What is Translation? Reading “The Giving Tree” and think about what is translating a story.

Hello everyone. I’m a high school English teacher, and sometimes I have an opportunity to have a class for people who are not high school students. It is like a open school kind of thing. Since I live in a small town, some town’s people who wants to study something at a night class in my high school sometimes come and take a class this season. In this time, I hold a class of “the art of translation”. Of course I’m not a professional translator though, there are some people who really love to hear something they don’t even know.

So, what is translation then? I read a book written by a pro-translator and she said “becoming some other people or thing” is a translation. A translator needs to be a J.K. Rowling, and should see the world of the magic. Have a relationship with a person in the world of 200 years ago. Anyway, we need an imagination. Translating is providing an interpretation. Original material is just one, but there are so many interpretations. Original will not be faded, but translation will do fade. Suggesting that I interpreted this story like this is a translation, and to do a better translation, we ought to read materials deeper. Translator is firstly a reader anyway.

Anyway, the most of them are second hand information of a professional translators. Then, I set an assignment for them to translate, a kind of picture book, “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. The story is very simple though, it has been loved by so many people around the world. The translator of a Japanese version, Haruki Murakami leave a message on the last page, and he says that everyone should read this book again and again, for this is a kind of mirror in a nature that reflect yourself.

The story is really simple. There are a boy and a tree and they loved each other. However, as the boy grew older, he began to say that he wants money or wants to build a house. Every time he says such things, the tree give him apples to make money, and trunks to build a house. And lastly, the tree became a stump. Then, the boy who became really old came to visit the stump. The tree disappointed with the fact that she can’t give anything, but the man says “I don’t need anything” or like that. Then, he sit down on the stump. The tree felt happy to be sit, and the man felt happy because he could rest on it. This is a brief summary.

To be honest, I felt really sad reading the story. Many people would read a mother in the tree, and I feel so sad to wonder how much things I have taken away from her. However, if I became a father, maybe such kind of interpretation could change.

It is allowed to have a various interpretation. There is no only one answer. This is why I like literature. Sometimes this kind pf person is thought to be a very lazy guy though, please enjoy some literature in this season.

Thank you for reading!

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Answering 100 questions to know myself

1. What is your name?
   Tomoharu Watanabe
2. When is your birthday?
   December 23
3. Sex?
   Male
4. Age?
   29
5. Astrology?
   Capricorn
6. Blood type?
   Type A
7. What is your favorite food?
   There are many favorite foods, but I’m addicted to Big Mac.
8. What is your favorite drink?
   Coca Cola. Especially Malibu Coke with a sliced lime.
9. Any favorite novels?
   “Slaughterhouse 5” by Kurt Vonnegut
10. Any favorite manga?
    “Crayon Shinchan” is all time best.
11. Any favorite movies?
    This kind of question really bothers me cause I have a plenty of. But, the kind of atmosphere of “A perks of being a wallflower”, I like it.
12. Any favorite anime?
    “Damon Slayer” is my favorite one.
13. Who is your favorite actor?
    Takuya Kimura
14. Who is your favorite actress?
    Masami Nagasawa
15. Who id your favorite voice actor?
    I like Tanjiro’s voice in the Damon Slayer. It really cheered me up.
16. Do you have favorite models?
    I’m not sure about models.
17. Who is your favorite comedian?
    Conan O’brien.
18. What is your favorite song?
    Deer in the head light by Owl City.
19. Favorite TV program?
    Late Night Shows.
20. Where is your favorite shop?
    I like a fancy cafe which is not that crowded.
21. Where is your favorite place?
    Cafe or any places which is fancy, and has some good atmosphere.
22. What do you do?
    A high school English teacher.
23. What do you do on holiday?
    Get up late and read books and find myself sleeping soon.
24. When do you usually get up?
    Around 6 am.
25. When do you usually go to bed?
    Before midnight.
26. Where are you from?
    The Northern part of Japan called Hokkaido.
27. Where do you live?
    I live in Saroma, Hokkaido.
28. What is the structure of your family?
    I’m an only child.
29. Do you think the relationship with your parents are good?
    I guess so.
30. What is your feeling for each person of your family?
    What kind of question is it? It’s pretty normal I guess.
31. What kind of child were you before going to elementary school?
    I don’t remember much. How was it?
32. What was your dream before going to elementary school?
    It was “to become a tire”. My mother secretly told me before.
33. What kind of playing did you like?
    I liked maybe hide and seek kind of playing.
34. What kind of person were you when you were an elementary school student?
    Somebody told me that I had a certain leadership. I belonged to a baseball club but I really would afraid of catching a ball.
35. What was your dream when you were an elementary school student?
    There used to be so many dreams, but if I only choose one, I would say to be a pilot.
36. What kind of playing did you like when you were a kid?
    I used to like Spy Kids kind of playing. Using a model guns or a toy transceiver, spending a whole day outside. I’m not familiar with APEX thing though, it seems pretty much the same thing to me.
37. What kind of person were you when you were a junior high?
    I was really popular with girls. In a brass band club, I used to play the drums.
38. What was your dream then?
    I was really into the club activity then, so maybe to be a better drummer was it.
39. What kind of playing did you like?
    There used to be many funny senpai then, so I liked to hang out with them often.
40. What was your club then?
    A brass band.
41. What kind of person were you when you were a high schooler?
    Somehow, I didn’t enjoy the high school.
42. What was your dream then?
    I had no idea, and felt school boring.
43. What kind of playing did you like then?
    I used to belong to a band, and we made some original songs. That was fun.
44. What was your club then?
    A tennis club. But I quit in the middle of the season.
45. What is the best experience ever?
    Maybe traveling to the foreign country. New York seemed unbelievably amazing place.
46. What was the most outrageous experience?
    So called, love trouble? That was terrible.
47. What was the saddest experience?
    Sad memories with a lot of tears and without tears. Anyway, I forgot them all.
48. What was the most frustrating experience ever?
    There are some, but I’ll retry soon.
49. If you need to put order Family, Friends and your girlfriend?
    If I’m engaged with my lover, she would come first, and then, my family to friends. This is an order for me to protect strongly.
50. Work, Hobby, Human relationships, Status, Money, how do you put priorities?
    It seems so dull to put into priorities. Things that I love the most at that time would simply come first.
51. What are you interested in now?
    Anyway, reading books. I have plenty of books that I want to read.
52. What are you into now?
    I’m becoming a type of person who loves entertaining guests. I used to feel losing something before, now it seems so meaningful to do that.
53. What is your trouble?
    Tiny troubles there are everyday. Basically, worries about tomorrow.
54. What is your dream now?
    To cheer up somebody with my writings.
55. What is your recent goal?
    To live with peaceful mind everyday.
56. What is your vision of a year later?
    I want to be reading many boos in the future.
57. What is your vision 3 years after now?
    Want to travel a lot of places.
58. How about 5 years?
    I’d like to be a father of a great family.
59. How about 10 years?
    I want to live in a fancy house.
60. What is your biggest regret?
    I should have been more aggressive and honest to my feelings.
61. Have you betrayed somebody?
    Yes.
62. And have you ever been betrayed?
    Of course.
63. Have you ever fell in love?
    Yep.
64. When was the time you felt friendship the best?
    Friends in need is a friend indeed, eh?
65. When do you feel a huge stress in your daily lives?
    When things don’t go well as I thought. I’m such a small person.
66. When do you feel relaxed?
    When I eat something.
67. When do you feel happiness?
    When I eat something, too. And when I am appreciated by somebody else.
68. Outdoor or Indoor type?
    I guess, Indoor type close to Outdoor type.
69. S or M?
    What is this question? I think it depends.
70. Are you positive or negative?
    I’m positive and negative.
71. Extrovert or Introvart?
    I think I’m extrovert.
72. How to deal with your stress?
    Sometimes I drink a lot and eat a lot. Hanging out with friends is a great medicine sometime.
73. Do you have any science fiction technologies that should come into reality?
    For instance, a gate, thorough which you can completely be new and healthy body.
74. What do you wish for only one thing?
    I wish my family in good health and be happy.
75. If you can wish 3 things?
    What? I will achieve by myself then.
76. What do you use your money for?
    Books and foods.
77. What do you spend money on most?
    Books and foods.
78. So, what do you want to cut for saving more money?
    Books and foods.
79. What would you do on the last day of the earth?
    Hmm… Let’s have a big party.
80. What do you want to eat on the last day of your life?
    A dish somebody cooked.
81. If you can travel to the past or future, what would you do?
    I would go to past and see myself objectively.
82. What animal is your metaphor?
    I’m not sure. But I like to be birds.
83. What color is your metaphor?
    Maybe blue.
84. Do you have things about fashion?
    I prefer simple style.
85. Which do you require, stimulation or peacefulness?
    Maybe stimulation. I love peace but sometimes a bit boring.
86. What do you require to your friends?
    If it’s interesting or not during talking with me.
87. What kind of person would be your friend easily?
    Interesting talking person.
88. What is your requirement to your lover?
    Of course whether you can be happy or not.
89. What kind of person you fell in love with?
    A beautiful smile.
90. What do you want to do before you die?
    I want to have a dinner with a very important people like a US president.
91. Do you have any goals you want to achieve within a year?
    I’ve just thought about the question. It’s the same.
92. How about within 3 years?
    To get 3 dan of Kendo.
93. In 5 years?
    To be in good health.
94. In 10 years?
    To get 4-5 dan of Kendo.
95. Who do you respect?
    People with solid styles or uniqueness.
96. Whom you are not good at?
    Not interesting people.
97. What do you think you are looked?
    A man who do idiotic things.
98. What kind of person do you want to be?
    I want to be an odd person in a good way, but to be cool at the same time.
99. Do you have some specific thing about your life?
    I’m always trying to create a cozy environment for my mental health.
100. What is your theme for life?
     Traveling

Thank you very much for reading.

Random thoughts on Saturday

I love Saturday, for that never makes me think about tomorrow. I have plenty of mental room to think about new things I’ve been wondering if I could do, trying to see a movie that doesn’t seem a big hit. From Sunday, I need to start worrying about Monday, and it would last until Friday night (since I need a bit work on Saturday), and I know somehow it’s a necessary thing to deal with the stress to push myself for anything.

Everyone is fighting. That doesn’t mean everyone is busy though, I haven’t had enough room to settle down before the laptop and write and post about things. And, it doesn’t necessarily mean I was spending meaningless, inefficient life. The more distance you put between you and your smartphone, the smarter you become. This is what I’ve been felt for this months, and I assume there are some people who can understand with my idea. I’ve been asking myself, why do I write on this blog? What is the meaning of my writing this blog? I have hit upon no idea so far. In short, this seems totally the same to the action that I throw an empty bottle with a letter to nobody into the sea. I don’t know you, and you don’t know me. But, if we could feel a certain kind of atmosphere together somewhere sometime, that would be a very nice thing.

Today’s random thoughts

I’m trying to write an article everyday these days. I don’t know why I have made this kind of goal. Apparently the goal is for nobody but me. Most people in this world would advice me that I should write in Japanese because you’re Japanese. It’s so true. But I somehow feel like writing in English and try to describe what I’m feeling out. Writing is sometimes thought to be as a translation process. Trying to feel and see something in your brain or mind and try to translate into certain languages. If you were Spanish, you would describe the emotion in Spanish. However, there is a cage in your language. Unconsciously, the word or way of telling story is posited by the language. We are all in a cage of our mother tongue.

But we sometimes can be released from the cage when we can capture things in a different languages or when we were able to express our feelings in different languages. That makes me feel really happy. I, of course, can use Japanese language the best, but unnamed feature of Japanese language makes me think twice to write something. That is a hint of sadness in Japanese. Writing sentences in Japanese, especially fiction, you would feel some sadness in Japanese sentences. Famous Japanese author Haruki Murakami is sometimes said like he wrote an American literature in Japanese. That actually true, I think. Because he could get out of the cage of Japanese storytelling format by adopting dry, hard boiled writing style like Raymond Carver or Hemingway. Moreover, he started writing his first novel’s first paragraphs in English.

Haruki Murakami is a person who I really admire and feel jealous. He used to read English paperback when he was a high school student, and he’s been a huge fan of cool jazz music or classical music, also he is known as a huge collector of these kinds of LP or CD music. I mean, he definitely has his own style to live. He is real and cool to his life it seems. I like writing. Writing makes me feel really chill. Everyday a tiny stressful things shakes my mind but thanks to write it out in memo app or some note, my heart soon becomes cool and real.

People often says it’s roughly by 30 years old when you finally realize what you wanna do in your life. By the way, I somehow dream like if I were really bad at living, it would have been much more easier to find what I’m good at out. It would sound a bit boosting but not at all, I do think so. Since I’m a person who can do the most of things with ok quality somehow, everything felt not too bad or not that good. Friends who seem really bad at living his life to me seems actually lead life that only they can lead.

But above all, now I feel reading and writing is my favorites, absolutely. Without no pressures from outside, reading and writing are my best pastimes. If I could live just by reading and writing and talking. That would be really great.

The Best Cup Noodle Taste Is Miso

From now, I’d like to write about anything for 10 minutes. I don’t know but this is a kind of writing practice. Just writing my thoughts one after another for 10 minutes. Just 10 minutes. Japanese sometimes refer 3 minutes as a time of cooking cup noodles. So, I can make nearly 3 cup noodles in 10 minutes. Cup Noodles reminds me of different tastes of Cup Noodles. There are a lot of different versions of Cup Noodles. Tom-Yum-Kun Cup Noodles, or like that. The very basic, traditional taste of it is definetly “Soy-Sause” taste. It is as foundamental as tuna for sushi. However, the taste what I love is not Soy-Sause, It’s “Miso” taste.

Please enjoy the taste when you visit Japan

“Miso” taste seems no that familiar like “Soy-Sause” or “Sea-Food” here in Japan. I don’t know why though, people recalls Cup Noodles’ taste as “Soy-Sause”, “Sea-Food”, “Curry” or “Tomato”. In my opinion, Cup Noodles looks American thing (which was actually invented in Japan), Miso seems to Japanese to us, and there are tons of different such kind of Instant Cup Noodles on the shelf in Japanese convenience stores. However, let me speak with a loud voice, I do love the taste of Miso Cup Noodles. It’s so good that I’m always eating it with rice balls (Onigiri: Japanese Original Fastfood in my dictionary). You just cannot believe how do they get along with so well. That’s the real beauty of Cup Noodles, and I come to feel like, Oh, however I try to pretend me as a global person, I’m Japanese after all. I really do love the Miso flavor. Miso, what a lovely taste you are.

Oh, I just have 3 minutes left to finish my article. By the way, I have once watched a documentary TV program of the Cup Noodle. After they invented and tried to sell it, they couldn’t sell it well because no one tries to eat ramen with such way. So, the sales people went to Fire Department or Hospitals where people can’t sleep becuae of their emergent work, then they really loved it’s quickness or fast-food, convenience, and gradually Cup Noodle has accepted in Japan and now it is loved around the world.

Thank you very much for reading the article. I would prefer your comments or some other topic requests for me to write. Please write a comment or give me an email through contact page.

My Summer Vacation Plan

Summer, Books and Exploration

So, the summer vacation season has come. We feel we can do almost anything in this season. Especially as a teacher, being free from daily classes and coaching club activities or any kinds of disappointing troubles is the biggest attraction of it. That’s the beauty of summer vacation. However, without any kinds of plans, we can go nowhere. Therefore, I’d like to list up the thing that I want to achieve in this summer vacation to make the most of it.

To Read 5 English Books
Teachers in Japan is said to be a busiest teachers in Japan (I’m an exception though), so they sometimes doesn’t seem to have enough time to read books in the daily lives. They are simply overworked, and doing too much outputs to me. However, excuses doesn’t create anything. During summer vacation we don’t need to the classes, so less outputs and more inputs we can do. Moreover, I’m an English teacher who wants to publish an English book someday, so I need to input more English. Actually, it was really difficult thing for me to finish reading a whole book even in Japanese until I became a university student and realize how great the reading habit is. After reading difficult and deep 10 books, I came to realize it, so maybe after reading 10 English books, can I be good at reading English books?

Prioritize Actual Experiences
I used to check the smartphone every 30 minutes or less than 30 minutes to check how many like I’ve got so far and messages (50% chances no messages). Checking after coming home, eating with watching video contents, lying on the bed with smartphone and waking up with alarm of it. Then I realized I have been totally manipulated. Then I thought, I wanted to read more and more actual books which has the true value proved by the history (by the way, what YouTube or Instagram content would still be watched in 2200s future world?). I want the real experiences. Not a virtual one. If I wondered what should I do in free time, I would have chosen watching videos on YouTube lying on my bed, but from now, I will rather choose to move and go or travel somewhere I’ve never been to.

Write a Fiction
This is really shameful confession. I’m always feeling and thinking of writing a fiction. However, I haven’t created even one descent chapter. Hmm… Actually, I’m always thinking like I should do this before writing a story, or I can’t find enough time to tackle with a story or like that. I need to be brave enough to write for now. There was an impressive quote from a really famous Japanese musician “There are people who want to do something, but people who become somebody has already begun doing something”. This is it. No excuse anymore.

Anyway, I hope you will have a great summer vacation!

Thank you very much for reading the article. I would prefer your comments or some other topic requests for me to write. Please write a comment or give me an email through contact page.

Japanese Trendy Songs That Japanese High School Students Love Right Now

Since I’m a high school English teacher, I am able to know what kinds of songs current Japanese high school students like. And in a class, I took a poll and had them an assignment to write a paragraph for their favorite songs. If you’re interested in their current into music, here is what they are. *Students agreed to publish this article on this site without their name.

MAD HEAD LOVE

My favorite song is “MAD HEAD LOVE”. It’s sung by “Yonezu Kenshi”. I’ve liked it since I was fifteen. But, I’ve never been to one of his concerts. I want to go to his concert someday. (Student A)

ダリア（Dahlia）

My favorite song is “ダリア”. A Japanese woman rapper ちゃんみな(CHANMINA) sings the song. I have been a fan of the song since I was 12 years old. I like her because her music is beautiful and her face is very cute. I want to go to one of her concerts someday. I think her performance is very good. (Student B)

Ordinary days

My favorite song is “Ordinary days”. A Japanese singer, Milet, sings the song. I have been a fan of the song for a year. I like her song because I like her voice. I have never been to her concerts, but I want to go to her concerts someday. (Student C)

あなた (Anata)

My favorite song is “Anata”. A Japanese singer, Utada Hikaru, sings the song. I have come to like this song recently. I like this singer’s voice. (Student D)

明日も (Ashitamo)

My favorite song is “Ashitamo”. A Japanese band “SHISHAMO”, sings the song. I have been a big fan of their songs for one years. I like them because they are girls band and it’s very cool and their songs just cheer me up. I haven’t been to one of their concerts, but I want to see it one day. I’m sure you will like this song. (Student E)

Angel

My favorite song is “Angel”. A Japanese rapper “Chanmina” sings the song. I have been a fan of the song for a year so far. I like her because I like the lyrics, voice and atmosphere. I want to go to her concerts someday. (Student F)

Once in a life time

My favorite song is “Once in a life time”. An American artist, Flo Rida, sings the song. I have been a big fan of his song for 5 years. I like him because his music is so cool and the lead vocal ‘s voice is very amazing. I haven’t been to his concerts. But I want to go to his concerts someday. I’m sure you will like this song, and that’s why people listen to this song! (Student G)

Kawaisoudayone

My favorite song is “Kawaisoudayone”. A Japanese singer, JUJU sings the song. I have been a fan of the song for 2 years. I like this song because I like the melody after modulation and lyrics. I have never been to her concerts.

少女レイ

And another my favorite song is “Shoujo Rei”. A VOCALOID singer Miku Hatsune sings the song. I have been a fan of her for 5 years. I like the song because I like a sad atmosphere. (Student H)

TOMBOY

My favorite song is “TOMBOY”. A Korean group (G)i-ble, sings the song and dance. I have been a big fan of them for 2 years. I like the song because I like the lyrics and the melody. (Student I)

UP!

My favorite song is “UP!”. A Korean group Kep1er, sings the song. I have been a big fan of theirs for one year. I like them because it is happy for me to listen to their music. I have never been to one of their concerts but I want to go to their concerts someday in the future.

Make Me Better

And my another favorite song is “Make Me Better”. A Japanese group, GENERATIONS, sings the song. I have been a big fan of theirs for 6 years. I like them because their music and dance are very cool. I have never been to one of their concerts. But I want to go to their concerts someday in the future. (Student J)

Have a nice day

My favorite song is “Have a nice day”. A Japanese singer Nishino Kana sings the song. When I listen to this song, my feeling get so healthy and feel better. Also the line “I’ll do my best today!” makes me really cheered up. This was a theme song of “Mezamashi TV”, a popular Japanese morning TV show. I love this song. (Student K)

Thank you very much for reading the article. I would prefer your comments or some other topic requests for me to write. Please write a comment or give me an email through contact page.

Real Good Japanese Song: English Translation for “怪獣の花唄(Kaijyu no Hanauta)” by Vaundy and Analysis on the Song Lyrics

Music Video of “Kaijyu No Hanauta” by Vaundy

Hello everyone. Today, I’d like to introduce a song which is very fresh and trendy in today’s Japanese music scene. The artist name is “Vaundy”, who is a university student but thought to be a great and very talented musician. I haven’t heard his songs that much, but a month ago, one of my students used a song called “怪獣の花唄(Kaijyu No Hanauta)” in a school festival and I was very impressed with the song’s beautiful and emotional melody line. So, today, I’d like to make an original translation for this great song, and try to analyze the song’s message.

My English Translation Lyrics of “Kaijyu No Hanauta” by Vaundy

思い出すのは君の歌 (omoidasunowa kiminouta)
What I recall is your song
会話よりも鮮明だ(kaiwa yorimo senmeida)
It’s more vivid than conversations
どこに行ってしまったの(dokoni itte shimattano)
Where have you gone?
いつも探すんだよ(itsumo sagasundayo)
I’m always trying to find

思い出すのは君の歌(omoidasunowa kiminouta)
What I remember is your song
歌い笑う顔が鮮明だ(utaiwaraukaoga senmeida)
A face of singing and smiling is so vivid
君に似合うんだよ(kimini niaundayo)
It just suits you
ずっと見ていたいよ(zutto miteitaiyo)
I want to see it forever

でも最後に見たいのは (demo saigo ni mitainowa)
But what I want to see for the last
きっともう君の夢の中 (kitto mou kimino yumenonaka)
Is perhaps in your dream
もう一度(mouichido)
Once again
また聞かせてくれよ (mata kikasete kureyo)
Please let me listen to again
聞きたいんだ (kikitainnda)
I wanna listen

もっと (motto)
More
騒げ怪獣の歌 (sawage kaijyu no uta)
A Song for Monsters, Be louder
まだ消えない(mada kienai)
It hasn’t disappear yet
夢の歌唱えて(yumeno uta tonaete)
Sing the dreamy song
君がいつも (kimiga itsumo)
You are always
歌う怪獣の歌 (utau kaijyu no uta)
Singing the Song for Monsters
まだ消えない (mada kienai)
It hasn’t vanished
口ずさんでしまうよ (kuchizusande shimauyo)
I still find myself humming

思い出すのは (omoidasunowa)
What I do remember is
君がいた (kimiga ita)
That you were there
ギター持ってる (gitaa motteru)
Holding the guitar
君がいた (kimiga ita)
You were there
忘れられないんだよ(wasurerarenaindayo)
I can’t forget it
だから僕が歌うよ (dakara boku ga utauyo)
So I want to sing

でも最後に見たいのは (demo saigoni mitai nowa)
But what I want to see for the last
きっともう君の夢の中 (kitto mou kimino yumeno naka)
Maybe in your dream
もう一度 (mouichido)
Just once again
また聞かせてくれよ (mata kikasete kureyo)
Let me just listen one more time
聞きたいんだ (kikitainda)
I wanna listen

もっと (motto)
I need more
騒げ怪獣の歌 (sawage kaijyu no uta)
A Song for Monsters, Be louder
まだ消えない(mada kienai)
It hasn’t disappear yet
夢の歌唱えて(yumeno uta tonaete)
Sing the dreamy song
君がいつも (kimiga itsumo)
You are always
歌う怪獣の歌 (utau kaijyu no uta)
Singing the Song for Monsters
まだ消えない (mada kienai)
It hasn’t vanished
口ずさんでしまうよ (kuchizusande shimauyo)
I still find myself humming

落ちてく過去は鮮明で (ochiteku kakowa senmeide)
A falling past is vivid
見せたい未来は繊細で (misetai miraiwa sensaide)
And a future I want to show is sensitive
すぎてく日々には鈍感な君へ (sugiteku hibiniha donkanna kimie)
And for you feeling dull for days passing away

ねぇ、もっと (ne motto)
Hey, More

騒げ怪獣の歌 (sawage kaijyu no uta)
A Song for Monsters, Be loud
まだ消えない(mada kienai)
It hasn’t disappear yet
夢の歌唱えて(yumeno uta tonaete)
Sing the dreamy song
君がいつも (kimiga itsumo)
You are always
歌う怪獣の歌 (utau kaijyu no uta)
Singing the Song for Monsters
まだ消えない (mada kienai)
It hasn’t vanished
口ずさんでしまうよ (kuchizusande shimauyo)
I still find myself humming

ねぇ、僕ら (ne bokura)
Again, we are
眠れない夜に手を伸ばして (nemurenai yoruni tewo nobashite)
Reaching out for a sleepless night
眠らない夜をまた伸ばして (nemuranai yoruwo mata nobashite)
Extending a night that never sleeps
眠くないまだね (nemukunai madane)
I’m not sleepy yet
そんな日々でいたいのにな (sonna hibide itainonina)
I just want to spend such days
懲りずに (korizuni)
I never learns but
眠れない夜に手を伸ばして (nemurenai yoruni tewo nobashite)
Reaching out for a sleepless night
眠らない夜をまた伸ばして(nemuranai yoruwo mata nobashite)
Extending a night that never sleeps
眠くないまだね (nemukunai wo madane)
I’m not sleepy yet
そんな夜に歌う(sonna yoru ni utau)
I’m singing in such night
怪獣の歌 (kaijyu no uta)
Song for Monsters

My song analysis on “Kaijyu No Hanauta” by Vaundy

Again, it’s a very beautiful and mysterious song. As a Japanese, hearing this song, I couldn’t help thinking of my youth, teenage years. As always, a great Jpop song’s lyrics has sometimes very abstract lyric and thanks to that, these can remind us many kind of things and interpretations.

So, What is the “Song for Monsters”? Is the monster, me or you or him or her? However, we need to listen such great songs not by brains but hearts and body I think. Then, I feel like the song is a message song that says we should’t forget what we felt when we were young even after you became adult. Maybe monster is a metaphor of our youth, and “A song for monsters” can be also translated into “a song of monsters”. So, when I heard the line of “A song of monsters, be louder” it felt so emotional and I was almost crying. We shouldn’t forget a precious days of monsters.

Anyway, thank you very much for reading. Here is a gig live video clip of Vaundy and can see the live ver. of the song. His voice is so great that it can be felt even better than the original version.

A song for monsters starts from around 4:37

Thank you very much for reading the article. I would prefer your comments or some other topic requests for me to write. Please write a comment or give me an email through contact page.

We Should Spend More Time for the Real Experience, Not For Social Media’s Virtual, Free and Cheesy Experience

These days, I really feel something wrong on my usage of social media, or you could say, the relationship between me and my smartphone. Coming back from my workplace with exhausted feeling and lying on the bed without having supper, start watching a video clip whose thumbnail says “You Must Watch This Otherwise…”. Actually these videos are not boring in a way, but you can easily forget the content because you don’t even pay for it, and you are lying on the bed. Since YouTube might recommend you the next video like forever, YouTube videos hack your dream and you realize you fell asleep during watching and the sound of a video still go next to your pillow. Then I think, how awful, meaningless life I have lead these days.

Since it’s almost free to access any contents which seems worthy at the time, at one glance, smartphone is definitely a magic tool human has ever invented. It can be a TV, movie theater, book, newspaper, game, phone of course, radio, calendar, reminder, mail, dictionary, …you name it. So, you can fulfill your satisfaction with 5G speed. However, on another level, can’t we say these are “virtual” experience? We used to enjoy a kind of real experience. We needed to turn on the TV and watched one program with family members, we needed to rent a video from a video shop, we needed to look up a dictionary and found interesting words. However, these experiences has almost gone now. We can’t make a failure, which would be the best part of our experiences and learning.

If you are happy with today’s 5G, IoT kind of environment, that’s just great, so go for it. However, there must be people like me who feels rather uncomfortable for today’s too convenient, less experience situation. We can learn most from stupid and shameful mistakes. When you find yourself checking customer or viewer’s review, it can be said that you lose the opportunity of the real experience because you would never make a big mistake as long as you check the review. I do love review things, but you know, basically our life can be evaluated by any Amazon customer’s reviewers. So why do we always try to avoid making mistakes which is actually the only way for us to make our life really meaningful?

Then, here is my solution. I deleted almost all Social Media apps from my iPhone.

Even a Plane can fly in the screen

I felt I really need to do something for me to lead a meaningful life with real precious experiences. So, My decision is like this. I will spend more time with the real experiences which can be troublesome or a huge mistake. But then, I realize I can get much more healthy and great information for my life. I would not watch Spain’s sightseeing videos, but I would rather try to go to Spain. Instead of watching boring video clips, I would rather read books, travel with my car, and have lunch with my friends and family. That must be the best solution to have a good relation ship with social media or smartphone in this era I think. If you feel the same way, why don’t you try it together? Let’s face our life experiences more that is much much cooler and more interesting than virtual experiences.

Thank you very much for reading the article. I would prefer your comments or some other topic requests for me to write. Please write a comment or give me an email through contact page.

I feel so depressed with Social Media but…

Dear Social Media,

I’m so tired using social media and now I think I’m not in a good condition. 3 days of continuous holidays totally killed me, I mean too much rest can kill sometime. Too much holiday can kill you mentally and make you so depressed. Then you think of all the faults are on Social Medias. Why I need to worry about notification every time? Why should I watch worthless videos on YouTube? I admit there are some good videos, but I cannot remember them all. I have no idea how many videos I have watched, but that would be so depressing number.

Then I think I can finally understand the feeling a person who try to quit cigaret. They always say to me how hard it is to quit cigaret, but I couldn’t imagine what would it be felt. However, now I can totally understand that. Social Media is a new addiction. Social Media kills you. It’s so unhealthy. Sometimes, I suddenly feel so sad because I’m nobody in the social media. I feel like I have no impact in this life and world. But, it’s actually not true. In the working place, you’re shining in an actual human relationship. You can realize how you are contributing to the world.

However, if you use too much social media, you can’t think of you positively. World seems so dark in the bed, you felt so alone. You would be overwhelmed with the endless information like tsunami. Am I highly sensitive person? Maybe so. However, I can definitely say the over using smartphone can kill people mentally much worse way with smoking. I really think this is wrong. Why you try to prohibit smoking but social media or too much using smartphones? I know many people are suffering from this kind of mental trouble.

So, I’d like to quit watching YouTube seriously. I used to declare the same thing here, but it didn’t last for 2 months. So, this time, I’d like not to break the promise at least until 3 month like October. I don’t want to use smartphones as much as I can. Then, I ensure that I can change myself to the positive ward.

Thank you very much for reading the article. I would prefer your comments or some other topic requests for me to write. Please write a comment or give me an email through contact page.