Anisong of the Season: Listen!

Late as usual! But then it was pretty damn hard to finally decide on the Anisong of the Season this time round, actually.

I nearly gave it to “Brave Song”, the Angel Beats ED. I really like Listen!’s tune and I adore the awesome animation sequence that accompanies it, but Brave Song was itself a pretty great song and it had this really amazing resonance with Angel Beats and its themes that gave it an evocative, emotive power, something Listen! doesn’t quite enjoy as much with K-ON!! IMO. Ultimately though, it was the lyrics and lyrical arrangement that clinched it when I looked them up for this post.

Brave Song has great lyrics, but I really like the musical, rock spirit of Listen!’s. If you have not been paying attention to what Mio was singing in those ED’s I invite you to give my translation below a taste-over and see if you agree with me. The rhythmic way some words are slurred and hop-scotched over and the unstoppered gush during the chorus was great, and Yoko Hikasa just blitzing through the whole thing was fantastic. KyoAni’s composers sure know how to make Mio sound awesome.

… try and ignore the Engrish bits though, as usual ;)

Speaking of Angel Beats, that was quite the disappointment :( In a bizarre coincidence I had been doing a rewatch of Munto with a friend and at the end of Angel Beats I found that I had mostly similar complaints for both shows – not enough build-up and flesh-out, rushed pacing, bad endings. Just… wasted potential. Maybe I should do a rant-post on Angel Beats sometime.

Back on topic, I present you my chosen Anisong of the Season – Listen! ED to K-ON!!. The full version too for extra awesome. Hit the jump as usual for romaji lyrics and translations, and hit F8 to hear the track while it’s up.

(btw, did you see that new K-ON!! ED? I’m not sure I like the idea of giving away two Anisong of the Season awards to K-ON!!, but if an outstanding rival doesn’t appear soon…)

Lyrics

IT’S DEEP DEEP kokoro no oku fukaku
nani mo hibikanakatta SANKUCHUARI ni
HEAT HEAT hi ga tsuichatta kara modorenai
IT’S SHOCK SHOCK shougeki hasshin shite
doko made mo nee issho ni ikou yo tte
ROCK ROCK oto no arashi tsunami sasoiau

otoshita PIKKU oreta SUTIKKU
zenzen mondai nai
onaji SAUNDO no naka ni iru sore ga jitsu wa kiseki

WE’LL SING utau yo kanjiru sono mama
donna ni chiisakute mo sekai de hitotsu no uta
kyou shinde mo kuyamanai tte kurai
zenryoku de ikitai nda
hanate PASSIONATE
watashitachi no kore ga PRECIOUS HEART BEAT
utau yo

NON SWEET SWEET amai kotoba yori
honne ga kokochi ii desho TOUCH OF MIND sou
WIT WIT kikasete tanoshiku ne zutto itsumo
NON STOP STOP umareru omoi wa
hikari yori saki wo isoideru kara
ROCK ROCK oto de tsukamaete tsutaenakya

hashiru RIZUMU kurutta CHUUNINGU
zenbu souteinai
onaji yume eranderu sore ga asu e no PAWAA

WE’LL SHOUT sakebu yo away na SUTEEJI demo
donna ni kowakute mo hitorikiri ja nai kara
mikansei datte kamawanai
honki kanadetai nda
todoke TRUTHFULNESS
yatto aeta ne kore ga TREASURE HEART BEAT

WE WANT TO KNOW… TO LIVE… TO LOVE…
kazoekirenai inori
koe ni shite hane ni shite CAN FLY HIGH

WE’LL SING utau yo kanjiru sono mama
donna ni chiisakute mo sekai de hitotsu no uta
kyou shinde mo kuyamanai tte kurai
zenryoku de ikitai nda
hanate PASSIONATE
watashitachi no kore ga PRECIOUS HEART BEAT
utau yo TREASURE HEART BEAT
LISTEN

Translation

It’s deep deep, deep in my heart
A sanctuary where nothing made a sound
heat heat, the fire caught, and there was no turning back
It’s shock shock, shock that I send out
“Hey, let’s go everywhere together” said
rock rock, a storm of sound, a tsunami, to each other

A dropped pick! A broken stick!
No problems at all.
We’re within the same sound, and that’s the real miracle

We’ll sing! We’ll sing! As far as our feelings take us
No matter how small we are, this is that one song in the world!
That death today brings me no regrets
I want to live with all my might
Release it, passionate
This is our Precious Heart Beat!
We’ll sing!

Non sweet, sweet, beyond just sweet words,
Does your true nature not feel better? Touch of Mind, yes
wit wit, tell it and relish it! always and forever
Non stop stop, the feelings born of this
they rush, faster than light,
rock rock, gotta capture them in sound and pass them on

A running rhythm! A frenzied tune!
They’re all in the plan.
Choosing that same dream, and that’s the power that leads to tomorrow

We’ll shout! We’ll shout! Even on a foreign stage
Because no matter how afraid we are, we’re not alone
Even if it’s incomplete I don’t mind
I want to play my heart out
Reach out, truthfulness
We finally found it, this is our Treasure Heart Beat

We want to know! To live! To love!
Those innumerable ceaseless prayers
Turn them to voice! Turn them to wings! Can Fly High ~~

We’ll sing! We’ll sing! As far as our feelings take us
No matter how small we are, this is that one song in the world
That death today brings me no regrets
I want to live with all my might
Release it, passionate
This is our Precious Heart Beat!
We’ll sing!
Treasure Heart Beat!
Listen!!

Romaji Lyrics taken from Gendou’s Anime Music.
Translation adapted by me from Gendou’s Anime Music.