This song somehow drive me to tears recently...time to write them out.

"Words are tears that have been written down. Tears are words that need to be shed. Without them, joy loses all its brilliance and sadness has no end."  ― Paulo Coelho

I learned this quote from a friend who quoted the first sentence of this quote and put it as his status on Discord. From there, I searched for this quote and found it on Paulo's blog post back in 2011. Oh, hello, people. How is life to you nowadays? Life has been a little hard on my poor, lonely soul. Life once again reminds me of how I yearned for companionship and how I literally contradict myself by insisting that I don't really need it. Ah, I also did weigh into NEXON's breaking of a promise to not censor the Blue Archive Global version on my Twitter. I think I might further weigh in with a blog post. I will see.

Remember this final battle stage?

Anyway, myself aside. I really wanna make this post about this insert song so badly before I finish the blog post about Aikatsu Planet but I decided to follow through with the rules that I set myself to. Tough. To be honest, I never expected this song to bring out my tears as I didn't experience that when I first listened to this song. Anyway, it's named Fantastic Imagination (ファンタジっくイマジネーション). Let's not waste time and get on with it!!!

WARNING:-

Although this post is just me talking about a certain anime song, there might be SPOILERS from the anime. If you are planning to watch the anime without any spoilers, you can either continue to read or move on.



P.S. If you want to be spoiled, well, go ahead and read it, you HAVE been warned. Don't blame me for being spoiled if you insist on continuing to read this post.

Introduction

---

The album...

The song, Fantastic Imagination (ファンタジっくイマジネーション) is a song that its lyrics written by Takase Aiko and its music composed and arranged by Mizoguchi Masahiro. Ooh, I also can get the information for the choreographer for the dance in the show. Hmmm...it is done by Fukushima Keiko from Solid・Cube Co., Ltd. I wish I could get a choreographer for my dream MV. Just joking. Anyway, this song debuted in Part 4 of the Data Carddass Aikatsu Planet! series and in Episode 22 of the live-action and anime.

Lyrics

---

Original

どこに行きたい？何になりたい？

ココロに描くよ 自由に

目の前のこと これからのこと

わくわく膨らむ カラフルに

“できない”では つまらない

とにかく「やってみよう！」

イメージが未来のワタシになる

憧れは希望と夢になる

目標がワタシを動かしてく

叶えるための道ができる

まっすぐ走り出そう 自分のキモチを

信じることから始めよう

高く飛びたい キラキラしたい

なんでもできるよ スタート⇒

もっと楽しく もっとリアルに

考え出したら 止まらない

叶える・・・そう! チカラは

みんなが持っているよ

イメージが明日のトビラになる

新しいセカイが見えてくる

強いほど想いはパワーになる

勇気が地図を広げるから

いつかなれるんだ 理想の自分は

ワタシの中にきっといるよ

イメージが現実を作るから

め～いっぱい想像してみよう

大きいほど可能性は広がるよ

はみ出るような夢を見よう

無茶なことだって あきらめたくない

キセキだって作り出そうよ

Hana and Aurora Pegasus small talk...

Romaji

Doko ni ikitai? Nani ni naritai?

Kokoro ni egaku yo jiyū ni

Me no mae no koto korekara no koto

Wakuwaku fukuramu colorful ni

"Dekinai" de wa tsumaranai

Tonikaku "yatte miyou!"

Image ga mirai no watashi ni naru

Akogare wa kibō to yume ni naru

Mokuhyō ga watashi wo ugokashiteku

Kanaeru tame no michi ga dekiru

Massugu hashiridasou jibun no kimochi wo

Shinjiru koto kara hajimeyou

Takaku tobitai kirakira shitai

Nandemo dekiru yo start⇒

Motto tanoshiku motto real ni

Kangae dashitara tomaranai

Kanaeru... Sō! Chikara wa

Minna ga motte iru yo

Image ga ashita no tobira ni naru

Atarashī sekai ga miete kuru

Tsuyoi hodo omoi wa power ni naru

Yūki ga chizu wo hirogeru kara

Itsuka nareru nda risō no jibun wa

Watashi no naka ni kitto iru yo

Image ga genjitsu wo tsukuru kara

Mēippai sōzō shite miyou

Ōkī hodo kanōsei wa hirogaru yo

Hamideru yō na yume wo miyou

Mucha na koto datte akirametakunai

Kiseki datte tsukuridasou yo

Hana and Rose before the final stage there...

English Translation

Where do you want to go? What do you want to be?

Picture it in your mind however you like

Think of what's right before you and of what's to come

The excitement builds as the view turns colourful

Saying "I can't" is no good

Rather than that, "let's give it a try!"

Imagination is what leads to my future self

Admiration is what becomes my hopes and dreams

Having a goal is what drives me forward

Along the path to where I'll realize my aspirations

Keep running straight ahead, as believing in your own

is where it all starts

I want to fly high and shine bright

We're able to do anything, so let's start⇒

Having even more fun and turning it into reality

I can't stop myself just thinking about it

The power to make things come true... Yes!

Everyone has it deep inside

Imagination is what opens the door to tomorrow

And soon a new world will come into view

The stronger your feelings, the greater your power

Be brave and your map will spread out before you

One day, I'll become my ideal self

All I've got to do is look within me

Imagination is what brings forth a new reality

So let's fantasize as much as we can

The bigger the picture, the greater the possibilities

So let's dream up something beyond imagination

Even if it seems impossible, I don't want to just give up

Let's make a miracle of our own.

Hana and Rose on stage

Note: The translation is from the All Aikatsu Wiki site and has been slightly edited by me.

Chinese Translation

你想要去哪里？你想成为什么？

自由地画出你心里所想像的吧！

让眼前和以后的事情，

都增添色彩，让你兴奋吧！

别说“我办不到”，那多没意思。

总之，先试试看吧！

今天的想象将成为将来的我，

今天的憧憬就是希望和理想。

心中的目标催动我的步伐，

开辟着通往梦想的道路。

相信着自己，向前直冲，

开始我的路程吧！

我要闪亮地翱翔在高空，

什么都可以做。开始吧！

一开始想要怎样实现

更开心地享受，就不停不下来。

实现我们的梦想吧！

我们都有实现梦想的力量！

今天的想象是开启未来的门，

开启新的世界。

强大的梦想给予我更多力量，

更多勇气去开启梦想的地图。

在我心底里，我一直都相信，

相信我可以成为心目中的自己。

今天的想象能创造新的现实，

那么努力地幻想美好事物吧！

宏大的梦想可以拓展我们的潜力，

所以做个满溢而出的美梦吧！

就算是看来不可能的事，也不要放弃，

让我们创造出奇迹吧！

Oh, Hana...

Note: This translation is done with the help of the Bilibili videos: Hana and Rose performance with translation, another translation of Hana and Rose performance and Chinese translation of the full song.

Commentary

---

The Aikatsu Grand Prix!

The song came out in the final battle of the Aikatsu Grand Prix, where Hana (Mao's virtual idol role) and Rose (Meisa's virtual idol role). What is the Aikatsu Grand Prix, you asked? Aikatsu Grand Prix is a competition where the idols who are in the top 4 Aikatsu ranking battle it out to get the final prize.

Mao running session

There are quite a few things that happened in the episode like Mao getting into some last-minute training for the final and Ruri trying to get the rest throwing a party before the finals to support Mao. Oh, that party is postponed to after the finals after the rest mentioned that it could distract Mao from her final preparation.

Meeting Meisa on the way...

That cafe...

Anyway, she met Meisa (Rose) and had a brief chat before running into the cafe where she first had a meeting with Izumi where she had asked her to become Hana. She also passes by the school where she studies and reminisces about the days she's spent training with the others. She ends her route at the agency, in which some awkward moment occurs. Well, the rest were preparing a party for Mao so yeah, it's definitely awkward to see her enter the agency office.

That awkward moment...

Away from that awkward moment...what? Why tell the whole story? It's important to make my point. Just follow me. Back to the story. Mao starts to talk about this jogging experience where she reminisces her experience as Hana and makes her realize that it's a miracle that she was able to come so far. I agree. Someone who hasn't had any experience being an idol rising to the top is unbelievable. Plus, she cleared all her ranking and points to start fresh after she revealed that she took over the role of Hana from the departed Meisa (at that time).

Thanking Izumi for the invite...

She later thanks Izumi for inviting her into the world of Aikatsu. Izumi is pleased, likening the feeling to a flower blooming in her heart. Izumi reveals that those feelings are what went behind creating Hana in the first place. A few years ago, she was lost in life until she saw an idol's performance and a "flower of happiness" grew within her. This inspired her to raise an idol that could do the same for others, with Mao taking the story to heart.

Hana transformed!

The moment that I think is the best and the most surprising is that the Pegasus dress that Hana is wearing transforms mid-performance into a different outfit. Wow...that won her the competition. She begins her victory speech by professing her happiness but finds herself at a loss for words. Rose then intercedes and declares that she's also happy for Hana even in her defeat, saying that this was her best performance yet. Hana resumes her speech by advising the audience to not be afraid to take chances, and that they won't get anywhere without giving things a try. Citing her own miracle, she finishes by thanking everyone for their support.

Hana is in tears...well, it's a miracle after all.

Ah...yes, this whole episode and Mao becoming Hana a top idol is a miracle. Being a top idol is a fantastic imagination in itself. Nothing much to say. This is why I have to tell the whole story. Well, after that performance, the rest celebrated her victory with the party prepared. There is still one episode after this but I would rather hold myself from further storytelling. Anyway, it's time to move on.

Party time, Mao! Congrats!!!

Conclusion

---

Ah, we have reached the conclusion section. Yeah, anything? You are asking about the reason why this song brought me to tears? Well, I was a bit emotional about something. It's probably depression hits again. depressed...As I was listening to this song and had a good listen to the lyrics, it reminded me that I need to move on from my self-pity and so many insecurities...yeah, I'm not perfect, you know. Deal with it. So...that's the end of what I can say now. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy reading and browsing through this blog. Goodbye, and God bless you! Oh, also, Merry Christmas to you too! I didn't expect to publish this on Christmas. xD

Remember this cute photo session?