Single Sakurazaka 2nd [BAN] (2021/04/14)

lol
Actually @risanen I did catch up today with this thread among others, and other people brought up Keyaki (and Techi) too. So no, lol it's not just me. You don't like it? Well, it's not something I will lose sleep over

@paradisekiss don't think I know you, so hi.
I wrote what I felt reading the lyrics. I'm sure every single fan has it's own point of view and the freedom to talk about it. Some of them think differently and some think not so differently.
...Perhaps we are all projecting.
Isn't that what should happen with songs?

@ukifune explained well from a "gamer" point of view, but I feel it could be also not-gaming people point of view too. A song about someone who "isn't moving forward in his/her life, and who realizes in a panic he is being shut out of life" is not a song I ever wished Sakura to sing. Especially in a moment in which everything around the world is sort of on hold, sort of losing.
But this is me.
What about you?

 

I feel that you taken the song lyrics entirely out of context? It's about growing up and the flow of time, I think that at one point in life we all could feel how fast it moves. Completely the opposite of what you think it is.

BAN's protagonist spend their time not doing anything but lazing around and playing games without any clear goal, so when they realize they have become an adult, Boku still have no direction to go to while everyone else are busy.

The moral message basically: Use time wisely

 

I'm not a fan of the new group and its music but I'm kind of excited to discuss Ban's meaning.

Some fans praised this song's protangonist for not changing him/herself, that they were strong, brave (and like K's pro) and I couldnt agree LESS. The protangonist of this song were totally opposite to K's. This person spent his time in a not wise way and He did think about changing himself but things didnt go in its way because well, everyone abandoned him. He asked if it was too late and chose not to do anything. I think it's not only about using time wisely (thank Mich for this conclusion) but also about sympathezing someone who lost his way. If there were someone by his side, the protangonist would definitely changed and found his life's meaning.


In terms of concept and performing, I think the mngm make them go the past way which I found kinda ridiculous but for lyrics, Aki-P is doing really good job. I can see what he want to create, a sympathy for someone who lost, hurt and fought.

 

Hmmm I disagree. Because in 2nd chorus, Boku asked for one more chance and forgiveness. It's still related to the concept of time. If you could relate to BAN's Boku, then while you still have the chance and the time, you should change before "the darkness comes"

 

I did talk about it as I wrote in the line above, Boku thought about changing himself then in the last chorus, he asked "Is it too late?" When boku looked at around and found that there was no one by his side, finally he chose to keep this lifestyle. I agree this song's about "You should spend time wisely" but the "more" I wanna talk about is that there is a boku who wanted to change but couldnt.

 

Well I'll offer my own interpretation for consideration:

I actually think it's something in-between. Kind of like Ambivalent in which the protagonist is uncertain whether they should stay alone or get in touch with others more. In the end, questions are asked but no conclusion is drawn. (Which is completely OK! But I guess that as audience most of us are more used to absolute endings than open endings lol)

Lots of questions are asked in BAN's lyrics. The second chorus is asking for forgiveness in the end, but isn't the whole second chorus based on one initial question? 'BANされたらどうすればいい？ // What should I do if I get BANNED?'

Also note the final question at the end of the song: 'どんな状況に追い込まれても僕は絶対にBANされるものか // Am I someone who gets absolutely BANNED no matter what the situation is?'

Even in the first chorus, Boku is singing 'BANされても // even if I'm BANNED'.

So, actually nowhere in the song is it confirmed that Boku has been banned as of now? If we take 'banned' to mean '禁止されて // prohibited' or '駄目だって言われて // told it’s not allowed', that is. Boku is asking whether they have made the wrong choice, yes, because everyone else seems to be making very different choices from theirs. More time has elapsed than Boku thought. The apprehension is real. But how to determine what is right and what is wrong? '神様何かいけないんですか？どこがその基準なのか知りたい // Dear God, is there something wrong with it? I want to know where that basis is,' asks Boku. But there is no answer.
(Well, very often in life, I've found that no one will answer this question for you, you have to give your own answer, and you won't even know whether your answer is right! Has anyone heard of this example from Sartre? Some people will find this freedom to be an unbearable lightness, while some will find it liberating because there are truly no boundaries and if there's no right, there's no wrong either... But I digress lol)

That said, I think that while Boku is not 100% certain, they're actually leaning on the side of 'I won't change', at least for now?

In the bridge, Boku asks another question, '暗闇が来るまでにはまだ間に合うだろう？ Will I still make it until darkness comes?' Again there's no definite answer, but note what is sung immediately before this question: 'まぶしすぎる太陽がカーテンの裾から漏れる // The overly dazzling sun shines through the bottom of the curtains' The implication seems to be THERE IS STILL HOPE?

Then immediately after that question, the chorus is repeated. And it is not the second chorus, but the first chorus, which takes a more defiant stance: '分かりました改めますって反省なんかしない // I won’t apologize and reflect on it' しない is actually pretty resolute as Japanese goes. Asking God for the basis after this statement is like saying, 'Hey God, I don't think I'm wrong, not even if I get banned by others, but feel free to tell me otherwise, if you can convince me lol'

So... yeah, I think Boku is somewhere in-between. Not entirely lost, but also not blind to the possibility that they have gone the wrong way. Which is a pretty normal state to be, in my opinion? I, for one, sympathise with this sentiment a lot.

(Credits to @too much idea for the English lyrics, of course )

 

What a very throughout analysis! Reading this, I got reminded with Yuuka's comment after the song's broadcast on Rekomen (So I went back and listen to it again for a detailed convo). She said that when she read the lyrics and listen it several times, particularly the 2nd chorus, she got reminded to the time when they were told that they are going to be renamed.

Yuuka: If we push forward with what we believe in without forcing ourselves to change, to continue even if we are driven into a corner, the future might open up for us. With this song, I hope that we can show Sakurazaka46 that have evolved once, and how strong we have become.
Nori: This is a song that you can sing because you are Sakurazaka46, because of that you can understand the feelings
Yuuka: In this timing, we'd like to show a strong figure that is different from Nobody's Fault

 

That's is ukifune's quote.
And the rest is your interpretation of the song. Which is fine for you.

@miyabi and @sc89 nice approach to the song! Both your posts give a lot to think about. Considering last discussion about a song included how much english was used in it, I'd say it's a nice step up.

 

Yuuka expressed in one sentence what I tried to express in thirty. The truest of winners! XD

 

Ten centered song

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

I like this song much more than other.

 

I wish I could read the lines more optimistically. Certainly the moral message is to use time wisely. And the light is still shining, so there is time. But the protagonist seems to refuse to change. Even Sugai-san seems to say that. But I don't see any place where the message is: "Keep going and things will be okay." There is certainly still a chance, however. There is ambivalence there. At one point, the protagonist seems to move toward changing. But then seems to retreat in the final part of the song.

As a piece of art and of moral instruction, the words are strong, but my worry is that they are not something the target audience will want to listen to. If they do, good for them.

It's great to discuss lyrics here. Thanks to @too much idea we get to do that.

 

Ten-centered song 'Omotta Yori Mo Sabishikunai' lyrics from tmi

https://twitter.com/toomuchidea/status/1374284370547146753?s=19


Great Song! I really like it. Sound so western and very relatable.

 

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

This music video has made me happier than I ever thought I could be! I am sitting on the floor laughing and squealing like a lunatic! My lesbian ass just got a lesbian MV that featured my oshi as the main character... I AM NOT ALRIGHT!

Karin did such a good job with the emotions and the expressions and just EVERYTHING!!!

THANK YOU SAKURAZAKA46!!!! THANK YOU KARIN!!!

 

I. . . love it, but I have always been a sucker for drama MVs, and god damn Karin is so perfect for an MV like this - she has such a wonderful expressive face. She's really, really great.

 

Minna do you know the name of the girl?

 

Oh. This was so good. I'm really touched. Best MV ever

 

Rico!! Interesting right? Lol

 

Someone said, it's 永瀬莉子 (Nagase Riko) in the comments.

This was heartbreaking. How she walks away from the dance formation in tears ... Just wow