By NucleARtyom October 29, 2023

codomomental bulletin #52

On October 17th, a new member of Not Secured, Loose Ends was announced, and it turned out to be… Yuzuriha Ouhi.

I, Yuzuriha Ouhi, am the new member of Not Secured, Loose Ends.

I want to absorb everything I can, learn, love and move forward.

I will do my best with my whole body and soul, I hope for your support!¹

From Yuzuriha Ouhi’s Twitter.

Ouhi-chan – strong in spirit and capable of moving forward without bending under the onslaught of hardships – together with her we will go on a journey!

I will train her to become a strong special forces fighter right after me! I hope for your support!²

From Mei Yui Mei’s Twitter.

We, all of us, will try hard to get stronger and learn new skills – even outside the group, but it’s all for “Tefutefu” as well. Let’s support each other! ✨³

From Mary Lust’s Twitter.

It’s like this.

Life is a constant learning experience and that’s why Ouhi has chosen another parallel universe for herself.

I want to see Ouhi-san screaming around as soon as possible.ᐟ.ᐟ

Of course, “Tefutefu” will also fight hard ⊂( ᴖ ̫ᴖ)⊃ ⊂(ᴖ ̫ᴖ )⊃⁴

From Chimura Shifumi’s Twitter.

On October 11th, a livestream was held in which Chimura Shifumi along with Nobuhide Imamura talked about her lyrics to the song “outrogue” in great detail,⁵ revealing the intentions that were put into certain parts of the song. I have tried to summarize the most important points below:

Impulse, symptoms. “I don’t need this world.”
I fall into the abyss. My consciousness freezes.

In these lines, Chimura expresses how she felt during her school years, when she was a shut-in, isolated from the world around her. This was before she discovered codomomental.

It comes out again. Surely, I’m not alone in this.
A piercing voice. A refrain that paralyzes me.

Unable to hold back her tears, she realizes that she is probably not the only one experiencing these feelings – probably everyone has had a time when they experienced something similar.

“A piercing voice” expresses a cry from deep within, a cry for help that she is unable to direct to anyone, that pierces her soul.

“A refrain that paralyzes me” expresses a state where the girl wants to accept herself but can’t, and vacillates between wanting to accept herself and blaming herself. Even if she starts to move forward, this “piercing voice” will not back down, and so it is as if the girl is paralyzed. Even if that step forward is actually an easy one, and after a while she will be able to do it with ease. But now she is paralyzed. And this condition is repeated again and again, like a refrain.

Thus, in the first part of the song, Chimura expresses her emotional experiences from the difficult period in her life when she was immersed in herself, and hopes that the listeners have experienced something similar in their lives and can share it with her. That maybe it was going through a similar period that made them enjoy life now.

Pale dreams. Nuclear fusion. I’m still not sure of myself, really.
Even the flowing tears scatter like petals. On top of being silly, I’m also a coward, sorry.
Where is the dawn? It’s here, here, here…
Deliberately pretending not to see the stop signs,
I’m still awkwardly wandering around.
I stand motionless on a scorched field…

While in the first section the lyrical heroine was still unable to move forward, now she begins to wander, still with great difficulty, not knowing what to do. She searches for the dawn, she thinks she finds it, but in fact it is not here, “It’s here, here, here…”

Crime × punishment. I soar upward, in despair.

Everything that had been building up in her soul up to that point explodes, and she soars upward.

A girl wails. Rampant immorality.

The lyrical heroine is disappointed in this world where immorality is widespread.

The word “unmoral” was originally used here, but then changed to “immoral” as a reference to the album “impure.”

May a flash of light cut through the deep darkness…

The wailing girl cries out to someone as if in prayer, wishing that someone would cut through the deep darkness around her.

Only the world where you smile—that’s all I need.
A trembling shadow, grace, breathtaking.

According to Nobuhide Imamura, before he entrusts a member with writing lyrics, he makes sure to tell them to add a phrase at the end of a chorus so that each listener can picture a different image in their minds. It’s important for the director to have something in a song that all people can relate to, but since the listeners can’t look directly into the minds of the members, each of whom has a different life experience, he tries to achieve this with this technique.

It was also Imamura-san’s suggestion to add the word “grace” to the lyrics. He noted that when Chimura first joined codomomental, she was very show-offy, as she loved Zenbu Kimi no Sei da, and was a fan of Mashiro in particular. And not that the director sees this as a problem, rather the opposite, but he notes that recently, after going through the GOLDADCT TOUR, Chimura has finally grown a lot in terms of not just showing off, but confidently presenting herself with pride for her achievements in performance skills. And this word seems to be meant to express the excessive pretentiousness that Chimura is already able to confidently express at this point.

The girl also noted that she herself did not have such an intent, but after adding this word, these lines started to bring back her memories of “Zenkimi” concerts. However, she wants everyone to find their own interpretation.

I close my eyes. Your image is imprinted in my mind.
I wonder why? I heard you. Yes.
The illusory world of melodies chasing me, crazily overlapping.

A butterfly’s dream and vague intention.
Boundless emotions always dwell here.
“Carpe diem” coming to life.
A daring dream has taken shape.

The second verse expresses the image of TOKYO TEFUTEFU from the beginning to the end. It describes the first two years of the group’s existence, which were especially difficult for Chimura and “she could hardly do anything.”

The truth is in love.
I have such a craving for it.

The line “I have such a craving for it” expresses Chimura’s desire to follow the truth of love, and at the same time her need for the love of the fans.

Blindness, addiction. Even if this fate is doomed to fade someday,
I will carve it deep into my heart, with intense heat.
I cried too. Reality is exactly what is so dear to me.
Don’t let go of the voice you believe in.

The important point here is that the lyrical heroine went from “I don’t need this world” to “Reality is exactly what is so dear to me.” It refers to how Chimura, after joining TOKYO TEFUTEFU and meeting “mirages,” turned the “world” she wanted into “reality.”

The entire second chorus is Chimura addressing the other members of TOKYO TEFUTEFU and the group’s fans.

In the distance, a cracked life flickers.
It soars upward. “…”

As we already know, instead of “…” Chimura actually sings “I sing.” The girl didn’t want this song to be only her story – she wants everyone to be able to find their own story in it, as if asking the listener: “I sing, but what about your ‘cracked life that is flickering in the distance’?”

The Tokyo butterflies will go all the way to the end with you.
Burning with blue love, let’s become eternal.

Thus, the last lines express Chimura’s desire to “become eternal” with the “mirages.” According to Nobuhide Imamura, if the song lyrics were written by GESSHIRUI, he wouldn’t have allowed the word “eternal” because nothing is eternal and it would sound like a lie, but since it was written by Chimura herself, the one who performs on stage and conveys these feelings to the fans, he allowed it.

“Blue” is apparently a reference to “ao,” the group’s song that is imbued with the spirit of youth, and the word “blue” in Japanese also means “immaturity,” “inexperience” (similar to the English “green”).

As we already know, the title of the song is a fusion of the words “outro” and “monologue.” So it is “a monologue that marks the end of the beginning,” the end of the past period in the life of the group, and even if we talk about the album’s tracklist, songs that are something new to “Tefutefu” are placed only after it.

It is also interesting to note that although this is a song with lyrics by Chimura, the girl herself sings very few lines in this song. According to the director, this was done on purpose, because since it’s already Chimura’s song, it’s enough that she only sings the most important parts.

I hope this song will be heard by many people, loved by them and played forever.

I wrote the lyrics, so it’s up to me to fulfill them.⁶

“outrogue” is a love letter I wrote to “tefutefu” and to you “mirages.”

Whether we become eternal or not is up to us.⁷

From Chimura Shifumi’s Twitter.

The crowdfunding campaign for the Blu-ray release of Zenbu Kimi no Sei da’s Budokan show has been successfully ended. A total of 7,121,000 yen has been raised, which is 178% of the amount originally requested. Two additional goals were also reached, meaning that the group will begin work on a new song and new costumes. Unfortunately, the third additional goal (8 million yen) was not reached, so there will be no music video for the new song.

The crowdfunding campaign has ended.

I’m really happy that we can release the Budokan show video on Blu-ray.

I will never forget the days we spent together with you, working towards this day for almost seven and a half years.

As you watch this video, remember that for Kisaragi, for “Zenkimi,” this day was only possible because you were with us. “Patients,” I love you so much.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous support. Thank you.⁸

From Kisaragi Megumi’s Twitter.

On October 21st, a livestream was held on the official Zenbu Kimi no Sei da YouTube channel to celebrate the successful completion of the campaign.⁹ Several important announcements were made:

As we know, exactly one year after the group’s Budokan show, March 15, 2024 will be Zenbu Kimi no Sei da’s first concert since the group went on hiatus. If the crowdfunding campaign had ended unsuccessfully, the concert would likely not have taken place. It’s also unknown what will happen after that – nothing has been decided yet.
Kisaragi Megumi, Mei Yui Mei and Nene Komochi will definitely perform at this concert. “Maybe Mei will be overseas performing with NSLE at that time, and Komochi will be busy with ‘seireki’, but on that day all three will definitely perform at this concert.”
As for Motochika Kasane and Kotetsu, at the moment “they can’t say anything about them because they don’t want to hurt them unintentionally.” At the same time, communication with them is being maintained.

Unfortunately, the second solo concert of the new iteration of KAQRIYOTERROR, which was scheduled to take place on October 18th, was cancelled due to the poor physical condition of some members (including members of Seireki13a and Zenbu Kimi no Sei da).¹⁰ As Megumi later said in the aforementioned stream, they had caught a cold.

On October 23, a livestream was held on the Zenbu Kimi no Sei da official YouTube channel, where Kisaragi Megumi announced her new personal project #penname.¹¹ As part of this project, it is planned to create a website where you can use a special form to send the girl “your feelings that would otherwise disappear” and then Megumi will create a work based on them (video, music, book, or even a concert or theater play) so that these feelings take shape and are not forgotten. According to the girl, this project is the realization of her desire to accept people’s feelings, which at the same time makes her continue to be a part of “zenkimi,” as well as the desire to “live the lives of countless people,” which is why she wants to become an actress.

If you still don’t understand the idea of the project, this trailer, which I’ve translated into English, describes its essence very clearly:

A crowdfunding campaign for the project has been launched on Campfire and will run until midnight on November 30th (JST). The requested amount is ¥600,000, but even if this amount is not raised, the project will still be realized.

Hello, my name is Kisaragi Megumi.

I was a member of a female group Zenbu Kimi no Sei da for 8 years.

Regardless of everything, I was always driven by the desire to be someone who doesn’t forget and can’t be forgotten, the desire to be connected to someone’s feelings. And I still want that, and I still want to leave more of someone’s feelings and things that can’t be forgotten.

As part of this project, I am going to create a website #penname that will take the secret feelings and poems from you, me, and everyone else and bring those words that were meant to disappear into existence.

This campaign is being launched to raise funds to build a website for the project (I plan to contact systems engineers for this), as part of which there will be videos, books, music, live performances, theater productions, etc. created based on visitors’ poems, as well as a budget to produce the works once it’s launched.

Project Plan:

Fundraising through crowdfunding.

Create a website.

Launch the #penname website and start accepting poems.

At the same time, work on filming and editing the first work.

What is #penname?

It’s a place that accepts different feelings and impressions of something, poems that suddenly appear in your head, words like those lost somewhere on the edge of old papers, and where your words turn into videos, books, photos, music – works that won’t disappear.

When you want someone to know your feelings, but you know they probably won’t reach anyone.

When you just like to write poems.

When you want to share them with someone.

In these days of social media, words have become more accessible to others, but that’s why in this place called penname I am going to accept poems that were destined to disappear inside you.

As for the rewards:

5,000 yen – a thank-you card from Kisaragi Megumi.

10,000 yen – a thank-you video (2 minutes) + mention in the credits of the first work (you must include your name in the notes column).

30,000 yen – correspondence with Kisaragi Megumi (3 letters each way) + mention in the credits of the first work.

50,000 yen – access to a poetry performance by Kisaragi Megumi + mention in the credits of the first work.

100,000 yen – personal meeting with Kisaragi Megumi + mention in the credits of the first work.

300,000 yen – all of the above + mention in the credits of the first work.

How the funds raised will be used:

Filming costs (location rentals, transportation costs, staff salaries).

Equipment costs (cameras and microphones for filming).

Casting costs (actors’ fees).

Editing costs (video and audio editing).

Website maintenance costs.

And lastly.

Thank you for reading to the end. For the past 8 years since Kisaragi Megumi was born, I have been able to move forward by being found and loved, and it has saved me many times.

And in this project, I want to find someone myself, accept them and gently express all your feelings.

I want to create a place where together we can support each moment of life, each person’s words and feelings, and bring them to life.

Whether you’ve supported me before, or you’ve just learned about me, or you’re yet to learn about me, even if you don’t learn anything about me, I will strive for the sake of connecting people’s feelings in this place called #penname. I hope for your support!

The campaign is available at

https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/711622

You can also support it by following the instructions at the following link:

http://www.codomofan.online/codomomental-bulletin-46/

I will not leave my own feelings behind and at the same time create a place where the feelings of others will not be left behind, will not be erased.

#penname is a project that brings to life various words and feelings that seem to disappear in the midst of various social media.

Please read the content carefully and I would love to have your support.

You know I never give up, don’t you? ＾＾¹²

From Kisaragi Megumi’s Twitter.

The other day in the studio I witnessed the birth of #penname. I think this project has a special meaning simply because Kisaragi Megumi created it. Once, when ZKS was just starting, Megumi-chan said: “I don’t want to be forgotten.” I think that’s why she tries her best to live her life in such a way that she “doesn’t forget anything.”
I myself have sometimes had “feelings that can’t even be expressed on social media” whipped out of me. Maybe that would have hurt someone. And I didn’t want to be misunderstood. Like, “Surely those feelings wouldn’t reach anyone.” And this is the place that gives life to all these feelings that were supposed to disappear. That’s how I see this project. To give a place to those feelings that are inside me, those feelings that I can’t express on social media… Maybe through #penname they can gently touch someone’s heart – if it helps to create such a work, I think that’s wonderful. After all, someone else’s story has my own.¹³

From GESSHIRUI’s Twitter.

Another DJ event took place on October 20. As always, I created Spotify playlists:¹⁴ ¹⁵ ¹⁶ ¹⁷ ¹⁸ ¹⁹ ²⁰

codomomental bulletin #52

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