hi, i added english subtitles to hide and Tusk's short art film, "Seth et Holth"! deciphering certain kanji was a struggle due to the poor quality of the video, so if anyone has a better copy of the film and would be able to share it with me, i'll be forever in your debt! ♥
(also, if you haven't seen it before, check out the video description for some content warnings)
edit: reposted with improved subtitles and a better quality!
[*italics - the lyrics that were originally in English]
Wrapped up in a lively breeze
You wave at me from above
See, my breathing quickened a little¹
Glancing down, you smile
If I crack the window open just a bit
Your smile comes flowing inside
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
For you
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
For you
The feelings bubble up in my chest
In the morning I wake up, suffocating
Even when I run away, I want to keep watching you
This wish could come true
Riding on the wind until I reach you,
Even though I’m like this², I still search for you
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
For you
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
For you
If I crack the window open just a bit
The big cloud outside
For sure will envelop
Both of our hearts
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
For you
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
For you
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
How can it be you and me?
How can it be you and me?
[T/N] because of the lack of pronouns it isn't clear whose breathing quickens, technically it could also be the waving person, but i think my interpretation makes more sense (a "you smile at me as you glance down and my heartbeat speeds up" kind of mental image)
[T/N] this one is a TUSK classic; many ZI:KILL songs use the phrase "こんな俺(だから、だけど etc.)" in an apologetic, self-aware or even self-deprecating way and translating it usually results in an unnatural mouthful ("me who is like this", "this lowly me", "because i'm me", "even though i'm this kind of person"). i never know what to do with it because in English it doesn't sound very natural lol
original kanji & romaji under cut!!
kanji
陽気な風につつまれて
うつむきながら手をふる
呼吸がほら少し早くて
のぞいた君が微笑う
まどを少しだけ あけたらそこには
おまえの笑顔が 流れてゆく
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
おまえのために
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
Keep on Calling
A few boys A few boys
Out of the room nightmare
A few boys A few boys
Out of the room
They are asking me to stay
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
A few boys A few boys
Out of the town nightmare
A few boys A few boys
Out of the town
They are asking me to stay
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Tired of waiting, impatiently roaming streets
Wandering in search of the usual night
The girl used to always glitter in the night
Now her form is growing more disgraceful
Even the songs she once found beautiful
Now totally lose their appeal
“Give me back the quiet night!”
When she noticed, it was already too late
If you take the first 5am train home
Look, it’s the usual meaningless drama
I know it’s the manic depression, but
Do you really hate it all so much right now?
Hey, look, the sunrise is so lovely
Everything you see looks so beautiful
So why, why do you always wear
That troubled expression on your face?
Tired of waiting, impatiently roaming streets
Wandering in search of the usual night
The girl used to always glitter in the night
Now her form is growing more disgraceful
Even the songs she once found beautiful
Now totally lose their appeal
“Give me back the quiet night!”
When she noticed, it was already too late
If you take the first 5am train home
Look, it’s the usual meaningless drama
I know it’s the manic depression, but
Do you really hate it all so much right now?
Look over here, it’s the lovely sunrise
Everything you see looks so beautiful
So why, why do you always wear
That troubled expression on your face?
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
kanji & romaji under cut!!
kanji
A few boys A few boys
Out of the room nightmare
A few boys A few boys
Out of the room
They are asking me to stay
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
A few boys A few boys
Out of the town nightmare
A few boys A few boys
Out of the town
They are asking me to stay
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
romaji
A few boys A few boys
Out of the room nightmare
A few boys A few boys
Out of the room
They are asking me to stay
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
A few boys A few boys
Out of the town nightmare
A few boys A few boys
Out of the town
They are asking me to stay
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
shibire wo kirashite machi kara machi e to
itsumo no yoru wo sagashite samayou
itsudemo yoru ni hikatteta ano ko no
sugata ga dandan minikuku natteyuku
itsudemo suteki ni kikoeta uta mo
ima dewa zenzen sono ki ni naranai
shizuka na yoru wo kaeshite okure to
ki ga tsuita toki wa mou osokatta
asa go ji no shihatsu ni notte kaereba
mata itsumo no munashii dorama ga hora
souutsu nano wa wakatteru kedo
sonna ni ima ga kirai nano ka
hora goran yo suteki na asahi da yo
mieru mono subete ga suteki ni utsuru yo
doushite nano sonna ni muzukashii
kao wo anata wa itsumo suru no?
shibire wo kirashite machi kara machi e to
itsumo no yoru wo sagashite samayou
itsudemo yoru ni hikatteta ano ko no
sugata ga dandan minikuku natteyuku
itsumademo suteki ni kikoeta uta mo
ima dewa zenzen sono ki ni naranai
shizuka na yoru wo kaeshite okure to
ki ga tsuita toki wa mou osokatta
asa go ji no shihatsu ni notte kaereba
mata itsumo no munashii dorama ga hora
souutsu nano wa wakatteru kedo
sonna ni ima ga kirai nano ka
hora goran yo suteki na asahi da yo
mieru mono subete ga suteki ni utsuru yo
doushite nano sonna ni muzukashii
kao wo anata wa itsumo suru no?
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Get out my way
Get out my way
Get out my way always Night Call
Let’s meet one more time
As if nothing’s changed since back then
I’m sure you will jump to your feet
And it’s okay even if you bite me¹
One more time, let’s embrace
As if nothing’s changed since back then
Ah, you dozed off … ?
I’m happy enough just looking at you
Uwaa~ah, inside my head, there’s only you
Rattling-rattling-rattling-rattling
Tomorrow, the sun will surely shine
So how about we set out together?
I won’t let you say you’re lonely anymore
Inside my dim-witted head,
It’s you, going round and round and round!
We can meet one more time
As if nothing’s changed since back then
I do love you
Isn’t it good to be in a dream?²
I Love Cat Baby!
Uwaa~ah, inside my head, there’s only you
Rattling-rattling-rattling-rattling!
Tomorrow, the sun will surely shine
So how about we set out together?
I won’t let you say you’re lonely anymore
Tomorrow, the sun will surely shine
Together, we’ll be holding hands
Don't think about loneliness anymore
Inside my dim-witted head,
I’m with you, going round and round!
I Love Cat Baby
[T/N] or “snap at me”, but i chose “bite” because of the cat imagery
[T/N] after some more thought, this part could mean both “isn’t it good to be in a dream”, and “it’s okay [to be in love with you] if it’s in a dream, right?”
mō ichido ai ni yukō
ano toki to kawarazu ni
kitto kimi wa tobiokite
kamitsuitemo ii janai
mō ichido dakishimeyō
ano toki to kawarazu ni
nemutte shimatta ne
miteru dake de ii janai
wooo~a~ atama no naka wa
omae de gatagatagatagata
ashita wa kitto hareru kara
futari de dekakeyō ka
mō hitori nante iwasenai
tarinai atama no naka wa
omae de gurun gurun
mō ichido aerunda ne
ano toki to kawarazu ni
aishiteru kimi no koto
yume no naka de ii janai
I Love Cat Baby
wooo~a~ atama no naka wa
omae de gatagatagatagata
ashita wa kitto hareru kara
futari de dekakeyō ka
mō hitori nante iwasenai
ashita mo kitto hareru kara
futari de te wo tsunaide
mō hitori nante iwanaide
tarinai atama no naka wa
omae to gurun gurun
I Love Cat Baby
local files available for download here: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/gwqqjm3cieay8/Zi_KILL
all 5 albums: 真世界 ~ Real Of The World (1989), Close Dance (1990), Desert Town (1991), In The Hole (1992), Rocket (1993); as well as Tomorrow... (1992) [a compilation album] and a few bonus files
fixed metadata & album covers included! enjoy ♡
for sp0tify users: this playlist should work once you download the above files
Hello chat this is an interest check for a potential HD recording of Seth et Holth from me since I own the DVD. We do have a translated version of the movie thanks to @eyelectricmoon, yet I haven't seen the DVD mentioned anywhere. The DVD I have is the only rerelease this art film has ever gotten and was available exclusively through a specific book that goes for very high prices and is hard to find.
I know I am very slow with updating the drive and finishing scans, but if there is enough interest I will set some time aside and record the whole film and upload it to the drive. This poll will be up for one week.
PLEASE if you manage to upload it i can sync my subtitles with your version too!! I've been dying for somebody to upload that remastered DVD as I couldn't find it anywhere a few years ago (I wanted to purchase it myself back when I was translating the movie and looking for the best quality version, it certainly would've helped with deciphering the pixelated kanji lol) 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Rock n' Roll Diaries vol. 1 by Akemi Oshima, p.33 - about ISSAY (Der Zibet) & Toshiaki Honjou (Kinniku Shoujo Tai) - English translation
[exact date unknown], published in November-December 1990
Today’s report will be about a duo from Der Zibet and Kinniku Shoujo Tai. Both bands get their hair done by a hair and makeup artist called Tecchan. To be honest, I’m also one of his customers, he comes up with very original hairstyles, and he answers all kinds of impossible and unreasonable demands, even including me requesting that “I want dreadlocks, but they gotta have a heavy metal vibe”.
One of his latest hits has been the hairstyle of ISSAY from Der Zibet: golden extensions attached to the ends of his already long hair, reaching down to about his ankles. Surely with hair like that even walking is a challenge. “Because of this hairstyle my daily life’s been ruined,” laments ISSAY (or maybe he’s delighted?). Apparently one of the biggest struggles has been getting on the train. It’d be really dangerous if his hair got caught in the door, so he has to pay meticulous attention when boarding.
And because of ISSAY, one man’s heart has been set aflame with feelings of rivalry. I’ll tell you who it is: Honjou-kun from Kin Sho*. Despite his declaration that he wanted to be the one with the flashiest hairdo, he took his hat off to ISSAY’s hairstyle. As soon as I said I was currently gathering material on Der Zibet, he proclaimed: “I can’t lose, so I pass by Tecchan’s salon every single day!”
He says that his new fine-braid hairstyle is in progress, that it will take 7 months to complete, and that he even visited the salon just now, right before reporting to me. I can’t wait to see what on earth his hairstyle will turn out to be.
[T/N] *Kin Sho, or King-Show – a shortened/alternative name of the band Kinniku Shoujo Tai (Muscle Girl Band)
hi, this is a little personal post, but i wanted to properly announce my return to this blog and promise more frequent updates! there's a lot of interviews and books i own that haven't been translated yet (though i'm happy to see that @turtleations has been working really hard and uploading many of them! for example i'm grateful and relieved that i don't need to do 'pink cloudy sky' because that's already been beautifully handled ♡ slay)
there is a good personal reason for my long absence, but it's not really relevant or worth talking about on here; i'm just excited to finally have more time to myself and be able to return to my passion which is translating vkei stuff and rambling about it to other fans (and anyone who will be kind enough to listen, really).
i'm actually finishing my MA in creative & specialized translation this year, so i'll definitely be busy, but that will not stop me from dedicating my time and energy to my hobbies lol (long live adhd and reasonable priorities)
thank you for following me here even when i wasn't really active and i'm excited to share more of my wips and collections with you in 2025!
hope everyone has a good winter break, regardless of what holidays you celebrate (if you do) and take care! 🎄⭐
KUMA: Never Ending Bond, Chapter 3, Part 1 (Translation)
Preface & Prologue
Chapter 1, Part 1 & 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Chapter 2, Part 1 & 2, Part 3 & 4, Part 5, Part 6 & 7
Chapter 3: From the break-up of X to the solo era
Even if time and place are changing, things stay the same
The bond between master and apprentice, unchanged by busy times
As much as I was with HIDE-san, after X’s major debut there were a lot of times when I couldn’t be with the members as they were recording aboard.
Still, Shishô’s attitude towards me did not change at all.
Like when he finally came home after going to Los Angeles for the recording of “JEALOUSY” (release 1 July 1991). With the day of their return having been made public, there were a lot of fans waiting at the airport… So many that the police had to be there in numbers and us staff couldn’t wait there for the band. Afterwards, because of this, staff and family were moved to a reserved hotel for the reunion.
When I arrived at the hotel floor, Shishô was sitting in a chair with his bright red hair. With all the staff and family welcoming them after a long time, I watched from a distance while thinking, “It’s been so long…” As I did so, Shishô said to me, “Oh, KUMA, you came! How have you been?” Even though we hadn’t met in a long time, he was still so pleased.
It felt like we hadn’t seen each other in forever… The moment I heard his “How’ve you been?” I remember my face straining with tension. Meeting after so long in a hotel, I almost started crying… We didn’t even talk much, but Shishô still smiled and laughed and seemed happy to see me.
Afterwards, we left the hotel, and Shishô and Shishô’s family and also me, just a small group of people, went to eat dinner in a somewhat high-end establishment in town, close to the house he lived in at the time.
The next story is a little different, but two to three years after moving to Tokyo, something happened that made me emotional.
That time, too, Shishô gave me his genuine support and looked out for me.
Honestly, such a warm person. That person named HIDE-san…
I, having followed X around all the time since I was in the third year of middle school, had no experience in dating girls.
There had been one or two cases of unrequited love, but those ended without me confessing my feelings.
In all that, there was this one person I really liked…
Before I knew it, I became friends with the group of people this girl belonged to, we hung out, ate together and all, and throughout, my feelings rapidly turned to love. But, in the end, I never just boldly confessed those feelings of mine…
Also, it just so happened that she was in the talent industry.
Other than in the more open present day, idols of that time were banned from scandalous behavior.
Even so, since we enjoyed talking to each other, we continued our relationship as friends without dating.
So one day, while on the phone with her, I told her, “Aside from the time I spend with X and HIDE-san, talking to you like this is what I enjoy the most.”
Me saying so made her very happy as well.
After that, our connection changed by and by. Also, she was understanding of the relationship I had with X and with HIDE-san. She understood that, no matter what happened, to me X and HIDE-san always came first.
And that meant I needed to tell Shishô about her. Her being an idol came with a lot of complicated circumstances, so even HIDE-san, who was more than family to me, I did not tell anything before I had been with her for two to three months.
But in the end, since I had no secrets from HIDE-san, I obviously did not want to lie to him.
When I told her so, she said, “That’s fine. I, too, think it’s better to properly tell HIDE-san about us,” showing her understanding even under these circumstances. After that, we decided to go meet HIDE-san together…
First, when I informed Shishô “There’s someone I want you to meet,” he said this to me:
“KUMA, for real? That’s a first. This is really great.”
After that, the conversation continued.
“Is it someone I know?”
“Uh… I think maybe you know her.”
When I told him who it was:
“Eh, really!? I’m happy for you, but is it okay? There’s a lot to consider, so you need to be careful. Because if you’re not, this could end badly.”
Even while he was happy about my first love, he still worried about me like that.
Actually, he was also very considerate when the time came to introduce her to him.
Going to HIDE-san’s apartment by car late at night, my heart beat hard with embarrassment as I felt as if I were to introduce my girlfriend to my parents.
When we rang the doorbell to his room, HIDE-san opened the door in his house coat. At that time, he usually wore sunglasses when among people and didn’t let them see his eyes, but this time he came out without them, wearing normal glasses instead.
“KUMA, have you been well? Come in, come in,” he said and let us through…
“Please, KUMA’s really always taking care of me. Well, he’s really been around for a long time… He’s a really good guy, so please take care of him,” he said to my girlfriend.
HIDE-san personally stood in the kitchen to make tea and all, but with everyone being so nervous and mindful of everyone else, the conversation didn’t get going…
Even so, HIDE-san treated us kindly like family without teasing us at all.
In the end, my girlfriend and I went our separate ways after that… In that time as well, when things didn’t go well due to various obstacles, HIDE-san was extremely kind.
In the heartbreak following my first love, when I was just sad and sad… I would call HIDE-san at five in the morning.
“Oh, what’s wrong?” he gently answered the phone. Even though it was a time busy with work, he listened silently to me talking while breaking down in tears without saying anything. At the end, he said, “KUMA, hold on. I’m here for you.” That really helped me and I was very grateful.
Speaking of gratitude, I am also grateful to that girlfriend from back then even now.
As a wonderful romance and a bittersweet experience, I still carry it in my heart today.
Blood, flesh, bones, words and a bit of poison
We were created from that recipe
Blood, flesh, bones, words and a bit of poison
We were created from that recipe
His poem scatters pig entrails
That’s one of the organic methods
Moonlight howl, death dance, he is an impulse
His heels match the rhythm, the night is deep
Yeah, today I’ll again hurt and keep living
It would be good to be a rebel
Blood, flesh, bones, words and a bit of poison
We were created from that recipe
Blood, flesh, bones, words and a bit of poison
We were created from that recipe
His poem scatters pig entrails
That’s one of the organic methods
Moonlight howl, death dance, he is an impulse
His heels match the rhythm, the night is deep
Yeah, today I’ll again hurt and keep living
It would be good to be a rebel
Yeah, today I’ll again hurt and keep living
It would be good to be a rebel
[T/N] an interesting detail is that the "will hurt and keep living" (傷つけて生く) part is written with the character for "live", rather than being left in hiragana. normally this construction would simply mean "i'll go on hurting [others]", but adding the kanji deepens the meaning to a more existential one ("to go on living is to cause harm")
the "it'd be good to be a rebel" line isn't 100% clear to me. "なれたらいい" can mean "i wish [i] could become X", literally "it would be good if [someone] could become X", but because of the lack of context we can only speculate if it expresses a person's wish to become a rebel, or is meant to be advice to others ["better become a rebel"], so i did my best to keep my translation vague too
chi to niku to hone to kotoba dokuyaku o shōshō
watashitachi o tsukuridashita reshipi wa sore da
chi to niku to hone to kotoba dokuyaku o shōshō
watashitachi o tsukuridashita reshipi wa sore da
buta no zōmotsu o makichirasu no wa kare no poemu
sore wa hitotsu no ooganikku na shuhō
gekkō hōkō shi no butō kare wa shōdō
kakato de rizumu awasenagara yoru wa fukai
ā kyō mo kizutsukete iku
hangyakusha ni naretara ii
chi to niku to hone to kotoba dokuyaku o shōshō
watashitachi o tsukuridashita reshipi wa sore da
chi to niku to hone to kotoba dokuyaku o shōshō
watashitachi o tsukuridashita reshipi wa sore da
buta no zōmotsu o makichirasu no wa kare no poemu
sore wa hitotsu no ooganikku na shuhō
gekkō hōkō shi no butō kare wa shōdō
kakato de rizumu awasenagara yoru wa fukai
ā kyō mo kizutsukete iku
hangyakusha ni naretara ii
BUCK-TICK 夢遊猫 SLEEP WALK (Muyūbyō SLEEP WALK) - English translation & romaji
"Sleepwalking cat"
Sleepwalking cat, parallel worlds are connected
Sleepwalking cat, antimatter, confirmation, can we meet?
The dream inflates, the sky's decision
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Sleepwalk, how about a night walk?
Sleepwalk, let’s walk together again
In a dream, let’s hang out, presence to presence*
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Sleepwalking cat, parallel worlds are connected
Sleepwalking cat, antimatter, confirmation, can we meet?
The dream inflates, the sky's decision
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
[T/N] there is a pun in the title of the song: the characters mean "dream", "play" and "cat", but their reading is the same as in むゆうびょう (夢遊病 muyūbyō) - sleepwalking, somnambulism. i decided to add the word "cat" in the translation to preserve the double meaning, but please note that while listening to the song it would sound only like "sleepwalking".
so tldr; we have a "dream play cat" pronounced like "sleepwalking"
*presence to presence - on an existential level, onthologically, in a metaphysical way
also i deliberately don't try to over-interpret Imai's lyrics as most of them are phrases thrown together and difficult to figure out. i believe that turning them into full sentences would be overstepping as a translator, so i usually choose to leave the lyrics as they are
original kanji & romaji under cut !!
kanji
夢遊猫 並行世界 繋がってる
夢遊猫 反物質 確認 会えるかな
夢 膨らませる 天空の決定
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Huu All night long
Heyy!! I just rewatched Seth et Holth and only now realised you have a tumblr, thank you so much for the translation, Seth et Holth is my favourite ever movie and I'm so glad that you translated it❤
omg thank you so much! that translation was a self-indulgent passion project of mine, i'm really glad that so many other ppl love the movie too and have found it useful!
thank you for taking the time to message me here and sorry if i'm replying late, i have no idea if this is a recent message or a very old one that i missed... so sorry if it's been ages lol
(i'm sloooowly translating some seth et holth related interviews too so hopefully i'll post them here eventually <3 let that be my 2025 resolution)