D.Gray-Man : Lala's Lullaby

A short recap about Lala taken from wiki:

A doll that was created to sing and dance for the citizens of Mateel, Italy. After the citizens had abandoned the city, Lala still continued to move after 500 years due to her heart being made from Innocence. She was then called the "Ghost of Mateel" due to her frightening appearance and because she had killed five travelers that had wandered into the city.

She accompanied Guzol after he met her when he was a child; him being the only one who was not frightened of her. Her heart was taken when she was attacked by an Akuma, but was then put back after the Akuma was destroyed. However, she was reverted back to a doll like state with no memories of Guzol or her love for him. The Innocence remained in her heart until she "broke" after Guzol's death, and it was then returned to Hevlaska by Allen.



Lyrics * :

Lacrimosa dies illa,
qua resurget ex favilla
judicandus homo reus.
Huic ergo parce, Deus:

Pie Jesu Domine
(dona eis requiem. Amen.) **

Ah! that day of tears and mourning!
From the dust of earth returning
man for judgment must prepare him;
Spare, O God, in mercy spare him!

Lord, all pitying, Jesus blest,
(grant them thine eternal rest. Amen)

* Translation taken from wiki
** The last lines aren't included in the song, but are part of the original poem/hymn

Gundam 00 OP 2

Since it's been some time (a little more than a week) since I last saw an anime opening that I liked, I was pleasantly surprised by the new OP of Gundam 00. In contrast to the slow, ballad-like opening used for Spice and Wolf, this was a faster-paced, energetic treat. Compared to the first Gundam 00 OP, I find that the visuals fit the music better this time round, especially during the lead up to the chorus.

ひぐらしのなく頃に: Frederica Bernkastelの詩

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: Poems by Frederica Bernkastel
(Translations taken from the AnimeSuki forum)

鬼隠し編 Spirited Away by the Demon Chapter

[ Game ]

どうか嘆かないで。
世界があなたを許さなくても、私はあなたを許します。

どうか嘆かないで。
あなたが世界を許さなくても、私はあなたを許します。

だから教えてください。
あなたはどうしたら、私を許してくれますか？

Please do not deplore yourself.
Even if the world does not forgive, I will forgive you.

Please do not deplore yourself.
Even if you do not forgive the world, I will forgive you.

So please tell me.
What will it take for you, to forgive me ?

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

[ Postcard ]

何が罪かわかりますか。
知恵の実を口にしたからではありません。
何が罪かわかりますか。
蛇の甘言に耳を貸したからではありません。
まだ罪がわかりませんか。
それこそがあなたの罪なのです。

Do you know what is the sin?
It isn't because you ate the forbidden fruit.

Do you know what is the sin?
It isn't because you listened to the serpent.

You still don't know what is the sin?
Then, that itself is your sin.

Frederica Bernkastel


綿流し編, Cotton Drifting Chapter

[ Game ]

あなたの乾きを癒せない。
真実を欲するあなたがそれを認めないから。

あなたの乾きを癒せない。
あなたの期待する真実が存在しないから。

それでもあなたの渇きを癒したい。
あなたを砂漠に放り出したのはわたしなのだから。

I cannot quench your thirst
Because even if you yearn for the truth, you refuse to believe in it.

I cannot quench your thirst
Because no such truth exists that you are in anticipation for.

But I still want to quench your thirst.
Because I am the one the that put you into the desert.

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

[ Postcard ]

この世でもっとも見つけ難いもの。
砂漠に落とした針一本？

この世でもっとも見つけ難いもの。
闇夜に落とした鴉の羽？

この世でもっとも見つけ難いのは。
自分自身の思い違い。

The most intricate thing to find in this world.
Is it a needle that you lost in the desert?

The most intricate thing to find in this world.
Is it a crow's feather that you lost in the darkness of the night?

The most intricate thing to find in this world is,
Realizing your own erroneous contemplation.

Frederica Bernkastel

祟殺し編, Curse Killing Chapter

[ Game ]

井の中の蛙は幸せでした。
井戸の外に何も興味がなかったから。

井の中の蛙は幸せでした。
井戸の外で何があっても関係なかったから。

そしてあなたも幸せでした。
井戸の外で何があったか知らなかったから。

The frog in the well was happy.
It wasn't interested what was outside the well.

The frog in the well was happy.
It was recluse to anything that happened outside the well.

And you were happy.
Because you didn't know what occurred outside the well.

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

[ Postcard ]

私が一番不幸だった。
この迷路に出口がないことを知っていたから。

次に彼が不幸だった。
この迷路に出口がないことを知らなかったから。

その他大勢は不幸ではなかった。
自分たちが迷路の中にいることすら知らなかったから。

I was the most unfortunate.
I knew that there was no exit out of this maze.

Then, he was the next unfortunate.
He did not know that there was no exit out of this maze.

But all the rest weren't so unfortunate.
They didn't know that they were in the maze in the first place.

Frederica Bernkastel

暇潰し編, Time Wasting Chapter

[ Game ]

誰が犯人かって？
それを探す物語に決まってるでしょ？

誰が犯人かって？
そもそも「何の」犯人かわかってる？

誰が犯人なの？
私をこれから殺す犯人は誰？！

So who is the culprit, you ask?
Finding that out is part of the story, right?

So who is the culprit, you ask?
Do you even know what is the culprit in the first place?

So who is the culprit?
Who is the culprit that's gonna kill me?!

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

[ shitakiji from GanGan March 2006 Issue ]

私が求めるものは何？
遠い異郷からやって来る騎士かもしれない。

私が求めるものは何？
永遠の沼から這い出せる岸かもしれない。

私が求めるものはたったひとつ。
得るのはキシか、それともシキ（死期）か。

What is it that I seek ?
Perhaps it is a knight from a far away land.

What is it that I seek ?
Perhaps it is a shore that will save me from this eternal swamp.

There is only one thing that I seek.
What I would obtain will either be the kishi (shore), or shiki (my death).

Frederica Bernkastel

目明し編, Eye Opening Chapter

砂漠にビーズを落としたと少女は泣いた。
少女は百年かけて砂漠を探す。

砂漠でなく海かもしれないと少女は泣いた。
少女は百年かけて海底を探す。

海でなくて山かもしれないと少女は泣いた。
本当に落としたのか、疑うのにあと何年？

The little girl cried when she lost her marbles in the desert.
She searched the desert for one hundred years.

The little girl cried when she thought she might've lost them in the sea rather than the desert.
She searched the depths of the sea for one hundred years.

The little girl cried when she thought she might've lost them in the mountains than the sea.
How long will it take till she begins to doubt whether or not she actually lost them to begin with?

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

罪滅し編, Atonement Chapter

一度目なら、今度こそはと私も思う。
避けられなかった惨劇に。

二度目なら、またもかと私は呆れる。
避けられなかった惨劇に。

三度目なら、呆れを越えて苦痛となる。
七度目を数えるとそろそろ喜劇になる。

At the first time, I do my best to try again
against the inevitable tragedy.

In the second time, I become disgusted
towards the inevitable tragedy.

The third time, disgust is overwhelmed into painfulness.
But by the seventh time, this all becomes a farce comedy.

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

[ Production Diary @ 7th Expansion ]

運命に泣かず、挫けることを知らない。
そんな彼女は美しかった。

誰にも媚びず、最後まで1人で戦った。
そんな彼女は気高かった。

彼女は眩しくて、ただただ神々しくて。
私には、そんな彼女が必要だった。

She wasn't discouraged nor did she cry at her fate.
She was beautiful.

She didn't fawn anyone and fought them all by herself.
She was noble.

She shined brightly, like a divine figure.
I needed someone like her.

Frederica Bernkastel

皆殺し編 Massacre Chapter

[ Prologue ]

井戸の外の世界が知りたくて。
私は井戸の底から這い上がろうとしました。

井戸の外の世界が知りたくて。
何度、滑り落ちて全身を打ち付けても上り続けました。

でも気付きました。
上れば上るほどに落ちる時の高さと痛みは増すのです。

外の世界への興味と全身の痛みが同じくらいになった時、
私は初めて蛙の王さまの言葉の意味がわかりました。

I wanted to know the world that was outside of the well.
So I tried hard to get out from the bottom of the well.

I wanted to know the world that was outside of the well.
So I climbed up numerous of times despite falling down over and over again.

But then I realized it.
The higher and higher I climb, the pain increases when I fall down again.

When my interest in the world outside of the well began to equal the amount of pain,
That was when I finally realized the meaning of the story to Der Froschkönig.

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

[ After Watanagashi ]

どうかこの夜に何があったか教えてください。
それは例えるなら猫を詰めた箱。

どうかこの夜に何があったか教えてください。
箱の中の猫は、生か死かすらもわからない。

どうかあの夜に何があったか教えてください。
箱の中の猫は、死んでいたのです。

Please tell me what happened in this night.
It's like the cat inside the box.

Please tell me what happened in this night.
You don't know if the cat in the box is dead or alive.

Please tell me what happened in this night.
The cat in the box was dead.

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

[ Staff Credits Roll ]

井戸の外にはどんな世界が？
それは、知るために支払う苦労に見合うもの？

井戸の外にはどんな世界が？
それは、何度も墜落しても試すほどに魅力的？

井戸の外にはどんな世界が？
それを知ろうと努力して、落ちる痛みを楽しもう。

その末に至った世界なら、そこはきっと素敵な世界。
例えそこが井戸の底であったとしても。

井戸の外へ出ようとする決意が、新しい世界への鍵。
出られたって出られなくったって、
きっと新しい世界へ至れる … 。

What kind of world lies outside of the well?
Is it something that is worth struggling for?

What kind of world lies outside of the well?
Is it something so attractive enough to fall and try over and over again?

What kind of world lies outside of the well?
Let's enjoy taking the pains of finding that out.

If I reach the world that yearn for, it must be a spectacular world.
Even if that world was another pit inside a well.

The key to the new world is the resolve to get out of the well.
Being able to get out or not,
A new world surely awaits . . .

祭囃し編, Festival Accompanying Chapter

[ Prologue and Ending Credit Roll Part A ]

誰だって幸せになる権利がある。
難しいのはその享受。

誰だって幸せになる権利がある。
難しいのはその履行。

私だって幸せになる権利がある。
難しいのはその妥協。

Everyone has a right to pursue a happy life.
The difficult part is to be given that right.

Everyone has a right to pursue a happy life.
The difficult part is to fulfill that right.

I too have a right to pursue a happy life.
The difficult part is to work out a compromise for that right.

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

[ Ending Credit Roll Part B ]

だって、これから
もっともっと幸せになるんだもの。

これくらいじゃ、妥協なんてしないんだから。
私たちは、これまでの幸せを全部取り戻すよ。

私は百年分を。
あなたは千年分を、ね。

That's because
I'm gonna become much much more happy from now on.

I'm not gonna compromise with just this.
We are gonna take back all of our happiness that we lost.

For me, that's about a hundred year's worth.
For you, a thousand year's worth.

Frederica Bernkastel
Sugokuiiya tsu nimieru youni egaketano wa ookiikoituwo dokitanai
akutou ni saidoni dekinakyane.

Last but not least, a message/comment from Frederica :

私は私よ。フレデリカ・ベルンカステル。
古手梨花とフレデリカは全然別よ、そう信じてた人はご愁傷様ね。
年齢は、もう数えるのをやめちゃったわ。面倒くさいし。

え？　オヤシロさまの正体は私だろうって？
くすくす、馬鹿、失礼ね。
オヤシロさまはオヤシロさまよ。この子にも挨拶させる？　人見知りするのよこの子。
怖がりなんだから、あまり脅かさないであげてね？
… まぁもっとも、あなたの方が怖がり屋さんみたいだけどね。
くすくすくすくす …。

I am who I am; Frederica Bernkastel.
Furude Rika and Frederica are different. Shame on you if you thought so.
My age? I've gotten bored with it, so I've quit counting.

Huh ? Are you speculating that the real identity of the Oyashiro-sama is me ?
Giggle giggle. You are so insolent.
The Oyashiro-sama is the Oyashiro-sama. You want me to introduce it to you? It's rather shy.
It gets frightened easily so don't scare it, okay ? However, it seems that you are the one that's scared. Giggle giggle giggle . . .

Current favourite anime OP : Spice and Wolf

Starting it's broadcast only recently, this OP caught my attention due to the melancholic melody of the song and certain scenes which seem like they could be dramatic / depressing. Of course, it helps that the setting of the show seems to be in the middle ages or medieval times, which just might pique my interest.

Random Quote

如何なる刃をもってしてもきる事能わず
我の内なる荒野に咲ける一輪の薔薇を。

No matter what blade you may possess, tis' but impossible to cut
The single rose that blooms in the wilderness within me

(BLUE DROP ～天使達の戯曲～)

Hokkaido Trip Report 5 (Final)

The day started with a visit to the Sapporo Nijo fresh seafood market. It was snowing heavily and I couldn't resist taking a shot of a school blanketed by snow before leaving the hotel. But I digress. Back to the market, there was pretty much a wide variety of seafood, albeit a little expensive. The only other people I remember seeing there were a group of schoolgirls, some teens and several businessmen . . . a somewhat strange bunch of people to be at that market.






Next up on the list was the Asahi Beer Factory, where we gathered to view some video on Asahi Beer and following that, got to sample the beer in a large dining hall. A mug of beer was provided together with some small snacks to go along, and if you managed to finish the initial mug, you can bring the empty mug to the counter and swap it for a mug containing a different type of their beer, possibly the Asahi Gold. Upon finishing that, you can swap once more for an Asahi Stout, I think. For those that don't drink, they also provided cans of milk tea and coffee.




Following that was a visit to the Sapporo Station Shopping Arcade, which includes Daimaru. Unfortunately, we were given very little time to walk and thus missed out on a good amount of shops. The amount of foodstuff in the basement of Daimaru alone would probably put the local Takashimaya branch to shame. From bento sets to snacks and desserts, there was a whole myriad of colors and understandably, it was one of the more packed areas. Unfortunately, I didn't really think to take photos of the Sapporo Train Station and/or Trains at this point in time.





Lunch today was a more interesting affair compared to previous days. Apart from the hotpot, there was also DIY tempura, as you can see from the picture. What you do is to dip the item in the batter provided and then place it in the oil for roughly 2 minutes. You can choose to make the batter thicker or thinner depending on your preference. This was also the first time that I had ever tasted Crab tempura, which was pretty delicious.




After lunch was a stop at the Chitose Factory Outlet Mall, Rera. It had a large number of familiar shops such as Adidas, Nike, ABC Mart, Levis, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger and many more. Since it was a factory outlet mall, I guess the prices were reasonable. Although you might not see it from the pictures, there were far more people then shown, perhaps all browsing within the various shops.





Dinner was scheduled pretty early at around 4.15pm due to our flight to Tokyo being at 7pm. It was chinese food this time at a restaurant located at the mall. Simple but tasty, though the restaurants here such as Crystal Jade would probably have better fare.






Below is an ad featuring Kimura Takuya at the airport. Another thing I didn't mention was that you did not need passports for domestic flights, just the air ticket. Might be common information elsewhere, but not here since we have no domestic flights locally.



Proceeded to the Garden Hotel Narita for the night, as our flight home was not due until the next morning. Visited the nearby convenience store in search of food owing to the early dinner and settled on bowl noodles as well as an Ichigo Daifuku (The very same Ichigo Daifuku as the one I bought in a previous trip). One thing I don't understand is why we seem to be lacking those bowl noodles with meat included over here, when they seem to be common in Japan and Taiwan. There wasn't much left to do after this, as the hotel was in an area without a shopping street of sorts, hence the report ends here.



It was an enjoyable trip overall.