RADWIMPS 前前前世訳してみた (RADWIMPS "Zenzenzense" translation)

published: 2026-2-17

last updated: 2026-2-20

language: jp/en

tags:

Me and ‘Your Name’

So there is this Anime film called “Your Name (君の名は。)”. I remember the time it came out in 2016. I was in high school back then, Living my days with my lovable idiots of friends. We were in the “those goofy bastards” category in the school caste. Not concerning jocks or nerds, we were the guys who’d just do random goofy shenanigans to entertain ourselves out of our boredom of adolescence (But that’s for another story).
Anyway, I remember it being so popular, even the normal bunch that don’t know the “M” in the movies would go out with their friends to see it. It was truly a cultural phenomenon. With the popularity of anime as a genre, it comes to me not as a surprise that this movie has some decent recognition even outside Japan. However, I must confess that I haven’t seen it yet. Partly because I was a stupid kid back then (maybe even now) trying to be all ‘edgy’ and stuff, naturally avoiding anything that is known to more than one thirds of the population in the class. The rest of the reason is that my aforementioned idiots/friends actually went to see it, and came back to say the following: ‘It sucked.’ However, now I have outgrown their words. I am willing to give it a chance over a nice night of beers and popcorns.

From your previous life, and the ones before

But there is an element in the movie that even I did know back then. An inserted song titled “前前前世(Zenzenzense)” by RADWIMPS, which became synonymous with the movie itself. I remember back then, every time we went to Karaoke somebody would inevitably sing this song. I don’t know enough about music to give an informed commentary, I suggest you just listen. Recently some small event occurred that had me re-discover this song. I can definitely say, this song is a masterpiece. After all this time, it still succeeds in establishing itself as this iconic rock piece about devoting oneself to someone you care for in all its brutal honesty that is brimmed with the guileless, sheer power of passion that you only have in your adolescence. This song reminds me of my high school days, those days of unwavering energy and hope, and the fear and confusion and agony of trying to make sense of the world and your place in it, discovering the rapidly-changing geometry of the mental landscape of my world. Those days are not to be attempted to be relived. Like the platform of a station your train just departed, you can only look back from the window. But it is fine. I am fine with that. I would change a million things if I can go back, but I know the outcome would still be the same.

Translation

But I digress. What follows is the original lyrics (in Japanese) and my interpretation/translation (in English). I tried to avoid one-to-one translation, leaning more on how I can accurately convey the feelings and textures of the phrases from Japanese to English. Enjoy!

やっと眼を覚ましたかい　それなのになぜ眼も合わせやしないんだい？
I found you, after a long time. Why can’t you look me in the eyes, then?

「遅いよ」と怒る君　これでもやれるだけ飛ばしてきたんだよ
You say, “what took you so long?”. I swear, I flied the fastest I could.

心が体を追い越してきたんだよ
My body can’t keep up with my heart.

君の髪や瞳だけで胸が痛いよ
It hurts even just to picture your hair and your eyes in my mind

同じ時を吸い込んで離したくないよ
I don’t ever want to let go of the time with you

はるか昔から知る　その声に　生まれてはじめて　何を言えばいい？
I’ve known your voice from the beginning of time, and yet I see you for the first time. What do I say at a time like this?

君の前前前世から僕は　君を探し始めたよ
From the past life and the ones before, I’ve been looking for you.

そのぶきっちょな笑い方をめがけてやってきたんだよ
I’ve been led by the compass that points to your clumsy smile

君が全然全部なくなって　散り散りになったって
I don’t mind, even if you falter, blown into smithereens,

もう迷わない　また1から探し始めるさ
I know what to do. I would just start looking for you again.

むしろ0から　また宇宙をはじめてみようか
Maybe I might start from even more past times.

どっから話すかな　君が眠っていた間のストーリー
Where do I begin? There’s so much happened while you were sleeping.

何億　何光年分の物語を語りに来たんだよ
Like from the birth to the death of a whole galaxy

けどいざその姿この眼に映すと
I thought I was ready, but now that I finally see you…

君も知らぬ君とじゃれて　戯れたいよ
Let’s fool around, this stupid world, every tiny corner of it

君の消えぬ痛みまで愛してみたいよ
I want to hug you, squeeze your pain into mine

銀河何個分かの　果てに出会えた
Because we’ve finally met, after so many lifetimes of a galaxy,

その手を壊さずに　どう握ったならいい？
Tell me, how do I hold your hand with the gravity of my heart, without crushing it?

君の前前前世から僕は　君を探し始めたよ
From the past life and the ones before, I’ve been looking for you.

その騒がしい声と涙をめがけ　やってきたんだよ
I’ve been led by the compass that points to your lousy voice and tears

そんな革命前夜の僕らを誰が止めるというんだろう
Who can stop us? With our determination like it’s the night before the revolution

もう迷わない　君のハートに旗を立てるよ
I won’t stutter any more, I will put my flag on your heart.

君は僕から諦め方を　奪い取ったの
There is no “quit”s or “thinking again”s, no more

私たち超えれるかな　この先の未来数え切れぬ困難を
“Are we going to be all right?” she says, pointing to the countless meteors ahead

言ったろう？　二人なら　笑って返り討ちにきっとできるさ
“Don’t you remember what I said? They are nothing against the two of us”

君以外の武器は　ほかにはいらないんだ
I don’t need any other weapon but you

前前前世から僕は　君を探し始めたよ
From the past life and the ones before, I’ve been looking for you.

そのぶきっちょな笑い方をめがけて　やってきたんだよ
I’ve been led by the compass that points to your clumsy smile