Okay I thought my first song lyrics analysis would be for Arcane, but Her Song by Tasha Shaik for Pretty Pretty Please I Don't Wanna Be a Magical Girl won me over upon first listening to it after watching the animatic for the show's pilot.
So here are the lyrics:
She's got it all
All in the stars
It's all in the palm of her hand
She's everything--
I cannot be.
How does she cannot see it?
She's perfect to me.
She doesn't try
No she just exists
All of the stars
In her eyes when they glitz
I never felt for someone like this
I wanna try
I wanna try
I wanna try
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So what does this song say and mean especially in the context of IDWBAMG?
The context is that in the story of the show is that Aika doesn't want to be a magical girl despite being one, and is a literal perfect student according to the show. She is ecstatic to be at a normal high school, she gets perfect scores. But when it comes to being a magical girl, she'd rather take a blast head on, but will reluctantly do her job and use something mundane like a led pipe to beat her opponent or even something semi-surprising like a rocket launcher.
But her best friend and love interest Zira is a huge magical girl fan and is willing to protect Aika even though they're just a normal kid.
Then there is Hoshi who is just the magical mascot / helper.
So the song is obviously about Aika right?
You see it's about both Aika and Zira.
Let's look at the lyrics and how they apply to both characters.
----
She's got it all
All in the stars
It's all in the palm of her hand.
She's everything--
I cannot be.
-------
The title of the show outright explains Aika as a person. She doesn't want to be a magical girl. She finds something like High School exciting, but being a magical girl is boring and a chore.
To Aika, Zira is someone she wants to be because Zira has the entire world open to her.
Mundanity is a blessing to Aika.
But Zira sees Aika the same way.
School is boring and a chore. But Aika is everything is everything she'd want to be and more.
The excitement, the battles, the magic is exciting and exhilarating and something Zira would want to be part of.
But for the both of them they cannot take part in each other's worlds the way they'd wish they could.
Zira wants to be part of the action and be a magical girl, but can't.
Aika wants to be a normal girl with a normal life.
--
How does she not see it?
She's perfect to me
-------
They view each other as perfect.
To Zira, Aika is crazy for running from her job.
Aika is powerful. Aika is skilled. Aika is smart. She is perfect to Zira.
To Aika, Zira is crazy for wanting to be a magical girl.
Zira has a simple life. Zira has nothing but opportunities. Zira can only go up. Zira is simple and simple is perfect to Aika.
--
She doesn't try
No she just exists.
All of the stars
In her eyes when they glitz.
----
Self explanatory but I'm still gonna explain because I can.
Aika and Zira don't have to try in their respective lives.
Aika doesn't try when she is fighting.
Zira doesn't have to try to be a normal girl.
When Aika talks about normalcy and simplicity she gets excited, and that excitement and passion captivates Zira.
Zira loves magical girls, and she is passionate about the genre and Aika's job and that passion unknowingly captivates Aika.
--
I never felt for someone like this
I wanna try
-----
This is hinting at the fact that they're each other's love interest.
They want to try to be in each other's worlds in the best way possible in the best way they can be. Even though they don't like their own worlds.
Zira doesn't like being normal and simple and wants to be a magical girl.
Aika doesn't want to be a magical girl and will do whatever she can to get out of it and she wants to be a normal girl.
This is a complex idea to have for two separate characters and reminds me a bit of Static Shock's Richie Foley who ended up becoming the hero Gear.
Richie was always simply calling Vergil and helping him with small inventions up until he became a hero himself.
(please give Zira a giant ass hammer please I need to watch this little nerdy girl whack a motherfucker in the nuts with a hammer. PLEASE KIANA KHANSMITH. DO IT. EVEN IF ITS JUST ONE EPISODE.)
However, I don't know if Zira will ever be a magical girl let alone if she can, considering that from what I remember of the creator, there is a chosen one plotline (correct me if I'm wrong).
But would likely still do her best to help Aika, but Aika will likely try to keep Zira out of the combat considering how dangerous it is and could also hinder a fight as a "damsel in distress" unless she is given a weapon.
The song is a love song in a mundane way which is perfect for the two.
A lofi song that allows for relaxation but at the same time reveals the inner most hearts of the characters. Passion that is poured through a humble and soothing tone.
If I'm wrong about the lyrics, it doesn't matter because this song is so good, I couldn't care.
I can't wait to see this animatic fully animated, and I DEMAND this show to be fully funded and posted on everything that can air it. I WANT THIS SHOW MAN.
I NEED IT.
