codomomental bulletin #27
Ever since the music video for “Minashigo holic” was published, I’ve been trying to put this song into words, but I couldn’t do it. The song starts with the words “Reimei wo Kobanda” (“I rejected the dawn”), a freakish refusal, an inability to follow any general rules and norms. The theme of the songs I write for ZKS remains the same, but here I explicitly chose the word “reject.” And after that: “Samayoi Arukitsuzukete” (“Continuing to wander”). There is no truth in this world. “Mukishitsu ni Korogaru Kijou ni Yureru Omoi” (“Lifelessly pouring, valiantly wavering feelings”) is an expression of the pain unfairly inflicted on those who choose to continue. It’s infuriating. “Hikisaita Kanjou” (“Torn apart emotions”) are ignored by this world and “thrown away.” Yes, this song expresses those hidden corners of the soul that are usually never talked about or revealed. But still they end up singing “Modorenai, Kiseki to Shinchuu” (“I will not return – from my own path, and from my soul”) – Megumi, Kasane, Mei, Kotetsu and Komochi. Not running away, but genuinely facing up to and confronting the unreasonableness. The determination of these girls was real. Normally I say thank you for listening to my work, but exclusively in this case I will say, “With gratitude and respect from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for singing this song, for not lying to the end.” I’m sorry, I didn’t write it for you, I wrote it exclusively for them. I hope you’ll forgive me. But I’m not sorry at all. That’s how I really feel.
Someday, when I stop doing expressive work, this song will surely go through my head. Kisaragi Megumi, Motochika Kasane, Mei Yui Mei, Kotetsu, Nene Komochi-I was happy to meet you. You are my pride for the rest of my days. I will thank you for the rest of my life. You are my faith. Thank you.1
I would like to thank everyone involved from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to keep this song as a music video. With this music video, the song became fully complete.2
From GESSHIRUI’s Twitter.
I will not return – from my own path, and from my soul. I will bloom as I am.
Reason to resist. Even if uncertainty shatters into pieces,
Even if everything is so transient, I will break through. A promise must be fulfilled.
Never again. Not for anyone else. I will cry for myself.
Clutching onto you, I cried bitterly. I will lead myself there, and therefore
Do not forgive me, I want to live with these unhealable wounds. Dream in the night.
Translation of the last chorus of “Minashigo holic.”
Even in moments when I was ready to break, your feelings turned my heart forward.
I decided to live in such a way that I would have nothing to be ashamed of in front of you, to bestow great love on you, those who believe in me. And so, thanks to your support, I will finally perform there–at Budokan. Let’s have a wonderful time!3
I wonder what your dream is?
All this time I’ve been moving forward to fulfill my dream.
Are you moving forward now?
The ability to dream does not depend on age, gender, or anything else.
Even if you don’t sing well, even if you’re sick a lot.
But you keep striving for it anyway, and that’s probably why it’s a dream.
I guess if something is easy to achieve, it’s not a dream, it’s just “the near future.”
Will I be able to see you? On the road to Kisaragi’s dream.4
From Kisaragi Megumi’s Twitter.
TOKYO TEFUTEFU have posted the cover art for their upcoming EP of re-recorded songs, “Shoen, Tou,” due out as early as March 22:
Release events have also been announced, three of which will take place online5:
March 20 – Day 1
March 25 – Day 2
March 28 – Day 3
The group also held a preview of their new song titled “Houyou” (抱謡)6.
“Mune ni Sumu, Batsu wo Negau, Subete Yogoshiteshimae” (“It has settled in my chest, craving punishment. Come on, taint everything!”).
It’s a phrase in which I put all my feelings.
I sang letting something disgusting settle inside me.7From Yuzuriha Ouhi’s Twitter.
“Maiodoru Ibuki, Ikiteru” (“Breath of the dance. I feel alive.”).
When I first read the lyrics, I immediately thought, “I want to sing this place,” and a little… no, pretty much counted on it. Hehe, I’m glad ∩の ̫の∩8
From Tokanai Nonno’s Twitter.
When I sing our songs, I try to project onto myself the personality the song sings about, and by layering it all on TOKYO TEFUTEFU activities and my own feelings, I try to put it all through me, and so the lines “Mou Ni Do to Hanarenai You, Iranai, Hoka wa” (“So that we never part again. I need nothing else.”) I performed with especially strong feelings
9
Lately it’s become common for me to hear your voices at concerts, but for TOKYO TEFUTEFU for two whole years it wasn’t something we took for granted at all, and so now I suddenly notice that our concerts are something we create together with you, and I feel an incredible warmth.10
I love our members so much, I love our “Mirages,” I love codomomental so much, I can’t help it~.11
From Mary Lust’s Twitter.
Everyone is really singing better and better.
Singing isn’t just about technique, putting your soul into singing is also really hard, but nevertheless, you listen to it and it pulls you in so incredibly.
Everyone has really become so good at singing.
I think you’ll find it interesting to compare how “Shoen, Tou” will be different from existing recordings.
I think my voice has become a little more mature(:zꇤ )ﾆ.12
Within strength there is also weakness.
Within determination there is also loneliness.
Surely this is a song that, depending on where we sing it and where you listen to it, will be able to enchant you in very different ways.
And what kind of view appears before your eyes?
Sure, there are individual personalities in it, but they all blend and merge, giving birth to a single form of “TOKYO TEFUTEFU” that even feels like we’ve become one, and I love that.13
From Chimura Shifumi’s Twitter.
“Houyou” was created as a new song for the TOKYO TEFUTEFU concert at LIQUIDROOM. I sensed a strong intention with which it was created, a call to take “half a step beyond the usual boundaries,” and so I approached it with great determination, too. And I’m sure the members were, too. We’ll talk about the content of the lyrics later, but it’s a song that was created with a huge focus on live performances.14
From GESSHIRUI’s Twitter.
Also last week, each of the members posted a short cover of one of their favorite songs on Twitter:
- https://twitter.com/GESSHIRUI_/status/1633524437231476736
- https://twitter.com/GESSHIRUI_/status/1633525149415911424
- https://twitter.com/zenkimi_megumi/status/1632431441081683969
- https://twitter.com/zenkimi_megumi/status/1633132906553159681
- https://tokyotftf.com/topics/udepi/
- https://twitter.com/tokyotftf/status/1633784873877127168
- https://twitter.com/tftf_ouhi/status/1633813028964818947
- https://twitter.com/tftf_nonno/status/1633806231998713864
- https://twitter.com/tftf_lust/status/1633806317705117698
- https://twitter.com/tftf_lust/status/1633836286464389121
- https://twitter.com/tftf_lust/status/1634595753472696320
- https://twitter.com/tftf_shifumi/status/1633806731976515584
- https://twitter.com/tftf_shifumi/status/1633803838888243200
- https://twitter.com/GESSHIRUI_/status/1633883778568589313