Sound Horizon

Roman
Roman: Taken from the French word for novel, in this context it is being used in place of the Japanese monogatari, a story or tale.
1. Asa to Yoru no Monogatari 2. Honoo 3. Miezaru Ude 4. Norowareshi Houseki 5. Hoshikuzu no Kawahimo 6. Hiiro Fuusha 7. Tenshi no Chouzou 8. Utsukushiki Mono 9. Yorokobi to Kanashimi no Budoushu 10. Tasogare no Kenja 11. 11-moji no Dengon
Track 1: *The Story of Morning and Evening (Asa to Yoru no Monogatari)* Credits: Revo (Hiver Laurant)- Main vocals; KAORI (Violette)- Backing vocals; YUUKI (Hortensia)- Backing vocals;? Jimang (Savant)- Narration; / Voices- Ike Nelson; Akio Otsuka; Mamiko Noto; Hikaru Midorikawa; Yukari Tamura The story of the morning life begins and the evening that life ends... (Laurant)¹ Ah...this loneliness of ours bears resemblance to a carved ＜jewel＞. The meaning of life's beginning. The meaning of life's ending. You are alive right now. The 11 character ＜message＞. A fantasy story. The Fifth Horizon.² Ah...I wonder if there's a story there...? Crying all the while, we come along the way, holding the same pain in our breasts Laughing all the while, we go along the way, off past the distant horizon. Coming from⁴ my song...la Vie A ＜story＞ connecting every day--? Crying all the while, we come along the way, holding the same sorrow in our breasts Laughing all the while, we go along the way, off past the distant horizon. Coming from lips, Ah...Sing my song...la Vie A story ＜connecting＞ each of us-- The story of the morning life begins and the evening that life ends... (Laurant) Ah...this transience of ours bears resemblance to a beautiful ＜flower＞. The windmill of the sun The cradle of the moon A story of a wandering A broken doll A man's corpse A ＜dark＞ story of wasted time? The lady Violette in the right hand... and... The lady Hortensia in the left hand... Ah...go and travel around⁵ in my place...I wonder if-- A story of my coming to life exists in the world? "Well, go on." "Yes, master." "The racket of coming around to life the windmill of the sun" "The peace of going around to death⁶ the cradle of the moon" We are wandering around, windmills swaying in reminiscence. Traveling around, no matter what land it's in let's sing a song. This is-- My (Hiver's¹) story of life ending before it began... (Laurant) Ah...even if we can't meet again You have a story of living right now --Keep on singing (--Keep on looking) → So that you won't lose your way...... The valley between "morning and evening"... → the "flame" flickers... Seizing the "jewel"... → reaching out out an "arm"... → When the "windmill" turns... → the "stardust" glitters... → An "angel" is separated... → A "beautiful" fantasy... → In "Alcoholic" dreams... → The "sage" escapes... → The true meaning of the "message"... The "Horizon" knows...⁷ In the right hand, death. In the left hand, life. An untilting winter scale. Notes 1. Revo, who does the main vocals for this song, is credited as Hiver Laurant. In other words, that is the name of the character he is playing on this album, and the narrator of this particular song. The central figure on the album's cover is Hiver. 2. Roman being Sound Horizon's fifth story album. 3. In Japanese, meguri au, which literally means to meet again or to happen upon. What is important to note here is meguru, which means to go around or revolve. This is an often-recurring concept that will be explained more in-depth later. 4. The Japanese word tobosu literally means to light, as in a candle. It is used in place of to sing throughout the album. 5. Another occurrence of the word meguru, this time with the meaning to travel, or even possibly, with a bit of interpretation, to live. The word meguru can be taken to mean to live several times throughout the album due to the recurring windmill imagery as symbols for life and death. 6. Both of these lines use different variations of meguru. The first, meguri kuru, (kuru being to come) metaphorical for being born into life. The second, meguri yuku, (yuku being to go) metaphorical for death. This is source of the repetition of the word meguru and the start of the recurring imagery of windmills as symbols for life and death. 7. Each line in this part is a reference to the each of the songs on the album. This portion is also narrated by Savant, one of the characters Jimang portrays, and a similar series of references occur in Savant's song.
Track 2: *Flame (Honoo)* credits: RIKKI- main vocal; / Voices- Norio Wakamoto; Yukari Tamura Any amount of light known as peace creates a shadow that is always filled with tragic conflicts. Everyone attending the funeral had equally few words. Even when wet from the rain, there is nothing but to keep walking... In the darkness behind closed eyes¹, gathering its breath That softly touching, warm light² is a small beat.³ Books bound in buts^{14 manipulate history That softly wavering, miraculous light2} is somebody's "flame"... Before you realize it, that journey is filled with hardships But not a single unbearable pain will visit... A white morning choked with joy, a black evening grieving in sorrow Let's join these paths we've walked all these days into a birth... The blue sky our eyes have reflected, the blue sea our tears have dissolved in... Let's keep leave place we loved to our beloved ones... Ah... morning and evening keep repeating, even if that glittering sand flows... Ah... morning and evening keep repeating, even if that precious flower wilts... Ah... morning and evening keep repeating, even if that promised hand leaves... Ah... morning and evening will keep repeating, people keep on living...⁵ I saw a beautiful "light" in the dark land of death. In a world filled with hatred, let's sing some songs of love... However long the night is, morning will eventually come-- So you won't be lonely by yourself, these twin dolls will be nearby With a small coffin as a cradle, I see off⁶ you who will never wake... Swaying with joy is Violette. Wet with sadness is Hortensia To you who will never be born⁷ I give this song someone composed⁶... Does history make the books? Do books make the history? Aside from living forever, there is no way to know everything. The land of morning and evening revolving for "the fifth journey" Will a day ever occur when we will once more cross paths⁸ with lost ones? A nostalgic melody, whose lips are those--? Ah... the one singing the story is... (I wonder if there's a story there?) Notes 1. Both of these lines are actually read almost exactly the same in original Japanese due to careful word selections- me wo tojite yami ni (in the darkness behind closed eyes) and mais de tojita kami ga (books bound in buts). This kind of word play, not to be confused with a pun, is very classical in Japanese poetry and is used very often in Sound Horizon lyrics. 2. These lines are read almost exactly the same in Japanese- sotto fureta atakana hikari (that softly touching, warm light) and sotto fureta aratakana hikari (that softly wavering, miraculous light)- in fact this example only has a single syllable difference. Very careful word choice here. 3. As in a heartbeat. 4. A bit of a difficult to understand phrase. Books bound (held together) by the word but. Suspected to be a reference to Chronicle 2nd. If so, the conflict is probably one arising from the war in Chronicle 2nd (as many of the conflicts on Roman seem to be). 5. If you had any doubts about Morning and evening being used as metaphors for life and death throughout this album, you can dispel them now. 6. These are the same word in japanese, okurou, which can mean both to give something to someone and to see someone off. 7. A stillbirth. If the child is assumed to be Hiver Laurant, then his line My story of life ending before it began in Asa to Yoru no Monogatari makes more sense. 8. tsunagaru, translated here as cross paths, but literally meaning connected is another word that occurs frequently on this album. In fact, Roman is often called The story connecting us (Bokutachi ga Tsunagaru Monogatari), and this is actually a line in Asa to Yoru no Monogatari.
Track 3: *The Phantom Limb (Miezaru Ude)* credits: KAORI- main vocals; / Voices- Mamiko Noto; Nobuo Tobita (Blonde-hair); Norio Wakamoto (Red-hair); Sublime; Soichiro Hoshi (Laurencin) A sleepless night is assailing a mangy back-alley cat... Ah...unseen¹ is the arm that wrings its neck... Phantom dreams, the pain of a broken ego... A non-maddened² drunken rolls around a small attic room... Ah...unseen¹ is arm with a burning pain... Phantom pains bathed in cheap liquor and asleep... ("...Advance on General Alvarez!")³ The ancient Forest of Monsters, dyed by the sunset...two men met upon the battlefield The blondhaired Laurant... the redhaired Laurant... The battle raged on⁴... the corpses piled up... Who is the assailant... and who is the sufferer? Swords shone dark red in the shadow of the setting sun-- His life snatched away together with his arm Losing his job, his lover left him... Losing everything, taken away, an awful life A life fearing a sudden attack of pain... "Since you often have nightmares and hit me... At this rate... I'll eventually die... Farewell... I really do love you more than anything... And yet...you won't be a good father to the child in my stomach..." Wine... Champagne... Brandy... Ah...the tranquility of the sleeping forest is broken... another bastard has appeared-- A figure on a horse... just like a bad dream... red hair waving... swinging the grim reaper's scythe... A figure cut at the neck... just like a windmill... scarlet flowers blooming all over... losing clarity of mind... Lightly enveloped by darkness-- Reality after waking up from a dream is just even deeper in a nightmare And so... after that his life was alcohol and madness...in the midst of recurring pain A cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, burning red hair and red-brown eyes Kill him and the arm aches. The "phantom limb"¹ aches. Who is the assailant... and who is the sufferer... find and bury the grim reaper... (Blond: I'll kill him!!) Knights are once more on horseback... time changes a peaceful world-- In a bar in a foreign country, the two Laurants meet once more... One-eyed like the one-armed, alcoholic like the drunk⁵... Ah...not even a shadow of his former valor remaining... Suddenly a black sword jumped into a man's hand A liquid spurted out that was just like pinot noir (Laurencin "Move." ? "Uwagh!") (Red-hair "Who the hell are you...guaarrgh!") Stabbing him... Along with an offering of a flower's name-- "Bon soir" (Laurencin "Bon soir") Pulling out the blade... singing the name of a song-- "au revoir" The man collapsed on the floor's name was Laurant... The escaping man's name was Laurencin⁶... The other Laurant... simply... stood in amazement... Who is the assailant... and who is the sufferer... The number of victims just keeps increasing Go around...oh, go around...the windmill of hatred... oh, dance around...dance around...just like a flame⁷ Oh...in the shadow of a pillar... the figure of a boy was... watching with red-brown eyes...⁸ My life cannot go on like this. However, this pain is proof that I was alive. The curtain drops on the revenge tragedy... the man starts thinking... An arm left behind... A life left behind... and the invisible¹ meaning of it all-- A cup filled with wine... that flavor fills his chest... (I wonder if there's a story there?) Notes 1. The song's title being miezaru ude (literally meaning an unseen arm), the word miezaru appears several times throughout the song. Instead of explaining every instance of the word, I'm going to go the lazy route and just mark them all with a (1). Just in case you're curious about the poetic usages of the word in this song. 2. Literally, a drunk that cannot go mad. This can possibly be interpreted as him drinking so as to not go mad. 3. Alvarez is a general from the war in Chronicle 2nd. 4. The word used here is actually meguri again. 5. The red-haired Laurant has become one-eyed and alcoholic in the intervening time, much like the blond-haired one was made one-armed and drunk. They shared similar fates after the battle. 6. I have seen theories that Laurencin is the boy from Shounen wa Tsurugi wo, which would also make him the boy from Hiiro Fuusha, as Shounen wa Tsurugi wo builds around Hiiro Fuusha. Meaning that the red-haired Laurant was part of the army that attacks the town in Hiiro Fuusha, and is specifically the one who pursues the boy and girl, grabbing the girl while the boy runs. The manga contain this same interpretation. 7. The similarity of this line to lines in Hiiro Fuusha strengthens the connection. 8. The red-haired Laurant's son, who would later want to seek revenge? Red-hair is described earlier as having red-brown eyes.
Track 4: *The Cursed Jewel (Norowareshi Houseki)* Credits: REMI- Main vocals; / Voices- Rica Fukami; Norio Wakamoto; yukana; Hikaru Midorikawa; Yukari Tamura; Soichiro Hoshi ("Don't steal it, Laurencin." "Heh, same to you, Hiver.") A wonder¹ nurtured by Mother Earth, the world's largest and most celebrated jewel¹, a 30 karat red diamond. Leaving tracks¹ from owner to owner, it grants a reservation in the book of the dead¹, the 30 karat Reine Michèle.² Locked behind glass, a gem sleeps elegantly, in a dream of its passing days Causing severe mourning, with an uncaring pride, even the reaper is within its grasp³ "She" is certainly a queen, though the disputers pay no mind, never letting her out of her cell A cunning young lady, an old woman that dances with shadows, it decorated a great many necks A vain prostitute, a queen covered in mud, it cut a great many necks⁴ A scene going around and around, vivid dreams, it cannot be escaped...... ＜Celebration＞ becomes a ＜curse＞. The irony of fate. The unknown ＜story＞ regarding "her" birth. A man dug, not realizing the gloomy hole was a grave. A man dug, not realizing the cave arrived at Hell. Locked in the darkness, embracing fate Forgetting even sleep and food, he dug In order to dance in songs passed down⁵ And so the corroded gears spin madly.⁶ --A mysterious mist invites the man... Appearing before his eyes was a raw gem more beautiful than anything he had ever seen. As if drawn in by a charm, the man reached out a trembling hand.... (Good luck) ...Ah... my cute Noël⁷ who has put up with hardship until now (Good luck) ...Ah... I can send you off with this adorning your che...... ← The owner of the mine, eyes filled with greed ← ← The hook-nosed jeweler, eyes changing color ← ← The one-eyed artisan, doubting his own eyes ← ← Around and around... the roulette of death → At times, even in the solid-seeming wall of ethics, holes easily open... (Bad luck) ...Ah... waiting for unreturning brother, the unmarrying sister (Bad luck) ...Ah... waiting with unwaivering love, winter's night sky...... ("Come on, big brother Hiver") Chin in her hands...she sighs...a dollmaker's daughter...standing by the window, -- ("Sigh... I wonder when he'll come back?") Locked behind glass, a gem sleeps elegantly, in a dream of its passing days A creeping shadow, scarlet blended in the darkness, robbers were in the room A mistake would bring penalty, a life-risking job, the targeted object won't be let out ("Shit...run away!" "Hey, wait up!") A prince not riding a white horse, a somewhat rough kiss Ah... "She" is once again released into the world...... A wonder nurtured by Mother Earth, the world's largest and most celebrated jewel, a 30 karat red diamond. Leaving tracks from owner to owner, it grants a reservation in the book of the dead, the 30 karat Reine Michèle. (I wonder if there's a story there?) Notes 1. All of these words in the opening (and ending) narration are homonyms, kiseki. In order, they mean a miracle or marvel, a precious gem, tracks (as in a wagon's tracks) or locus, and finally, a roster of the dead, a necrology 2. The gem's name means Queen Slaughter 3. Its curse extends even to the grim reaper. Suspected to be a reference to Alvarez from Chronicle 2nd, as he was known as the Grim Reaper, and wore a red necklace. Or possibly a reference to the red-haired Laurant from Miezaru Ude, as he is also described as the grim reaper. Either way, the point is that even they succumbed to the curse. 4. These two lines are likely further references to characters from other songs whose lives the curse claimed, but I can't find much agreement on specifically who. I've seen theories all over the place, so placing who is specifically being referenced is difficult. For example, I've seen conjecture that the queen is Roberia from Shizunda Utahime (Chronicle 2nd) and that the prostitute is Stardust from Elysion, among others, but it's difficult to be certain. 5. Recurrence of the word tobosu: tobosareta uta; in order to be sung of in songs 6. The gears of fate, gone mad. 7. The man's younger sister, whose name is Noel.
Track 5: *Leash of Stardust¹ (Hoshikuzu no Kawahimo)* Credits: YUUKI (Etoile)- Main vocals; Azumi Inoue (Pleut)- Backing Vocals; / Voices- Akio Otsuka; Mamiko Noto "Hello, nice to meet you!" That hand held out-- Etoile² is eagerly squeezing back with her little fingers So that the path you walk sparkles, Etoile³...... One rainy morning... a girl woke up just as usual and... Next to her bed was her loving father...and a large black dog... The scent of rain... a tickled cheek... a somehow nostalgic warmth... A small big sister and a large little sister... two people and one animal... a special morning when they become family...... Ah... I don't know the stars, because the light is too faint to reach... Ah... I'm told that even my poor eyesight will eventually be lost... I'm sorry... Mother... This name... I cannot come to like it... Ah...I'm sorry...... Have courage-- Ah... I went outside with Pleut, but our walking speeds are completely different... Ah... in a world sinking into darkness, I fall over even the smallest bump... I'm sorry... Father... these eyes... I cannot come to like them... Ah... I'm sorry...... This thin leash-- Doesn't connect our hearts... Pleut was next to me, but... I was all alone...... It is difficult to differently raised people to understand each other... And of course, with the difference between people and dogs, it is all the more so... From then on the two of them... no matter what they did, were always together... It was... almost as if it were to make up for lost time... The big sister bravely joined the little sister's world...the little sister helped and obeyed the big sister... Becoming a replacement for the father's disabled arm⁴... and doing everything eagerly... It was... with flexibility, like the rain-soaked earth... Like waiting for spring beneath the lingering snow... Like a small flower blooming... A sudden gust of wind caught my hand...and I dropped the leash, but... I wasn't afraid of anything... because we're connected with a "leash of stardust"⁵ I'm a weak big sister-- But still, Ah... thank you... because you were nearby, Pleut... I was able to go anywhere...... I love you... because you were nearby, Pleut... I was able to grow strong...... I had a dream in the starry sky... a dream⁶ of the morning you were born... Within the sparkling silver dream... a dream of fallen sand flowing back... Ah...what I was sent here for... I'm glad I understood it at the end-- I won't forget(Don't forget)... walking with you (walking with your mother)... Through a sparkling world in the darkness (through a flickering world in the suffering)...⁷ That there is always... ah... life sparkling in the stardust... (That there is always... ah... love twinkling in the stardust...) A night when wishing stars rain down → Pleut was breathing quietly... A morning rain when grief rains down → taken out of her cold stomach A small light filled with warmth → there was a silver-black coated puppy → --And the wings of the lightly fly over the horizon So that it would soon be running nostalgically around those beautiful ... (I wonder if there's a story there?) Notes 1. Stardust is basically a large group of faint stars. Katamari Damacy has a good illustration. 2. Etoile, the girl's name, is French for star. In the jacket, in place of Etoile, the lyrics say My cute princess 3. The reason for naming her daughter Etoile. So her path will always sparkle like a star. Because, in case you did not notice, this whole first part is sung by Etoile's mother. What happens to her afterward is unknown, but it can be assumed that she's dead. 4. Is Etoile the daughter of the blonde Laurant from Miezaru Ude? This line makes the connection seem likely, making this a sort of sequel showing what he decided to do with his life after the Miezaru Ude debacle. 5. Sung as leash of stardust, but written in the lyrics in the jacket as invisible bond. As stated earlier in the song, Etoile cannot see stars, so stardust IS invisible to her. 6. These lines are sung by Pleut. And Pleut's voice and the voice at the beginning of the song (Etoile's mother) are the same, if you want to make anything of that. 7. Pleut and Etoile sing this part together. Pleut's lines are in parentheses. Etoile's are...not.
Track 6: *Scarlet Windmill (Hiiro Fuusha)* Credits: KAORI- Main vocals; / Voices: Jimang; yukana; Yukari Tamura Swing around, swing around, scarlet windmill¹, make beautiful flowers bloom all around Dance around, dance around, blood-colored windmill¹, make pretty flowers fall all around Glasswork sitting in the palm of a small hand... If that jewel is celebrated as "happiness"... What kind mark does that night's barbarity leave on the era... What kind of scars were left on those people...? A boy who lamenting the weak person's fated role of being patronized... Would eventually wish for "power"... Would it be... a "shield" to defend oneself against mighty powers? Or rather... an even mightier "sword" with which to defeat them?² Not really understanding what had happened... A lunatic harmony of screams, the scent of burned flesh... Not really understanding what had attacked, but... Only...that...it was dangerous to remain there... I would take my most precious ＜treasure＞ and run away → I grabbed your hand...... Ah... the two of us ran breathless without even knowing why Overflowing with lust and violence they gave chase... Following the stardust... and hidden in the darkness of the forest... The two of us held our breaths without even knowing why Holding each other tightly, terrified that hopelessness would overflow-- Suddenly your body rose into the air → Your horrified and entreating eyes ← burned into my back as I ran away...... Experiencing an insane ＜season＞³... the boy's ＜time＞ was thrown into disorder... Swing around, swing around, scarlet windmill, say goodbye to burning times Dance around, dance around, blood-colored windmill, welcome a frozen moment Ah... if I were to be reborn, I'd make a small flower bloom... I'm sorry... next time I won't run; I'll fall next to you... (I wonder if there's a story there?) Notes 1. Sung as Moulin Rouge, French for Red Windmill, in both lines, but in the lyrics it says bright red windmill and blood-colored windmill, respectively. 2. A sword mightier than the one used to subjugate the boy in question. Basically, to defend against attacks or to have a mightier attack than the opposition. 3. This word is actually sung as time. This line is kind of abstract due to the repetition of the word time, but it's basically saying that, in suffering such a horrible experience, his life was thrown into disarray.
Track 7: *Sculpture of an Angel (Tenshi no Chouzou)* Credits: Jimang- Main vocals; / Voices: Rica Fukami; Mamiko Noto; yukana Later known as "the man with god's hands"-- The sculptor "August Laurant" Vanishing during a period of war, it is assumed to have reappeared with peace Still wrapped in a mysterious cloth, his peerless masterpiece An unknown ＜story＞ of a hidden "angel"...... "Able to breathe life into cold, unspeaking stone Giving into such praise from the common man is nothing more than arrogance Simply accept what you are with open arms As if kissing warmly, just express¹ your feelings......" The windmill continues turning² against the sky from on top the hill Rejecting all others, the workshop's silhouette stands quietly... The man simply painted alone, not even knowing his own child's face...... (It's not that his drawing ability was insufficient – his imagination surpassed reality)³ "Ah... light... ah... more light... the sad light... of 'creation'......" Vowing for his whole life not to meet, his feet took him back and forth past the monastery Hearing the children's laughing beyond the wall... "You are holding onto it right now, but that ＜jewel＞ is very fragile You must not ever let go, even if something attacks......"⁴ The man painted alone day after day, not even knowing his own child's smile...... (It's not that he had to regret past days – his affection weaved a fantasy) "Ah... light... ah... more light... the redeeming light... of atonement" No matter what kind of sage one is, the flow of sand is unstoppable The silver hourglass prepared for him had only a bit of sand remaining...... The mother's light was taken and a small flame was lit in this world⁵ Hating that radiance was a foolish man's final act of stubbornness The wings of imagination spread, and then wings spread on the back of the “sculpture”-- "Ah... I have no longer have any regrets; you finally gave me a smile..." "It's alright...papa" (I wonder if there's a story there?) Notes 1. Literally, represent. He is telling how to be an artist; you should just accept what you are and put your feelings into it, not be arrogant and tout praise. 2. Another appearance of the word meguru. As well as another appearance of the windmill scenery. But you know the latter part without me explaining it. 3. He does not keep drawing for want of practice- he simply has such a huge imagination that he never runs out of things to sketch. 4. A vague line that on its own means simply to never let go of it no matter what- the "it" possibly being happiness (due to the laughing voices), or even life; it is not specified. However, if you want to interpret it as such, this could also be a very vague reference that the town the monastery is in is the one attacked in Hiiro Fuusha. This interpretation is strengthened by a similar "jewel = happiness" comparison in Hiiro Fuusha. 5. If you are bad at poetry, the mother died during birth. This caused him to hate the child.
Track 8: *Beautiful Things (Utsukushiki Mono)* Credits: YUUKI- Main vocals; / Voices: Yuuko Minaguchi; Yukari Tamura This melody you loved so much... reach the heavens with this harmonica... That canvas of a window frame held by angels¹... hey... that landscape...is it pretty? That is-- Carried on the wind... pale flower petals... memories of spring... Pretty sounds... singing² girls... birds singing... the hand moves → That is-- Blue connects... the flowing clouds... memories of summer... Pretty sounds... singing² girls... a shower of cicadas... the hand moves → I definitely won't forget... this scenery... that you said is pretty... Life continues coming... for the purpose of collecting... "beautiful things"... The short season you held onto... while being onslaught by a downpour of pain... "Don't worry"... you laughed and said... I won't forget that attitude of yours... That is-- By the window at night... the smiling moon... memories of autumn... Pretty sounds... singing² girls... insects chirping... the hand moves → That is-- Covering the ground... sleeping snow... memories of winter... Pretty sounds... singing² girls... the occasional the winter wind... the hand moves → I definitely won't forget... this pretty scenery... that you lived through... Life passes by... for the purpose of collecting... "beautiful things"... You passed through a dazzling season... while being burned by the flame of disease... "Ah, how pretty"... you laughed and died³... I won't forget that expression of yours⁴... The morning you were born... a crybaby at the time... I was small but I became an older sister-- I was happy... I was a bit embarrassed... and I was extremely proud... The plains of life filled with suffering You passed through them searching for "beautiful things" Your sleeping face as you set out on a journey to the endless land Is what I think is more beautiful than anything... This melody you loved so much... reach the heavens with this harmonica... That canvas of a window frame held by angels... hey... that landscape...is it pretty? "I saw the most beautiful light in the world... I'll hold that flower to my chest and continue singing Laurant's part as well..." (I wonder if there's a story there?) Notes 1. She's likely asking about the imagery visible through of the window in heaven. And is speaking in terms as if the scenery is a piece of art; the window is a canvas, and the scenery is a landscape painting 2. Interesting thing to note here: while being the exact same word (utau), a different kanji is used to describe each season's singing. They each give a different feeling for the type of song sung during that season, making a very complex play on words that is impossible to translate. 3. This is an exact homonym to the line earlier in the song; waratte itta. In the first instance, the itta was to say, but in this one it is to pass away. 4. His smiling face at the time he died. (it is never specified whether the younger sibling is male or female; I am only assuming it was a brother due to the name Laurant at the end.)
Track 9: *Joyful and Painful Wine (Yorokobi to Kanashimi no Budoushu)* Credits: REMI- Main vocals; / Voices: Jimang (Kamen Otoko); Mamiko Noto; Nobuo Tobita It is... a ＜flame＞ trembling in joy... a ＜gem＞ glistening in pain... For many lifetimes... At many dining tables... Her "wine" was there-- The woman continually challenging an oppressive fate, "Loraine de Saint-Laurent" Half a lifetime she spent living with the land... that unknown Ah... Once again today, she stands in the field, a short ＜flame＞ with a long shape Things gained, and also things lost, many have passed by... Ah... however many seasons pass¹, there's something unchanging there A kind grandfather's servant, a “vineyard” with a beloved man Ah... memories at times are a bit sweet Joyful like picking ripe berries... Ah... trimming the delicate vines is best when they are cool and a bit damp The farmers' busy spring begins after Saint Vincent²... Ah... If you try for too much quantity, the quality will obviously fall. Grain... by grain... giving plenty of love, that's the parent's role...... Ah... memories at times are a bit bitter Painful like picking bruised berries... Ah... women aren't tools for politics... They live to be bound with the one they love Even so... if not having that is nobility That kind of world should be thrown away...... (That's too bad, isn't it?)³ A father filled with authoritarianism... A step-mother married for luxury Even for a noble family... if given in to extravagance, its fall will be swift... To stave off decline... the Count's... final card... his daughter's marriage... Ah... without even an ostentatious ceremony-- The stepmother's ＜jewel＞ wore a red smile⁴...... A song untold by the horizon... in order to take back something important... days of flight and conflict⁵... After that she lived... not paying attention to her appearance...... I will probably never love anyone again this lifetime; maybe I'm not even fit for love... However, if I can satisfy someone's thirst, I'll gladly offer this body⁶... In a cask of oak, my darling, sleeping children Well... I wonder what kind of dreams they're having? The astringence of berries' sweet skin, the blessing on the land left by a loved one A harmony weaving "joy" and "pain" that flavor is my "wine" --and... such is ＜life＞. (I wonder if there's a story there?) Notes 1. The pass here is meguru. 2. Saint Vincent Festival. A festival celebrating the patron saint of wine. 3. "Zannen datta, ne?" This is actually a line from Elysion- An aristocrat's daughter runs off with the man she loves, so the Aristocrat orders the man be killed, as he wants to marry his daughter off for political and economic gain. Jimang's character (the masked man) says this line after the murdering him. This leads to connections with Elysion, the popular theory being that this song is a sort of sequel to the story in Elysion. 4. Possible reference to norowareshi houseki, that the mother was wearing the cursed jewel. 5. Interestingly, the words used for flight and conflict both read tousou, using different kanji. The first meaning desertion or escape, the second meaning strife or conflict. 6. In other words, dedicate herself to making wine.
Track 10: *The Sage at Twilight (Tasogare no Kenja)* Credits: Jimang (Savant)- Main vocals; / Voices: Ike Nelson; Norio Wakamoto; Yukari Tamura; Sublime; Noriko Hidaka His name is "Savant"¹-- Truthfully, that name is an alias... his true name is entirely unknown... The first time I met him was... one spring day at twilight... in a deserted town's park... Good evening-- Mademoiselle, is something troubling you, causing you to look so depressed? You've walked around that fountain 11 times... Taking about 704 steps Going exactly 337 meters It's a crazy idea, but what do you think? If it's alright with you, I'd like to counsel you. At first there's no one around → that's zero... That's where I appeared → that's one... And then you appeared → that's two... Even in a simple formula ← the truth is present... Even with such simple matters, you keep to yourself, at times without even realizing...... Well, good day-- Mademoiselle, have you come up with a solution to what was troubling you the other day? It's been exactly one week since we parted. In hours, 168 hours In minutes, 10080 minutes In seconds, 604800 seconds While saying so, 23 more seconds passed. Today as well, I would like to counsel you. The horizon of morning and evening → that's two... The graveyard where the king sleeps → that's three... The eternal glittering stardust → that's five... Even in simple prime numbers ← the truth is present... Even with such simple matters, you keep to yourself, at times without even realizing...... Shall we try factoring your sorrows? Shall we try finding the greatest common factor of your happiness? Wipe your tears... Now... stand up... because your path still goes on...... I see-- To give birth? ←→ Not to give birth? If I say so, that is... one of the greatest problems... The joyful morning... the sad night... all of it is yours... To people not yet met... a story tying you together... a story sung in song... While the "windmill" continues turning "beautiful" fantasies are quietly woven Outside the flickering of the "flame" foolish men reach out their "arms" To grab more tightly onto "Jewel," and continue wandering the valley between "morning and evening" Even with the glittering of the sand in the "stardust" the "wine" causes sweet dreams The "sage" escapes from inside the cage would they ask the true meaning of the "message" When the "angel" bids farewell the "horizon" knows the fifth story² Repeated "History" is "death" and "loss" Turning about "Heaven" and "Hell" After the "Boy" has departed What kind of "Story" will be created there?³ Isn't pain scary? Isn't loss scary? Isn't belief scary? That's exactly why I would like to counsel you. If you regret the morning you came... you do not need to give birth to more pain... If you are accept evening you'll go... that child might still love life...... Chloe-- Shall we try factoring your sorrows? Shall we try finding the greatest common factor of your happiness? Wipe off that dust... Now... stand up... because your journey still goes on...... Au revoir-- Mademoiselle, you seem resolute now... If so... go on... Hold out your chest and go. Heading toward your own horizon Merci, Monsieur Savant I've been looking for you, Christophe⁴. (I wonder if there's a story there?) Notes 1. French for sage or wise man 2. Much like in Asa to Yoru no Monogatari, each line of this is a reference to each song on the album. The voice in the background is basically saying the name of the song the line is referencing in French. In order, the lines in the background are: Le moulin rouge... / La belle chose ... / La flamme... / le bras invisible... / Le bijou rubis... / Le conte du matin et de la nuit... / Le fragment d'étoiles... / Le vin rouge joie et pathétique ... / Le savant Crépuscule... / La message d'onze lettres... / La statue de l'ange... / Le cinq... 3. These lines reference each story album (and one maxi single) released by Sound Horizon at the time of Roman's release. They reference, in order, Chronicle / Chronicle 2nd; Thanatos and Lost; Elysion / ABYSS; Shounen wa Tsurugi wo; Roman 4. Unknown what this is referring to. Speculated to be the true name of Savant, and likewise, Savant is speculated to have come from Ori no Naka no Hana.
Track 11: *The 11-Letter Message (Juuichi Moji no Dengon)* Credits: RIKKI- Main vocals; / Voices: Rica Fukami; Mamiko Noto; Noriko Hidaka Ah... I remember it as if it were yesterday-- It was a winter morning-- The crying voice warmly holding my hand-- I heard an angel's horn... I think that I had... an uninteresting life... And yet... the fact that I could give birth to you was "my pride"...... Ah, I remember it as if it were yesterday-- A cold winter morning-- A baby's cry loudly taking ahold of heaven-- An orange light shone... I think that I had... an unconnected life... And yet... the fact that I could meet you was my greatest happiness...... Ah...no matter what trials you go through... please face it with unwaivering courage... A foolish mother's last wish... That you will-- "B E C O M E H A P P Y"¹ "I'm sorry" The morning we come to life... the night we leave life... "Goodbye" You are alive right now... The 11-letter message... "I'm sorry" A fantasy story "The Fifth Horizon" "Thank you" Ah... I wonder if there's a story there...? No matter who it was... that gave birth to you... The truth won't change... not one bit... The fact that someone wished for and gave birth to you... If you never forget that... Someday you can cross paths-- Ah... I can't be there to watch you walk... which I regret, but... somehow... please live with dignity... A foolish mother's last wish... That you will-- "B E C O M E H A P P Y" You are alive right-- that is "My proof that I was here" If you love this world-- that is "my happiness" --that is "the meaning of my story" (I wonder if there's a story there?) The meaning of coming to life... The meaning of leaving life... You are alive right now... The 11-letter message... A fantasy story... "The Fifth Horizon"... The two windmills will continue turning... Until we once more cross paths with loved ones... The dolls wandering the plains of life and death on the night they went around What kind of song was sung? And A silver light across the horizon Now, morning has come a great many times Ah...I wonder if there's a story there? Notes 1. If you read the lyrics in the jacket, you will see numbers strewn in the middle of words, for example, 0101. This is a code, the key to which is behind the CD. Each song has one letter replaced with the code, in a specific order to spell out a message. This line right here, which is only sung as "la la la" in the original album version, is that message. Meaning, this line is written in the lyrics in the jacket as "0302 0101 1001 0304 0502 / 0105 0501 0902 0501 0301 0102" which, when decoded, reads SHI A WA SE NI / O NA RI NA SA I. Shiawase ni onarinasai basically means please be happy. become happy is an approximately equivalent 11-letter message.