Monastic Life・Is・A Flesh ApocalypseMusic, Arrangement, Lyrics: J.A. Seazer (J.A.シーザー) |
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Translation Notes From EJ: Phlegm, blood, moisture, bile This seems to refer to the four humors, except that yellow bile and black bile have been collapsed into simply “bile” and “moisture” has been added (though blood and phlegm are already traditionally associated with moisture). A shadow-beast “陰獣” (“Injuu”) is the title of a 1928 novel by the famed and influential mystery novelist Edogawa Ranpo. It has been translated into English as The Beast in the Shadows (2006). Eros, agape, gnosis As many readers probably already know, “eros” refers to romantic love, often with sexual connotations, while “agape” refers to a selfless love and was used almost exclusively in Christian contexts, to talk about the love of God for humans and vice versa. “Gnosis” means “knowledge,” as Seazer himself helpfully tells us in the first stanza of “Watashi Hidokei Gunomoon.” The holy semen of Carpocrates Carpocrates was the founder of a Gnostic sect, the Carpocratians, who supposedly (according to later sources) eschewed marriage and “[had] intercourse where they will and with whom they will.” Yes * we are * we internalize * we are not * we are While the words in the previous line are all just different verbs that are pronounced “nari,” the second line contains some creative readings of kanji; of particular note is the second “nari,” here translated as “we internalize,” which uses a kanji meaning “inside” that doesn’t typically have a verb form. Translation Notes From Katie: Flesh Apocalypse This incorporates humorism, and each humor (phlegm, blood, black bile, and yellow bile... of course listing them properly in the song would make things too easy for us) related to an element. Blood was equated with air, so the “filthy breeze” thing indicates a nosebleed. Water was associated with phlegm, so that’s what’s rising in the narrator’s throat. “Filthy darkness” in the stomach is probably black bile. That one’s not a real thing, by the way, but this is from a medieval point of view. The breeze of the beast in the shadows in my mind 陰獣 isn’t a word, but also, Seazer didn’t just make it up; it’s the title of a novel from 1928 by Edogawa Ranpo. It’s actually been published in English, apparently, as Beast in the Shadows. I know Terayama was a big fan of Edogawa Ranpo, so it’s not surprising for a reference to him to show up in a Seazer song. Translation Notes From Hiraku: Namely – Formation Apocalypse 姿態 gave me a LOT of trouble. I know in the context of the song, it’s more than just being a form or a posture. It’s also about an appearance that would be alluring or seductive. However, I can’t think of any English word synonymous with “pose” or “form” that would have a sexy connotation. Beast of the shadow’s wind dwelling in the heart There is actually a French/Japanese film called Inju (陰獸) which is a detective story that involved torture porn. It's based on a 1928 novel by Japanese writer Edogawa Ranpo. We are the objects that can never reach escape velocity In a sense it means “escape”, but in the cultural/religious context, this escape is more in the sense of escaping the bondage of the wheel of reincarnation in Buddhism, thereby ultimately attaining Nirvana Yes! Toiling! Withdrawing! Nulling! Becoming! Technically, all of these words mean “becoming”, but if I just translate all of them as such, it loses out the fun in the pun, so I picked the alternate meaning of each kanji instead. |
Revolutionary Girl Utena music by KING Records, US release by Geneon. Content from these releases compiled here by Giovanna for Empty Movement. Fan-translations belong to named creators and reproduced with their permission. Yay! |