English fantranslations for the new multimedia project DATE WARS
Repost and non-commercial use OK
(this blog is also non-commercial)
Translations are subject to change
A proper masterlist will be started eventually. In the meantime, check this tag for all translations.
Translation Schedule
Starting a blog for my DATE WARS translations! DATE WARS is a new multimedia project (started on Aug 28, 2025) written by Yuichiro Momose, who's primarily known for his work on the Hypnosis Mic franchise. This post is being made a couple of weeks after the release of its very first album.
As of right now, the content of this blog is planned to include translations for: the project's synopsis and general information, character profiles/introductions, and song and drama track translations, most likely in that order. Song translations are planned to be singable, meaning they will be translated with rhyming and syllable limitations in mind.
Posting speed and frequency will depend on my personal convenience. I am also pretty inexperienced when it comes to Tumblr, so I'll be learning how to run this thing as I go along. Questions and suggestions are both welcome!
I might take a minute to get things in order, but in the meantime, check out the official accounts! The project is still very obscure so I'd love to see it get more love.
The 00s Space-Time Travel Troupe's first album will release on December 18th at 12 am JST, with a commemorative livestream happening on December 21st at 7pm on the official DATE WARS YouTube. Including one original song, two remix covers of songs from the 2000s, and a drama track!
It should be available on streaming platforms at 12 am in your timezone, and the music video for the original song should be released on the same day, with lyric videos for the cover songs releasing in the following 2 weeks.
The 90s Space-Time Travel Troupe's first album will release on November 27th at 12 am JST, with a commemorative livestream happening on November 29th at 7pm on the official DATE WARS YouTube. Including one original song, two remix covers of songs from the 90s, and a drama track!
Update: The results are unanimous to keep the drama track translations unabridged, so that's what I'll be doing from here on out. Also, the transcription for the '70s troupe's drama track is completely done and I've moved onto the translation phase! It'll be the next proper post but might take some time, so keep an eye on the translation schedule if you'd like to know how much progress I've made.
Okay, this isn't exactly the kind of post I wanted to make less than a month into this blog, but I'm in something of a dilemma here.
As much as I love DATE WARS' characters and music, upon closer inspection I've had the very belated realization that, so far, the time-traveling segments of the drama tracks have both portrayed real incidents (the ancestors' crimes are still fictional). This isn't something I'm personally enthusiastic about, but I'm curious about the opinions of those of you who are looking to get into the franchise.
Are you still interested in the story?
Would you prefer only or primarily song translations instead?
Would you prefer either summaries of the drama tracks or partial translations? (Maybe even supplementary snippets highlighting character interactions?) I think if this option wins I'll likely handle it by simply omitting real world names, organizations, incident names and the like, and leaving them in notes at the end for those who want to know. The bulk of the script should still be left intact with nothing essential glossed over.
Does this not bother you at all, or
Is this a dealbreaker for you?
Please be honest and don't let my personal biases affect your answer. I would also appreciate asks/comments related to this as, again, I'm pretty passionate about this project and translating it, but this account is only run by one person. Your opinions and advice are more than welcome!
How do you feel about this?
Neutral to negative feelings, but would like to see the story translated in full
Would prefer a focus on song translations
Abridged drama track translations avoiding real world elements
Don't mind at all/not a problem for me, would like the story translated in full
This is a dealbreaker for me/I've lost interest
Voting ended onNov 17, 2025
I'm still hard at work on the first drama track translation, currently only in the transcription phase. This poll can only be up for a maximum one week, but as I know it won't reach many eyes, I'll take any other non-poll responses into consideration even after it's ended. In other words, if you see this a month or more later, you're not too late. The results will affect future decisions I make regarding this blog.
Jailbird - singable English translation (+ kanji and romaji lyrics)
[Content Warning: The lyrics to this song include references to various in-universe crimes, most if not all including murder, as well as mentions of bombing, cannibalism and suicide.]
(In the English lyrics, bold is used for extra syllables, usually right before the original lyric starts. For the romaji, italics are used where a word is spelled with katakana. I may have forgotten to indicate some of either of these.)
Singable English
[All]
Cross over space and time and take hold of your freedom, my Jailbird
It's tragic, no? Your eternally imprisoned glow
Your dream's waiting for you to find its next page
Spread your wings and soar into a bygone date
[Mai]
What's my dream? Well, it's normalcy
To be a passenger
Please buckle in, 'cause we're flying with
The Midflight Massacre
[Miki]
Cute, groovy, sweet
Keep your eyes on me
It's a snappy jamboree
The Short-Form Nightmare
[Rinrin]
Love and compassion, deep under the skin
Eat this!
Face Eater!
[Tone]
Bloodthirst Under the Blood Moon
Peep those odds, so opportune!
[Ume]
A successor twice as strong this time
The Divine Suicide
[Hatsu]
"The Case File of the Worst Detective"?
Could it be… a falsified retrospective?!
[Tomi]
The Brain Fusion Journal, refined like
High class tea time
Let's illustrate a new fate
[All]
Cross over space and time and take hold of your freedom, my Jailbird
It's tragic, no? Your eternally imprisoned glow
Fly out of your cage at last
And set off on journeys to the past
There's fire in your heart, so go sing out your dreams and let it burn
To light your way just like a timeless masterpiece
Reset your sentence to a blank slate
Spread your wings and soar into a bygone date
And soar into a bygone date
[Marumero]
Ay ay ay…
One person's phony villain is another's savior
Dream Bomber
Locked onto your spirit, cutting to the core
[Shara]
This chronicle's mechanical, my diet needs some fun
Spice the diction up a little like those
Human Meat Buns
[Matatabi]
Slasher got you nervous? Pfft, just laugh it off like it's a comedy
Don't want a sequel to
The Paranoia Movie
[Shuro]
The brutal, cruel, and super wack
Sadistic Snuff Stream
There's no rewinding that, you'll need a time machine
[Miko]
I have this feeling that something isn't right
I'm stressed, even though
It's just another day
[Niko]
I just wanna feel free to
Speak my mind, and live all bougie
[Ichiko]
But there's still
Heroic Evil
You're supposed to count on me
I'm your big sister, 'kay!?
[All]
We've had enough, so let us out of this Damnation
Our spirits still shine bright, a twinkling constellation
Got the keyring, we just need the keys (Yeah yeah)
The future we are yearning for is just beyond our reach
Dreaming of the sunrise we'll see after we
Set ourselves free
Cross over space and time and take hold of your freedom, my Jailbird
It's tragic, no? Your eternally imprisoned glow
Fly out of your cage at last
And set off on journeys to the past
There's fire in your heart, so go sing out your dreams and let it burn
To light your way just like a timeless masterpiece
Reset your sentence to a blank slate
Spread your wings and soar into a bygone date
And soar into a bygone date
And soar into a bygone date
==============
Kanji
(all)
時空を超えて 自由を掴め Jailbird
悲劇的？囚われた輝き
夢の続きは探せ
時を 天翔ろ乙女
(mai)
"普通"を夢⾒て
⾶び⽴つ世界
気楽に⾏きましょう
ブルースカイ・マッサカー （青い空の真っ赤な飛行）
(miki)
Cute で Sweet
ワタシ Groovy
ナウいフィーバー
ショートタイム・ナイトメア （16分間の悪夢）
(rinrin)
仮⾯の奥 深い情と愛
喰らえ
フェイス・イーター （顔面喰い）
(tone)
スミス・ザ・マーダームーン（臥待月の殺意）
確変 激マブ
(ume)
捲⼟重来 新⼈類と
スーサイド・アクト （自殺殺人）
(hatsu)
最悪刑事（でか）の事件簿（ザ・フールオブクリミナルケース）
これって でっち上げのハッピーエンド?!
(tomi)
ハイソなティータイム並みの
ブレイン・コンフュージョン （脳髄交配の日記）
未来を描こう
(all)
時空を超えて 自由を掴め Jailbird
悲劇的？囚われた輝き
さあ、飛び出すDungeon
過去を旅せよ乙女
夢を唄って 蒼く灯せTiny heart
未来照らす Timeless masterpiece
白紙に戻す Sentence
時を 天翔ろ乙女
天翔ろ乙女
(marumero)
Ey ey ey...
気取った悪党も誰かの英雄
ドリームボマー （連続夢の国爆破事件）
君の⼼に命中
(shara)
機械のよう嘘のないクロニクル
余⽩ごと平らげる
フォビドゥン・フード （九龍飯店之人肉饅頭）
(matatabi)
同情するなら笑っちまいな すぐに
やめられんその様は
パラノイア・ムービー（恐怖兎男）
(shuro)
無残なチョベリバ
殺戮配信（スナッフ・ストリーム）
突っ込み暴⾛⽌めるタイムマシン
(miko)
最悪な予感がして
ただ平凡な毎⽇なの
(niko)
たまには派⼿に
ぶっちゃけ リア充したい
(ichiko)
実は
イービルヒーロー（英雄思想の殺戮手段）
頼りにしなさい お姉ちゃんだぞ
(all)
今、解放せよ ザ・ダムドプリズン
翳りのない キラキラプリズム
しがらむものは一切ない(yeah yeah)
まだ見ぬ希望を浴びてみたいの
輝く朝日を夢に
Set myself free
時空を超えて 自由を掴め Jailbird
悲劇的？囚われた輝き
さあ、飛び出すDungeon
過去を旅せよ乙女
夢を唄って 蒼く灯せTiny heart
未来照らす Timeless masterpiece
白紙に戻す Sentence
時を 天翔ろ乙女
天翔ろ乙女
天翔ろ乙女
==============
Romaji
(all)
jikuu wo koete jiyuu wo tsukame Jailbird
higekiteki? torawareta kagayaki
yume no tsudzuki ha sagase
toki wo amakakero otome
(mai)
"futsuu" wo yume mite
tobitatsu sekai
kiraku ni ikimashou
Blue-Sky Massacre (aoi sora no makka na hikou)
(miki)
Cute de Sweet
watashi Groovy
naui fiibaa
Short Time Nightmare (juuroppunkan no akumu)
(rinrin)
kamen no oku fukai jou to ai
kurae!
Face Eater! (ganmengurai)
(tone)
Smith The Murder Moon! (fushimachidzuki no satsui)
kakuhen geki mabu
(ume)
kendochourai shinjinrui to
Suicide Act (jisatsu satsujin)
(hatsu)
saiaku deka (keiji) no jikenbo (The Fool Of Criminal Case)
korette decchiage no happii endo?!
(tomi)
haiso na tiitaimu nami no
Brain Confusion (nouzui kouhai no nikki)
mirai wo egakou
(all)
jikuu wo koete jiyuu wo tsukame Jailbird
higekiteki? torawareta kagayaki
saa, tobidasu Dungeon
kako wo tabi se yo otome
yume wo utatte aoku tomose Tiny Heart
mirai terasu Timeless Masterpiece
hakushi ni modosu Sentence
toki wo amakakero otome
amakakero otome
(marumero)
Ey Ey Ey
kidotta akutou mo dareka no eiyuu
Dream Bomber (renzoku yume no kuni bakuha jiken)
kimi no kokoro ni meichuu
(shara)
kikai no you uso no nai kuronikuru
yohaku goto tairageru
Forbidden Food (kuuron hanten no jinnikumanjuu)
(matatabi)
doujou suru nara waracchimaina sugu ni
yameraren sono sama ha
Paranoia Movie (kyoufu usagi otoko)
(shuro)
muzan na choberiba
satsuriku haishin (Snuff Stream)
tsukkomi bousou tomeru taimumashin
(miko)
saiaku na yokan ga shite
tada heibon na
mainichi na no
(niko)
tama ni ha hade ni
bucchake riajuu shitai
(ichiko)
jitsu ha Evil Hero (eiyuu shisou no satsuriku shudan)
At the time of writing this post, the album has been out for an hour in Japan! It should be available on streaming platforms at 12 am in your timezone. The drama track has been released to the official YouTube channel and is available for anyone to listen to right now! The plot and character dynamics were so interesting, and I can't wait to get to work on the translation (which will I will get started on after the translations of the 70s troupe drama track and original song have been posted).
If this release follows the patterns of the last one, the music video for the 80s troupe's first original song should be out on the YouTube channel about 9 hours from when this is posted, or 10 am Japan Time, 9 pm Eastern Time, and 6 pm Pacific Time. Likewise, the commemorative stream will go live in a little less than 18 hours; 7 pm Japan Time, (10/30) 6 am Eastern Time, and (10/30) 3 am Pacific Time.
Check the official Twitter account for more info and updates.
The 80s Space-Time Travel Troupe's first album will release on October 30th with a commemorative livestream happening at 7pm (JST) on the official DATE WARS YouTube. Including one original song, two remix covers of songs from the 80s, and a drama track!
Current Translation Schedule: What to expect in what order (and why)
This post will be updated usually no more than once daily as new official content releases, and as I start work on, complete, and post my translations.
Up next: After much consideration, I've decided to translate the 70s album's drama track before the songs. This is because the music can be enjoyed as it is, whereas drama track translations are essential for keeping up with the story for those who don't know Japanese. A fair warning, the track is around 45 minutes long and thus the translation might take a while to come out. I will therefore keep track of how many minutes have been translated so far and have it visible in this post once I start working on it. This will likely be the pattern for future releases as well, but we'll see how well it works out.
Progress: Transcription phase has been completed! Moving onto the translation phase, ~15 out of 42 minutes and counting
After that:
1. A translation for the 70s album's original song. A sneak peek for this will be included in the drama track translation.
2. A translation for the 80s album's drama track
3. A translation for the 80s album's original song
4. Translations for the first album's cover songs. New releases might take priority over these as, from what I can tell, the cover songs are less essential to the story, and may have even been translated before (in their original forms). I am still planning on translating all of them whenever I have the free time, though, for the sake of keeping a complete and coherent translation catalogue. Character nuances, lyric changes unique to the covers (which may not be present), singability limitations, and personal interpretation will also likely differentiate these translations from potential existing ones not tied to DATE WARS.
5. Translations for the second album's cover songs. I really hope I can get to the cover songs before I have too much on my plate because they slap so hard.
6. Anything else (character profiles outside of the main cast, glossary, etc.)
DATE WARS is a new music project releasing both original songs and covers of songs from the '70s to the '00s, as well as drama tracks. The writer and producer is Yuichiro Momose, most commonly known for his work on Hypnosis Mic. Also on the staff are the manga artist Hanaharu Naruko as character designer, the content creator and music critic Mino as the primary music producer, and a 14-person voice cast.
Voice actors:
Anna Nagase, Anri Tanaka, Ayumu Kotomiya, Hinaho Takeda, Hina Yomiya, Kokona Natsume, Meiku Harukawa, Mei Tachibana, Miharu Hanai, Momoko Seto, Natsune Inui, Reina Kondo, Rin Mizuki, and Takako Tanaka
Each one of four teams represents a different decade, the '70s, the '80s, the '90s, and the 2000s. The cover songs are classics from these decades, re-arranged by a team of artists to feel fresh while still preserving the essence of the original and its time period.
They also hope to expand the project into more media than just music, like manga, anime, mobile games, live performances, movies and stage plays.
Synopsis Translation:
Their total sentence: a 15,940,173,140 year nightmare.
This is the story of 14 prisoners, who carry the burden of their ancestors' crimes, earning their freedom.
In a distant future, where the age of human intelligence outclassing AI is long over, the world has been federated under an organization called "Einstürzende Neubauten (Destruction, Order, Collapse, and New Structure)."
Criminals who would have once been sentenced to the death penalty, now abolished, are instead imposed prison sentences exceeding hundreds of millions of years. They are kept in a prison called "Damnation" so that their descendants can continue to serve out their sentences after their death.
In this world, songs have become weapons more powerful than heavy artillery. And the more of a classic a song is considered to be, the more power it holds as a weapon.
Many of these Classics have since been stolen by a terrorist organization called "Sandbox of Possibilities" (also known as "Birthday"). They plan to create a timeline where the world is no longer unified under Einstürzende Neubauten by traveling to the past to modify the Classics and harness their power.
In order to prevent this from happening, the National Culture Defense Bureau sends out its Special Collection Force, consisting of Damnation prisoners, on a mission to intercept Birthday and retrieve the Classics. They are known as the Space-Time Travel Troupes, or "The Timeless Travelers."
Using the recovered Classics, these prisoners will gain the ability to reduce their incredible sentences by competing in and winning Amnesty Battles.
They devote themselves to this fight for a chance at freedom.
