シアワセエゴイスト
shiawase egoisuto
The Happy Egoist
Vocals: あやぽんず＊ (Ayaponzu*)
Lyrics: kaztora
Arranged by: kaztora
Album: シアワセエゴイスト (The Happy Egoist) [Official site]
Circle: 森羅万象 (Shinra-Bansho)
Event: C91
Original theme: White Flag of Usa Shrine [お宇佐さまの素い幡]
Watch the official video on YouTube!
Update (26 March 2017): Minor numerical update in final stanza
Like usual, kaztora takes what sounds like a peppy pop song and gives it odd, profound lyrics that make you question the meaning of life.
Originally, I thought the title would be translated as something like ‘Good Fortune’s Egoist,’ but having had the chance to look through this song, it looks like Tewi’s happiness is the thing that’s being stressed here.
Overall, the song seems to take place at two levels – Tewi is an ordinary girl who just wants to be happier than everyone else, but she also appears to play the role of the fabled ‘rabbit of happiness.’ Like a rabbit, happiness is easy to spot but hard to catch, and it can hop away at any moment…
非公式の英訳/Unofficial translation
“Ready… set…!” I wish I could spend my time smiling
But today, I just fussed over nothing again.
With a leap, leap, leap, I hopped away.
I guess everyone experiences it.
I just can’t stop
At simply soothing people!
You can’t just say where happiness is
Since it doesn’t have a shape of its own.
But being told this and that
From over there, from here… How bothersome!
For whom? For what?
The rabbit leaps, but nothing special happens
Because the world was created to be
And unconditional, unequal, and unfathomable place.
Perfect apathy won’t awaken democracy.
They’re just unaware of the essentials.
“1, 2, 3!” I wish I could spend my time smiling,
But reason and intelligence get in my way.
With a leap, leap, leap, I hopped away.
I should just forget
About all the stuff around me.
I’m a happy egoist, happier than anyone else!
Floating on top of a petri dish—
That’s happiness. It’s that sort of thing
So look, you should just wish, bearing grand feelings.
But now, which one are you?
Sensitive words surge forth,
But they don’t fulfil you. Without waiting, you continue on.
You have this and that, but still…
“It’s not enough! I want more!”
I guess that’s what you’d say?
It’s simple! I’ll raise a revolution in the world
And blast common sense to the wind.
With a leap, leap, leap, I hopped away.
Isn’t just that enough?
Why not change your perception?
I’m a happy egoist, greedier than anyone else!
(1.2.3.4) This isn’t bad!
(1.2.3.4) It’s pretty normal.
(1.2.3.4) Do you get it?
(1.2.3.4) It’s not over yet!
I wanna be happier than you, than them,
Than everyone else!
Forcing myself, standing on tiptoe, stretching out my hand…
No matter what I do, I’ll never reach it!
(3, go!)
1, 2, 3! They’d like to spend their time smiling.
Even common happiness is fine.
What’s the average of millions of happinesses? Everyone wants more than that. (1)
Is it right to define the theory of happiness in that way?
After all, it’s just talking about someone else.
Occasionally, the rabbit of happiness
Says bye bye – farewell!
Though you give chase, look! She’s getting away! La la la…
Translator’s note
(1) 1億万 (ichiokuman) is literally either 100 million or 100 million multiplied by 10 thousand. 100 million is a significant number, as it is roughly the size of the Japanese population. [Reference]
Releska 
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