Suzume – Radwimps feat. Toaka | 2022

すずめ [Suzume]
RADWIMPS feat. 十明 [Raddowinpusu feat. Toaka]
Words & Music : 野田洋次郎 [NODA Yōjirō]

“Suzume” is a song created for Makoto Shinkai’s animated film Suzume no Tojimari (English title: Suzume). It was composed by NODA Yōjirō of Radwimps, who is a favorite band of Shinkai. However, this track isn’t performed by the rock band Radwimps, but rather written and composed by NODA Yōjirō, and it can be said that it was selected for the female singer Toaka.

The song’s title is Suzume, which differs from the Japanese film title. “Suzume” means a sparrow, but in this film, it’s the protagonist’s name (IWATO Suzume). The name originates from a goddess in Japanese mythology called Ame-no Uzume. She appears in the legend of Ama no Iwato ^wiki, where the sun deity hides behind a rock door. However, to be honest, I’m not quite sure why this title was chosen. Moreover, the words in the lyrics don’t have much connection to the elements seen in the movie. I actually watched the film just to write this article…

The song is truly beautiful. Most of the words used in the lyrics are Wago, giving them a soft and elegant sound. Wago are the original words of the Japanese language. Given that Shinto is a significant element in the film, it makes sense that more traditional Japanese words were chosen.

君の中にある赤と青き線
kimi no naka ni aru aka to aoki sen
それらが結ばれるのは心の臓
sorera ga musubareru no wa kokoro no zō

君（きみ） [kimi] : you
中（なか） [naka] : inside
赤（あか） [aka] : red
青い（あおい） [aoi] : blue
線（せん） [sen] : line
結ぶ（むすぶ） [musubu] : tie, connect
心臓（しんぞう） [shinzō] : heart, (contextually) soul

(translation) “The red and blue lines within you,
They are connected to the heart.”

風の中でも負けないような声で
kaze no naka demo makenai yō na koe de
届ける言葉を今は育ててる
todokeru kotoba o ima wa sodateteru

風（かぜ） [kaze] : wind
中（なか） [naka] : inside
負ける（まける） [makeru] : lose
声（こえ） [koe] : voice
届ける（とどける） [todokeru] : deliver
言葉（ことば） [kotoba] : words
今（いま） [ima] : now
育てる（そだてる） [sodateru] : nurture

(translation) “In a voice that won’t be defeated by the wind,
I am now nurturing the words I will deliver.”

時はまくらぎ風はにきはだ星はうぶすな人はかげろう
toki wa makuragi kaze wa nikihada hoshi wa ubusuna hito wa kagerō

時（とき） [toki] : time
風（かぜ） [kaze] : wind
星（ほし） [hoshi] : star
人（ひと） [hito] : person

(translation) “Time is the pillow wood, wind is soft skin, stars are birthplace, and people are mirages.”

Words like “nikihada” (=soft skin) and “ubusuna” (=birthplace) are words rarely used today. They evoke a sense of ancient Japanese language.

なんで泣いてるのと聞かれ答えれる涙なんかじゃ
nande naiteru no to kikare kotaereru namida nanka ja
僕ら出逢えたことの意味にはまるで追いつかない
bokura deaeta koto no imi ni wa marude oitsukanai

なんで [nande] : why
泣く（なく） [naku] : cry
聞く（きく） [kiku] : ask, hear
答える（こたえる） [kotaeru] : answer
涙（なみだ） [namida] : tears
僕ら（ぼくら） [bokura] : we
出会う（であう） [deau] : meet
意味（いみ） [imi] : meaning

(translation) “When asked why I’m crying, can I answer?
Because tears alone can’t come close to the meaning of our meeting.”

この身ひとつじゃ足りない叫び
kono mi hitotsu ja tarinai sakebi

君の手に触れた時にだけ震えた心があったよ
kimi no te ni fureta toki ni dake fureta kokoro ga atta yo
意味をいくつ越えれば僕らは辿りつけるのかな
imi o ikutsu koereba bokura wa tadoritsukeru no kana

手（て） [te] : hand
触れる（ふれる） [fureru] : touch
震える（ふるえる） [furueru] : tremble
心（こころ） [kokoro] : heart, soul
超える（こえる） [koeru] : surpass
辿り着く（たどりつく） [tadoritsuku] : reach

(translation) “When I touched your hand, only then did my heart tremble.
How many meanings must we surpass to reach our destination?”

愚かさでいい醜さでいい正しさのその先で君と手を取りたい
orokasa de ii minikusa de ii tadashisa no sono saki de kimi to te o toritai

愚かな（おろかな） [orokana] : foolish
いい [ii] : good, fine
醜い（みにくい） [minikui] : ugly
正しい（ただしい） [tadashii] : correct

(translation) “It’s okay to be foolish, it’s okay to be ugly. Beyond correctness, I want to hold your hand.”

思い出せない大切な記憶
omoidasenai taisetsu na kioku
言葉にならないここにある想い
kotoba ni naranai koko ni aru omoi

思い出す（おもいだす） [omoidasu] : recall
大切（たいせつ） [taisetsu] : precious
記憶（きおく） [kioku] : memory
ある [aru] : exist
思い（おもい） [omoi] : feeling, thought

(translation) “Precious memories I can’t recall.
The feelings here can’t be put into words.”

もしかしたらもしかしたら
moshikashitara moshikashitara
それだけでこの心はできてる
sore dake de kono kokoro wa dekiteru

もしかしたら [moshikashitara] : maybe
だけ [dake] : only
心（こころ） [kokoro] : heart, soul
できている [dekite iru] : be made, exist

(translation) “Maybe, just maybe,
That’s all it takes to make up this heart.”

もしかしたらもしかしたら
moshikashitara moshikashitara
君に「気づいて」と今もその胸を
kimi ni “kizuite” to ima mo sono mune o
打ち鳴らす
uchinarasu

気づく（きづく） [kizuku] : notice
胸（むね） [mune] : chest, heart
打つ（うつ） [utsu] : strike
鳴らす（ならす） [narasu] : sound

(translation) “Maybe, just maybe,
Even now, it strikes your chest, saying ‘notice me’.

なんで泣いてるのと聞かれ答えれる涙なんかじゃ
nande naiteru no to kikare kotaereru namida nanka ja
僕ら出逢えたことの意味にはまるで追いつかない
bokura deaeta koto no imi ni wa marude oitsukanai

この身ひとつじゃ足りない叫び
kono mi hitotsu ja tarinai sakebi

君の手に触れた時にだけ震えた心があったよ
kimi no te ni fureta toki ni dake fureta kokoro ga atta yo
意味をいくつ越えれば僕らは辿りつけるのかな
imi o ikutsu koereba bokura wa tadoritsukeru no kana

愚かさでいい醜さでいい正しさのその先で君と生きてきたい
orokasa de ii minikusa de ii tadashisa no sono saki de kimi to ikitekita

生きる（いきる） [ikiru] : live

(translation) “It’s okay to be foolish, it’s okay to be ugly. Beyond correctness, I want to live with you.”

Musically speaking, I noticed that the singer incorporates a slightly Japanese-style melisma in certain parts (such as at 0:39). This singing technique is seen in traditional Japanese folk songs, and it may have been intentionally included. Then again, I might just be overthinking it. Either way, I think Toaka is an amazing singer. The overall tone of the song gives off a primitive vibe, but it’s not distinctly Japanese.

Regarding the film: Like Your Name, I think Makoto Shinkai is skilled at creating an atmosphere that resonates with young people. The script feels somewhat light, and incorporating the theme of the Great East Japan Earthquake into a fantasy story didn’t seem like the best idea. However, the visuals were incredibly detailed and depicted real Japanese landscapes beautifully. I hope that watching this kind of film inspires people from other countries to take an interest in Japan.