Rambling about Wasamin

So I don't really use this blog for a lot. When I feel the whim to translate something, maybe I'll post it here, but even then I usually won't. I mostly stick to posting vague posts on twitter that I'm forced to make even more vague thanks to the 140 character limit. That's not really productive when I have something I actually feel warrants something longer than a few tweets.

This past weekend (2017/9/9 and 10), a dream I've had for 5 years came true.

5 years ago, I stumbled upon a video on youtube, an english subbed episode of AKBingo. My knowledge of idols, and specifically AKB, was limited at that point. I had been a fan of Idolmaster for almost as long as I'd been into anime, but real/3D idols were mostly outside the realm of my interest (the major exception being Dempagumi.) The video I happened to find was actually perfect as an introduction to idols. It went over the history of AKB, starting from their theater debut in 2006. This video sparked what would end up being more or less a new stage in my life, with much of the passion I had put into being an anime fan now going towards idols.

What makes this video important to me, beyond just being the definite point I went down the AKB and idol rabbit hole, is who was in this video. One of the newbie AKB members being featured in this episode was a girl named Iwasa Misaki, or Wasamin. I remember watching this episode and thinking to myself, she's cute! I didn't recognize it then, but she had caught my attention in a way only a few idols can. I remembered her name and her face, and as I got deeper into AKB, I always looked out for her while I was watching things.

I've gone through a few phases in my AKB fandom in terms of who I thought was my oshimen, or favorite idol. But no matter who I considered my oshi or my favorite at the time, Wasamin always stood out to me. I should have realized it sooner, but she was my real oshi! Towards the end of my hardcore AKB fandom, I did realize it, and I enjoyed following her and supporting her quietly.

Wasamin has now left AKB, and is continuing the solo career she started as a member. She's achieved many things as a soloist, and this year she had the opportunity to make her first appearance in America by herself. To me as a fan of Wasamin, it was really meaningful to me that she was able to appear at an event just as Iwasa Misaki. She was here as herself, not as part of any group.

 I got to meet her in that context, and I'm so happy and grateful for that. When I talked to her, I told her "I was Wasamin oshi!", but I wish I could have told her something more like what I'm writing here right now.

Seeing her, meeting her, talking to her, all of it reminded me of why I like idols in the first place. Wasamin isn't an idol anymore, but she's still someone I care about, still someone I support and love like an oshi. Honestly, when I first became aware of her solo career, and then when I started to support it more seriously, I was a little unsure. I was worried how she would be received as an enka artist, given her background as an ex-idol. I was worried about how she'd sell, ex-idols always seem to decline in sales the longer time passes. But she's doing good. She's following her dream as a singer, and along the way she's giving so many people happiness and granting the dreams of people like me.

Wasamin is in a lot of ways the reason I'm an idol fan, and if not that, she's the most constant part of my idol hobby, and really all of my hobbies these past few years. I'm proud to be her fan and I really hope that I have more opportunities to support her more directly in the future. Like I said on twitter, next time I meet her I want it to be in Japan!


AKB48夕陽を見ているか？【2007年】 by makipyon1--

This video isn't really related to Wasamin herself, but it's really important to me as an AKB fan.
The lyrics mean a lot to me, and I think apply to me and my life more than they ever have.
I'm really grateful for all the experiences I've had in my life. I feel like some sort of weight's been lifted off of my shoulders.

Serani Poji - EVE Lyrics Translation

On the final day
That person completed me
And then, he gave to me a sound called a name
He placed it gently on my lips

Suddenly a warm wind blew
And was engulfed by the whirls of time

That person closed his eyes
And told me he was glad we could meet
Then he said, could you wait here a little longer
Hearing that, I felt something deep in me drop

This weekend's fallen apart
And now I'm the only one left

Let's plant a cactus here
It only blooms once every thousand years
I'm leaving a sign
Of the last humans to have ever been here

Let's plant a cactus here
And then I'll come back every day
Right under here
The last Adam gave me a kiss

The name that person gave me
I carved it into a chip
Now, there's no one to call my name
I'm waiting for mankind to awaken

How many thousands of years have come around
How many flowers have bloomed and fallen to the ground?

That person's lips
Were soft and gentle
The deep grief and sorrow
Have always hurt more than the loneliness

This weekend's fallen apart
And left only the immortal me

Let's plant a cactus here
Let's just gaze at the planet
The first humans will come again
And spin around as they evolve

Let's plant a cactus here
The first Adam, coming from somewhere
Like he understands where to return
I want to tell him, "Welcome back"

Let's plant a cactus here
It only blooms once every thousand years
I'm leaving a sign
Of the last humans to have ever been here

Let's plant a cactus here
Let's just gaze at the planet
The first humans will come again
And spin around as they evolve

Let's plant a cactus here
The first Adam, coming from somewhere
Like he understands where to return
I want to tell him, "Welcome back"

Koutei Camera Girl - Dance with Mr.loneliness Lyrics Translation

The colors of these streets change with the four seasons
Through the eye of the lens I'm smiling again, cheese!
Cutting and pasting, I collected my faces together
I felt every kind of regret without reservation
Let go, you've got to forget it all
Even that dream, tearing into your bicycle
Throw out the ideas of tomorrow morning you've written for yourself
But I'm not sure if that's really ok
Tonight my ordinary words coil into a vortex overflowing
I mean, wishing I could understand...
Something about that's still wrong.

There wasn't any meaning to begin with, was there?
Let's dance!

Let's dance with Mr. Loneliness
We're at the end of the world
It felt like it was going to break, it was worthless
Let's dance, Mr. Loneliness
We'll create the dance floor
It doesn't matter where as long as we're dancing

I've been dreaming again, can't believe I remembered
I've gotten good at putting on these acts, smoke and mirrors
I know this isn't related, but I'm not sure about the future
I mean, even if I have ideals, they could change at any moment
Let go, your sleep-talk isn't nonsense
In the end your bicycle's rolling
Who's the person behind the shutter who can't smile?
I'm wearing my handkerchief flashily again
I thought I was different from everyone else but I thought so ordinarily
I'm scared that I'll just lose the things I need

You don't really place any importance on the things you like, do you?
Let's dance!

It was under the sunlight filtering through the trees
I danced there
No one ever would have paid me any mind
Where is this?
A heavy beat resounds
I wonder if my perception of the world's gotten smaller again...

Mr. Loneliness made a face like he understood
We kept spinning around, sadly but gleefully
Your confident steps etched into my mind
If it came to a reason, anything would work

One day I'll turn into a star
Even this world's spinning
The things I'm forgetting, the worthless things
Let's dance, Mr. Loneliness!
We'll create the dance floor
It doesn't matter where as long as we're dancing

TL Note: Likely editing the fuck out of this later lol

Tokyo Girls' Style - Dear Friend Lyrics Translation

After forcing myself a little to smile
I ended up crying
These three years really went by in a flash
Whenever I was caught up in worries you'd be there to hug me
Your face was always by my side

Bursting out laughing at our inside jokes
We can't go back to those times anymore

From tomorrow on we'll be walking different paths
I don't want to look back on this in shame
No one's able to go on living in solitude
You're the one who taught me I could be that strong
Dear friend

The blackboard we scribbled on, the dusty grounds
After tomorrow it'll all be a memory
Even when we got new seats and I was far from you
I got too wrapped up in your words

Looking up at the same old trees along my bus route
Muttering to myself, "Today's the last time I'll see this."

I'm stepping onto a path I chose for myself
You told me it was okay as you pushed me from behind
All the memories of the time we spent together here
Will go on to become my treasures
Dear friend

The melody I was humming overlapped softly
Our harmony swung through the wind

From tomorrow on we'll be walking different paths
I don't want to look back on this in shame
No one's able to go on living in solitude
You're the one who taught me I could be that strong
Dear friend

It's a generic graduation song in terms of lyrics but I like it. Makes me think of a more juvenile Especia. Now that I'm not going to high school anymore I can appreciate these kind of songs more...kind of.

Tentenko - Good Bye Good Girl Lyrics Translation v.2

I live in an apartment facing Yamate street
Five minute's walk from Yoyogi Hachiman station
This year'll be my third as an office lady

My ceiling's concrete
And my bed's made of plywood
In this room stained with red
I've left a clue

According to her neighbors
Good girl, she's a good girl
But every week
She's out all night on Fridays

Good bye, lalala SAYONARA
To my diary filled up with dreams
Where'd she go off to?
Nobody knows
The points and lines connect

Good bye, lalala SAYONARA
To those pink-colored earrings
Just one had fallen to the ground
That was my only blind spot

In Uguisudani in the Taito ward
At Moto Mishima shrine
A number of people came forth
They said she was there every Friday night

Wearing heels with a red dress
No matter how you looked at it, I was a whore
I was hiding a secret
In those pink-colored earrings

According to her classmates
Good girl, she was a good girl
But unbeknownst to them all
There was a side of her she was keeping secret

Good bye, lalala SAYONARA
To my diary filled up with dreams
Where'd she go off to?
Nobody knows
The points and lines connect

Good bye, lalala SAYONARA
To those pink-colored earrings
Just one had fallen to the ground
That was my only blind spot

According to her parents
Good girl, she was a good girl
But from time to time
She'd stare off in the distance

Good bye, lalala SAYONARA
To my diary filled up with dreams
Where'd she go off to?
Nobody knows
The points and lines connect

Good bye, lalala SAYONARA
To those pink-colored earrings
Just one had fallen to the ground
That was my only blind spot

This song is one I consider really important to me and as I've continued in my Japanese studies I've become really dissatisfied with what I attempted to translate in the past. I'm not anywhere near fluent, but I'd at least like to remedy some of the problems that were present in my old translation. I've deleted the old one, additionally. I'm not sure anyone looks here, but if you are then I hope you can find some meaning in this. Thanks!

Read about the inspiration behind the song's lyrics here!

advantage Lucy - Metro Lyrics Translation

Packed into a train without a place to go
I wore my headphones, turning away from the guides

faraway faraway faraway
faraway faraway let's go

Going underground, I rode the metro
Instead of being cowardly, I just ran from the darkness

runaway runaway runaway
runaway runaway　from here

When you've heard so many things
It's so fine, can you think that way too?

To time I'm kind, to time I'm mean
Without rage, what's important will change

faraway faraway faraway
faraway faraway faraway
runaway runaway runaway
runaway runaway　let's go

---

Ikisaki wo kimezu densha ni norikomi
Annai wo sakete heddofon wo kabutta

faraway faraway faraway
faraway faraway ikou

Chika ni kugutte yuku metoro ni nottetanda
Monooji mo sezu ni yami wo tada hashiru

runaway runaway runaway
runaway runaway　koko kara

Ikutsu no kotoba atumetara
It's so fine sou omoeru no darou?

Toki ni wa yasashiku toki ni ijiwaru de
Ikari wa shinakya ni setsunasa he kawaru

faraway faraway faraway
faraway faraway faraway
runaway runaway runaway
runaway runaway　ikou

---

行き先を決めず　電車に乗り込み
案内を避けて　ヘッドホンをかぶった

faraway faraway faraway
faraway faraway 行こう

地下に潜ってゆく　メトロに乗ってたんだ
ものおじもせずに　闇をただ走る

runaway runaway runaway
runaway runaway　ここから

いくつの言葉集めたら
It's so fine　そう思えるのだろう？

時には優しく　時に意地悪で
怒りはしなやかに　切なさへ変わる

faraway faraway faraway
faraway faraway faraway
runaway runaway runaway
runaway runaway　行こう

ArmorGirls - Kishi ni Naru no da! (騎士になるのだっ！) Lyrics Translation

Say! Oh! x4

If our eyes meet, it'll be a mega fight
Suddenly high! Throttle
With a big BOOM! shooting up
Swelling, swelling up, fireworks
Hey! Yo! The West!
Changing into my helmet and armor
In the center of this arena, from now on I'm the heroine
Oh! Hallelujah sky
The sky's already clear
At full power, winning through the first round
Stepping out aiming for the top!
Hey, please watch out for me
Invincibility is always within yourself
Kicking my rivals around, willingly going to the winning road
Shining 'round the clock, I'm becoming a knight!
YEAH!

Say! Oh! x4

If you notice it, we'll be giga friends
Suddenly all ready! Friendly
The day of the fight has come to a close
Swelling, swelling up, memories

Say! Ho! Coming again, today I'm gonna be fighting again
In the center of your memories, from now on I'm in the leading role
So another night
So, your knight
To a future I can't see yet, my heart's dancing, I'm stepping out aiming for it!
Hey, believe in me
Your wish will one day come true
Even if the battle continues, my smile won't die out
However much I shine, I'm becoming a knight!
YEAH!

There'll be hard times too, yeah
In those times, for sure, a light
will shine, like it's wrapping around you
It'll be strong forever

At full power, winning through the final round,
Stepping out aiming for my dream!
Hey, please watch out for me
Invincibility is always right here

Even if the conflict continues, my smile won't die out
However much I shine, I'm becoming a knight!
I'm becoming one!!!!

Disclaimer: I may have made mistakes when translating. Also, I don't try to translate wordplay in most songs. Sorry!