From Up On Poppy Hill

Just finished watching From Up On Poppy Hill for the second time. The first time I watched it on last Monday. When I watched it the second time, only then I managed to understand some of the minor details in the story. I would rate it with 5 stars. Really recommended to Studio Ghibli's fans. The story really touched my heart. And at the end of the story, the theme song "Summer of Goodbye" sang by Aoi Teshima played in the background managed to make me teary-eyed. I love it so much. Everytime I need a pure innocent teenage love movie, Studio Ghibli has never let me down. From Up On Poppy Hill has secured the first place in my heart out of all their films, even The Borrower's Arrietty comes second now. Simply because From Up On Poppy Hill has the original touch of the Japanese culture unlike the latter that was based on a French novel (if I'm not mistaken). Anyway, enjoy the theme song of From Up On Poppy Hill

光る海に　かすむ船は
Hikaru umi ni kasumu fune wa
さよならの汽笛　のこします
Sayonara no kiteki nokoshimasu
The ship veiled in the shining sea leaves a whistle of the good-bye.

ゆるい坂を　おりてゆけば
Yurui saka wo orite yukeba
夏色の風に　あえるかしら
Natsu iro no kaze ni aeru kashira
Will I meet the wind of summer color if I go down the gentle slope?

わたしの愛　それはメロディー
Watashi no ai sore wa melody
たかく　ひくく　歌うの
Takaku hikuku utau no
My love, it's a melody. I sing highly and low.

わたしの愛　それはカモメ
Watashi no ai sore wa kamome
たかく　ひくく　飛ぶの
Takaku hikuku tobu no
My love, it's a gull. I fly highly and low.

夕陽のなか　呼んでみたら
Yuuhi no naka yonde mitara
やさしいあなたに　逢えるかしら
Yasashii anata ni aeru kashira
Will I meet tender you if I call for you in the setting sun?

だれかが弾く　ピアノの音
Dareka ga hiku piano no oto
海鳴りみたいに　きこえます
Uminari mitaini kikoemasu
The sound of the piano somebody plays sounds like sea rumble.

おそい午後を　往き交うひと
Osoi gogo wo yukikau hito
夏色の夢を　はこぶかしら
Natsu iro no yume wo hakobu kashira
Do people coming and going in the late afternoon carry the dream of summer color?

わたしの愛　それはダイアリー
Watashi no ai sore wa diary
日々のページ　つづるの
Hibi no peeji tsuzuru no
My love, it's a diary. I spell a daily page.

わたしの愛　それは小船
Watashi no ai sore wa kobune
空の海をゆくの
Sora no umi wo yuku no
My love, it's a boat. I go the sea of sky.

夕陽のなか　振り帰れば
Yuuhi no naka furikaereba
あなたはわたしを　探すかしら
Anata wa watashi wo sagasu kashira
Will you look for me if I look back in the setting sun?

散歩道に　ゆれる木々は
Sanpo michi ni yureru kigi wa
さよならの影を　おとします
Sayonara no kage wo otoshimasu
Trees shaking in a promenade cast a good-bye shadow.

古いチャペル　風見の鶏
Furui chapel kazami no tori
夏色の街は　みえるかしら
Natsu iro no machi wa mieru kashira
Can the weathercock of an old chapel see the town of summer color?

きのうの愛　それは涙
Kinou no ai sore wa namida
やがて　かわき　消えるの
Yagate kawaki kieru no
The yesterday love, it's tears. It dries before long and disappears.

あしたの愛　それはルフラン
Ashita no ai sore wa refrain
おわりのない言葉
Owari no nai kotoba
The tomorrow love, it's a refrain. Words without the end.

夕陽のなか　めぐり逢えば
Yuuhi no naka meguri aeba
あなたはわたしを　抱くかしら
Anata wa watashi wo daku kashira

Will you hug me if I meet you in the setting sun? 


Credits to : Studio Ghibli

Separation by Nell

My new favourite Korean Indie Rock Band, named NELL. Most of the songs have the theme of separation yet the lyrics were written so beautifully making us feel that separation is also a part of sweet memories in our life. In one of their song "Standing In The Rain", which is the fifth track in the latest album entitled "Slip Away" which was released in spring 2012, there is a line saying that no one is to be blamed for the separation or break up that happened in our life. 

That’s enough

Is it pain or is it shame

Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter

We would always stand within that, and the time would just flow along

And there’s no one here to blame

[Standing In The Rain, Nell]

It's true. No matter how hard we try to hold onto the relationship that is just not going to work out, it will still be the same. It's not that either of you are the problem but rather it's just that none of you can adapt to suit each other's preferences better. 

If you yearn and await for those days that won’t come back,

What difference does it make

Even if you muss up the things, straining to fill up the vaccum,

What difference does it make

It won’t be easy, when the tears that the leaving heart had to shed and the ones shed by the heart staying behind were so uneven.

[Standing In The Rain, Nell]

Standing In The Rain is one of my favourite tracks in their Slip Away album besides the track In Days Gone By. My favourite lines quoted from the song are

“Erase it from the head”

“Flourish it in the heart”

“Is it as easy as one says?”

[In Days Gone By, Nell]

When I was still in primary school, I always thought why is it hard for someone to just move on after separation. It's not that there's only one person who can love you in this world. Little that I know it's like you have to be separated by your favourite teddy bear when you're entering your adolescent phase. You would encounter sleepless nights having to adapt with your teddy bear not sleeping next to you. Haha I am laughing at myself now. 

There is another amazing album from this band entitled "Separation Anxiety" with two favourite tracks named "Separation Anxiety" and not to forget "The Time We Spent Walking Through Memories". The latter is a must listen track. It sounds so sweet at first that I have no idea that it was related to separation until the very last lines mentioning

Even within a passing stranger’s figure on the streets

Even on top of the fallen leaves riding the wind with a lonely dance

Even within the air that brushes past my cheeks on some evening

In everything I see, hear and feel, there’s you. 

[Time Spent Walking Through Memories, Nell]

Anyway, recommended to those who would like to listen to a different genre of Korean songs besides K-Pop. Enough said. Need to get back to revising Math.