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Yoko Takahashi · Neon Genesis Evangelion · Neon Genesis Evangelion OP
Tap words in the lyrics for meaning, then use Practice when the verse is in your ears.
Synced lyrics
zankoku na tenshi no you ni shounen yo shinwa ni nare
Like a cruel angel — boy, become a myth
Cruel angel like, boy (vocative), myth into, become!
少年よ + imperative is a famous quotation pattern from the slogan 少年よ、大志を抱け ('boys, be ambitious') attributed to William S. Clark. The OP uses the same syntactic frame to deliver a near-divine command.
aoi kaze ga ima mune no doa wo tataite mo
Even though a deep-blue wind is knocking on the door of my chest now
Blue wind subject, now, chest's door object, knocking even
watashi dake wo tada mitsumete hohoenderu anata
You, gazing only at me — smiling
Me only object, just gazing, smiling you
sotto fureru mono motomeru koto ni muchuu de
Lost in seeking what you'd softly touch
Gently touch thing, seeking thing to, absorbed in
unmei sae mada shiranai itaike na hitomi
Innocent eyes that don't even know fate yet
Fate even, still doesn't-know, innocent eyes
いたいけ is a literary adjective for someone childlike and worthy of pity — used almost exclusively for vulnerable young figures.
dakedo itsuka kizuku deshou sono senaka ni wa
But someday you'll surely realise — on that back of yours
But someday, notice probably, that back on-as-for
haruka mirai mezasu tame no hane ga aru koto
...there are wings to aim for the distant future
Far future, aim-for for-the-sake-of's wings, exist fact
zankoku na tenshi no teeze
The cruel angel's thesis
Cruel angel's thesis
テーゼ comes from the German These ('thesis'). The song's title intentionally mixes Christian theological vocabulary with Japanese — fitting Evangelion's mash-up of mythologies.
madobe kara yagate tobitatsu
Before long, you'll take off from the window
Window-side from, before-long, take-off
hotobashiru atsui patosu de
With a hot, gushing pathos
Gushing hot pathos with
パトス comes from Greek pathos (passion). Like テーゼ and バイブル, an intentional 'foreign' loanword that injects philosophical/religious weight.
omoide wo uragiru nara
If you're going to betray your memories
Memories object, betray if
kono uchuu wo daite kagayaku shounen yo shinwa ni nare
Embrace this universe and shine — boy, become a myth!
This universe object, embracing, shine, boy (vocative), myth into, become!
anata dake ga yume no shisha ni yobareru asa ga kuru
The morning when only you are summoned by the messenger of dreams will come
You only subject, dream's messenger by, be-called morning subject, comes
hosoi kubisuji wo tsukiakari ga utsushiteru
Moonlight is illuminating your slender nape
Slender neck-side object, moonlight subject, is-reflecting
sekaijuu no toki wo tomete tojikometai kedo
I want to stop time throughout the world and lock you away, but...
World-throughout's time object, stopping, want-to-lock-away but
moshimo futari aeta koto ni imi ga aru nara
If there's any meaning in our being able to meet
If-perhaps, two-people could-meet fact in, meaning subject, exists if
watashi wa sou jiyuu wo shiru tame no baiburu
I am — yes — the Bible for learning what freedom is
I as-for, yes, freedom object, know for-the-sake-of's bible
zankoku na tenshi no teeze
The cruel angel's thesis
Cruel angel's thesis
テーゼ comes from the German These ('thesis'). The song's title intentionally mixes Christian theological vocabulary with Japanese — fitting Evangelion's mash-up of mythologies.
kanashimi ga soshite hajimaru
And then sorrow begins
Sorrow subject, and-then, begins
dakishimeta inochi no katachi
The shape of a life held tight
Held-tight life's shape
sono yume ni mezameta toki dare yori mo hikari wo hanatsu
When you awaken to that dream, you'll shine brighter than anyone
That dream to, awakened time, anyone more-than, light object, give-off
hito wa ai wo tsumugi nagara rekishi wo tsukuru
People weave love and build history
People as-for, love object, weaving while, history object, build
megami nante narenai mama watashi wa ikiru
I'll live on, never becoming any kind of goddess
Goddess such-as can't-become in-the-state-of, I as-for, live
zankoku na tenshi no teeze
The cruel angel's thesis
Cruel angel's thesis
テーゼ comes from the German These ('thesis'). The song's title intentionally mixes Christian theological vocabulary with Japanese — fitting Evangelion's mash-up of mythologies.
madobe kara yagate tobitatsu
Before long, you'll take off from the window
Window-side from, before-long, take-off
hotobashiru atsui patosu de
With a hot, gushing pathos
Gushing hot pathos with
パトス comes from Greek pathos (passion). Like テーゼ and バイブル, an intentional 'foreign' loanword that injects philosophical/religious weight.
omoide wo uragiru nara
If you're going to betray your memories
Memories object, betray if
kono uchuu wo daite kagayaku shounen yo shinwa ni nare
Embrace this universe and shine — boy, become a myth!
This universe object, embracing, shine, boy (vocative), myth into, become!
zutto nemutteru watashi no ai yurikago
The cradle of my love, sleeping all this time
All-along, sleeping, my love's cradle