なにいろ小径
nani iro shoukei
What Colour is Your Path?

Vocals: nayuta
Lyrics: RD-Sounds
Arranged by: RD-Sounds
Album: Manima (随) 【Official Site】
Circle: Diao ye zong (凋叶棕)
Event: Reitaisai 14 [RTS14]
Original theme: Spring Lane ~ Colorful Path [春色小径 ～ Colorful Path]

Requested by: Petalite Yuu

英訳だけです。申し訳ありません

This song seems to be about someone close to Reimu who’s watching her go about her business. Could there be more than one person? Possibly. I’ll leave that to your imagination…

I decided to translate the title as a question, though the Japanese title isn’t necessarily posed as a direct question [it feels more like ‘an unknown-coloured path’]. This is because of how I translated the phrase when it appears in the text. It still feels a bit cumbersome, so I’d be interested to hear other suggestions/opinions!

---

Carrying a small package in your arms,
You lightly walk about.

Now, going this way and that, will you find something delicious to eat?
You cram rice cakes, apricots, and teacakes into your bag.
The space inside that cloth bag must be bursting with dreams, right?

If this road continues forever,
Then I’ll continue along with you. That’s right—it’s still not enough.

Because the sky is so high above me and so blue,
I still feel good even if I can’t fly.
Each time your dream-coloured eyes blink, the townscape changes. What can you see?

What colour is the landscape? What colour is your path?

Though the bundle in your hands grows larger,
You’re still wandering about. It’s like you don’t have a clue where you’re going.

Now, here or there? Are you still having trouble deciding, perhaps?
Your hairpin, your ribbon, your shoes, and even your clothes are in my sights.
You must just look like an ordinary girl, right?

No matter what lies at the end of this path,
I guess it’ll end up turning into some sort of fabulous encounter, for sure…

Because the sky is so vast, so weightless,
You don’t have to worry about anything. (←Carefree)
Even if you’re a shrine maiden, I guess I just really, really like you! Am I in love with you?

What colour is the landscape? What colour is your path?

The colours of spring… sky-blue… the colour of illusions, and your colours, too—
I wonder what colour I can look forward to seeing in that place where you walk today?

If days like this happen once in a while,
Then might I be able to find something better than flying
Not just today, but tomorrow as well?

Because the sky is so deep, so clear,
That path might continue without end.
Alright then—I’ll let only those words ride upon the wind. I wonder where you’ll head next?

What colour is the landscape? What colour is your path?

オールド・モチーフ
oorudo mochiifu
Old Motif

Vocals: Meramipop (めらみぽっぷ), nayuta
Lyrics: RD-Sounds
Arranged by: RD-Sounds
Album: Manima (随) 【Official Site】
Circle: Diao ye zong (凋叶棕)
Event: Reitaisai 14 [RTS14]
Original theme: Old Adam Bar [バー・オールドアダム]

英訳だけです。申し訳ありません。

This track appears to be based on ZUN’s afterword from Dateless Bar “Old Adam.” In it, he discusses his thoughts regarding 中二病 (‘Chuunibyou’). It’s a tough term to pin down, but it basically refers to the phase people go through in their early teens when they want to be cooler or more unique than everyone else. The term is discussed in more detail here. ZUN has some interesting things to say about it, so if you get a chance, please read it before reading through my translation!

I toyed around with the idea of colour-coding the lyrics to indicate who speaks when, but I decided against it. Also, I noticed and deeply appreciated the references to ‘Hangover of Bedfellows Dreaming Differently’ near the end. RD’s the best at doing stuff like that!

---

Everyone bears their own mysteries…
Everyone searches for their own mysteries…

In the depths of the dark night, they secretly sneer
So nobody will sense them.
Nobody knows their true motives
And their authenticity is even vaguer.

This sky belongs to the descendants
Of the satellites that first covered it.
They stride across this dark planet,
Peeking into hollows in the heavens. (1)

“Everyone’s different to me…”
They coldly murmur.
Their hearts will never thaw.
They have a disease…

Everyone questions their worth.
They know their worth and then surpass it. (2)

Yes… initial purity and overflowing creativity—
This is the luscious, forbidden fruit that humans obtained.

Yes… baseless self-confidence and the strength of our passion—
We hope to always keep this old motif in our grasp. (3)

Ambition pollutes and whirls around
And plans lurk in the darkness.
But my eyes will not be deceived.
There’s only one truth.

They don’t even want someone to understand them
Nor do they share common ground with anyone else.
Even while they embrace isolation,
They gloat with pleasure.

If an illusion—“us”
And reality—“me”
Are mere creations…
Then what about you?

Everyone possesses their own meaning.
They know what their meaning is, and within—

Yes… initial purity and ripening defiance—
Humans bear original sin, a heavy burden they will never release.

Yes… free will, seeking a world where nobody is bound—
We hope to always keep this old motif in our grasp…

Everyone possesses their own world.
They look upon their own ideals, and beyond that illusion lies— (4)

Yes, everyone is the same in the beginning, and they’re all ‘special’ in the end.
They continue to carry their own disease, their own mysteries. (5)

Yes, the unstoppable strength to live and limitless imagination—
We hope to always keep this old motif in our grasp…

“Take my hand and we’ll go to our own world!”
I think such ideas are selfish and egotistical. Still…

You’re here with me and we’re sharing the same bed
So you should know that we’re not necessarily dreaming differently…

---

(1) The original term for ‘satellites’ used in the text is ‘sputnik’ (スプートニク)
(2) In these sections, one vocalist starts her line, then the second vocalist sings her line, then they both finish the first line together.
(3) In all three of these sections, ‘old motif’ is sung, but it is written as ‘original imagination’ (原初の想像), ‘original conception’ (原初の発想), and ‘original fantasy’ (原初の空想) respectively.
(4) World, ideals, and illusion are all sung as ‘dream/s’ (夢)
(5) ‘Mysteries’ is sung, but ‘Chuunibyou’ (中二病) is written.

千夜一夜
sen’ya ichiya
A Thousand and One Nights

Vocals: Meramipop (めらみぽっぷ)
Lyrics: RD-Sounds
Arranged by: RD-Sounds
Album: Manima (随) 【Official Site】
Circle: Diao ye zong (凋叶棕)
Event: Reitaisai 14 [RTS14]
Original theme: Night Falls ~ Evening Star [夜が降りてくる ～ Evening Star]

Requested by: Lys

英訳だけです。申し訳ありません

This is quite a mystical song, yet it also has quite a lot of darkness lurking beneath…

Firstly, the song title is a reference to the legend of Scheherezade and the Thousand and One Nights. In the story, Scheherazade will be executed at dawn by her king, so she devises a clever scheme to keep herself alive. She tells the king stories, but always leaves the King on a cliffhanger so he’ll spare her life.

I think this song, as a whole, is about Yukari and Merry. The language of the song leaves it open to multiple interpretations, but I think the 1001 nights are Gensokyo, and Yukari is Scheherezade. Merry finds herself lost there, and the events of the song happen. I’d love to hear what you think, though!

---

Swaying to and fro…
The sun sets, opening a festering wound beneath the sky.

Small, so small…
A figure is about to be swallowed up by the sky hanging over them.

While being afraid of something,
They do not even know
What about it they find so fearful.
In truth, nobody knows.

A thousand suns set
And tonight, beyond the dim light,
Countless interwoven stories will sleep.

Night tenderly stretches out its hands
Embracing you, embracing the world. (1)

…Now, night falls.

Swaying, to and fro…
In the pitch-black darkness, the fangs stripping you naked are so sharp.

Grandly, grandly…
On the other side, what was hidden is now visible. Everyone around you is an assassin.

What are you afraid of?
That unknown something
Seeks to make something appear frightful.
They just change the numbers around.

Night’s curtain fell a thousand times.
Our time begins anew tonight
Accompanied by immeasurable beauty and endless violence.

The moon is glass-coloured. The wind is like malicious laughter,
Hoping that all those who go astray
Will never be sent home.

A thousand dawns.
A thousand sunsets.
And thus, night arrives once more.

They are born
And they die,
All the while observing infinite lives. (2)

Everyone.
Everything.
And wise Scheherazade, with her mouth sealed— (3)

Somewhere in the sky,
A distant sky,
She gazes down upon those colours, even now

She looks upon a boundary that must never break down…

She passed through many nights,
And thus, she reached a thousand nights. One more night begins.
She will remain unchanging until she has told all the tales she has to tell.

A thousand and one nights.
Sleep tonight, once more and gaze upon the illusion you can see in your dreams.
When you view it at last, you will take it in your hands. It will form a new night’s tale.

A song of protection is heard far and wide.
Dawn is still distant
So sleep. Sleep…

---

(1) Gensokyo (幻想郷) is written, but world (世界) is sung.
(2) Tales (物語) is written, but lives (命) is sung.
(3) Wise one (賢者) is written, but Scheherazade is sung.

グラスホッパーズ
gurasuhoppaazu
Grasshoppers

Vocals: Meramipop (めらみぽっぷ)
Lyrics: RD-Sounds
Arranged by: RD-Sounds
Album: Manima (随) 【Official Site】
Circle: Diao ye zong (凋叶棕)
Event: Reitaisai 14 [RTS14]
Original theme: Futatsuiwa from Gensokyo [幻想郷の二ッ岩]

英訳だけです。申し訳ありません。

I thought this track would be related to 葬迎 from Hohuri since they sound so similar, but I was wrong.

Instead, this track is based on chapters 38 and 39 of Forbidden Scrollery, in which ordinary objects brought to life (the tsukumogami) speak and defame Aya’s newspaper. Reimu talks to a broom, which is one of the highlights. So, even though the song uses Mamizou’s theme, it looks like it’s really about the tsukumogami, which themselves represent social media. It’s surprisingly relevant to today’s society!

There are a few Diao ye zongisms in there, but I also added in a few translation notes to explain some communication-related sayings. There are three instances where RD replaces whole sentences with the word ‘grasshoppers.’ I tried blending both the written and spoken parts, but the end result was a bit too long, so I left the written sections as translation notes.

As for the title, I think locusts are a type of grasshopper, and we all know how they operate. They go through fields and eat everything, leaving not a scrap of vegetation behind. In that sense, the ‘grasshoppers’ are probably the tsukumogami [social media] devouring Aya’s newspaper [traditional print media]. This song is kind of like ‘The Anonymous‘ then, isn’t it?

---

The walls have ears.
The doors have eyes.

If so… I suppose even brooms can talk.

As far as the eye can see,
Saying this and that,
Everyone goes into detail about all their complaints.

By the way, did you hear
About what happened to that broom’s master…?
Of course that vase was nothing special.
You could even say they were tricked, though they were the only one in the dark.

…Night by night, words that can never be heard are exchanged.
But somehow… we notice them!

Dance, dance, dance, o sparks of life!
Unstoppable rumours rush around.

Words and phrases swarm about
And the truth is… that’s right! Everyone’s watching, watching from somewhere.
The grasshoppers stand guard. (1)

They’ll expose trauma that hasn’t vanished even after 75 days… Ah!

…Be careful around them.

…Don’t be fooled by them

…They must be suspicious!

…Are they those tanuki from all the rumours? (2)

The walls have ears.
The doors have eyes.

If so… how about if the buckets speak?

Having said that, what will happen if you’re found out?
So keep things quiet, keep things secret
And keep spreading your protective lullaby. (3)

By the way, did you hear
About what happened to that bucket’s boss?
They were prey for the headless horse or something
But by now the truth has been consigned to oblivion.

…Night by night, words that must never be circulated are exchanged.
But we’re going to deliver them to someone!

Sing, celebrate, and call out, o sparks of life!
The doors speak from the moment words enter their mouths. (4)

Words and phrases swarm together
And the truth is… That’s right! Everyone’s listening and straining their ears.
The grasshoppers’ sights are set. (5)

Were you bewitched by a kitsune?
Were you enchanted by a tanuki?
Words are all that can be heard
And so, they spread. Ah…

Thus, a small, small voice
Echoes and grows louder
And then everyone, ‘somehow,’ knows!

Now, clamour, rustle, and make merry, o sparks of life!
Beneath the rooftop moon, give life to idle gossip. (6)

Words and phrases swarm together
And the truth is… That’s right! They’re still watching, always watching.
They themselves are grasshoppers. (7)

They’ll expose new trauma, even after 75 days… Ah!

---

(1) 闇に潜む密偵の如く (‘just like spies lurking in the darkness’) is written, but ‘grasshoppers’ is sung.

(2) 詐欺師 (‘swindlers’) is written, but 狸野郎 (tanuki-yarou – ‘those tanuki’) is sung.

(3) The bundle of kanji that make up this line (桑原始終散子守歌) do not appear to form a cohesive word, but instead can be split up to form 4 separate parts: 桑原 (mulberry/a chant used to prevent bad things from happening), 始終 (continuously), 散 (scatter), 子守歌 (lullaby). This informs the loose English interpretation of the line.

(4) This line is linked to the proverb 人の口に戸は立てられぬ, which literally means ‘no doors can stop people’s mouths.’

(5) 混沌に惑わす伏兵の如く (‘just like soldiers, chaotic bewilders lying in wait’) is written, but ‘grasshoppers’ is sung.

(6) This line is linked to 井戸端会議 (idobata kaigi), used to refer to the gossip that took place among women as they washed clothes or drew water by a village’s well.

(7) 監視社会に蔓延する情報の如く (‘just like news infesting the surveillance society’) is written, but ‘grasshoppers’ is sung.

『仲良し村の八人の仲間たち』
‘nakayoshi-mura no hachinin no nakama-tachi’
“The Eight Close Friends from the Village”

Vocals: Meramipop (めらみぽっぷ)
Lyrics: RD-Sounds
Arranged by: RD-Sounds
Album: Manima (随) 【Official Site】
Circle: Diao ye zong (凋叶棕)
Event: Reitaisai 14 [RTS14]
Based on: Dolls in Pseudo Paradise

Requested by: Petalite Yuu

英訳だけです。申し訳ありません。m(_ _)m

Wow.

I translated this completely by ear, but I think I managed to pick up almost everything. I couldn’t pick up what they were eating, but we now know thanks to 空見りんき…! Still, please let me know if I misheard anything!

This should be paired with ‘Alice, the Enigmatic Doll.’ Try listening to them one after the other!

But yeah,

wow.

---

“Come, gather round, everyone! I’m getting started.
Hey, you over there, too. Don’t look at me from so far away…

My mysterious, entertaining puppet show will now begin.

_ _ _ _ _

“The Eight Close Friends from the Village”

Once upon a time, there was a village in which everyone got along with one another.

The 8 villagers lived a poor life, but they all helped each other. They lived in peace, and every day was full of fun.

But one day the most unique of the eight villagers, loved by all, suddenly vanished from the village.

Oh my, how awful! The village immediately went into a panic. Everyone searched for the missing villager with all their might. But no matter how far they searched, and no matter how long they searched, she was nowhere to be found. Where could she have gone? Everyone was at a loss.

But then, the most observant one of the eight noticed a mysterious hole in the village’s peach tree…

“There’s no doubt about it—she must have gone through there!”

“That’s right! I’m sure of it! We can’t leave things the way they are. We need to go after her.” Everyone decided to try and enter the hole…

It was dark and narrow inside the tree, just like a cave. It seemed to go on… and on… forever. They haltingly followed what seemed like the same path all the way. But they did their best and kept going, all so they could search for that girl.

I wonder how much time they spent in that cave?

“Oh, the exit!” Called the youngest boy, who went first.

Upon exiting the cave, a mysterious landscape spread out before them. Everyone wondered where they could be. Everything around them was new to them: the sky, the plants, the mountains, the songbirds, and the animals. Looking out over such a mysterious world, the most curious of the group let out a cry: “Oi! I can see somethin’ o’er there. Some sort of huge mansion!”

It was an old, yet grand mansion. They drew closer, and saw a small shoe lying in front of the entrance. It was that girl’s shoe. They laid hands on the door and it gently opened. Nobody was in the foyer of the mansion…

“Oi, is anyone there?” Cried the most intelligent boy. But there was no answer. Still, that girl was somewhere in the mansion. Undoubtedly. Everyone decided to search the mansion.

And then—

“Hm? What could that smell be…” Everyone realised that a delicious smell was coming from somewhere. They followed the smell to its source and found a grand dining hall. Enough food for eight people was laid out upon a large table in the hall. The plates were full of steaming bacon and eggs, accompanied by mugs of coffee. They all realised how hungry they were.

“There’s eight of us, and food for eight. It’s just right! Why don’t we eat here?” Said the most mature boy. Everyone then took a seat and began to eat…

All except one. One of the boys did not eat, because he was a worrywart and felt that the others were doing something forbidden. He wound up leaving the dining hall.

But the boy was afraid. He couldn’t search the mansion alone, so after a while he decided to return to the dining hall.

But there was nobody there.

Everyone who had been eating had vanished. So too had the food.

“Oi, is… is anyone there?” Cried the boy. And then, he heard a small voice…

“Hi there! I’m a super happy clown!”

The small clown was standing upon the table. One of their feet was bare. They were quite mysterious…

“W-who are you? W-where did everyone go?” Asked the boy.

“Look, I’m telling you—I’m a clown. The happiest clown! Hey, how was the food? Oh, I hope it was delicious. I prepared it especially for you!”

The boy didn’t know what to say. He was troubled.

“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me… you didn’t eat a single bite?”

“N-no, I did! It was delicious!” The boy replied, flustered.

“…Is that so? Gee, this place is really wonderful! Hey, stay with me forever—we’ll have so much fun!”

Where had that girl gone? Where had everyone else gone? The boy grew more and more frightened…

“I… I’ve gotta head home!” said the boy, when he came to his senses.

“Heading home? But why? You’re gonna stay here forever. Everyone else, too!”

“No! I’m going home!” Screamed the boy, as he tried to exit the dining hall.

And then—

“Huh?! Are you a liar, just like the others?! Well here’s what I do to liars…!”

Saying this, the clown grew to a massive size and became a blonde-haired monster. Startled, the boy turned and ran away. Oh, what a frightful place he was in! That blonde-haired monster was going to come after him…

He ran. He ran as his breaths grew ragged. He ran through the forest. Out of the forest. Toward the cave. He made it. The monster was coming from behind. He could hear its footsteps. He ran. He focused on nothing but running. He could hear frightful screams of anger from behind. He closed his eyes and ran! Without knowing where, he just kept running down a pitch-black road…

 

 

He realised that he was next to the peach tree. Was it all just a dream, he thought. The peach tree no longer had a hole in it. He searched for everyone else. But he couldn’t find a single one of them. He didn’t know what to do…

And then: “Hey, what’s wrong?”

The one speaking was the girl whom he had been searching for.

“Where did you go? I was looking for you!” He said.

“Where…? I was here all along. But anyway, look at this…” In her hands, the girl was holding 6 sparkling gems.

Thus, it was just the two of them. The pair from the village of companions sold the gems, and with the money they lived their days wealthier and happier than before.

The end.

_ _ _ _ _

Alright, that’s all I have to say. Hm? What’s wrong? You’re staring so intently at me…

Oh, these dolls? You want to know how they move?

Well…

 

 

That’s a secret! ♥