L'Arc~en~Translation

Translating L'Arc~en~Ciel and L'Arc-adjacent songs into English, poorly. Blog run by LoreTheCat

[larc-en-translation]

Shout at the Devil - L'Arc~en~Ciel

If you could have killed

Would you have been glad?

It seems I underestimated you that morning

If I had failed

Would you have realized it was already imperfect?

.

Pretty little you just

Planting seeds of destruction in the earth

With a beautiful smile

Fascinated by innocent death

.

Ah, how long can a person wait?

If it gets boring, reset it with an ice age

.

Prayer, lead this hand now

Show me how to extinguish the dazzling lies

Even though that power seems corrupt

Raise the flag of truth!

.

Left behind by a cold, closed-off world

I'll show them the meaning of unending pain

.

Prayer, lead this hand now

Show me how to extinguish the dazzling lies

Even though that power seems corrupt

Raise the flag of truth!

[larc-en-translation]

Hi, I just wanted to say that "Yuki no ashiato" was the first song I've ever heard by the band and it became my instant favorite, but I loved it even more when I found out what it was about thanks to your translation. So thank you for this labor of love!

AWW omg thank you for this sweet note!! I'm so happy I could do this for you

[larc-en-translation]

Shutting from the Sky - L'Arc~en~Ciel

The sunlight filters through the trees

Shining on covered eyes

Who pulled the arm away?

Taken out into the spreading world that keeps rejecting*

My eyes are captivated

Barely covering a gentle laugh

Everything is painted dark by that sinking color

The past crumbles and piles in the bottom of my heart

The shadows vanish in the light...

I think about the beginning

I can't return to the past...

The changing world is...

It's quickly flowing to this place

I can feel it

The clouds drifting by are...

The trees starting to bloom are...

The seasons going around are...

You, watching over me, are...

[Shutting from the sky I fallen

into claustrophobia]

I feel as though I can't see that pale hand guiding me anymore

I feel as though I can't hear that quiet voice anymore

*I straight up don't know what this is supposed to mean

[larc-en-translation]

The Rain Leaves a Scar - L’Arc~en~Ciel

I feel like our boy went through a bad breakup in the mid 90s, haha. ...I don’t really have anything to say about this song.

The Rain Leaves a Scar

Music: Ken; Lyrics: Hyde

This bouquet burned out in vain

The night wilted in a cold fire

Beloved, where am I?

I can’t break out of this hesitation that covers me, but

I feel you in that flickering brightness

 When morning awoke, I had forgotten the end

A warm rain is pouring down

It gently erases the commotion, but

Why can’t it just wash me away?

Ah, even though I felt you in that flickering brightness

 You slip out of my hands

And disappear

My voice is choked

I can’t scream anything

I’m buried in the crowd

 [tell me]

[where am I now?]

[why can’t I get out here]

[why can’t I get out here]

 Ah, even though I felt you in that flickering brightness

I still couldn’t hold on to you

Everything wavers slightly

 You slip out of my hands

And disappear

I don’t know how to break free

I can’t even say goodbye

My voice is choked

I can’t scream anything

I’m buried in the crowd

[tell me]

[where am I now?]

[larc-en-translation]

Shade of Season - L’Arc~en~Ciel

Yukihiro’s writing style is nnnnnnothing like Hyde’s and honestly I’m impressed that I’m able to distinguish that, haha.

Shade of Season

Music: Yukihiro; Lyrics: Yukihiro

Repeating forever, until now, and after this,

The moonlight sky, the sound of rain, I am satisfied

Memories that are fading away

Heal an unerasable wound

That day is blurry, wavering in a heat haze

The flower I was searching for withers away

I keep looking down again and again as the seasons turn

Repeating forever, until now, and after this,

And flaws, and atonement, are fake stories

Memories that are fading away

Heal an unerasable wound

Following that day, the sunlight wavered through the trees

A beckoning shadow called out to me

I keep nodding again and again as the seasons turn

[round and round and round]

[(this flower’s slowly drying)]

[round and round and round]

[(the time is never ending)]

[round and round and round]

[(the season’s still repeating)]

[round and round and round]

Repeating forever, until now, and after this

[larc-en-translation]

Alone en la Vida - L’Arc~en~Ciel

I was a bit apprehensive about tackling this one, just because of the story behind the song. I don’t want to get too into the details, but apparently Hyde went through some pretty severe depression while he was working on Faith, and this song is his reflection on that experience. He wrote a chapter about it in his weird psuedo-autobiography “The Hyde,” for anyone who’s interested.

Alone en la Vida

Music: Ken; Lyrics: Hyde

[Faded] dreams, footprints that were etched in become hazy

A far off, distant journey, and then a single gust of flowing wind

 In that moment, I was longing for a familiar place,

Yet I can’t go back there

 How long will tomorrow wait at the end of the road, I wonder?

This life is still in the middle of it’s journey […and so I go]

 [Fadeless] painful days, joyful days, and memories of love

And what I learned is that love overthrows the sorrow of grief

 And suddenly I saw a townscape

So certainly familiar that it was lovely

 I’m glad that I happened to meet you, and that’s enough

This life is still in the middle of it’s journey [… and so I go]

 [Alone en la vida]

 How long will tomorrow wait at the end of the road, I wonder?

Doesn’t this heart beat for someone?

 The beautiful times can distract loneliness

My love for you is proof

A single footstep can’t be left, but

This life is still in the middle of it’s journey [… and so I go]

 [A life of no regrets]

[larc-en-translation]

Sell My Soul - L’Arc~en~Ciel

Hyde uses a lot of volitionals in this one and as someone who is shaky on when a volitional is “let’s” and when it’s “I will”...... I did not enjoy this. Oh well.

Sell My Soul

Music: Hyde; Lyrics: Hyde

A demon that wants a soul

In this state of longing

It blocks the road to heaven but

If it’s wish comes true...

Let me carry you away

To some distant city

And no matter where we go, I can guide you

Like a child

I wake up, I wake up, but I can’t see an exit

This hibernation repeats

[I always see you in my dream]

In a maze like always

Clear wings spread out

Aching eyes search for you

Drifting in a momentary dream

Let’s open the window without hesitating

And bathe in the sun

Let’s embrace on those passing days

And throw everything else away

Reaching out, reaching out, the thing I grabbed

Is a flower with beautiful thorns

[I always see you in my dream]

Tied up in freedom

Clear wings spread out and

I meet you by chance in the unending world

Even though I know it’s a dream

[I always see you in my dream]

In a maze like always

Clear wings spread out

Aching eyes search for you

Drifting in a momentary dream

[I always see you in my dream]

Even if I’m falling in reverse

Coming down from a momentary dream,

If you would stay by my side

Like you did in those days...

[larc-en-translation]

Anemone - L’Arc~en~Ciel

Back to your regularly scheduled song translations. The rumor is that Hyde dedicated this song to his wife (which I hope is true because that’s adorable), but I couldn’t actually find anything official about it in the 3 minutes I bothered to spend googling it.

Anemone

Music: Hyde; Lyrics: Hyde

I wrap myself up in the tenderness of precious people

And walk out towards you

With brilliant memories etched into my mind

Towards a road that continues on to a windswept harbor

Thinking of my beloved,

This feeling will continue on past the winter

The vivid season, ah. The boat continues out of sight

Without waiting for the flowers to bloom

Because this gently burning fire

Can’t be extinguished by anyone

Crossing the ocean, this little boat

Is loaded with prayers and longs for a distant land

So my heart entrusts this single, eternal vow

To your hands

Now, the bell’s tolling echoes

Telling me the time has come

Anemone, anemone,

When that hill is colored red

I am departing

Towards you

I am departing

Towards you

[lorethecat]

Oops I painted another picture of Hyde….. for real, this started as just a side project to use up this giant cheap canvas I’ve had in my office forever while the other painting was drying… so of course it ended up being my favorite, haha.

Oil on canvas, 16″x20″

[larc-en-translation]

Here’s the other one lmao

[lorethecat]

Quarantine has made it difficult to be creative, but one of the upsides has been rediscovering my favorite musician from my teenage years, Hyde. It seemed fitting to paint him, given it was his music that made me want to paint again.

Oil on canvas, 11″x14″

[larc-en-translation]

It’s finished!!

[larc-en-translation]

This isn’t entirely on-topic, but I’m too excited not to share. All my friends are doing the 2010vs2020 art comparison… all my 2010-ish artwork was of Hyde (I was in highschool), and given I’ve recently rediscovered his music- right when I needed it most- it seemed appropriate to make him the subject of my art comparison. This is just a WIP shot, but I thought I’d share anyway. =)

[larc-en-translation]

Got the color blocking done! Now to wait ten years for it to dry so I can start the second layer. Oil paints are a curse haha

[larc-en-translation]

This isn’t entirely on-topic, but I’m too excited not to share. All my friends are doing the 2010vs2020 art comparison... all my 2010-ish artwork was of Hyde (I was in highschool), and given I’ve recently rediscovered his music- right when I needed it most- it seemed appropriate to make him the subject of my art comparison. This is just a WIP shot, but I thought I’d share anyway. =)

[larc-en-translation]

Quick Question (Also, HYDE livestream)

Would you guys be interested in translations of non-song (but still L’Arc-related) things? Interviews, press releases, that kind of stuff? Specifically, I follow Hyde on twitter and sometimes he tweets about events and things that I would never otherwise hear about, because it’s local to Japan. Text-based media only because I can barely understand spoken English haha...

For instance, his NicoNico channel is streaming some concert footage from his 2019 ANTI tour for free today. (Which you can watch here for until ~7:00pm EST today. You have to sign up for NicoNico but it’s free and you can just use your google account). Bonus points for anyone who can spot the moment where he fucking falls during his Columbus show lmao.

[larc-en-translation]

Kasou (Flower Burial) - L’Arc~en~Ciel

As far as I can tell, kasou is a made up word. I remember initially HATING this song with a passion, but then somehow it became one of my top favorites for a long time?? I still like it a lot, but I’ve heard it soooo many times... Anyway, it’s hard not to laugh at the music video. I’m sure he was going to a Marilyn Mason vibe, but he reminds me way more of that lady from The Eurythmics (Sweet Dreams? No?)... Hyde gets a lot of flack these days for being a weird clown, but he’s ALWAYS been a weird clown.

Kasou (Flower Burial)

Music: Ken; Lyrics: Hyde

Scattered flower petals, drops of crimson

Waning moon, keep turning, reflecting an endless love

Eyes left open, the body continues to decay

Only this brilliantly lost consciousness remains

Without waiting for spring  

My beloved, you just gently turn cold

While you are broken in my arms, listen, the void of dreams is calling

Like always

In this wildly blooming night, the melody of a sleepless soul

A flower floating in the darkness, the sole parting gift

Finally it ends, the pain of being reborn

Our joined promise is swallowed by the dirt

The world is dead

Scattered flower petals, drops of crimson

Waning moon, keep turning, reflecting an endless love

Tonight, half in a dream,

Soon, my eyes will close….

In this wildly blooming night, the melody of a sleepless soul

A flower floating in the darkness, the sole parting gift

Scattered flower petals, drops of crimson

Waning moon, keep turning, reflecting an endless love

… In this wildly blooming night

[larc-en-translation]

A Silent Letter - L’Arc~en~Ciel

The irony is that a song is maybe the only type of letter that isn’t silent.

ANYWAY I really like this song, the falsetto counterharmony is just killer and I would love to hear Hyde sing it with the vocal control he has now, because he has VASTLY improved as a vocalist since this song was written (despite what you might assume from his current fixation on heavy metal lmao).

Keep reading

[marifelovesdanzo]

Definitely agree with you on Hyde’s improvement as a vocalist.  He’s getting better as a singer inspite the age and the vocal abuse sustained over the years. I’m assuming that he’s taking vocal lessons regularly because his techniques are getting more polished. You can clearly hear the difference in breathing, vocalization, etc. say of Hyde singing Natsu no Yuutsu in the 15th L’Anniversary vs. the 20th L’Anniversary.  And that’s just in a span of 6 years. 

And yes, the falsetto harmony in A Silent Letter is a killer, especially with Ken’s haunting and wailing guitar in the background. Interesting to see Hyde and Tetsuya doing that harmony live. 

Aside from A Silent Letter, I would also love to hear L’Arc performing The Silver Shining again. Imagine how Hyde would sing the falsetto parts. Damn.

[larc-en-translation]

Oh MAN his voice plus how much his English has improved?? The Silver Shining would be AWESOME.

[larc-en-translation]

Ibara no Namida (Tears of Thorns) - L’Arc~en~Ciel

This one was hard. =(

Ibara no Namida (Tears of Thorns)

Music: Hyde; Lyrics: Hyde

I let my vow float up from deep in my heart

To the damp and hopeless sky

We exchange words like we’re from different countries

These castle walls have stood through the heavy passage of time and now tower over us

Ah, lead this believing soul to eternity

Am I enjoying myself while heaven crashes down?

Until everything is brought low,

Even if this blood smeared on the briars dries,

Hold my heart to yourself

Rain continues to fall. If desire can be cured,

Let’s awaken a love that was buried in lies

Ah, the lord snatches away even my prayers

Am I enjoying myself while heaven crashes down?

Until everything is brought low,

Even if this blood smeared on the briars dries,

Hold my heart to yourself

I raise my voice inside the binding flames

That twisted love cannot be killed

Even if my body burns away to ashes,

If I’m pure enough,

When the time comes, take me with you

And gently hold me

[larc-en-translation]

It’s The End - L’Arc~en~Ciel

This one is an angry one!

It’s The End

Music: Ken; Lyrics: Hyde

Ah, when you pack that trunk

With all the things you love

Leave from here are just

Disappear somewhere

 [I’ll say good luck]

Placing the flowers I picked beneath rolling wheels

 Now I can only sigh

Don’t spit out empty words

Without understanding the meaning

It seems the lethal dose was exceeded

 [I’ll say good luck]

Turn south and fly far away

[It’s the end]

Aim your blaze towards the sun and let it burn out

 Pull the cold trigger and say farewell

 [I’ll say good luck]

Turn south and fly far away

[It’s the end]

Aim your blaze towards the sun and let it burn out*

*I’m not at all confident in this line