I love Maro (Fukuda Kannon). For additional readings on Maro, please read any of her articles on Wota in Translation.
This is such a Maro-esque song. In fact, it evokes the types of feelings that fuel my love hate relationship with Maro. I’m always perplexed that such a selfish, broken, inconsiderate, conceited, narcissistic girl could engender me with this huge sense of moe feelings. I want to protect her, because I know the aforementioned character traits grew out of some trauma or unfulfillment in her younger life. I have a moe because I know under it all, she is just a normal girl that needs love and most of all at her age, acceptance. I find her physically attractive, I love her voice, and think she is such a great idol, but her self-loathing gets in the way of that sometimes. Her attention seeking behavior because of her self-loathing was unfortunate. Where her feelings of self-loathing come from, I may never know, and its none of my business, but since I like her, I think about it from time to time. Anyways Maro left Angerme and embarked on a journey to become a lyricist. She penned her graduation song, Watashi, and I have been paying close attention to the songs she wrote since then… because I’m a filthy wota and will support her as long as I can.
Anyways the lyrics seem like something straight out of a page of Maro’s life. I have made the English version of the lyrics gender neutral because in my mind I ship Maro and Ayacho. In my mind Ayacho is the one holding the umbrella… and Maro is crushed. Oh course, its not real, but let a man have his daydreams :)
Here is the english version of the lyrics. This is not a translation, its an English style interpretation of the Japanese Lrics.
Country Girls - Sempai’s Umbrella
Who is that girl that Sempai is holding the umbrella for?
My heart started beating so fast when I saw those two getting along so well
Beating so fast that even my dummy of a Sempai could notice
I bet Sempai told her she was cute when she was laughing at those jokes just like a little sister
I bet that Sempai is telling her all sorts of things like that
Who is that girl that Sempai is holding the umbrella for?
I have lost that cute smile you praised me for
Just like you did not notice my rain, you did not notice me quietly running away from this scene…
I bet they did not notice me at all
I’m such a useless girl
My chest got so tight
when you greeted me the next day with no expression like nothing happened
Despite the start of all these peculiar rain showers, my heart has not caught up with June’s rainy season
My “rain rain go away” window charm is supposed to be constantly preventing these rainy days
Why didn’t the blossom of my love close after Sempai closed that umbrella…
I wonder what kind of girl was walking with Sempai? She has to be an amazing girl…
Yea, I understand that, but understanding how amazing she must be makes my chest hurt
And yet even so, I think its a little like me to be hurt…
I’m such a useless girl
Who is that girl that Sempai is holding the umbrella for?
I have lost that cute smile you praised me for
Just like you did not notice my rain, you did not notice me quietly running away from this scene…
I bet they did not notice me at all
I’m such a useless girl
The music is such a simple composition (it suits Maro’s simplistic writing style, simple is not bad imo), but it suits this song so well. Its generic H!P, but a bit more melancholy than regular idol music. I love melancholy, unrequited love, drama, all that crap, so naturally I love this song, lol.
I find the second chorus to have especially great song writing. Its different from the first and has the best line in my opinion. My favorite line in the whole song is its third line, it evokes such a sense of hopelessness. Its like recognizing that in the competition, there never was any competition to begin with. That sort of sad moment creates a BURNING moe inside of me, like Maro… its okay, great things await you in the future, its okay… its okay.
