Ai no Uta – Misizu Togashi lyrics

“Love Song” (アイノウタ; ai no uta) is a song sung by voice actress and singer Misuzu Togashi (富樫 美鈴; togashi misuzu). It is the second track to one of Togashi’s singles, “Fly Away!”, released on February 11st, 2011.　Lyrics were written by Kyasu Morizuka and Makoto Miyazaki, while Makoto Miyazaki is also the music composer and arranger.
The titular track of the single was used as the first opening theme of the anime series, Maken-ki! (マケン姫っ！). Togashi also participated in the series as the voice of one of its supporting characters, Azuki Shinatsu.

The anime series, and other related materials, for Maken-ki! contains contents of perverted fan service. If you desire to look into the contents of the series, be careful at your own discretion.

Synopsis

“Love Song” by Misuzu Togashi softly sings of struggle and the love that looks past that pain. The nights may be as black as the unlit night sky and the world may be too big of a maze to venture through alone, yet this song sings to everyone to stand up and try reaching the other end of the world. Even if they still become blind, the singer offers her hand so that they can complete the journey. Cry out till the last breath. No need to be afraid. Listen to this love song comfort you…

Lyrics*

心に涙で　溜まった夜は
Kokoro ni namida de  tamatta yoru wa
On the nights when my soul is filled with tears
深い夢に　浮かびましょう
Fukai yume ni  ukabimashou
I let myself float off into a deep dream
冷たく凍える　指先から
Tsumetaku kogoeru  yubisaki kara
From my cold and stiff fingertips
痛い記憶　零れ落ちた
itai kioku  koboreochita
My pained memories spill out

私いつだって　一人のつもりでいた
Watashi itsudatte  hitori no tsumori de ita
I had intended for myself to stay alone forever
手に触れる物　必死に拒絶してさ
Te ni fureru mono  hisshi ni kyozetsu shite sa
Because I had desperately rejected everything that I could touch

黒い宇宙の果てまで　歩いて見せてよ
Kuroi uchuu no hate made  aruite misete yo
Show me that you can walk until the end of this dark world*
光が見えないなら　聞いてほしい
Hikari ga mienai nara  kiite hoshii
If you cannot see the light, then listen to me
アイノウタ高らかに　この声が奏でるまで　歌うよ
Ai no uta takarakani  kono koe ga kanaderu made utau yo
Until my voice can sing this song of love out loud, I’ll sing
「ここにいる　good night　well done」
“Koko ni iru good night well done”
“I am here, good night, well done”

身体がふわふわ　不安な夜は
Karada ga fuwa fuwa  fuan na yoru wa
On nights when my body felt fluffy yet unsure
深い迷路　一人でしょう
Fukai meiro  hitori deshou
I must have been alone in an endless maze
あっちこっちささやく　風の声に
Acchi kocchi sasayaku  kaze no koe ni
To the whispering voice of the wind from here and there
迷い揺れる　崩れ落ちる
Mayoi yureru  kuzure ochiru
I become lost, waver and fall over

私いつだって　見えないふりをしてた
Watashi itsudatte  mienai furi wo shiteta
I had kept acting like I couldn’t see anything
膝を抱えて　瞼を閉じたままに
Hiza wo kakaete  mabuta wo tojita mama ni
As I held my knees and closed my eyes shut

白い世界の果から　見上げてご覧よ
Shiroi sekai no hate kara  miagete goran yo
Look up into the sky from this white world*
眼が眩んだとしても　触れてあげる
Me ga kuran dato shitemo  furete ageru
Even if your vision goes black, I’ll hold onto you*
噛みついてもいいから　その身を任せて　大丈夫
Kami tsuite mo ii kara  sono mi wo makasete daijoubu
It’s fine if you bite me*, so let me help you, you are alright
叫んでよ　強く
Sakende yo  tsuyoku
Cry out as much as you can

時計の針の音
Tokei no hari no oto
The sound of the ticking clock
無情にも急かすけど
mujou nimo sekasu kedo
Makes us rush on heartlessly
僕らの爪跡のスキマ
bokura no tsumeato no sukima
The crevice of the scars we inflicted on ourselves
いつも煌いてた
itsumo kirameiteta
They were always shining brightly
恐くないよ
kowakunai yo
No need to be afraid

黒い宇宙の果てまで　歩いて見せてよ
Kuroi uchuu no hate made  aruite misete yo
Show me that you can walk until the end of this dark world
君を照らす光で　包んであげる
Kimi wo terasu hikari de  tsutsunde ageru
I’ll put together a light that’ll shine upon you*
アイノウタ響かせて　虹色の足音を繋げて
Ai no uta hibikasete  niji iro no ashioto wo tsunagete
Letting the love song ring out, connecting these rainbow-colored footsteps
君に　good night well done
Kimi ni good night well done
To you, good night, well done

Translation Notes

• The song is arranged to follow the perspective of two people: the sender of the love song and the receiver. The receiver’s side is sung during the verse and pre-chorus, singing of the weakness they harbor. The sender’s side is the chorus itself, pushing the receiver to stand while telling them that they will come to their aide to comfort them.
• More of a lesson than a note, in Japanese, there are times when Japanese lyrics will contain the characters of one word depicted with a different reading or meaning. Here, “uchuu” (宇宙) is usually translated as “space” (as in outer space), but it can also mean “world” (referring space as an “empty world”).
• “White world” in this content can refer to a world null of color. The singer tells the receiver to raise their heads instead of looking dankly into the emptiness.
• For those who hadn’t noticed, the lyrics here specifically has the sender comforting the receiving not just with words, but also mentions that they’ll remain at their side. They won’t stray from the receiver, letting them know that they are still there  by holding onto them.
• “To bite someone” is a metaphor to animals who are scared, thus biting in self-defense. Knowing this, the sender is alright if the receiver is frightened. Even if the receiver harms them in defense, the sender will keep on helping the receiver as much as they can.
• This line can have two different translations with similar meanings: one is the one above “I’ll put together a light that’ll shine upon you”, while the other is “I’ll embrace you with a bright light”. The former is chosen as “tsutsumu” (包む) usually refers to “packing something together”, while it can also mean “to wrap something”. With how the subject of Japanese can be vague deliberately, the translation defines that the sender is putting together the light, not the sender being wrapped in the light.

Glossary

Other songs by Misuzu Togashi

• TBA

Author’s Notes

There are many songs in the Japanese music industry titled “ai no uta” (love song) or a similar name, yet each and every one of them seems to have their own special ring. In the case of Togashi’s version, I had found it as the side-B of Maken-ki OP single. Side-B’s tend to have a different vibe than the side, where in this case “ai no uta” is a soft love song to the energized “Fly Away”.

The take away for this song is the tune and its message. The music starts off with a two guitars playing, one on each side of the headphone, as Togashi slowly starts to sing. As she eventually reaches the chorus, drums enter and the whole band is in. It feels like she’s singing as a high school of some kind. But the message itself is fantastic. While the message is typical, where sender comforts receiver, the magic of the song is the way its performed. Using the verses as the receiver’s point-of-view and the chorus as the sender’s, it gives a different kind of power to the song, something not often done in music. To me, it gave this tender feeling that this love song is a genuine love song. The sender does not ask for love, but for trust in the support she’s offering the receiver.