Music and lyrics: Genzuki Tōjirō
Translation and romanization by Snowdust64
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Words that were originally in English are denoted in bold. Implied pronouns are in brackets – there weren’t many in this song. More notes at the end.
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dare mo shiranai shinkai no soko de chīsaku iki o suru
watashi ni dare ka kidzuite kurushī yo
In the deep sea that no one knows, taking tiny breaths
Someone, please notice me, it’s suffocating
totemo kireina mono bakari shizundekite wa sukuwareru
sore demo dare mo watashi o mitsukete kurenai
It’s always the most beautiful things that get rescued if they sink *
But even so, will no one find me?
kowakute koko kara ugokenai watashi no utagoe o nē dareka kīte yo
kitto dareka ni todoku hazu sō shinjiteru kedo
I’m too afraid to move from here, hey, won’t someone listen to my singing voice?
Surely it will reach someone, I’ll believe in that
Mermaid sora o ugatsu yōna chikara o watashi wa motteru!
Mermaid yume janai watashi wa jibun no ashi de mō arukeru yo
Mermaid I have the strength to pierce the sky!
Mermaid It’s not a dream, I can already walk on my own two feet
itsumo kirai na mono bakari me ni haitte wa shiranu furi
sore demo kimi wa ayumi o yame wa shinai
Pretending not to see the things you dislike that are always appearing in front of you
Even so, you never stop making your way forward
kowakute ippo fumidasenai watashi no īwake o nē dare ga kīta no
sore ja jōzu ni wa oyogenai sō shitteru kedo
Hey, from whom did I get my excuse for being too afraid to take even a single step?
Even though [I] know [I] can’t swim well that way
Mermaid umi mo yuragu hodo no kokoro o watashi wa motteru!
Mermaid uso janai watashi wa jibun no ashi de mō arukeru yo
Mermaid I have a heart that can sway even the oceans!
Mermaid It’s not a lie, I can already walk on my own two feet
kowakute koko kara ugokenai watashi no utagoe o nē dareka kīte yo
kitto dareka ni todoku hazu sō shinjiteru kedo
I’m too afraid to move from here, hey, won’t someone listen to my singing voice?
Surely it will reach someone, I’ll believe in that
Mermaid aruki dasuka o itsuka no kimi ga kureta kara
Mermaid nani mo nai watashi mo ikite ikeru kara
Mermaid At some point you gave me the motivation to start walking, so
Mermaid Even though I have nothing, I can live on
Mermaid sora o ugatsu yōna chikara o watashi wa motteru!
Mermaid yume janai watashi wa chikaradzuyoku hibi o egaite
jibun no ashi de mō arukeru yo
Mermaid I have the strength to pierce the sky!
Mermaid It’s not a dream, I illustrate the days powerfully
I can already walk on my own two feet
===== Translation notes =====
* Notable kanji substitutions in this line:
‘mono’ meaning ‘thing’ is commonly written as もの, but here, it is written as 宝物 meaning ‘treasure.’
‘sukuwareru’ meaning ‘to be saved/rescued’ is commonly written as 救われる, but here, it is written as 掬われる meaning ‘to be scooped up.’
===========
extra side note: There’s a heartwarming bit in VΔLZ’s group stream on 9/17/24 when Nagao and Kaida heap praise on Genzuki for using exclamation marks in the lines that express confidence and pride, and Genzuki is just like ‘heheh thanks??’ The two older members are always worrying over him being too self-deprecating. (Haah~ what a sweet group.)
==========
(Post has been edited to correct formatting issues)
If there's one thing that the honeyworks anime did that, to this day, still shocks me...its making lipxlip copy a painting made by a gay American artist from the 1900s (JC Leyendecker) and make it more gay
桜魔大戦譚 (ōma taisen tan) - story and character basics
VΔLZ fandom, hello! So far I have not seen any English translations of the story chapters that VΔLZ is releasing little by little on YouTube. This post is to establish some background info.
----- Explanation of the title -----
大戦譚 (taisen tan) sounds poetic and grand, and I favor translating it as "Great War Chronicles."
大 = big/great/important
戦 = war/battle/combat
譚 = tales/lore/legends/etc., a classier word for 'story'
Therefore, my translation of the title is: "Ouma Great War Chronicles"
Side note: I've seen the name of VΔLZ's home nation translated as both Ouma Empire and Ouma Kingdom. These are both accurate; however, I'd like to add that the word 皇国 (kōkoku) literally means 'emperor nation' and implies a government structure with an emperor or similar royalty at the top.
----- Story setting, directly translated from the opening narration in episode 1. -----
In the place called the Ouma Empire, there exist People, Gods, and Demons.
"People," referring to humankind;
"Gods," referring to the beings who, gaining power through people's faith, bring benefit to people;
and "Demons," referring to the beings who cause harm to people.
Such was the Ouma Empire, which at a certain time,
was struck with natural disasters and epidemics, famines and so on, an array of catastrophes.
In the rebuilding of the nation, the era was renamed "Shinwa."
Borrowing power from Gods, People exorcised Demons
and the nation was resurrected.
Suppose, when Demons should appear, and nothing can be done with the People's power alone;
The People pray and make offerings to the Gods, seeking peace.
In answer, the Gods grant them wisdom and talismans and such.
Thus, under the protection of the Gods, People exorcise Demons, and the nation shall be maintained.
In this way, the Ouma Empire's People, Gods, and Demons came to coexist in balance and comprise the nation.
And so, the fifth year of the Shinwa Era –
The present
----- Character descriptions from their official website for this project: valz-official.com/story -----
Kaida Haru - "A researcher at an institution of the Ouma Empire who studies Demons. He takes pride in his brilliant analytical skills and knowledge, however, has a calm and somewhat airheaded personality."
Vertical text: "Great innovations come with risks, that's a given."
Nagao Kei - "An exorcist at an institution of the Ouma Empire. Not only is he a master in swordsmanship and martial arts, but also in magic and sealing spells. He commands a large number of excellent subordinates."
Vertical text: "The wicked will perish by my hand. Both demons and humans alike!"
Genzuki Tōjirō - "A government official of the Ouma Empire. He may converse and negotiate with the Gods. Soft-spoken, he excels in preventing conflict with his crisis management skills."
Vertical text: "Again with the Gods' selfish requests... Can't be helped, leave this to me."
=====
The story does not represent the history prior to their debut as streamers and will have no relation to their current activities as streamers. Please consider it a parallel world where they stayed in their old jobs in the Ouma Empire.
The split between the VΔLZ members and the characters they voice is further denoted by the character names. They are using the same surnames, but their given names have been changed to hiragana.
(This is summarized from Kaida's free-chat stream on 3/12/24, starting at 24:36)
=====
I may come back to edit/update this post if I catch minor inaccuracies.
Note: As you read, you will see that some sentences highlighted in a different color, this is what they indicate.
Pink: Flashback of the past
Blue: The Character(s) is/are acting
Lets Begin
???: Its dangerous, so make sure to hold onto our hands.
Sakuya: Okay!
???: Come take a look, Sakuya. The ocean continues on to the other side.
Sakuya: The ocean is so big!
???: That's right.
???: Did you know, Sakuya? In this town--
.....
Citron: …uya… Sakuya... Are you alright?
Sakuya: ...ngh.
Sakuya: Huh...? Why am I...?
Citron: You had been crying in your sleep. Did you have a scary dream?
Sakuya: ….I can't remember much of it but I think it was about something nostalgic. It made me feel lonely…
Citron: A nostalgic dream? Was it the time when the Big Bang created the universe?~
Sakuya: I don’t think it was from that long ago..!
Citron: Oh! We must eat breakfast soon, or we’ll miss practice!
Sakuya: You’re right! Let’s hurry!
....…
Misumi: Wasn’t that guy with the enemy?
Muku: Who is he?
Tenma: Wait, what IS your name?
Sakuya: Oh, my name is Saku.
Tenma: Right, apparently, this guy’s searching for the planet he was born on.
Izumi: (Rehearsals for the second part are going smoothly because of the success from the first half. The advantage of having a second part is that we can make use of both strong and weak points from the first half.)
Izumi: (The members that appeared in the first part of the play already feel comfortable with their roles because of their prior appearance, and since the Spring Troupe members finally get to make their appearance in the second part, they have a high level of enthusiasm.)
Izumi: (Everyone’s collective energies is creating a good atmosphere in the practice room.)
Izumi: Let’s take a short break.
Chikage: Since the atmosphere of the play has already been set from the beginning, everything has a fresh and different feel from the usual.
Itaru: I’m getting excited now that the costumes are complete.
These men (づ￣ ³￣)づ
Tsuzuru: Well, this IS the kind of fantasy feel you love after all.
Itaru: I've been found out.
Citron: Itaru is easy to understand.
Sakuya: I’m so happy I finally get to perform with the spring troupe!
Citron: Now, you will no longer feel lonely, Sakuya! Dreaming of the Big Bang will only make you cry.
Tsuzuru: What the? How are those two things even connected?!
Sakuya: I can’t remember exactly how it went but I don’t think it was about the Big Bang!
Izumi: Is it true that you cried from your dream?
Sakuya: Oh…well… It’s a dream that I’ve been having every now and then.
Sakuya: The scenery is unfamiliar to me... but it’s not a scary dream though.
Citron: If Sakuya cries from his dreams again, all of the members of the Spring Troupe are required to gather in room 101.
Sakuya: But everything is okay though!
Chikage: I’ll be there anytime if it’s for our leader.
Tsuzuru: No need to be shy about it Sakuya.
Masumi: I’ll go if I’m awake.
Itaru: Yeah… he’s definitely not coming.
...…
Masumi: Should we get started?
Izumi: Hmm, let’s wait a bit longer… In anticipation of the performance soon, this afternoon—
*Door opens*
Rento: Yo.
Akashi: …Um, sorry to bother you.
Izumi: Oh, hey you guys!
Izumi: Thanks again for providing the wonderful lighting during the first part of the performance!
Izumi: It’s because of you guys, that we were able to take our production to a higher level, and the audience absolutely loved it.
Rento: Well, ain’t that swell.
Akashi: N-No, it was nothing… Izumi… it’s because you gave me such wonderful colors…
Masumi: Too close.
Akashi: ?!
Izumi: Masumi?
Masumi: Four meters away.
Izumi: Why?!
Itaru: The Masumi sensor went off.
Citron: A forecast of the storm of love!
Kazunari: Renton!
Rento: Hey! I brought over the CD that I bought the other day.
Kazunari: Yippee! Gimme gimme!
Izumi: (As expected of the two with high social skills, they became friends before I knew it.)
Tetsuro: …
Izumi: Tetsuro! Didn’t see you there!
Tetsuro: …
Akashi: Ah…
Izumi: (I wonder if they’re seeing each other eye to eye? Maybe they’d get along well since they’re both the quiet type.)
Tenma: Both Tetsuro and our two new guys sure have strong personalities.
Rento: The troupe members here are also characters.
Yuki: Can’t deny that.
Izumi: You guys are all reliable though because of your skills.
Rento: It’s a small theater, so we can only do so much but let’s make the second half even better than the first.
Akashi: I-I’ll do my best…
Izumi: Now that you mention it, it would be nice if we could upgrade our equipment a bit more.
Rento: Yeah, you’re right… last time I brought in my own equipment.
Izumi: But, if we can make this performance a success, we may be able to renovate the theater and level up in various ways!
Rento: Well then, let’s do our best.
Kazunari: Does this mean you’ll continue working with us?
Rento: Well, I’ll do it as long as I don’t get fired.
Akashi: Ah, me too
Izumi: Awesome!
Izumi: Alright, first, I’d like to reintroduce you to the leading roles of the second half of the show, starting with Sakuya.
Sakuya: I’m Sakuya Sakuma and I’m the lead for the second half of the show. Once again, I look forward to working with you.
Rento: Yea, nice to meet’cha.
Akashi: What bright… colors.
Izumi: (In addition to the high level motivation, the staff has been strengthened, and the interpretation the troupe members have of their roles have deepened through the success of the first half.)
Izumi: (If we can progress without a hitch until the curtains open, our second half will definitely be a success as well!)
.....
*Phone rings*
Reni: …
Yukio: Hello?
Reni: It’s me, kamikizaka.
Yukio: Reni?! Oh, thank god… I need you to listen to me!
Reni: Huh? What’s wrong?
Yukio: My daughter came to see my play the other day!
Reni: O...oh… I see.
Yukio: I was happy when you and I talked over the phone but I'd didn't think I'd be able to see my daughter in person too. It made me really happy.
Yukio: This show was super important to me because it was my last performance in that theater. I’m so glad my daughter got to see it.
Yukio: Now, I’ve moved to a new town and joined theater troupe here. It’s hard work but it’s fulfilling.
Yukio: I‘ve got to admit though, seeing my daughter made me miss everyone else in Japan.
Reni: …I’ll bring you back to Japan. That’s what I promised you.
Yukio: Yeah… Oh, speaking of which, what’s up with you today?
Reni: Actually, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.
Reni: I was talking with Kashima regarding your disappearance and heard that you left the theater world due to “certain circumstances”.
Reni: I didn’t get to ask you directly the last time we talked but I ended up hearing about the incident from Kusumi Ikaruga.
Reni: With the help of Syu, I managed to get some information which led me to a certain person.
Reni: I understand you are keeping silent for the sake of your troupe’s members here in Japan. However, in order to properly corner the opponent, I need this information.
Reni: I want you to believe in me and tell me the truth.
Yukio: …
Reni: If my understanding of the situation is correct, then the one who banished you from the theater world in Japan was—
congratulations for the new outfit, kaida!!!!! it's a really cute outfit that scream "IT'S KAIDA" in a lot of way. the silly t-shirt, the cute (and long awaited) glasses that otaku wears, the bright yellow parka, and the cool sneakers; everything is such a fun concept.
thank you airm-mama for making this outfit for kaidy 💕
p.s. fun little detail, i tried to draw smol genzuki & nagao in kaida's pocket, but it kinda failed lol
Okay okay but this is fascinating because it's such a visceral example of how mythology works.
Most characters in mythologies are personifications of concepts, or embody some natural phenomenon - like the story of Hades and Persephone is there to explain why the seasons change, Persephone being spring, Demeter - summer, and the absence of them both resulting in death (Hade's domain) and winter, and so we can't have Persephone stay in underworld all year round or have Demeter steal her back to earth permanently, otherwise they myth would lose its core function.
Interpreting the myth without the lense of the natural phenomena that it explains would make it lose an integral part of itself, and therefore make the plot and characters seem strange or unnatural. Why does Demeter hate Hades so much, seeing how so many mothers are okay with Zeus doing atrocious things to their offspring just because he's Zeus? Does Persephone actually want to stay or not? What's with the bizarre arrangement?
Most modern interpretations strip myths of their natural contexts, making them character-driven instead of phenomena-driven, which just makes them land differently - they can still be fine stories, just not myths, not is the traditional sense.
And now we get to this beauty. This is absolutely a myth, the most classical kind. The relationship between characters, who are personifications of objects, phenomena or concepts (in this case, online platforms) used as an intuitively understood metaphor for an event (the demise of Twitter and the Tumblr userbase being unwilling to accept Twitter's userbase).
It's a story that can work as a so-called "explanation myths". We have seasons because Persephone spends half a yesterday underworld and half a year with her mother. We don't like Twitter because the Twitter God and Tumblr God broke up. Ladies and gents and other assorted respectables, we here are witnessing the creation of a perfect modern myth.
I thought about it way more than a non-feverish me would, and I've come to the conclusion:
The modern myth that is The Divorce of Tumblr and Twitter carries the themes of regression, corruption and downfall. Some of Twitter userbase used to be part of Tumblr userbase, but they left and changed (corruption). Now that Twitter is becoming uninhabitable (downfall), people are trying to return to Tumblr (regression, possible downfall of Tumblr), and to keep them off Tumblr is returning to its old cringe self (regression).
So, if we are to follow the themes, the logical conclusion would be to send the shoelaces back to the president.
There once lived a young man, handsome as daylight, bright and strong. He was known as Twitter, beloved by the people, a favorite of the gods. His chosen companion, Tumblr, was not dear to the people or the gods. He, a traveling storyteller, preferred solitude. His tales were strange and often unpleasant to the ears, but enchanting in their vulgarity.
One day, Tumblr's patron goddess, Yahoo, enraged by his vulgar words, put a curse on him. He was not to utter vulgarities, speak of the pleasures of the flesh. His stories of lycanthrope companions were lost to the sands of time, and with them, his last listeners turned away from him.
Twitter watched others laugh at his beloved, turn him away from their doors, and a dark thought settled over him. He was perfect in every way, his only fault was the affiliation with the cursed taleweaver. And so, little by little, they drifted apart.
In his travels, Tumblr stumbled into the temple of Apollo, who bestowed upon him the gift of prophecy. He made acquaintance with the trifecta of wise temple maidens who induced visions through hallucinogenic incense. His stories changed, still bizarre and often vulgar, but at times full of wonder and truth.
At that time, Twitter enjoyed all the luxuries of the mortal world. He was the companion of kings, wealthy merchants, legendary heroes, wise philosophers.
One day, a man richer than rich, richer than the God of wealth, went to the senate of directors and asked to buy the most precious thing in the entire polis.
The senate thought long and hard, and said: "do you wish for our finest singer, the most sweet-voiced of the land, Spotifia? I am afraid I cannot part with her. "
"No, " said the rich man, his voice cold and harsh, "I said I have come to buy your most precious thing."
"Have you come for our gambler, the chosen of the god of luck, MAXimil? They earn us more riches than you can offer. I shall not part with them. "
"No," the rich man repeated, "I have come to buy your most precious thing. I have come for Twitter."
The senators laughed, then, for they knew this must be a joke. Twitter was too beloved by the gods to be owned as a servant. But the rich man did not smile. He offered money, then more and more still. As the goddess of hubris clouded his mind, he offered more money than he could afford to spend, more than the senate could afford to refuse, for it was enough gold to form armies five times the size of their polis.
And so Twitter, the proud Twitter, the untouchable Twitter who laughed at kings and scholars alike, became a servant.
As he was put onto a gilded ship to be sailed off to the rich man's land, he prayed to the gods that granted him beauty and strength and a sharp tongue, but none answered. His cruelty and vanity made them turn away, and he was too full of his power to notice.
Finally, the young man remembered one more name. He called for Tumblr, his forgotten companion.
First time he called, the birds took off and flew in all directions. Second time he called, the animals fled in fear. Gathering all the strength he had, he called a third time.
His call shook the earth and the skies, and in an instant, Apollo's taleweaver stood on the shore.
Twitter cried in relief. "My love!" he called, "save me! Save me, and I shall be yours for the eternity to come. I shall bask you in glory and riches. I shall make the people love you."
Tumblr looked at the rich old man, at the gilded ship, gilded chains, at the other slaves that were meant to please the rich man during his trip, dressed in the finest clothes fit for kings and immortals.
"You'll like your new life, dear. " said Tumblr. "You are idle: he shan't make you do much. You are prideful: he shall treat you like a god. You are vain, and so you might fear you might be forgotten, one servant among many. Fear not," he smiled. "I shall sing a song of us."
turnnoffyourmind
dededos
kianamaiart
tangentwithtanner
