Anisong: Natsukage (Misuzu version)

Haven’t made an anisong post in awhile, so thought I’d do one and take the chance to put my music playing scripts back.

I will always remember Air (TV) as the first show to profoundly affect me after Haruhi first got me serious about anime. In retrospect now Air wasn’t perfect. The way the plot was arranged and presented was somewhat confusing and jarring. Even so Air still contains, in my opinion, some of the most powerful and evoking storytelling I’ve ever seen. It was beautiful, and it had a very unique taste that I feel nothing has quite been able to parallel to the present day. Oh how I wish I could feel it again. I vividly remember that stormy midnight, 3 years or so ago now, when I finished episode 6 with my breath stolen and my heart burning in the exultant realization that I was watching something truly great.

Anyway, I don’t believe this song was actually from the TV series. May have been from the source game, or perhaps released as a character song or something in the soundtrack. In any case I like it a lot, and I think it fitting to the solemn nature of the true purpose of this post:

This is a dedication to Kawakami Tomoko, who passed away from ovarian cancer on the 9th June 2011. Voice roles I will remember her by include Athena Glory of Aria, Sayuri Kurata of Kanon, and Kamio Misuzu of Air.

As usual, hit F8 to hear the song, which I believe was performed by Kawakami Tomoko herself. Hit the jump for a pretty picture, romaji lyrics and translations.

Lyrics

Natsu no sora miagete
Kimi no koe kikoeru

Natsu no sora miagete
(Kimi no koe kikoeru)

Natsu no sora miagete
(Kimi no koe kikoeru)
(Natsugusa ga yura yura yurete)

Yasashii kaze ga…
(Natsu no sora miagete)
(Kimi no koe kikoeru)
Nagareteku kumo ga otoshita

Natsu no sora miagete
(Ano kage wo oikakereba…)
(Kimi no koe kikoeru)

Kitto dokoka de
(Mimi wo sumaseba boku wo yobu…)
(Natsu no sora miagete)
(…tsunagaru hazu sa)
(Kimi no koe kikoeru)

Kitto dokoka de

Kono aoku hiroi..
(Natsu no sora miagete)
(Kumo no mukou gawa wo…)
(Ano kage wo oikakereba…)

(Kitto…)
(Eien wo mitsume..)
(Mezashiteru tori no youni)
(Yasashii kaze ga boku wo nadeta)
(Natsu no sora miagete)
(Kimi no koe kikoeru)

(Aozora ni jiyuu wo egaite)
(Todoka nai keredo…)
(Nagareteku kumo ga otoshita)

Natsu no sora miagete
(Eien wo mitsume)
(Kimi no koe kikoeru)
(Kitto dokoka de)

Kono aoku hiroi..
(Natsu no sora miagete)
(…sekai no doko ka ni..)
(Natsugusa ga yura yura yurete)
(Kimi no koe kikoeru)

Eien wo mitsume
(Natsu no sora miagete)

(Kitto dokoka de…)

(Tsunagaru hazu sa)
(Kono aoku hiroku)
(Natsu no sora miagete)
(Todoka nai keredo)
(…Egaite agetai)
(Natsu no sora miagete)
(Mezashiteru tori no youni)

…Egaite (repeated)

Natsu no sora miagete mireba
Kimi no koe kikoeru ki ga suru
Kitto dokoka de deaeru hazu sa
Kaze wo koete

Egaite… (repeated)

Boku wa kimi wo sagashi ni yuku
Natsu no kage oikakete yuku yo
Suki tooru hizashi no shita wo
Hitori aruki tsuzukeru

Kono michi wo massugu aruite ikeba
Kimi ni tadori tsuku kana

Translation

Look up on the summer sky
I can hear your voice

Look up on the summer sky
(I can hear your voice)

Look up on the summer sky
(I can hear your voice)
(The summer grass slowly sway)

The gentle wind…
(Look up on the summer sky)
(I can hear your voice)
(The shadow) cast by the flowing clouds

Look up on the summer sky
(If you follow that shadow..,)
(I can hear your voice)

Surely, somewhere..
(If you strain your ears, (a voice) calling me…)
(Look up on the summer sky)
(…should be connected)
(I can hear your voice)

Surely, somewhere…

This wide and blue..
(Look up on the summer sky)
(Beyond and alongside the clouds…)
(If you follow that shadow…)

(Surely…)
(Search for eternity..)
(Like the birds I’m looking to..)
(The gentle wind softly brushes me)
(Look up on the summer sky)
(I can hear your voice)

(Paint freedom on the blue sky)
(Though I cannot reach it…)
((The shadow) cast by the flowing clouds)

Look up on the summer sky
(Look for eternity)
(I can hear your voice)
(Surely, somwhere)

This wide and blue..
(Look up on the summer sky)
(…somewhere within this world..)
(The summer grass slowly sway)
(I can hear your voice)

Look for eternity
(Look up on the summer sky)

(Surely, somewhere…)

(Should be connected)
(This wide and blue)
(Look up on the summer sky)
(Though I cannot reach it)
(…want to paint it for you)
(Look up on the summer sky)
(Like the birds I’m looking to)

…Paint (repeated)

If I try to look up on the summer sky
I feel like I can hear your voice
Surely, somewhere, we must meet
Overtake the winds

Paint… (repeated)

I’ll go out to find you
I’ll go out to follow the shadow of summer
Underneath the transparent sunrays
I walk on alone

If I walk this path, faithful and true
Will I at long last find you

Romaji Lyrics based on raw transcriptions from here and here.
Translation by me.

(Whew, this was more work than I expected)