
Just now I was thinking that there wasn’t a cut.

What colour will I dye the memories circling my brain?
Something more enchanting – higher? Oh, a thousand star galaxy.

You couldn’t see the details of the world before us, but even if you pretended you did
You can’t reach out for it.
You can’t take it in. Could you even believe in it all?

No matter how many times I think about it
all I hope is to return to the quiet way it was
but it’s so far from me now I can’t grasp.
I’m bore inside.

What colour will I dye the memories circling my brain?
Something more enchanting – higher? Oh, a thousand star galaxy.

You couldn’t see the details of the world before us, but even if you pretended you did
You can’t reach out for it.
You can’t take it in. Could you even believe in it all?

---

Bolded portions were already in English! Not many, but it’s an important distinction, because “I’m bore inside.” has no discernible meaning I can think of. My best guess is that, in the context of the song, it means that the speaker is empty inside.

Western: PRISMATIC CORE – TWRP (ENG→JP Singable Lyrics)

「プリズマティック・コア・オンライン」
(“PRISMATIC CORE ONLINE”)

永久は周りに火傷
(towa wa mawari ni yakedo)

各人
(kakujin)

で
(de)

人類の因果は
(jinrui no inga)

絡み合った
(karamiatta)

同じだ
(onaji da)

みんな
(minna)

「もっとパイロンを建設せよっ」
(“motto PYLON wo kensetsuse yo”)

---

More than an hour of this was spent on trying to find a Japanese Starcraft voice pack, sift through the Protoss Advisor lines, find the pylon one, and then attempt to figure out what the actor was saying through his roguish accent and 5 layers of reverb. Since I now had the file after all that anyway, I’ve included a download link, in case you’d like to use it to make a cover a more authentic meme experience. It’s kind of funny to me how imperative the known English form is, and how comparatively friendly and relaxed the Japanese localization attempt turned out to be. It’s almost more like “Let’s build some more pylons!”.

Western: LOOKIN’ FOR TROUBLE – Costume Party (Lyrics)

Or as I like to call it “Please release your lyrics with your EPs, dude. I can’t understand what you’re saying.”

I plan to type up some of my favs for my own personal gain, because I just love singing along to some Costume Party!

you say it’s a good thing
but you fill our hearts with fear
the kingdom that you come from is so far away
you lost your cause along the way
forgot your name
fed the flames that you fight

wake up you’ve been dreamin
a dream inside a dream again
kickin and screamin in your sleep
no one would blame you for savin yourself or anybody else

chasin after hurricanes, bankin on a disaster
you go lookin for trouble
and you don’t come back

pull apart the skylines
bring down the rain flood the streets to be saved
water washes over the roads
like a long forgotten highway
shortcuts to a safer place we could escape
yeah, take shelter

i know that you mean no harm
(and there’s reason to be alarmed)
but these warnings have lost their charm for today

so tell us a good thing
fill our hearts with hope
you’ve got our trust and attention
we’re not giving up
you’re not alone

oh, ho, oh

chasin after hurricanes, bankin on a disaster
you go lookin for trouble

Western: JAPANQUEST & BUSINESS TIPS – TWRP (ENG→JP Singable Lyrics)

JAPANQUEST

ディスコ
(DISCO)

ディスコ
(DISCO)

---

 

BUSINESS TIPS

事業のヒント
(jigyou no HINT)

書き流す
(kakinagasu)

年金制度
(nenkin seido)

著作権 、 っけん 、 っけん 、 っけん。。。
(chosakken, kken, kken, kken…)

パワーポーズ
(POWER POSE)

Western: COMPUTER WIFE – TWRP (ENG→JP Singable Lyrics)

「ただいま電話に出ることは出来ません。ピーという発信音の後にお名前とご用件を話しください」
(“tadaima denwani deru koto wa dekimasen. pii toiu hassin on no ato ni onamae to goyoken o hanasikudasai”) *

「 もしもし 、これはあなたのコンピュータ妻です
(”moshimoshi, kore wa anata no COMPUTER tsuma desu.) **

私は新しいオペレーティングシステムのためにあなたを残しています
(”atashi wa atarashii OPERATING SYSTEM no tame ni anata o nokoshite imasu)

さようなら」
(“sayonara”) 

---

マイ・コンピュータ嫁

(MY COMPUTER yome)***

が毎晩夜遊び、 好き
(ga maiban yoasobi, suki)****

ダンスフロアで踊るように
(DANCE FLOOR de odoruyou ni)

プログラムされるよ
(PROGRAM sareru yo)

夜毎や、今夜
(yogoto ya, konya)

---

• * – just your standard default japanese voice mail message. just adding this note to point out that instead of “at the tone”, “at the ‘pii’” is said as onomatopoeia are important in everyday conversation. the more japan-specific onomatopoeia you’re able to use, the more fluent you sound!
• ** – computer wife uses a standard telephone greeting here, as well as addresses herself as “your computer tsuma”. ‘tsuma’ is a word that a married woman would use in relation to her husband, but this is the only instance i will use it. because…!
• *** – ‘yome’ means bride. if you’re familiar with the whole ‘mai waifu’ meme among western otaku, the JP version is ‘ore no yome’ or “my bride”. i’ve left ‘my’ as the possessive pronoun as it’s stylish and easily recognizable by native japanese speakers with limited englsh skills.
• **** – the ‘tonight’ didn’t fit here, but it makes a comeback at the end. i find this redundancy extremely important.

Western: GROOVE CRUSADERS – TWRP (ENG→JP Singable Lyrics)

(我らグルーヴ・クルセイダーズ!
(warera GROOVE CRUSADERS)

善人に犯人を作りますよ～
(zen’nin ni hanin wo tsukurimasu yo~) *

我らグルーヴ ・ クルセイダーズ!
(warera GROOVE CRUSADERS)

前線のディスコ戦争
(zensen no DISCO sensou)

我らグルーヴ・クルセイダーズ!
(warera GROOVE CRUSADERS)

そしてスコアをバランスを
(soshite SCORE wo BALANCE wo)

---

Oh

時間はもう
(jikan wa mou)

足りない
(tarinai)

その時は「グルーヴ・クルセイド」！
(sono toki wa “GROOVE CRUSADE”!)

---

{CHORUS}

楽しみに代わって
(tanoshimi ni kawatte)

お仕置きよ
(oshiyoki yo) **

退屈に対すが
(taikutsu ni taisu ga)

止められない
(tomerarenai)

俺らが来るので
(orera ga kuru node)

要注意
(youchuui) ***

退屈に対すが
(taikutsu ni taisu ga)

止められない
(tomerarenai)

---

我らグルーヴ・クルセイダーズ!
(warera GROOVE CRUSADERS)

善人に犯人を作りますよ～
(zen’nin ni hanin wo tsukurimasu yo~)

俺とグルーヴベビー
(ore to GROOVE BABY)

君のヒーローになりたい
(kimi no HERO ni naritai)

あなたはセックス爆弾だと
(anata wa SEX bakudan to)

俺のベッドはグラウンド・ゼロ
(ore no BED wa GROUND ZERO) ****

---

{CHORUS}

---

{VOICE OVER} *****

来週のグルーヴ・クルセイダーズ！
(raishuu no GROOVE CRUSADERS!)

遠い世界から4伝説の勇者が悪の勢力と戦うために一緒に来ます
(tooi sekai kara yon densetsu no yuusha ga aku no seiryoku to tatakau tame ni issho ni kimasu)  

どれは、「ザ・ヘイターズ」！
(dore wa “THE HATERS”)

彼らの目的は、「グルーヴと楽しみを盗み そして、憎しみを広めるために」
(karera no mokuteki wa, “GROOVE to tanoshimi wo nusumi soshite, nikushimi wo hiromeru tame ni”)

我々の英雄は彼らに勝つことはできますか？
(wareware no eiyuu wa katsu koto wa dekimasu ka?)

それとも、我々の「フォア・ファンキー・ファイターズ」は退屈に飲み込まれますか?
(soretomo, wareware no “FOUR FUNKY FIGHTERS” wa taikutsu ni nomikoma remasu ka?)

次回、グルーヴ・クルセイダーズ！
(jikai, GROOVE CRUSADERS!)

---

{CHORUS}

---

TL Notes:

• * – there is no such phrase as ‘hater’ in the japanese language, and because of that, a straight translation of this line would not have worked. the meaning of this line translates more or less to “reforming criminals into philanthropists”!
• ** – ‘we rule in the name of fun, we will groove as one’ had no way of fitting into the metering in japanese, so i’ve taken another liberty into turning this bit into a sailor moon pun. “in the name of fun, we will punish you!”
• *** – encountered the same problem as the point above. this couplet reads as “because we’re coming, you should be alert”
• **** – this couplet seemed awkward and wordy in japanese with the repetition of ‘anata no karada wa (your body is)’ and ‘ore no karada wa (my body is)’ so i’ve changed it to say “you are a sex bomb, and my bed is ground zero”
• ***** – i am extremely iffy about this whole part so… it’s totally optional. i think it would sound just as cool with the english version inserted.
• extra note 1: many concepts simply do not exist within the japanese language itself, and so it relies on a fair bit of english loan words. if you’ve listened to a lot of japanese music, you’ll notice a liberal peppering of english words and phrases. these exist within songs mostly to just sound cool. i believe this aspect of culture fits TWRP extremely well, and chose to keep some additional ideas in tact.
• extra note 2: i’ve opted to have doctor sung use the pronoun ‘ore’ which is typically put to use by overtly masculine men. i thought he might like that.

as stated above, this isn’t just a vanilla translation. this is intended to be metered so that one may sing it as is! this is my first time doing the translating thing backwards!

if you’d like some help with the pronunciation, being as the metering is dependent on how certain words are said, i’ll try my best to help if asked privately.

i am not a native speaker, and japanese has been my hobby for about 8 years now. i have taken no formal classes, so parts may be a bit garbled to a fluent ear. if you could help me smooth out any kinks, it would be much appreciated!

that’s all from me! thanks for reading!

J-Music/Vocaloid: B WHO I WANT 2 B – Amuro Namie feat. Hatsune Miku (JP→ENG Lyrics Translation)

unbolded lyrics were already english.

If you think I need you boy
You clearly made a big mistake
You’re not going to be all alone 
Seeking out the Ulysses belonging only to me 

All my friends keep asking me, on the daily
All the boys in Tokyo Town, must be crazy
‘Cause half those guys are chasing me
I’m like maybe cos they couldn’t give me that

I don’t need, don’t need anyone to be who I want to be, I’m the only one
A virtual ideal seen in my dreaming mode is Tokyo Pygmalion

When you first saw me around
Dressin’ up and getting down
(Down in the club with all my friends laughing)
Fashion boys and millionaires
Weavin’ round everyone who’s a copy cat

All my friends keep asking me, are you happy?
Happy as a girl can be, are you happy
I’m actually ecstatic, I’m so happy
It’s a summary of my freedom

I don’t need, don’t need anyone to be who I want to be, I’m the only one
A virtual ideal seen in my dreaming mode is Tokyo Pygmalion

I don’t need, don’t need anyone to do what I want to do, I’m the only one
Now I’m not saying I don’t want what you’re giving
But you couldn’t give me that

I don’t need, don’t need anyone to do what I want to do
Tying down a dream, the town could also become your Babylon

I don’t need, don’t need anyone to be who I want to be, I’m the only one
A virtual ideal seen in my dreaming mode is Tokyo Pygmalion

It’s not because I want you to hold my hand
And it’s not because I need someone to understand
And it’s definitely not cos
(I don’t need, don’t need anyone to do what I want to do, I’m the only one)
Now I’m not saying I don’t want what your giving
(It’s just that)
But you couldn’t give me that

Vocaloid: PARANOID – niki-P [LILY] (JP→ENG Lyrics Translation)

(SymaG vers. featured.)

I wasn’t 100% happy with the translations I’d seen and felt like they didn’t give the power of the song enough justice, so I tried my hand. A few lines are supplemented with what I felt were the intended meanings, to make things a bit more coherent.

Swaying and swaying were the eyelids of a lost child
as their form collapsed
The words hung in the air, “come to my side”
as gazes met.

From where I stand right now I can hear them, the breaths
as they hasten and heave
Pregnant words that
speak of an ideal swarming up to fill the atmosphere.

What is this “hope” that our hearts cry for –
cling to?
There’s a light at the end that’s shining
I take my fingers and wrap them with your’s
Stalwartly we have become devoted to finding the meaning
of a love we detest
And in the bitter end, though undeserving, give me a bouquet to mark my death

Nothing stops it, the lingering control begins to shatter
Something’s melting, I found a dim existence of ‘fate’

In this moment, in this place are the vivid memories
Pouring and spilling from my head
The world that had once taken my breath away
now fills with love-laden ideals

What is this “miracle” that our hearts wish for –
cling to?
Karma comes around to sever the stings of fate
Hating the past that we had birthed long ago
we asked each other the meaning why
In the bitter end, though undeserving, give to me a dazzling bouquet

Closing hollow, tear-less eyes
That lost one had known and become their ‘mistakes’

“With the hope that you’ve clung to, you haven’t seen any reason at all, have you?”
The words spun ‘round inside my head, pushing out a sadness that consumed me

Afraid of pain and loneliness, I finally found the value of life
With karma always lurking, why do we feel the need to dispute?
In the etchings created by that heart
can you tell me what has been left behind?
In the bitter end, though undeserving, give to me a dazzling bouquet

Utaite: 010101 – Clear (JP→ENG Lyrics Translation + 歌詞)

Looking at the screen, watching the characters.

Today is much like others.

Though we exchange code words,

I don’t know your real name.

Suddenly your words catch my heart.

Falling in love message.

Words of opportunities – Of 1’s and 0’s

But it’s only infinite, invalid binary off the screen.

Now the two of us can only comment, however,

someday fate will surely relay them.

Is it alright to hold back a little fanciness in my words?

I let out all of my courage in this one word.

It’d put a person at a time on the floor,

I know nothing but that.

I press the enter key.

The message I sent you from my heart.

Hitting the keyboard with simple but important words.

Now sending your screen the ‘invalid’ words.

Spinning 1’s and 0’s – “Thank you.”

Did my flow of words properly reach you?

I drop my point as though it were a punchline.

You might have a moment of falling in love.

Words of opportunities – Of 1’s and 0’s

But how many gigabytes of binary does your heart hold?

Feelings of frustration,

Now that I’ve told you my heart is clear.

---

For whatever reason, the only way I could find this song (above) was with romaji lyrics, so I had to try and figure out the kanji first in order to properly translate. They could be erroneous, but I’ve chosen to include them in case a Japanese fan had been looking for them.

画面を見つめて文字を眺めてる

いつものよう変わらない毎日

Codeをつないで言葉交わすけど

君の名前冴えもわからないよ

突然心を奪われる君の言葉

恋に落ちてくmessage

機会の言葉は０と１との

二進法だけど画面の無効は無限大

今はコメントだけの二人だけど

いつかはきっと運命で継ってるよね

ちょっと遠慮雅致に大丈夫？の書込み

その言葉一つで勇気出るよ

床にいるのかも度な人なのかも

何一つ分からないけれど

Enter key押し

君に言いたい心からのmessage送るよ

Keyboardを叩いて簡単でも大事な言葉を

今画面の無効送りたい

０と１で紡ぐ「ありがとう」

流れてく言葉ちゃんと君に届いたかな？

天元を落とす見たいに

恋に落ちる瞬間があるなら

機会の言葉は０と１との

二進法だけど心は何gigabyteかな？

もどかしい気持ちを

伝えたいよ君に今すぐ心はclearにして

 

Vocaloid: BOY ADAMSKI – 鈴鳴家 [GUMI] (JP→ENG Lyrics Translation)

The secret of my treasure

I’ll let only you see.

But hey, it’s a secret.

Gods of the mountain are hiding in pots.

Special vehicles.

Flying machines.

You can’t see them above the clouds.

Come over and play.**

Really, I’m no liar.

We can lie about it to everyone.

What for me made an alien

was having the best ride.

My friend’s object.

Chuusuu Circuit’s command advertized.

Engines full throttle, step on the pedal.

The acending air current motion – Rakuchin!

If only I could come through the window and break into multi-unit apartments.

Steadily going going going into space.

Saying farewells to the round earth.

The secret of my treasure

I’ll let only you see. But hey, it’s a secret.

Nano-ceramic fiber.

High-cost bio-motor.

Photon-force energy super machine.

I believe that if we two can

both escape from school.

Let’s travel to space.

**This part said “kono yubi tomare”, which literally means “stop at my finger.”

The phrase originates from childhood games. In Japanese culture, when accepting an invite to play games like hide and seek the response would be to accept by holding the inviter’s finger and being lead over to the game.

(The language here was very complicated for me when I translated this 5 years ago, so I may have to revisit this some time.)