Kinda rambling storytime:

As some of you probably know, I've been studying Japanese for quite a few years now. I love finding fun ways to practice what I've studied and apply it to daily life and/or fun shit that I enjoy doing, to keep the learning process entertaining while practicing what I've grasped so far. I've done this in a bunch of different ways, including playing Phoenix Wright in the original Japanese (hooo boy) and developing a taste for Japanese music. The natural next step to that, then, was translating what music I was listening to into English.

I was digging through my hard drive on my old computer and found some of the old translations that I did a few years back. As they're just kinda sitting around collecting dust at the moment, I thought I'd share one with you guys. I'm including the original Japanese, my romaji on the off-chance you wanna sing along (lol), and then finally the English translation, along with a slew of translation notes, because I am nit-picky and too detailed for my own good.

The song is by a group called LM.C. You can read their wiki page for background information on them if you want. This song is called "HAUNTED HOUSE Make a Secret," and was the b-side on their third single, "Oh My Juliet." I'm actually very proud of this translation, as I spent a lot of time on it, working with a few different Japanese buddies of mine to make sure I got the nuances behind all the lines correct. Yes I'm that picky.

FINALLY, if you just so happen to be sitting on some sort of Japanese something or other and are just dying to have it put into The English, hit me up in a PM and we can talk. I have some free time on my hands.





Japanese:

僕の名はホリー　隣にはハリー　いつでも二人　悪戯ばかり
とある日の夕暮れ　手を引かれ　やってきたあの子に一目惚れ
蒼い瞳にミルク色の肌　流れる栗色に真っ赤なリボン
その笑顔は魔術だった　僕らの胸をしめつけた

パパに内緒でベッド抜け出し　ママのドレスでおどけてみせる
そんなあの子が笑えば七色　古びた屋敷を鮮やかに染める
たくさんの物　たくさんの人　それでもあの子　どこか寂しそう
いつも無邪気を装う素顔独りぼっち

だけれどもハリー　僕らの透ける身体じゃあの子を抱きしめられない
星がこんなにキレイな夜だから　もう少し側にいたい

僕の名はホリー　隣にはハリー　そしてもう一人　She is like a Lily
午前３時　いつもの部屋に集合　今夜も時間を忘れ遊ぼう
でも朝が苦手な僕ら二人　いつまでも一緒にはいられない
そして結局あの子は今日も独りぼっち

だけれどもハリー　僕らの冷めた両手じゃあの子の涙拭えない
だから僕らの秘密打ち明けよう　夜が明けるその前に



季節巡れば　あの子もいつか大人になり僕らが見えなくなる
そしてすべてを忘れてしまうだろう　窓の外月がにじむ

だけれどもハリー　僕らの透ける身体じゃあの子を抱きしめられない
星がこんなにキレイな夜だから　いつまでも側にいたい

秘密は秘密のままで




Romaji:

Boku no na wa HORII　　tonari ni wa HARII itsudemo futari　　itazura bakari
Toaru hi no yuugure　　te wo hikare　　yatte kita ano ko ni hitomebore
Aoi hitomi ni milk no hada　　nagareru kuriiro ni makka na RIBON
Sono egao wa majutsu datta　　bokura no mune wo shimetsuketa

Papa ni naisho de bed nukedashi　　mama no dress de odokete miseru
Sonna ano ko ga waraeba nanairo　　furubita yashiki wo azayaka ni someru
Takusan no mono　　takusan no hito　　soredemo ano ko　　dokoka sabishisou
Itsumo mujaki wo yosoou sugao hitori bocchi

Dakeredomo HARII　　Bokura no sukeru karada ja ano ko wo dakishimerarenai
Hoshi ga konna ni kirei na yoru dakara　　mou sukoshi soba ni itai

Boku no na wa HORII　　tonari ni wa HARII　　soshite mou hitori　　She is like a Lily
Gozen sanji　　itsumo no heya ni shougou　　konya mo jikan wo wasure asobou
Demo asa ga nigate na bokura futari　　itsu made mo issho ni wa irarenai
Soshite kekkyoku ano ko wa kyou mo hitori bocchi

Dakeredomo HARII　　Bokura no sameta ryoute wa ano ko no namida meguenai
Dakara bokura no himitsu uchiakeyou　　yoru ga akeru sono mae ni



Kisetsu megureba　　ano ko mo itsuka otona ni nari bokura ga mienakunaru
Soshite subete wo wasurete shimau darou　　mado no soto tsuki ga nijimu

Dakeredomo HARII　　Bokura no sukeru karada ja ano ko wo dakishimerarenai
Hoshi ga konna ni kirei na yoru dakara　　itsumade mo soba ni itai

Himitsu wa himitsu no mama de




English:

My name is HORII[1]　　next to me is HARII[2]　　we're always making mischief together
One evening　　being led by the hand　　we fell in love at first sight with that girl who came
With blue eyes and milky white skin　　a red ribbon in her flowing chestnut hair
That smile was magical　　our chests grew tight

Without telling her dad, she snuck out of bed　　played around in her mother's dress
If she smiles, it's like a rainbow[3]　　it colors this old mansion brightly
Many things　　many people　　but she seems somewhat lonely
Always pretending to be innocent but her true face is lonely

But HARII　　we can't hold her with our transparent bodies[4]
The stars are so beautiful tonight　　I want to be with her a little longer

My name's HORII　　next to me is HARII　　there's one more person　　She's like a Lily
3am　　we get together in the same room　　tonight too, let's forget time and play
But we two who can't handle the morning[5]　　we can't be with her forever
So after all she'll be alone again today

But HARII　　we can't dry her tears with our cold hands[6]
So let's reveal our secret　　before the night becomes dawn


If the seasons turn　　when the girl becomes an adult, she won't be able to see us
So she'll completely forget everything　　The moon blurs outside the window[7]

But HARII　　we can't hold her with our transparent bodies
The stars are so beautiful tonight　　I want to be by her always

Keep the secret a secret

---

[1] While to most English speakers, this name sounds like Holly, apparently to Japanese ears, this name is somehow masculine sounding. So, assume that the speaker is male.
[2] This name sounded like Harry to me the first time I heard it, but my friends suggested that it's probably Hallie. This person is also male, for the record.
[3] Literally the word is "seven colors," but that makes no sense in English.
[4] Meaning: they're ghosts.
[5] Literally it says that the morning is their "weakness"
[6] Another comment on their state as ghosts.
[7] The ghosts are looking out the window at the moon, and it begins to blur... they're crying.


The story is pretty self-explanatory I think, but lemme know if anyone wants a more concise explanation

LordHuffnPuff wrote:

aika wrote: playing Phoenix Wright in the original Japanese The sheer amount of legal mumbo-jumbo to work in a non-native language is ridiculous. I applaud you for managing this, those games are brutal if you're not fluent.

It was a great way to pick up some legal vocab and other terminology I wasn't familiar with. You should see my vocab list off just the first case from the first game. I think I have it laying around somewhere...