Red Utopia

THIS!

Art by Kresnamizu

“People always say they feel awkward about having eighth-grader syndrome. They say that they don’t want to talk about it, that they want to forget about it for good. But does that really get rid of our crazy old selves and their wild fantasies back when we thought we were special, when we thought something greater watched over us? People sometimes tell lies, imagine a completely different fantasy world, dream about the distant future, or invent a lover’s relationship that only exists inside their heads. This process repeats from the day we are born until the day we die. Forever and ever. It is depressing. It is shameful. But it is dear to us. It is an illness known as self-consciousness. It is something we must all face known as “ourselves”. Indeed, we carry our eighth-grader syndrome throughout our whole lives.”

- Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! episode 12 -

Sword Art Online 2nd ending theme

Vocals: Haruna Luna

Lyrics: Saku

Composition: Saku

Arrangement: Saku

Translation

Reaching my hand up high, up high

Saying, “I’m certain, I’m certain”

I’ll make a wish once more

My constant thinking

gets overwhelmed by the ordinary days

It changed shape again

when it wavered

But still, I look for the meaning

for why I live in this world

When I’m lost, hurt, and frozen in place

I cry

Is it too late by now?

My internal arguments go unanswered

Everything is, yes, up to me to decide

Both the end and the beginning

Reaching my hand up high, up high

I’ll fly toward a tender light

Holding the passion lit in my heart

Saying, “I’m certain, I’m certain”

I’ll make a wish once more

I pretend not to notice

my throbbing heartbeats

Before I knew it, I got good

at faking a brave smile

The future full of hope

that I pictured so many times that I lost count

turned out to be slightly faded

In contrast to what I thought it’d be

Even if my tightly, tightly clenched hand

is fated to let go of you so easily

We can always, always

stay connected

by the definite memories left in my heart

Saying, “If only I can close

the tiny yet great and untouchable

distance between us”

I gazed at the sky blurred by tears…

Reaching my hand up high, up high

I’ll fly toward a tender light

Holding the passion lit in my heart

Saying, “I’m certain, I’m certain”

I’ll make a wish once more