#metrospective

[mentalhells]

Metrospective Eng. Lyric Translation Masterpost

Merry Christmas! What better way to celebrate than by listening to Urbangarde's most recent full studio album? (Especially when it contains a Christmas song...) In the holiday spirit, I've completed my attempt at translating the whole album. I hope I can spread the gift of Urbangarde to english-speaking audiences!🫶❤️‍🩹✨ 1) Angu Ragura - アング・ラグラ 2) Metraumerei - メトロイメライ 3) The Strawberry Death Statement - いちご黒書 4) Toyoko Kiss - トー横キッス 5) Dr. Nou - Dr.脳 6) Meme Game - ミームなゲーム 7) Kabuki Boogie Woogie - 歌舞伎ブギウギ 8) Apostreamer - 背神者 9) Youth Disqualification - 青春失格 10) Santa Claus Business - サンタクロースビジネス 11) Sick Sick Sixteen - Sick Sick シックスティーン 12) Ribbon Mandala - りぼん曼陀羅

[mentalhells]

Dr. Nou - Dr.脳

Dr. Dr. Nou, won't you please tell me "With a Chat Chat Chat I'll quickly tell you all" OK,OK,NO, Today's weather will be…? "It seems there'll be showers of gasoline rain"

I've got no umbrella, I'm gonna get laughed at It's a complete downpour inside my head If there's no future, I just won't look I'll sort it out with AI

Dr. Dr. Nou, I want to ask you "With a Chat Chat Chat I'll quickly answer you" OK,OK,NO, Tomorrow I will…? "It seems you'll bathe in the Metro's lights"

Please wait behind the white line In a single instant, becoming drenched in blood If there’s no past, I won't put parentheses I'll pose the question to AI

I'll make you understand Even the very ends of the earth Even mankind's fated path Even how you and I will die

If you don't understand Even just your own heart If you don't understand that, well then Don't think about a single thing We'll let it decide

NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO, to Dr. Nou NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO, to Dr. Nou NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO, to Dr. Nou in my Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, I don't know！

Dr. Dr. Nou, won't you tell me "Worthless scum, I'll tell you roughly" The meaning of living is…? The value of a life is…? "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand"

Where's the doctor gone? The operation is soon The inside of my head is screw-operated Where's the lab? What a placebo this is Elon, neuron, objection, refutation

Where am I? Who am I? It's an AI-dentity crisis You're me, I'm you AI my me mine You your misery!

I'll make you understand If I can't make you understand I'm only making you understand, see, How humans can be broken, that is

I don't understand, Who's the one who doesn’t understand? Is it the world, or me? If we can't decide, then with this computer With this enter key—

Dr. Nou, are you living? Are you dead, are you doing this? Artificial intelligence, omniscient and omnipotent You're poisonous, what'll you do with it? Dr. Nou, do you know? Are you overthrowing humanity? Are you chat, chat, chatting with me? OK, will you be the ruin of me? Dr. Nou

I'll make you understand Even the very ends of the earth Even after a thousand years of history Where will you and I go

If you look up To the sky of my cracked mind Pink clouds will gather And enshroud the world "I will make you understand"

NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO, by Dr. Nou, NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO, by Dr. Nou, NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO, by Dr. Nou, You too will surely, I'll surely too

NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO, Ah, Dr. Nou NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO, Ah, Dr. Nou NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO, Ah, Dr. Nou Dr. Dr. Nou, nou, nou!

TRANSLATION NOTES

Nou = brain but Dr. Brain just doesn't have that ring to it so I just kinda tried to split the difference.

[mentalhells]

Youth Disqualification - 青春失格

The renovated station plaza Is almost like a labyrinth, almost like the gates of Wonderland

Within the revived station’s throngs of people While chasing after you, I fell down a rabbit hole

I pass by the tunnels, I push through the darkness And the sky spreads wide

It was all too blue, all too blue, the end of my spring, the end of this story is All lost, I’ve lost it, I realized, I’ve definitely been Disqualified from youth

Trees are cut down in the forests, people flock together When you wrap it all up, it’s almost like a maze through the looking glass

It’s nothing but tunnels, this town It seems like one big grave

It’s all too heavy, all too heavy, I can’t make this a memory, not even a memory Just forget it, if I can forget it, it’ll shine on for eternity Even though I’m disqualified from youth

It was all too faint, all too faint, the end of the dream, the beginning of the end When I wake up, when I wake up I’ll realize it I’m disqualified from youth But even so, on that day, the sky was so clearly blue

TRANSLATION NOTES

The original title Seishun Shikkaku is likely referencing the Osamu Dazai novel Ningen Shikkaku, commonly translated as No Longer Human, so I wanted to translate this as No Longer Young SOOOOOOOOOOOO bad. But I just left the official English title instead so pretend I did. Also Temma has said in an interview that he wrote the lyrics for this song after finding out that Yoko eloped and I just think about that a lot and wanted to share.

[mentalhells]

Apostreamer - 背神者

Oh my god, Gratis, Gratis My God, My God My God You say that God is dead, but if you ask me You're God, your body, soul, your entirety You say that I'm dead, but according to you Just what am I? Jesting beyond your monitor

That's right, I'm a livestreamer I'll rip you off, O zealous believer An Almighty God who can't take a single step out of His room That's right, I'm an Apostreamer Rebelling against God, an Apostreamer In such a state that I can’t even show my true face Sorry about this fake facade!♡

Those who believe will be saved Those who die will be saved Those who kill their hearts will be saved, you will too Isn't it fine to have some fun right now? Isn’t it fine to take it easy? If i can be a live-r and a survivor, then I'll definitely Win-win-win the internets, Apostreamer

If I ask who I am, then for sure, for sure The letters and letters saying that I'm God will fly across the screen But we really know, you're your own God It's just what we want! As if we're costumed clowns

Singing songs, livestreamers Doing dances, livestreamers Puppets of the era, getting our strings pulled Partners-in-crime reporting in real time Bystanders playing Werewolf Extinct wolves with our fangs pulled out Re:mote-ly saying how d'you do♡

Are there not any skeptics? Are there not those who live? Those who keep their hearts alive will become wounded, you will too It's gotta be right, right, right now, right? Doesn't tomorrow just set you off? If you can see my avatar and my dimples, then surely BAN BAN BAN The Metaverse Has updated

"Thanks to Michael in the chat Thanks to Gabriel in the chat Thanks to Raphael in the chat Thanks to Uriel in the chat Every customer is an angel. Every customer is a devil. Every customer… is God. and God is… you."

The Cross and Crescent Moon, on the Apple, on the Window, The cyclops smiles wide again today By betraying God, betraying you, I've become, I've become Judas Oh, sorry to spill this tea!*

Those who believe will be saved Those who die will be saved Those who kill their hearts will be saved, you will too Isn't it fine to have some fun right now? Isn’t it fine to take it easy? If you use Lives to run away from being Alive, Yes, yes, yes, yes; that’s degenerate Apostreamer

TRANSLATION NOTES

The original title, Haishinsha, is pronounced like the term for livestreamer, but written with kanji representing "rebellion" and "god". I had no clue how to go about translating it until the official English title dropped (apostle... streamer... wow...) so thank you again Temma for being a super mega-genius and doing my job for me.

*the equivalent of twitch that's more popular in japan is called twitcast, and the chat donations are called tea bombs. i believe the original line is a play on that but we do a little funny localization as a treat

[mentalhells]

The Strawberry Death Statement - いちご黒書

The wrist cut’s wound and the wound’s scar Erase it, erase it, with a lazer  The face I hate so much in my graduation album Erase it, erase it, with magic

The sun-bleached remains, the traces of tears Erase them, erase them, never again I don’t want to remember them anymore, therefore Goodbye

Although, even now, inside the mirror Your youth wasn’t that blue, A fifteen-year old girl sings

Oh strawberry, don’t tell me it was once-in-a-lifetime Remember all the heavy feelings you’d rather forget One time, one time, just once more, let me tell you It’s not your dark past, don’t blot it out with blackest black, ah Your strawberry, strawberry, strawberry, Strawberry Death Statement

My piercing hole aches today The tattoo on my chest stings Won't you let me forget this deep crimson, Hey, please

But even so, once in a while, sometimes in my dreams, Love isn’t all peaches and cream, A fifteen-year old girl casts a curse “Every single person is a strawberry”

Oh strawberry, each and every word, even all the days you got it wrong Write them down in your bible, write it out with reddest red Strawberry, strawberry, strawberry, strawberry

Just once, I wanted to die Because I wanted to live

The wrist cut’s wound and the wound’s scar Scratch marks left behind on the aristocrat The shortcut’s wound and the wound’s scar Leave behind your footprints, you stray cat First cut, last cut Even if you try and try to erase the unerasable past A rough cut at the final cut Lest I ever forget the past in parentheses  So that it can die twice, your dark history No matter how many times you mess up, it’s your bright history No matter how many times you rewrite your red history Let it dye  Let it dye  Let it dye  Let it dye

Oh strawberry, don’t tell me it was once-in-a-lifetime Remember all the heavy feelings you’d rather forget Once, twice, three times more, no matter how many times it takes, let me sing It’s not your dark past, paint it over with red and white and red Your strawberry, strawberry, strawberry, Strawberry Death Statement

Strawberry, strawberry, Strawberry Death Statement Strawberry, strawberry, strawberry, strawberry

TRANSLATION NOTES

Regarding the title, a literal translation of it would be “Strawberry Black Book” (the term having the same meaning it does in English, referring to classified or otherwise unscrupulous documents). However the “official” english title on the MV is “The Strawberry Deathtatement”... So I tried to parse that out a little more! Also I think the title might be a reference to the 1970 film The Strawberry Statement.

[mentalhells]

Toyoko Kiss - トー横キッス

Dig it up here, dig it up here, dig it up here, dig it up here, Dig it up here, dig up this metropolis Enwrap the police

Just where is this, just where is this, just where is this, just where is this, Just where is this, just where is this, this is Toyoko Where the kids gather

At Number Six Toa*, the dialogue is to do some DYING with a DIVE All living creatures, you too, and the dying, you too Do a DANCE of diversity If the lips of Heaven and Hell meet

A kiss with a lonely look behind, a kiss with a pathetic prostration  A kiss like licking each other’s wounds, kiss, kiss A kiss that’ll break if you touch it, a kiss where you get what you ask for A kiss that can’t touch the heart, kiss, kiss Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss A Toyoko kiss

While pretending to live While playing dead Let’s keep dancing ‘til we die in Cine City

When the flowers bloom at Hanazono Shrine, while LYING, we’ll LIVE You, dead as anything, and you, who can live as well Will get direct-marketed DECADENCE Even if the lips of the above-ground and underground happen to meet

A kiss that you can’t sell or buy, a kiss plucked before ripening A kiss like wounding each other, kiss, kiss A kiss without a customer, a kiss that keeps the condemned captive A kiss that longs to touch the heart, kiss, kiss Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss A Toyoko kiss

A head-over-heels kiss, accept it with a kiss, okay? A kiss in pitch darkness, set it ablaze with a kiss, okay? A head-over-heels kiss, accept it with a kiss, okay? A kiss in total darkness, end it with a kiss, okay?

TRANSLATION NOTES 

General: This song is referencing the Toyoko kids, groups of often troubled teens that hang out on the streets beside the Toho Cinema (To-yoko, beside “To”) in Tokyo’s Kabukicho neighborhood. The area is somewhat of a red light district, and is a hotspot for host clubs. The Toyoko kids themselves, often homeless, are known to struggle with substance abuse and self-harm, with some also turning to prostitution. Suicide attempts in the neighborhood are also unfortunately common. There’s references to a few notable locations within Kabukicho in the lyrics.

*The address/name of a building full of host clubs in Kabukicho. The “Toa” is written in roman characters on the building, but with kanji that match phonetically in the lyrics. 

[mentalhells]

Metraumerei - メトロイメライ

Metraumerei, rather than dreaming Metraumerei, become a dream

Get on the train at Platform 0 Lie, la, la, let’s go to the world beyond Clipping this life’s ticket Let’s turn, ta, ta, transmigrate our souls

Lined up on the tracks of Platform 100 Was a girl, ga, ga, girl’s first slip-up Don’t get caught crushed to catch attention Climb up the thread of fate

But hey, God is cruel, so I fell into a dream that it was all a dream, it’s a ghostly morning I can’t do it, I can’t wait, not even a full term Pretty soon now, I’ll be born “good mor ning”

Metraumerei, Me-Träumerei This fleeting world is but an illusion Don’t wake up, rather than dreaming, become a dream Metro-i, Me-Träumerei In this world, you’re all there is Shine trauma’s light and light up the dark Rather than getting hurt, become the pain

Metro-i, Metro-i, Metraumerei Get on in, Metraumerei

Before long, the train will arrive The train at Platform 0 will arrive Don’t speed into heaven, yo Don’t fare-dodge to hell Don’t release that ribbon Don’t cut short being reborn, reborn From Local to Express to Semi-Express to the Special Express The ghost train will arrive Don’t dream of heaven In a dream, become a dream In Hell, let there be a ray of light

On the 99th Platform’s soul-packed train A boy, bo, bo, boy is on the chase If there’s a railway crossing, crossing and breaking right through Freaking out before a breakup

But y’know, hey, God is capricious, so I fell in love, down to love’s punchline, it’s a Code Red morning Red lines, lines and lines, surface on the tester Pretty soon now, I’ll become the wind “fare thee well”

Metraumerei, Me-Träumerei This whole world is inside a station Don’t love, rather than loving, become love Rather than gazing at the stars, become a star Shining brighter than light

Metraumerei, rather than dreaming, Metraumerei, because you can become a dream,

Metraumerei, Me-Träumerei This fleeting world is but an illusion Don’t wake up, rather than dreaming, become a dream Metro-i, Me-Träumerei On midnight’s subway If you run free of the tunnel and come out aboveground More than you, you, you’ll become you Metro-i, Metro-i, Metraumerei Get on in, Metraumerei

Hey, Metraumerei, rather than singing Metraumerei, if you become a song Metraumerei, rather than dreaming If you become a dream You’ll hear the Metraumerei

[mentalhells]

Sick Sick シックスティーン - Sick Sick Sixteen

Sick Sick, you there crying, yeah, you’re

Sick Sick sixteen

Sick Sick, nice to meet ya,* on nights listening to

Ding Dong drug music

Hack Hack, that’s real hip, you’re already a

Hack Hack harlequin

Until the point you Crack Crack, the world is

Crack Crack, so pitch black

Sick Sick　泣いてる　君は　そう

Sick Sick　シックスティーン

Sick Sick　夜露死苦　夜に聴く

Ding Dong　ドラッグ・ミュージックで

Hack Hack　ハクいね　君は　もう

Hack Hack　ハーレクイン

Crack Crack　するほど　世界は

Crack Crack　真っ暗くら

Sick Sick nai teru kimi wa sou sick sick shikkusutiin

Sick Sick yoroshiku yoru ni kiku

Ding Dong doraggu myujikku de

Hack Hack hakuiine kimi wa mou

Hack Hack haarekuin

Crack Crack suru hodo sekai wa

Crack Crack kurakku makkura kura

However, whoever to you sickly write “love”**

Even if you read it as “me”

Just being in love with love

That’s so not me

Jeez, I’m not a kid anymore

I’m not, not, not, not

ヤマイダレにコイと書いて

それを“あたし”と読んでも

恋に恋するだけ

あたしじゃない

もう　子供じゃない

ない・ない・ない・ない

Yamaidare ni koi to kaite

Sore o “atashi” to yonde mo

Koi ni koisuru dake

Atashi janai

Mou kodomo janai

Nai nai nai nai

Your face is so sick, I so get your heart tho,***

We’ll hold each other like we’re trading blows

To live is like, literally messed up

Sick Sick Sick Sick Sick

I’ll get you, not with the heater****, but with with my heart

Let’s not kill each other, but love each other

To live is like, seriously sick

Even sicker than dying

Sick Sick Sick sixteen

顔はヤバいよ　ハートをやんな

殴り合うように　抱きしめ合うよ

生きてくなんて　本気(ガチ)でヤバいよ

Sick Sick Sick Sick Sick

ハジキじゃないよ　ハートでやんな

殺し合うより　愛し合うんだ

生きてくなんて　本気(ガチ)でヤバいよ

死ぬよりヤバいよ

Sick Sick Sick　シックスティーン

Kao wa yabai yo haato o yanna

Naguri au you ni dakishime au yo

Ikiteiku nante gachi de yabai yo

Sick sick sick sick sick

Hajiki janai yo haato de yan na

Koroshiau yori aishiaunda

Ikiteiku nante gachi de yabai yo

Shinu yori yabai yo

Sick sick sick shikkusutiin

Thug Thug, talking all gangster, you wanna be called a

Killer Killer killer queen

Thug Thug, with your brass knuckles

Yo Yo, Throw the punch, you Hell’s Angel*****

Thug Thug　サグいって　言われたい

Killer Killer　キラークイーン

Thug Thug　メリケンサックして

Yo Yo　投げ　暴走天使(よばしり)

Thug Thug saguitte iwaretai

Killer Killer kiraakuiin

Thug Thug merikensakku shite

Yo Yo nage yoba shiri

However, whoever to you sickly write “dreams”**

Even if it’s a real thorn in your wrist

Only dreaming your dreams

Only pinky-promising

Even though I’m already all grown up

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

ヤマイダレにユメと書いて

それを手首に刺(い)れても

夢に夢　見るだけ

指切るだけ

もう大人なのに

はい・はい・はい・はい

Yamaidare ni yume to kaite sore o tekubi ni irete mo

Yume ni yume mirudake yubi kiru dake

Mou otonananoni

Hai hai hai hai

It’s super cringe to just wait, don’t get driven all the way back

Ride it out until the next hell

It’s seriously cringe to laugh at others

Go laugh at yourself, jerk

Go give yourself a smile (lol)

待つのダサいよ　後ろに乗んな

次の地獄まで　乗ってきなよ

誰か嘲笑(わら)うの　本気(ガチ)でダサいよ

てめえを嘲笑(わら)えよ

てめえで　微笑(わら)えよ(笑)

Matsu no dasai yo ushiro ni nonna

Tsugi no jigoku made nottekinayo

Dareka warau no gachi de dasai yo

Temee o warae yo

Temee de warae yo

Sick Sick, your sixth sense runs wild

You’re scared of the world, a hate, hate, hated child

Your world of sensitive sensibilities, the world’s not all that bad

Sicks teen is all, is all but idiocracy

In this world running rampant with no-name goods

You’re surely damaged goods, you lunatic

Break away from the Kimagure Sixth Road******

Unsellable sickness, Cut Cut, give it a buy!

Sick Sick　シックス・センス　蔓延る

憎・憎・憎まれっ子　世に憚る

繊細センス　世・渡る世間は

Sicks teen　ばっか　ばっか　莫迦ばっか

無印良品　蔓延るこの世で

キ印の君　きっと不良品

鬼魔愚零　シックス・ロード仏恥義れ

売れない病気 Cut Cut　買ってやれ

Sick sick shikkusu sensu habikoru

Niku niku nikumarekko yo ni habakaru

Sensai sensu yo wataruseken wa

Sicks teen bakka bakka baka bakka

Muinryouhin habikoru konoyo de

Kijirushi no kimi kitto furyouhin

Kimagure shikkusu roudo futsu hajigire

Urenai byouki Cut Cut katte yare

However, whoever to you sickly write “die”**

Rather than flying off the rooftop

Go fly with music

Go fly with a song

Give flying a try

Right, right, right, right?

That’s right, Sick Sick Sick Sick

ヤマイダレにシぬと書いて

屋上から飛ぶより

音楽で飛べよ

歌で飛べるよ

飛んでみなよ

ネ・ネ・ネ・ネ

そうネ Sick Sick Sick Sick

Yamaidare ni shinu to kaite

Okujou kara tobu yori

Ongaku de tobeyo

Uta de toberu yo

Tonde mi na yo

Ne ne ne ne

Sou ne sick sick sick sick

Your face is so sick, I so get your heart tho,***

We’ll hold each other like we’re trading blows

To live is like, literally messed up

Sick Sick Sick Sick Sick

Let’s not face off, you’re not my foe

And don’t you beat up yourself

To live until you die is

Seriously, like, literally

Even sicker than dying

Sick Sick Sick sixteen

顔はヤバいよ　ハートをやんな

殴り合うように　抱きしめ合うよ

生きてくなんて　本気(ガチ)でヤバいよ

Sick Sick Sick Sick Sick

タイマンはんな　てめえではんな

てめえ自身とタイマンはんな

死ぬまで生きるの

本気(ガチ)の本気(ガチ)さ

死ぬよりヤバいよ

Sick Sick Sick　シックスティーン

Kao wa yabai yo haato o yanna

Naguri au you ni dakishime au yo

Ikiteiku nante gachi de yabai yo

Sick Sick Sick Sick Sick

Taiman han'na temee de han'na

Temee jishin to taiman han'na

Shinu made ikiru no gachi no gachi sa

Shinu yori yabai yo

Sick sick sick shikkusutiin

So don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry, Sick Sick

So don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry, Sick Sick

Don’t cry

泣きなよ　泣きなよ　泣きなよ Sick Sick

泣きなよ　泣きなよ　泣きなよ Sick Sick

泣きなよ

Nakina yo nakina yo nakina yo sick sick

Nakina yo nakina yo nakina yo sick sick

Nakina yo

TRANSLATION NOTES

This song has a teen delinquent (or yankii) motif (see music video<3) and as such uses a lot of slang and puns associated both with historical delinquent groups and with current day teens. One thing popular with teen delinquent gangs in the past was puns using phonetic pronunciations of certain words, but with kanji characters that hold other meanings, so there’s a lot of those and references to that practice. There are also some instances where certain kanji are written, but provided with alternate readings.

*: This first instance is a pun on “yoroshiku/nice to meet you”, written with the characters meaning night, tears, death, and suffering, respectively. It was popular with members of Bosuzoku biker gangs.

**: These lines are written in katakana (only phonetically) so their meanings are more obtuse, but (I believe) they’re puns on yamaidare, a kanji radical (used to construct kanji characters) and yamai, dare, meaning “sickness” + “who/whoever” respectively

***: I think it’s so funny that the closest english equivalent to the either really really good or really really bad popular slang term yabai is… Sick. This song is too sick. Yanna is a little trickier but as I understand it, it’s something like “y’know?” or “right?”… I hope

****: Hajiki is slang for gun, so I tried to pick appropriate matching slang…

*****: Literally meaning “acting recklessly” plus “angel” tagged on the end cuz it’s cute, this is a reference to the earlier mentioned Bosuzoku biker gangs. We do a little appropriate localization as a treat

******: Pun on a manga featuring delinquent characters, but “kimagure” in the name, usually meaning fickle or selfish, is changed to be spelled with the characters for demon, devil, foolery, and voidness respectively