2013/12/28

Prolog for Encore

Included in the BD "LIVE - LEGEND I, D, Z, APOCALYPSE -" (released on 2013 Nov. 20).
These were the prologues for the encores in the concerts 'Legend "I"', "D", "Z", narrated with a series of painted pictures projected on the screen.

Prologue for Encore   in Legend "I"

"The Metal Resistance", the war against the big power "Idols",
has been long drawn out.
BABYMETAL resisted by wearing the corset to train for headbanging,
and by doing mosh'sh for the moment.
But "Idols" brought in new members if some members left,
ruled the regions by organizing the branches in various places,
and thus have extended their power in succession.
Considering this situation and to give BABYMETAL more power, the Fox God
sends down, as divine messengers, the strongest metal band playing the explosive roar...
The band consists of the gods, the gods of guitar, the god of bass and the god of drums.
It is the special band of the brave metallers formed for BABYMETAL.
Accompanied with this band, BABYMETAL will engage in further sacred battles.

Prologue for Encore   in Legend "D"

In A-KIBA, the sacred place for the big power "Idols",
YUIMETAL and MOAMETAL were captured.
Snake suspected them of being the leaders of "the Metal Resistance",
and interrogated them persistently to disclose their identity.
"Are you really the idols?"
"After all, we are the idols...
...DEATH!"
Oops! Their usual habit exposed that they are the metallers.
"Idols DEATH!? What a desecration!! I Condemn!! I Condemn!!"
At last they were to hang up, blamed for treason to the idols.
To save their young lives, SU-METAL stood up.
In the depth of her heart, the song was resounding that the Fox God had told her.
In the special night of fifteen, with legendary black long hair disordered around and gorgeously,
a girl fought bravely. It is her song.

Prologue for Encore   in Legend "Z"

Metal Resistance.
It is the holy war.
For the upcoming Armageddon, BABYMETAL
were going toward "the Hill of Flying V", the field for the final sacred battle.
The Fox God, presiding over the metal gods, to prepare for the final sacred battle,
sent the gods of guitar,
the god of bass,
and the god of drums
to form the strongest metal band,
and gave BABYMETAL the further power.
The time remaining is very short.
The descent of the god is never "permanent".
Finally the last chapter of the holy war begins.



  ROMAJI TRANSCRIPTION AND NOTES ARE BELOW.


[i] About the Word "Kami"

Etymologically the Japanese word "kami" means "upper" (kanji "上"; "kawa-kami"(= upstream), "o-kami-san"(= mistress), etc). From this derives the meaning of the super-natural entity called "god" (kanji "神"), but this theory is somewhat controversial.

The form of "*** no kami"(= the god of ***; welding, management, etc.) is often used for a living person, but it is merely the supreme form of "*** master". Probably Japanese people feel little super-natural-ness when saying it.

[ii] About "Kami Band"

BABYMETAL's live backing band is called "Kami Band". Before the concert 'Legend "I"' (2012 Oct. 6), BABYMETAL performed all with the playbacked music and the fake band dressed in bone suit. In Legend "I" & "Z", Kami Band appeared on the encore and played only 2 or 3 tunes. In 2013 May-Nov., BABYMETAL held more concerts performing all with Kami Band than all without Kami Band. In their first arena solo concert (2013 Dec.), the fans expected BABYMETAL would perform all with Kami Band, but Kami Band played only 4 tunes in the encore.

The members of Kami Band are not disclosed, but the devout fans have found the information from Twitter, etc., and listed up in Wikipedia. In the latter half of 2013, the members are roughly fixed but some were absent in some concerts because some belongs to other band, and others are skillful musicians hired for other sessions. And almost of the recording musicians were not credited in the CD singles (some kami may have played in them).


Prologue for Encore   in Legend "I"

RomajiEnglish TranslationNotes
 
Kyodai seiryoku "Aidoru" to no tatakai "Metaru Rejisutansu" wa chooki-sen e to totsunyuu shita. "The Metal Resistance", the war against the big power "Idols", has been long drawn out.
BABYMETAL wa hedoban yoosei korusetto o maitari, torima mosshusshu shitari to BABYMETAL resisted by wearing the corset to train for headbanging, and by doing mosh'sh for the moment.1,2
teikoo shite mita ga, "Aidoru" wa koosei-in ga dattai sureba shinjin o zooin shi, But "Idols" brought in new members if some members left,
kakuchi ni shibu o tsukutte wa sono chiiki o toochi shi, tsugitsugi to seiryoku o mashite iku no de atta. ruled the regions by organizing the branches in various places, and thus have extended their power in succession.3
Sono jookyoo o mita Kitsune sama wa BABYMETAL ni saranaru pawaa o ataeru tame Considering this situation and to give BABYMETAL more power, the Fox God
kami no tsukai toshite bakuon o kanaderu saikyoo no metaru gakudan o koorin saseru... sends down, as divine messengers, the strongest metal band playing the explosive roar...
Sono gakudan wa gitaa no kami beesu no kami doramu no kami to yuu kamigami de koosei sareta The band consists of the gods, the gods of guitar, the god of bass and the god of drums.[i]
yuusha metaraa-tachi ni yoru BABYMETAL no tame no supesharu na gakudan de aru. It is the special band of the brave metallers formed for BABYMETAL.
Sono gakudan to tomoni BABYMETAL wa saranaru seisen e to idomu no da. Accompanied with this band, BABYMETAL will engage in further sacred battles.
 

Prologue for Encore   in Legend "D"

RomajiEnglish TranslationNotes
 
Kyodai seiryoku "Aidoru" no seichi A-KIBA de toraware no mi to natta In A-KIBA, the sacred place for the big power "Idols",
YUIMETAL to MOAMETAL. YUIMETAL and MOAMETAL were captured.
Futari o "Metaru Rejisutansu" no shuboosha to niranda Suneeku wa Snake suspected them of being the leaders of "the Metal Resistance",
Shootai o abakoo to shitsuyoo na jinmon o tsuzuketa. and interrogated them persistently to disclose their identity.
"Kimitachi hontoo ni aidoru nandaroo ne?" "Are you really the idols?"
"Watashitachi nantettatte aidoru... "After all, we are the idols...4
...DEATH!!" ...DEATH!!"5
Ottotto, itsumo no kuse de metaraa da to yuu koto ga barete shimatta de wa nai ka. Oops! Their usual habit exposed that they are the metallers.
"Aidoru DEATH!? Nantaru aidoru e no bootoku!! Danzai da!! Danzai da!!" "Idols DEATH!? What a desecration!! I Condemn!! I Condemn!!"5
Tsuini hangyakusha toshite no tsumi o kiserare tsurushiage ni sarete shimau futari. At last they were to hang up, blamed for treason to the idols.
Osanai inochi o sukuu tame SU-METAL wa tachiagaru. To save their young lives, SU-METAL stood up.
Kokoro no oku ni wa Kitsune sama ga oshiete kureta ano uta ga nari hibiite ita. In the depth of her heart, the song was resounding that the Fox God had told her.
Ichigo no yoru, densetsu no kurokami o karei ni midashi In the special night of fifteen, with legendary black long hair disordered around and gorgeously,6
yuukan ni tatakatta shoojo no uta ga... a girl fought bravely. It is her song...
 

Prologue for Encore   in Legend "Z"

RomajiEnglish TranslationNotes
 
Metaru Rejisutansu. Metal Resistance.
Sore wa seinaru tatakai. It is the holy war.
Kitarubeki Harumagedon ni mukete BABYMETAL wa For the upcoming Armageddon, BABYMETAL
saigo no seisen no ba to naru "Furaingu Bui no Oka" e to mukau no de atta. were going toward "the Hill of Flying V", the field for the final sacred battle.7
Metaru no kamigami o tsukasadoru Kitsune sama wa saigo no seisen ni mukete The Fox God, presiding over the metal gods, to prepare for the final sacred battle,[i]
gitaa no kami sent the gods of guitar,
beesu no kami the god of bass,
doramu no kami o koorin sase and the god of drums
Saikyoo no metaru gakudan o kessei shi BABYMETAL ni saranaru pawaa o to form the strongest metal band,
ataeru no de atta. and gave BABYMETAL the further power.
Nokosareta jikan wa ato wazuka. The time remaining is very short.
Kami no koorin ni "eien" wa nai. The descent of the god is never "permanent".
Iyoiyo seinaru tatakai no saishuushoo ga hajimaru. Finally the last chapter of the holy war begins.
 

Notes

  1. The limited edition of "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!" is packeged with "the corset (= neck brace) to train for headbanging", and the premium concert was held with all audience wearing it. The corset is a parody of "the Gips (= shoulder brace) to train for the major-leaguer" of a baseball manga "Kyojin no Hoshi".
  2. Recently BABYMETAL officials used "mosh'sh" for "mosshusshu" (BABYMETAL said it is "safe moshing").
  3. The sister groups of AKB are in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, Jakarta(Indonesia) and Shanghai(China).
  4. "Nantettatte Aidoru" is an idol song sung by Kyoko KOIZUMI in 1985.
  5. These "DEATH" are just joking variations of Japanese "desu"(= to be), only to add the heavy-metal-ness and no cursing on the idols.
  6. This line comes from "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!", and the song was sung after this narration.
  7. The Flying V is Gibson's V-shaped electric guitar. The illustrated ones are other maker's copy models, a little different from the original.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for these translations...they are invaluable. Kitsune Forever.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, my translations are anything but invaluable. Only BABYMETAL are invaluable.

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