影踏み Translation

A translation of the GazettE’s “Kagefumi” from their album “DIVISION”. While this could be translated as “shadow=step(ping)”, I found that there is a game called “Kagefumi” which is better translated as “Shadow Tag”. The game consists of people trying to step on each other’s shadows in order to tag them as ‘it’. In older days, the children would sing a song as they played, which isn’t really well translated, but it goes something like: “See if you can step on my shadow or the guardian of travel” (not included is a phrase saying something along the lines of the waxing crescent moon like a mochi dumpling, I think). It’s incredibly complicated and I can’t find much more than that other than the rules of the game, but this background sort of lends not only the atmosphere of a game played in the dark, but of the protagonist endlessly trying to catch up with the person he loves.

Please do not steal this translation or use it without my permission. All rights belong to the GazettE and their label PS Company/Sony Music Japan.

 

 

 

~.oOOo.~

 

 

 

乾いた足音 肌を染めてく月光
冷たいあなたの手
剥がれぬように引けた暁に
その躊躇いを捨ててくれる?
Kawaita ashioto hada wo someteku gekkou
Tsumetai anata no te
Hagarenu you ni hiketa akatsuki ni
Sono tamerai wo sutetekureru?
Dry sounds of footfall, and moonlight dyes the skin...
This morning, I held your cold hand
So that you wouldn't leave me.
Will you throw away your hesitation?

 

明日を信じてゆける意味を求め
どこかで壊れてしまった
何もかもが歪んで見えた
ねぇ まだ笑えてる?
Ashita wo shinjiteyukeru imi wo motome
Doko ka de kowareteshimatta
Nani mo ka mo ga yugande mieta
Nee Mada waraeteru
I search for the meaning of being able to believe in tomorrow.
Somewhere, that belief broke.
Everything I can see is distorting...
Hey, can you still smile?

 

抱きしめていて 忘れぬように
声もいつか届かなくなる
舞い散る雨に消え入りそうな
二人の足音が重なり
途切れるまで
Dakishimeteite Wasurenu you ni
Koe mo itsuka todokanaku naru
Maichiru ame ni kiehairi sou na
Futari no ashioto ga kasanari
Togireru made
I hold you close, so that I won't forget you.
Someday, my voice will no longer reach you.
The two of us, seeming like we'll disappear in the rain that dances down,
Walk, our footfall overlapping
Until we stop.

 

強く手を握って
今はそれだけでいい
それがあなたを信じてゆく唯一の光で
Tsuyoku te wo nigitte
Ima ha sore dake de ii
Sore ga anata wo shinjiteyuku yuitsu no hikari de
I held your hand tightly,
And for now, that's enough.
That's because you are the sole light I believe in.

 

抱きしめていて 忘れぬように
声もいつか届かなくなる
舞い散る雨に傘も差せない
そんな自分が悲しい
Dakishimeteite Wasurenu you ni
Koe mo itsuka todokanaku naru
Maichiru ame ni kasa mo sasenai
Sonna jibun ga kanashii
I hold you close, so that I won't forget you.
Someday, my voice will no longer reach you.
In this rain that dances down, I grieve
And can't open my umbrella.

 

愛していてね
こんなに脆くなってしまった心も
光を見つめ落ちてゆく二人
やっと重なった
あなたの影と
Aishiteite ne
Konna ni yowaku natteshimatta kokoro mo
Hikari wo mitsumeochiteyuku futari
Yatto kasanatta
Anata no kage to
I love you,
Even though like this my heart is so fragile.
The two of us simply gaze at the light.
Finally, I overlapped
With your shadow.

 

忘れないでね これが終わりじゃない事
Wasurenai de ne Kore ga owari ja nai koto
Don't forget that this is not the end.