Kurage, Nagareboshi (クラゲ、流れ星)
"a jellyfish, shooting star"

Brief Comments:
This song is so closely in parallel with Otsuka Ai's previous hit ballad "Planetarium" in both lyrics and feeling. And yet, they are so very different.

I think the main question that people seem to have with this song is how the jellyfish relates with a shooting star. To me, the connection is the clear. To understand the relationship, you must have experienced the sight of the jellyfish in an aquarium at night. With only the faintest of imagination, one could discern its uncanny likeness to a brilliant shooting star in the black sky. It moves through the deep blue waters with an unusual gracefulness and takes your breath away like that of the most beautiful shooting stars.

I particular love this song as it brings to mind thoughts and events I can relate to. The small, seemingly trivial things I can never forget: the deep orange of the jellyfish floating in the deepest blue I have ever seen; a beautiful unparalleled and breathtaking sight.

Translation Information:
translation added on: August 23rd, 2008     translation views: 11464     translated by: adrian
visitor comments: 2 » ** comment on this song

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Lyrics:
遠いこの距離
tooi kono kyori
distant and so far away,

毎晩のように
maiban no you ni
just like every night,

会いたくても会えない
aitakutemo aenai
the desire to see you but being unable to

頭のどこかにある
atama no dokoka ni aru
it floats around in my conscious


少し　ズレてるのかな
sukoshi zureteru no kana
I wonder if such thoughts are unrealistic...

この星空さえも
kono hoshizora sae mo
Even under this starry night sky,

あなたも同じように
anata mo onaji you ni
are you having the same thoughts

想ってくれてるの?
omotte kureteru no?
and thinking of me too?


クラゲ、流れ星　見つけられたら
kurage, nagareboshi mitsukeraretara
If I come across that sailing jellyfish star

あなたの名前を思い浮かべるよ
anata no namae wo omoi ukaberu yo
your name and the thought of you drifts to mind

どんなイヤなとこ知っているのに
donna iyana toko shitteiru no ni
even though, there are (little) things about you I may not like

あなたのコト
anata no koto
It doesn't change the fact

こんなに　好きだよ※
konna ni suki da yo
that I like you so much.*


恋している
koi shiteiru
I wonder if the act of calling out your name (to the sailing jellyfish star)

そんな風に呼ぶのかな
sonna fuu ni yobu no kana
is to be in love..

忘れようとすればするほど欲しくなる
wasureyou to sureba suru hodo hoshiku naru
even trying to forget you, I find myself wanting you more


そんなに　あなたとあたしは　違うの?
sonna ni anata to watashi machigau no?
Is thinking of you and I together so wrong?

どうしても二人にはなれない
doushitemo futari ni wa narenai
after all, the two of us can't be together.


クラゲ、流れ星　見つけられずに
kurage, nagareboshi mitsukerarezu ni
being unable to find that sailing jellyfish star star,

あなたの言葉も?忘れちゃいそうだよ
anata no kotoba mo wasurechai sou da yo
it's as if I'd forget the words you spoke to me

たった一つ信じている強さがあれば
tatta hitotsu shinjiteiru tsuyosa ga areba
If I have the strength to believe in (this) one thing

苦しくなく　好きでいられるのかな
kurushikunaku suki de irareru no kana
then it may not be so painful to stay in love with you...


クラゲ、流れ星　見つけられたら　
kurage, nagareboshi mitsukeraretara
If I come across that sailing jellyfish star

あなたの名前を　思い浮かべるよ
anata no namae wo omoi ukaberu yo
your name and the thought of you drifts to mind

どんなイヤなとこ　知っているのに　
donna iyana toko mo shitteiru no ni
even though, there are (little) things (about you) I may not like

あなたのことこんなに　好きだよ
anata no koto konna ni suki da yo
it doesn't change the fact that I love you so much.*

Translation Notes:
* This was a little hard to translate for me. I think what is trying to be said is that being so far away from the person she loves and thinking that perhaps it's better to forget and move on, she tries to make it easier for herself to forget by thinking about the unpleasant things about the person or circumstances in order to forget. But, in the end, she realizes that even by doing so, she can't forget because she loves him so much.

I guess it's like when you fall head over heels for someone and can't be with them so you try and rationalize it to yourself and why it's not meant to be.


A lot of the conclusions I've drawn as well as the feelings, for me, are confirmed by the music video for this song. Others will probably have different interpretations of the song but, hey, that's what makes song lyrics so wonderful ya?

References: none

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