Lyrics for Tasogaredoki's intro song from Ninmyu 16
Please don't read if you want to avoid spoilers for Myu16.
Sadly, I don't have the pamphlet, so I don't know the title. Bear in mind that I also don't have official lyrics, so this is all by ear. I'll come back to this post to edit it when I have them!!! Be careful!
Japanese, romaji, and English lyrics under the cut. Please read my notes also.
闇に紛れ地獄さまよう
yami ni magire jigoku samayou
Hidden in the darkness, wandering in hell,
月影さえ背負うことなく
tsukikage sae seou koto naku
With not even the moonlight shining on our back,
敵によりて未来を奪う
teki ni yori te mirai wo ubau
We seize the future from the enemy
狼隊の術
okamitai houka no jutsu
We’re the Wolf Squad, masters of arson
山: あなたのそばで この身崩れようとお支え申す
anata no soba de kono mi kuzureyou to osasae mousu
Y: Even as my body grows frail, I vow to stay by your side and serve you,
山: : 山本陣内
yamamoto jinnai
Y: I, Yamamoto Jinnai
高: 憧れ敬い 誰よりも前で盾となる
akogare uyamai dareyori mo mae de tate to naru
K: I adore and revere you, and I will stand before all others as your shield
高: 高坂陣内左衛門
kousaka jinnaizaemon
K: I, Kousaka Jinnaizaemon
尊: 炎の中から父を救い守ってくれた
honoo no naka kara chichi wo sukui mamotte kureta
S: You saved and protected my father amidst the flames,
尊: あの頃私に出来しは一つ
ano koro watashi ni dekishi wa hitotsu
S: So there was only one thing I could do
尊: 死なせはしない 死なせはしない
shinase wa shinai shinase wa shinai
S: “I won’t let you die, I won’t let you die”
尊: 帰さねばならない 義の名の元に
kaesanebanaranai gi no na no moto ni
S: “In the name of justice, I must bring you back”
尊: 諸泉尊奈門
moroizumi sonnamon
S: I, Moroizumi Sonnamon
雑: 声より先に刃つき 静けさの中 気配消す
koe yori saki ni yaiba tsuki shizukesa no naka keai kesu
Z: Our blades thrust before our voices are heard; we vanish within the silence
雑: すべてが我らが殿のため
subete ga warera ga tono no tame
Z: All for the sake of our Lord
すべては明日の夢のため
subete wa ashita no yume no tame
This is all for the sake of tomorrow’s dream
山: 背負いし髑髏何を問う
seoishi dokuro nani wo tou
Y: What does the skull we bear demand of us?
己の正義ここにある
onore no seigi koko ni aru
That our justice lies here.
己の心どこにある
onore no kokoro doko ni aru
Does our heart lie here?
己の忠義ここにある
onore no chuugi koko ni aru
That our loyalty lies here
背負いし髑髏未来指す
seoishi dokuro mirai sasu
The skull we bear points toward the future
すべては明日の国のため
subete wa ashita no kuni no tame
This is all for the sake of tomorrow’s nation
すべては明日の民のため
subete wa ashita no tami no tame
This is all for the sake of tomorrow’s people
すべては明日の
subete wa ashita no
All for the sake of tomorrow
雑: すべては明日の
subete wa ashita no
Z: All for the sake of tomorrow
すべては明日の
subete wa ashita no
All for the sake of tomorrow
Whew! TL notes time. First of all, if you don't know about Tasogaredoki's lore, in addition to the anime movies and episodes you probably already watched, I suggest the bonus pages of volume 50 of the manga, listening to the 2012 song "Tasogaredoki", and Ninmyu 6's rerun.
Again, this is by ear. Once I can find an official transcription, I'll edit this post! So be careful! The part I am most unsure about is:
己の正義ここにある
onore no seigi koko ni aru
That our justice lies here.
己の心どこにある
onore no kokoro doko ni aru
Does our heart lie here?
Actually I'm not sure if they ask a question, literally "our justice is here / where is our heart?" or simply repeat onore no seigi koko ni aru / onore no kokoro koko ni aru. In the second line, I do hear a softer sound, so I hear doko instead of koko, but I might just mishear a softer pronunciation. If that's the case, this would change the lyrics to more resolute affirmations:
己の正義ここにある
onore no seigi koko ni aru
That our justice lies here.
己の心ここにある
onore no kokoro koko ni aru
That our heart lies here.
Anyways. I've seen criticism of this song being in total contradiction with Zatto's character song that Amako had written back in 2012, and I respectfully disagree! I think the contrast is intentional and fits the themes of Myu16. I want to think the similar imagery between the two songs isn't random. Myu16 tackles the danger of losing your sense of self by devoting yourself to the mission, putting the nintamas' whole-heartedness directly against Tasogaredoki's devotion-to-the-point-of-alienation. Kousaka is the worst example of that alienation and embodies perfectly what Zatto came to hate, and it's shown explicitely in a certain scene where he learns that one of his subordinate died on the mission. Kousaka tells him "He must have been honored to be useful to you. Had it been me..." and Zatto cuts him off shouting "Don't be ridiculous! What superior would rejoice in one of their subordinate dying?"
Basically Zatto knows he and his men have no choice but to be loyal to Tasogaredoki, that they're ninja and tools for their Lord before people, and he came to hate that. But of course, if he were to word it, he would betray his subordinates' expectations of him, and they would lose their sense of purpose... So Zatto is stuck in that delicate position. This makes Myu16's song the visible face, the outer layer of Zatto's character ; the ninja devoted to his castle. In turn, the 2012 Tasogaredoki's song is about his more inner, intimate thoughts.
As a side note, I do think Zatto has an interesting history where he was pretty much misunderstood by the anime staff at first ; his first voice actor gave a complete different impression of the character. I do think Morikubo Showtaro, his current VA, also evolved in the way he interprets Zatto through the years, getting a stronger grasp of what his character is about. I'm sure Amako's own vision evolved with time too, but she had a pretty solid idea of what she wanted the Wolf Squad to be pretty early on, so I believe that while Morikubo's performance in the Tasogaredoki song is outdated, the lyrics themselves are still very true to Zatto's character and the Wolf Squad.
Hidden in the darkness, wandering in hell,
With not even the moonlight shining on our back,
We seize the future from the enemy
"Hell" being brought up right at the beginning evokes all the morbid imagery of Zatto's character song from 2012. Here, they operate in total darkness, and I guess it's better for a ninja lol, but in a more poetic context the moon here evokes support and hope (the same way it's used in Hansuke Shunjuu and Rikichi's theme, for example) ; after all, in the 2012 song, the moon is present, but only for the Tasogaredoki ninja's funerals. But it wasn't here for them in life!
"We seize the future from the enemy" the idea here is "we take it away from the enemy", so kill to ensure your own people's safety. A hard lesson Kousaka and Yamamoto teaches the sixth years in the musical, that Isaku seems to take it extremely badly!
We’re the Wolf Squad, masters of arson
There are three squads in the Tasogaredoki ninja army: the Moon Bear Squad (the main offensive squad), the Black Eagle Squad (for intelligence gathering), and the Wolf Squad, specializing in gunpowder, bomb, firearms, and ambushes by arson. Ironic for Zatto, hm? I wonder if the fire that caused his burns was started by the Wolf Squad...
Even as my body grows frail, I vow to stay by your side and serve you
Yamamoto is old, but won't retire ; it's a vow he made after Zatto's father lost his life while protecting him when he was younger. These events were mentioned in Ninmyu 6.
I adore and revere you, and I will stand before all others as your shield
Damn okay calm down Jinza. As I said before, Kousaka is probably the most obvious example of that "loss of self" Tasogaredoki ninja go through.
You saved and protected my father amidst the flames...
Please watch season 32, episode 63!
Our blades strike before our voices are heard; we vanish within the silence
All for the sake of our Lord
I said this song is about what Tasogaredoki allows people to see rather than their most intimate thoughts, but it's still very much about their dehumanization, and it's very explicit in this line. They become their blades by metonymy, their own body and self disappearing into stillness. All for the sake of a Lord, who embodies a possible future where Japan becomes a united nation in an era of constant civil war.
What does the skull we bear demand of us?
Of course, the skull refers to the kamon emblem of Tasogaredoki. When the sixth years are made to wear it during their internship, it marks them as belonging to Tasogaredoki, but symbolically it brings them closer to Death as they've ever been. In this song, the skull demands justice, loyalty, and "heart" (or "spirit", "mind", or whole inner self...) from Tasogaredoki ninja. In the 2012 song, Zatto sings about "empty skulls" begging to be remembered after their death, a much more cynical take...
That our loyalty lies here
It's interesting that technically, said loyalty is to their Lord, who embodies Tasogaredoki castle/territory as a whole, including its people etc. But when they sing that, Sonnamon, Kousaka and Yamamoto bow to Zatto. I think it shows a certain awareness from them about where their loyalty truly is.
Thank you for reading! I hope it made sense! I also hope to write more about Myu16 later. Again, I'll edit once I get my hands on official lyrics!
I finally got to see it! I'm so happy! I failed every chance to get a ticket for the show, but well... at least I got to see it in theaters. That's better than nothing, and the atmosphere was fun!
If you don't mind spoilers, I wrote my impressions just after getting out of the theaters. Be warned it's biased, from memory, and all very impulsive and messy. If you don't mind spoilers and my Zatsui bias, please read here!
I'm still stewing in my thoughts... I'll probably come back to write more about it properly later........
I Love Kousaka Jinnaizaemon. I am just, so so so happy he is beloved enough that he went from background character to one of the protagonists in the musical. I hope he knows how loved he is. He would probably scoff like, Zatto-sama's acknowledgement is all he needs.......
The story of how a single illustration can leave a strong impression on you
I have many thoughts about fandom, oshikatsu, consumerism, and the sheer amount of plastic used in merchandise. I want to exist as an otaku not through the amount of merch I own, but by showing my love for stories in more productive ways, be it fanworks, meta, archiving, translation, whatever...
I'm rambling a bit but it's why I'm saddened that I don't have that much time to dedicate to writing long posts here or making fanworks anymore ; in the end I post a lot about outings to pop up stores and cafes because it's the quicker way to connect with fandom and it bothers me a lot...
I do think a lot of merchandise for Nintama isn't great, and if NHK didn't terrorize people into not taking screenshots a lot of it just wouldn't sell. But well. Today's post is NOT about that at all! We're going to SQUEE about promotional art and merchandise! Because despite all that talk I am not immune to cute ninja plastic.
A little pop-up shop opened in the Animate store in Shibuya, offering merchandise with brand new illustrations featuring Rankirishin, Tasogaredoki ninja and the 6th years. Perfect to get excited about the upcoming 16th musical!
Inside, huge cutouts of these illustrations were placed in front of a cute backdrop inspired by anime backgrounds. Those cutouts were seriously BIG!! But it makes you able to enjoy them to the smallest details ; like the size difference between Zatto and Sonnamon's bu... hands. Hands.
I do love this kind of promotional illustration because they're often drawn with a level of detail that is rarely achieved in the TV anime. The details on the characters' hands, the way the clothes fold, the characters' expression and the shading, etc...
I do love this common theme of character pairs physically connecting ; and I think these were drawn with a lot of careful consideration for characterization. Yes! Yamamoto is a dad! And he can't resist Kiri-chan's poor orphan aura! Yes, Oshitsu is kind of a show-off! Yes, Jinza is barely holding Rantarou's hands and they're keeping the most physical distance out of every pair.
As a side note, thank you Animate staff for being so considerate to put Kumigashira next to the fire extinguisher. I'm sure he appreciates it.
The sixth years' illustrations are equally well done ; 6-i makes a graceful, perfect circle shape. 6-ro has chaotic energy on the top and quiet stability at the bottom (I like how their respective ponytails point up and down...), and 6-ha look at each other, giving a sense of safety despite Isaku's shaky posture.
But really, the reason I came here was that I wanted to get a closer look at the 6-i illustration in particular.
Chouji and Tomesaburou are both holding their respective roommate using both arms ; but absolute super darling gingin Monjirou is holding both of Senzou's wrists with one hand, just to make sure his perfect silky smooth straight hair doesn't touch the ground. That illustration is built on contrasts ... the usual contrasts between 6-i, the difference in skintone, rough VS prissy, their beauty gap... sorry monjirou, the size of their hands, and Monji's bigger stature lowering himself to propel the smaller Senzou higher. But then you've got their body language and facial expressions ; again, Senzou's body is forming a perfect arch (compare with Isaku haha), and his expression shows he's doing his usual perfect self, prideful performance. Eyes closed, not bothering to give Monjirou a look, but his hands are relaxed under Monjirou's grip. Waow...
And then you've got Monjirou, lowering himself more than Chouji and Tomesaburou do, allowing Senzou to perform that perfect arch shape, using one hand to hold both his wrists and the other his hair like it's the most precious thing in the world... I love his quiet expression so much ; you'd expect more intensity from the gingin president of the Accounting Committee, but he looks oddly deep in thought staring at that strand of hair, doesn't he? In the end, Senzou doesn't look at Monjirou... he doesn't need to ; he knows and trusts him enough to take him higher and to keep him safe. But by metonymy, when Monji is staring at Senzou's hair, he's staring at Senzou himself. Isn't that great?? It's fun that it's a recurring thing for Monji to look at Senzou when Senzou is not looking his way...
It kills me. It kills me, okay.
Anyways. Sometimes the png is so good you have to bring one home. Now I can get psychic damage thinking about 6-i's trust and deep-bond-that-doesn't-require-words every time I look at it. Yay!
...While typing this post, the delivery man rung to my door and I received the pamphlet for Nagaya Monogatari. That's how weak I am to merchandise. Don't ever take what I say seriously.
But I'm excited to write about my trip once I'm back home!
I think I'll write a long blog post on my, well, diary blog first, and then later make a specifically Nintama related stuff in Amagasaki post? I'm not sure.
I just suspect that like many posts from my other blog, I'll still make it all about nintama anyways. Sigh.
Planning a trip to Amagasaki and smiling because I have this document that's a list of places to visit, and it looks like I just made a list of character names...
But it's getting filled with notes of things I should keep in mind when visiting. Historical and cultural notes of more or less trivial importance.
Like how the Ohama big bridge crosses the Shoge river, a river that used to be named the Kukuchi river.
Can you tell me where to watch other unsub nintama episodes, thank you so much ☺️
Hi! Sorry for replying late. I don't want to post links to unofficial rip here as sharing publicly put such archives at risk. I suggest clicking around here.
🍡Dorms Stories: The 5th Years' Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow [ENG SUB]🍡
🍡 Gekidan Nintama Rantarou, Nagaya Monogatari: Gonensei Kinou mo Kyou mo Ashita no Dan is a stage play that ran from February to March 2026. As they explain in the intro, it is not some spectacular story like in Ninmyu, nor does it adapt anime episodes like Ningeki. It's a more unique work in the Nintama franchise, one that aims to take a more intimate peek at the students' life through the time they spend in their nagaya, the row house dorms they rest in between classes and missions.
It's a beautiful play that let you take a deeper look into what kind of person the 5th years are, on their own and as a group ; and it dares to go against Nintama's sacred "all is well that ends well, hurray" status quo, as it is entirely based on the idea that nothing lasts forever, and every day must be cherished.
I hope my subtitles will help you enjoy the show as much as I did.
🍡 mediafire (.ass file)🍡
🍡 As usual, this is my own unofficial, amateur work. Translation is prone to mistakes and choices are my own. Still, I worked hard to convey not just the meaning of the words spoken, but the tone and voices of each character.
🍡 Unlike Tasogaredokijou's releases, this is a solo work. English is my second language, so forgive my mistakes.
🍡This is an .ass file that is supposed to fit the February 23rd show recording with switching cameras. You know where to get the video file.
If you are interested in encoding the video and subs together and upload it, please contact me!
🍡 Please do not edit or redistribute the subtitle file without my permission.
🍡 If you see big glaring mistakes, or if you have any question, my ask box is open.
More blabla under the cut.
I talked about wanting to sub a stage play for months, and I finally did it...
Just like how I started subbing Nintama anime, the impetus was Raizou and Saburou again, in a way.
I owe these two a lot...
...Or maybe they are responsible for my obsession. Kora!
Hey! I watched it for the first time on February 23rd, and today is March 22nd. Almost one month of thinking about Nagaya, writing about Nagaya, and finally translating Nagaya... A lot of my free time this past month has been dedicated to this stageplay, so I think I'll try to do something else now.
...There is Myu1 reboot coming, and then Myu16... and I also haven't watched Dokutake's Nagaya yet. It never ends...
I guess it was an absurd amount of work for how niche Nintama is in the anglosphere. I assume the stageplay aspect is even more niche... Still, I do think the plays enable the characters to evolve in a setting that is true to Nintama as a whole, but with a more layered and nuanced writing that makes me appreciate them all the more. I hope that watching this with subtitles will give you that same appreciation as well. If you can, get some green tea and mitarashi dango, and enjoy the show.
I already wrote a lot about my thoughts and feelings about this stageplay on social media and Discord, but maybe I'll end up making a long post here about it.
Meanwhile, if you have any questions, about the story, the play, the script, my translation choices or whatever, please let me know!
Exclusive behind-the-scenes pictures of the translation process:
Yes, I bit into dry koya tofu as is for the sake of science, and yes, it was horrible. Kanemon has my sympathies.
Well, technically, this song is from the very first Gakuensai that was performed after Myu6. Back then, it was performed by Kanegae Kou as Senzou and Ebisawa Kenji as Monjirou. Their current actors, Yumoto Kenichi and Watanabe Kazuki, covered it in 2021. And because I'm biased, you get subs from their version.
6-i usually gets very intense duets, like Yami wo kakenukero or the mashup of Senshuu Senzou Souten Monjirou. Usually, they'd never be caught being vulnerable over Feelings like this, so it makes this song really special, doesn't it?
There are multiple instances of Monji and Senzou giving cold reminders to their friends of what being a ninja entails ; not just in the musicals, I guess The Strongest Tactician is a good example in animation. Duty, hard work and reaching one's goal are all more important than feelings... Or are they really?
I love how the first lines show contrast between Senzou and Monjirou. One is calmly reflective, asserting his perfect kanpeki self by stating he overcame the goals he had set for himself. The other expresses that same effort by evoking physical exhaustion. But in the end they're pretty much the same ; in their quest towards perfection they grew dangerously close to alienating themselves from everyone else (extremely i-class trait!!), indeed felt that they grew apart, and are feeling genuine sorrow about it. No matter how much they try to bottle up their feelings, fond memories and sorrow will "leak" through...
The song continues by tackling a matter Ninmyu looooves to bring up : post graduation anxiety. They both put on airs and acted better than anyone else, but when the time comes and they'll have to say good bye, when they'll be alone to fend for themselves in a land at war, will they be able to keep up with that facade?
Thankfully, no matter how far away from each other Monji and Senzou end up in the future, they'll never feel alone knowing they live under the same sky. They just need to look up to remember that wherever they are, the other is somewhere out there sharing the same dreams, goals, and drive. Igumi never look down to cry, after all!
All pretenses are laid bare with "I probably knew it all along, the sky was right above me". And the song ends with a gentle plea : "You don’t have to walk alone, I’m watching over you.", breaking all sense of distance previously established.
Interestingly, the Japanese line goes like this:
一人で歩かないで 見護っているから hitori de arukanaide mimamotteiru kara
The first part uses a gentle negative imperative, literally "Please don't walk alone". It sounds very soft, like an affectionate, gentle request.
The second part sounds like 見守ているから mimamotteiru kara "I'm watching over you", but luckily we got official lyrics provided! And they specifically spell it 見護っているから, which sounds the same, but notice how one character is different?
守る and 護る both mean "to protect", and if the first one is very common the second one is much rarer, so its use is definitely deliberate.
守 is to protect in the broad sense of the word. Protect from physical danger, sure, but also can be used in more casual situations like literally "protect the rules" as in, uphold/adhere to the rules (The good old "protect good manners" announcements from the station....)
護 looks more complex and is more specialized. It specifically means protecting, guarding something extremely precious and important. The left part of the character, 言, means "word", or "spoken word", and here it evokes a prayer : the thing to be protected is so important, almost sacred, that it needs to be protected not just physically but through prayers for divine protection. It's a much stronger word than 守る that is used only to convey strong determination.
So basically, even if they aren't physically here for each other, they'll support and pray for each other's safety. They'll never truly walk alone!
Ahhh, 6-i. While 6-ro can openly talk about how much they adore each other and want to stay together forever, 6-i really loves to skirt around it huh? It's really good how difficult it is for them to be upfront about their feelings. You'd think "wow, their feelings are really laid bare in this song for once!", but then you scratch the surface and you find even more unsuspected, subtle expression of their mutual affection ... It's a lot...
For You Are Like a Lion / Shishi no Gotoki Kimi Nareba, from Gakuensai 15, originally from Ninmyu 15’s rerun.
The song that immediately follows Koheita's.
Again, those are from Myu15's rerun originally, but I have only seen the original run. Honestly I wonder where those fit within the story since the focus isn't really on them but, whatever, if Amako wants to write about 6ro please let her cook. Because the last line of the song is about Koheita being able to make babies laugh, I assume it fits somewhere when they're doing that babysitting job with Monjirou and Kirimaru!
In Myu, Chouji usually sings soft ballads while Koheita usually gets cheerful songs, like the Ikedon march and such. This is a cute reversal with Koheita singing a soft romantic song and Chouji singing this over the top, heroic, almost childish march-like song.
Again, this song uses old-fashioned, literary Japanese, but it's also a really, really funny one. Chouji is obviously very good with words since he reads so much, but then it's Koheita that he's describing so... this is the final result. Adorable.
With a gentle smile / Nifubu ni emi te, from Gakuensai 15, originally from Ninmyu 15's rerun.
Long time no myu!
A song about Chouji from Koheita's point of view.
I watched this Gakuensai last night and this song caught my attention. First, because I only watched Myu 15's first run, so this was my first time listening to it. Then, because I had no idea what nifubu ni emi te meant, which is kind of a shame given how many times it's repeated lol. And lastly, I was struck by how beautiful, gentle, poetic and even romantic these lyrics are. There's classical poetry influence in there! ...Turns out Amako Soubei wrote these lyrics. Sasuga. She really is the best of the best.
She wrote a song that mirrors this one, where Chouji sings about Koheita. It's also really good so I'll try to translate it next.
Honestly, Myu15's original run didn't particularly blow my mind, but after seeing this I am really excited to watch the rerun...
I have many, many things to say about the lyrics! Looking up the meaning of the title of the song sent me down an interesting rabbit hole. If you like 6ro (and I'll say it, kohechou...), please read under the cut, you're in for a feast.
With a gentle smile / Nifubu ni emi te
The song's title. I know I said I initially didn't know what にふぶに笑みて nifubu ni emi te meant, and it's probably not reassuring to you if you rely on my subtitles, so I apologize. But nifubu ni is an archaic expression that could be compared to the modern nikoniko, the onomatopeic word for smiling. Though contrary to nikoniko which evokes a cheerful, bright smile, nifubu ni seems to evoke more restraint and modesty, gentleness and even shyness.
If you look up the expression nifubu ni into the Manyoshu (the oldest compilation of Japanese poetry, from the Nara period), or at least what's available of it online, you'll find that the exact expression nifubu ni emi te appears twice. Not only we can see how it's used in context to understand its nuance, but it also tells us that this specific, archaic wording used in the song lyrics isn't random at all. It says a lot about Chouji, Koheita and their relationship. Let's take a look at occurrences of this expression in context.
(It's kanbun literature, meaning it's Japanese reading of Chinese text, it's interesting but a bit too complicated and specific for a blog post about Nintama of all things, so I'll be succinct and focus strictly on the Japanese reading and the nifubu ni emi te part)
Poem 3817 from volume 16:
かるうすは 田廬の本に 我が背子は
にふぶに笑みて 立ちませり見ゆ
In front of the hut in the field, I see my beloved by the rice mill
Standing there, with a gentle smile.
This is way above my level of Japanese lol but this is the overall meaning... Forgive the shaky wording. The vibe is that of a mundane, everyday life scene of a wife affectionately watching her husband, who's smiling while working. He might be idly smiling while keeping himself busy, but his wife is with him, and they're enjoying an everyday life moment together, so the idea is that they're smiling fondly at each other really.
Keep in mind that idea of "enjoying the little moments of everyday life together", I'll come back to it later in relation of the song lyrics.
The second word-for-word occurrence of this expression is in a longer poem which I AM NOT TRANSLATING ALL OF oh my god, but is basically about two lovers separated because of the husband's work. As the seasons pass, they yearn for each other until the day they finally meet again:
Excerpt from poem 4116, volume 18:
帰り罷りて 夏の野の さ百合の花の 花笑みに にふぶに笑みて 逢はしたる
今日を始めて 鏡なす かくし常見む 面変りせず
At last we met, gently smiling at each other as the lilies bloomed in the summer field.
From today on, let's always look at each other as if looking into a mirror, forever unchanged.
Here, we got the idea of the passage of time and seasons, nature reflecting the characters' feelings, and the gentle smile conveying affection this time not in the context of every day life, but during a long awaited reunion.
Speaking of, that idea of nature speaking for characters is something Amako uses a lot in her lyrics, I talked a lot about it with the lyrics of Hansuke Shunjuu and Rikichi's theme. Her influences are clear haha.
The wind blows, soft and wistful
First line and nature is already personified. The wind is 蕭々 shoushou doleful, plaintive, but keeps on blowing. Love Koheita's big appreciative smile here... There he watches Chouji who just came back from training, smiling gently despite the new cut on his cheek, the "new proof of his hard work" that he has earned. Koheita acknowledges it, smiling gently in return.
...Like the wife watching her husband work in the previous poem.
And bravery unlike anyone I know
誰よりも凛々しい男 dare yori mo ririshii otoko, "a man more awe-inspiring/brave/gallant than anyone else" literally. In this stanza, by mentioning his tough training and his scars, he's acknowledging Chouji's strength and tenacity through it all.
The rain falls, soft and wistful.
The second stanza mirrors the first one, so we've got the same ideas. Nature keeps doing its thing despite the pain and sorrow, and there are gentle smiles to be found by the Nintama dorms, where domestic, everyday life together with roommates occur.
If the first stanza mentions training, the second one evokes Chouji's caring and nurturing side, as he gets soaked in the rain to "cradle in his bosom a sparrow too young to fly".
And kindness unlike anyone I know
誰よりも 優しい男 dare yori mo yasashii otoko "a man kinder than anyone else".
So basically, Koheita is acknowledging and appreciating the two conflicting aspects that make up who Chouji is!
Spring passed, summer faded.
Here we got that notion of the passage of time.
Spring is when the school year starts in Japan. Little Koheita and Chouji used to laugh a lot together, but as Chouji got more scars he became quieter. As he tells Kameko in 30-33, Koheita knows that Chouji is still smiling inside, though.
Then autumn waned, and winter came.
After winter, spring will come again, and this spring will be not just the end of the school year for Koheita and Chouji but also graduation. So it'll be the end of their everyday life as nintama and roommates. Will they meet again after graduation? Maybe work as pro ninja will take them separate ways, but...
Let me laugh with you again.
...Koheita wishes otherwise. Hey, that's smiling softly as the seasons pass and as he yearns for reunion. As he wishes for things to not change, and stay close to Chouji and laugh with him again and again. Like facing an unchanging mirror. .........Like in a certain poem.
The idea of the unchanging mirror is so interesting to me because it's not the first time Koheita promises to stay by Chouji's side always, and for their bond to never change. And when it is threatened to change, like it did in Myu 11, Koheita's panic is so heartwrenching, oughhh, "don't take Chouji away!", my heart.
The relation to the two poems mentioned before is pretty explicit now, isn't it? When you think about it, the Manyoshu was collected in the Nara period, so it's already old, classic literature by the time Nintama takes place. Koheita didn't choose that wording randomly, it's carefully thought out. It tells us that first of all, this boy is well read! And where do you read at Ninjutsu Academy? In the library, where Chouji is.
Koheita, do you smile in a nifubu ni way as you read poetry together with Chouji..? Did you specifically choose that wording to woo him...?
Amako Soubei-sensei!!!!!!!!!! The genius that you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This time it's an excerpt from Ninmyu 6's re-run, and it includes Tasogare Jinbei's song, A Twilight-Colored World / Tasogareiro no Sekai.
It's funny I watched Ninmyu 6's premiere a while back and it didn't particularly impress me, and when I watched the re-run recently this scene kind of left me in shock. Huh? Huh?? They did that??? I just wanted to clip and sub Zatto's speech at the beginning, but Jinbei's song number says a lot about Tasogaredoki and how he regards his men, so I included it too. And then I felt Zatto's discussion with Sonnamon at the end was important too so here it is... I feel these clips are getting longer and longer, sorry... !
Once again, many many thanks to Tome for checking some lines for me, I'm very grateful.
Let me ramble a bit under the cut.
Translating lyrics is soooooo scary. Not everything is translated literally because I try to convey ideas more than words. I could justify each choice I made line by line but I doubt that'd be very interesting to read... So here are just some context notes:
I march toward dreams of supremacy
天下の夢邁進す tenka no yume maishinsu
Literally "Pushing towards a dream of the world". Tenka literally means "under the heavens", but signifies the whole world and its order, so it includes the idea of society. In the Sengoku period, where Nintama takes place in, tenka is associated with the idea of unifying the country, and thus also came to mean political sovereignty.
A real world example of the use would be Oda Nobunaga's personal seal, reading 天下布武 tenka fubu, "spread military force under the heavens".)
In Nintama's anime, the idea of tenka is evoked many times, notably when Dokutake is up to their usual schemes. Happousai mentions it in the first movie for example.
Dye it all in the color of twilight
黄昏色に埋め尽くせ tasogareiro ni umetsukuse
Literally "fill it in with the color of twilight". I already talked about the word tasogaredoki before but let me repeat myself since it's.. the topic of the day.
Nowadays, twilight is refered to simply as tasogare, spelled 黄昏, with the characters for “yellow” and “dark”. The golden hues of twilight are a good match for Tasogare Jinbei's taste for opulence.
Now, go back in time and you’ll find tasogaredoki with the spelling 黄昏時, “yellow”, “dark”, and “time”.
An even older spelling informs us on the etymology of the word. 誰そ彼時 tasokaredoki, and the first three characters, tasokare, means “who is he?”, and the last one, toki, is “time” again. As the day grows darker when twilight comes, people becomes indistinguishable at a distance, making one go “who is he?”.
It's a time of the day associated with many superstitions, uncertainty and danger, so it's a perfectly fitting name for the castle who employs the strongest ninja army around, right?
We're all originally samurai living on Tasogaredoki domain.
I'm not sure if it's worth noting but I will just in case.
In popular culture, role playing games etc, samurai and ninja are often portrayed as opposites, samurai being portrayed as warriors on the frontline while ninja stay hidden. It's not necessarily wrong, but a samurai isn't a merely hired or conscripted soldier, they are part of the elite warrior class. Here, the word is to be understood as a social marker ; Sonnamon says that Tasogaredoki ninja are not hired from outside, they're born and raised into families with a military lineage, serving a specific lord, while Ninjutsu Academy trains independent ninja. He literally says "freelance ninja", フリーの忍者 free no ninja, a much more modern, anachronistic expression which evokes the in-universe activities of characters like Rikichi or Teruyo.
Nintama, and ninmyu in particular loves to mix archaisms with modern words, and while the historical words make me want to rip my hair out sometimes I find that mix so unique and charming.
I was just kidding.
Usopyon! It's "Just kidding!" in a childish, playful way. A very cute word for Zatto to use lol. uso is "to lie", and pyon is the onomatopeic sound of a hop/jump. Now usagi means rabbit, so usagi pyon is bunny hop, usapyon... usopyon. ...Cute.... ...
Zatto's story has awfully specific, gruesome details to disclose to little children of all people. If it's true, Zatto and his father would have in common that they greatly care for their subordinates, and of course it brings to mind episodes 21-05 or 32-63 of the TV anime.
But is that story really a lie? Maybe not, since the saved subordinate in question mentions the story himself in volume 50 of the manga:
And then the lord went and kicked into that grave... Twice..................... oof. The juxtaposition of Tasogaredoki ninja willing to sacrifice their life to save each other while their lord completely disrespects them is so good. Too good!!!!!!!!!! The best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! < tasogaredoki bias showing, who would have thought from tumblr user jinnaizaemon.
Reblogging this in excitement after the announcement of Ninmyu 16!
The excerpt above is from Ninmyu 6, which was performed in 2015, so more than 10 years ago!
The young actor playing Fushikizou here is Koga Ruito, 21 years old and a successful stageplay actor today. The thing is, he's coming back to Ninmyu in 2026 as Moroizumi Sonnamon in the 16th edition!!!!!! Isn't it wonderful??? Reunited with Kumigashira in the best of ways...... I'm so moved. I cant wait to see him in costume...
He's 158cm tall while Ikko, Doi's actor, is 186cm tall. I genuinely can't wait to see them side by side.
I'm glad 24-23 is finally subbed, it's really hilarious. For once I don't have much to say except highlight that "Dreams do come true!" line from Oshitsu. It is very much a Disneyland reference and (as a fan...) it makes me so happy.
Oshitsu says about his drawings "夢がある yume ga aru", "feels dreamy" / "it's like a dream" / "it has a dreamy feel to it", and Tokyo Disneyland is often called 夢の国 yume no kuni, the dreamland. So here we go... Tasogaredokiland is your land. Where youth may savor the most sugoi suriru rides of the Sengoku period.
If you go to Tokyo, it's likely you'll go to Asakusa, do some shopping in Nakamise-dori, all the way to the imposing Kaminari-mon and finally, Sensou-ji temple.
But if you walk about 25~ minutes from Nakamise-dori (or, depending where you come from, get off at Asakusabashi station for a 5 minutes walk, or Akihabara for a 15 minutes walk), you can find a very small, unassuming shrine squeezed between two buildings:
This is Jinnai jinja, a shrine dedicated to Kousaka Jinnai and where one prays against malaria.
On the stone torii, you can read in red 奉納 dedication, offering and on the black plaque 甚内神社 Jinnai jinja, or Jinnai shrine.
What's the connection with Nintama? Kousaka Jinnaizaemon and Yamamoto Jinnai from Tasogaredoki!
My tumblr namesake!
You might have noticed that while they are homophones, the real life Kousaka Jinnai and Kousaka Jinnaizaemon/Yamamoto Jinnai have different spellings to their name. Kousaka Jinnai is spelled 向崎甚内, while Kousaka Jinnaizaemon is 高坂陣内左衛門 and Yamamoto Jinnai's first name is 陣内.
Luckily, an information plaque welcomes us with English text. But the Japanese text provides more information that I'll attempt translating:
Jinnai Shrine
Asakusabashi 3-chome, 11-5, Taito Ward
This shrine was established in the early days of the Edo period under the name “Jinnai Reijin”.
According to the legend, Jinnai was the son of Kousaka Danjou, a vassal of the Takeda clan. After the fall of the clan, he and his grandfather went traveling across the country, until he was found by Miyamoto Musashi who taught him the sword.
Wanting to restore the Takeda clan, he disturbed public order in the city of Edo as soon as the shogunate was established. This continued until he contracted malaria and was arrested by the government in place. When he was publicly executed in Torigoe, he said:
“If I were not afflicted with malaria, what reason would you have to arrest me?
My spirit will remain there, and I shall cure those who suffer from malaria if they honor me.”
Since then, the sick have gathered here to pray in hope for recovery. Even nowadays, a lot of people gather here every August 12th, the anniversary of his death.
Across Torigoe river, there used to be a Jinnai Bridge since this is close to where the shrine was located. Nowadays, neither the river nor the bridge exist anymore, but proof of its existence remain in a small stone monument saying “Remains of Jinnai Bridge ( Asakusabashi 3-chome 13-4)”.
The shrine used to be located where the Asakusa fire station is today. But after a fire, it was finally relocated to its current address in Showa 5.
March of Heisei 7
Taito Ward’s Board of Education
Taito Ward is the area where Asakusa is. Torigoe is a neighborhood in the area too.
霊神 Reijin are people deified for working miracles after their death.
The newly established shogunate mentioned is the Tokugawa shogunate that came just after the end of the Sengoku period.
Showa 5 corresponds to 1930. Heisei 7 is 1995.
So! We've got a man who lived through the end of Sengoku to the beginning of the Edo period. What the plaque doesn't mention is that Kousaka Jinnai was known as a master thief in the literature of the Edo Period, similar to Ishikawa Goemon. He's mentioned in many books and plays, in some of them his name is spelled 高坂 Kousaka like the Kousaka in Nintama. The most well known "episode" in his life is a revenge story related in the Kenmonshuu, collected stories chronicling early Edo written a few decades later in the same period.
The Takeda Clan suffered a heavy defeat in 1580, during the battle of Omosu against the later Houjou clan. They were infiltrated in the middle of the night by a group of covert agents known at the time as rappa ("thieves", "ruffians") and loyal to the Houjou. They were... the Fuuma ninja clan!
Later on, Jinnai organized to eradicate the Fuuma clan. He accused various groups of bandits across Kanto to descend from Fuuma, and denounced them to the bugyou of Edo city, leading to a great thief hunt and the execution of clan leader Fuuma Kotarou in 1603. Because of his rivalry with the Fuuma, he is sometimes assumed to be a ninja of the Takeda clan himself. Because of his bad reputation, growing power and influence, Jinnai was accused of being a bandit himself, and was arrested and executed under the pretense of having contracted malaria...
And that's the story of the loyal, devoted Kousaka Jinnai! Or at least what we know of it. Please Tasogaredoki, leave Kisanta alone....
Hope this was an interesting read!
