Beyond The Time – English Lyrics

• By: TM NETWORK
• Album: CAROL

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic journey with TM NETWORK's "Beyond The Time," a powerful synth-pop anthem that served as the iconic ending theme for "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack." This song is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in Japanese, not only through its compelling lyrics, which delve into themes of destiny and human emotion, but also through its enduring cultural impact within the anime world. Its rich vocabulary and emotive delivery make it a special piece for language learners to explore Japanese expression and the nuances of J-pop storytelling.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
時 /toki/ A1	noun - time; moment; hour
闇 /yami/ B1	noun - darkness; gloom; night
空 /sora/ A1	noun - sky; heavens
星 /hoshi/ A1	noun - star
悲しみ /kanashimi/ B1	noun - sadness; sorrow; grief
愛しさ /itoshisa/ B2	noun - dearness; belovedness; tenderness; affection
夢 /yume/ A2	noun - dream; vision; aspiration
真実 /shinjitsu/ B2	noun - truth; reality; fact
輝き /kagayaki/ B1	noun - brilliance; sparkle; glow; radiance
希望 /kibō/ B1	noun - hope; wish; aspiration
過ち /ayamachi/ B2	noun - mistake; error; fault; misstep
儚い /hakanai/ C1	adjective - fleeting; ephemeral; transient; vain; fragile
激しい /hageshii/ B2	adjective - intense; violent; fierce; passionate; strong
光る /hikaru/ A2	verb - to shine; to glitter; to emit light; to sparkle
越える /koeru/ B1	verb - to cross; to go beyond; to exceed; to overcome
巡り会う /meguriau/ C1	verb - to meet by chance; to reunite after a long time; to encounter
望む /nozomu/ B1	verb - to desire; to wish for; to hope for; to long for
愛し合う /aishiau/ B2	verb - to love each other; to be in love
Destiny /ˈdɛstɪni/ B2	noun - destiny; fate
Future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ B1	noun - future
Happiness /ˈhæpɪnəs/ A2	noun - happiness; joy

Key Grammar Structures

• いつまでも抱きしめてたかった

  ➔ Past Desiderative Form for Continuous Action (～ていたかった)

  ➔ Expresses a past desire to continue an action or state. Here, "抱きしめて" is the te-form of 抱きしめる (to hug), and "いたかった" is the past desiderative of いる (to be), meaning "wanted to be". So, "wanted to have kept hugging".

• 張り裂けそうになる

  ➔ Appearance of Being About To Happen / Reaching a State (～そうになる)

  ➔ Indicates that something is "about to happen" or "seems like it will happen," often implying it doesn't quite complete, or that it reaches a certain state. "張り裂けそう" means "looks like it will burst," and "になる" signifies "to become" or "to reach a state." So, "it becomes like it's about to burst" or "it's on the verge of bursting."

• 愛しさがそこに帰るのさ

  ➔ Explanatory/Emphatic Particle (～のさ)

  ➔ An explanatory or emphatic sentence-ending particle. "の" makes the statement explanatory, similar to "it is that...". "さ" adds a casual, assertive, or slightly self-explanatory tone, often used by male speakers or in informal contexts, emphasizing the preceding statement.

• 離れても変わっても失っても

  ➔ Concessive Clause (Even If/Though) (～ても)

  ➔ Expresses "even if," "even though," or "no matter how/what." It forms a concessive clause, indicating that something will happen or remains true despite a given condition. Here, it is repeated for emphasis, meaning "even if [we] separate, even if [we] change, even if [we] lose [it]."

• You Can Change The Destiny 時の向こう

  ➔ Beyond / On the Other Side of (～の向こう)

  ➔ Means "beyond," "on the other side of," or "across from." It indicates a location or concept that is distant or transcendent. Here, "時の向こう" means "beyond time." It implies moving past a boundary or limitation.

• 愛し合えるその日を

  ➔ Reciprocal Potential Form (～合える)

  ➔ Combines the reciprocal action verb ending "～合う" (to do something to each other) with the potential form "～える" (can do). So, "愛し合う" (aishiau) means "to love each other," and "愛し合える" (aishiaeru) means "can love each other." It indicates the possibility or ability of mutual action.

• 夢という風に導かれて

  ➔ Called/Named (～という) and Guided By (Passive Te-form) (～に導かれて)

  ➔ "～という" means "called," "named," or "referred to as." It clarifies or specifies what something is. Here, "夢という風" means "the wind called 'dream'" or "the wind that is a dream." "～に導かれて" is the passive te-form of 導く (michibiku, to guide/lead). It means "being guided by" or "led by." The te-form indicates a state or reason.

• 生きてゆけるのなら

  ➔ Can Continue to (～ゆける) and Conditional (～のなら)

  ➔ "～ゆける" is a slightly formal or poetic way of saying "～行ける" (can go), often used with verbs in the te-form (e.g., "生きてゆける", ikite yukeru) to mean "can continue to live" or "can keep living." "～のなら" is a conditional expression meaning "if it is the case that..." or "if [X] is true." It provides a condition based on a perceived or assumed state.

• 儚くて激しくて偽りない

  ➔ Continuative Form (Ren'youkei) of I-adjectives and Adjectival Negative

  ➔ The "～くて" (kute) form is the continuative form (ren'youkei) of い-adjectives, used to connect multiple adjectives describing the same noun or to list characteristics. Here, "儚い" (hakanai, fleeting) becomes "儚くて", and "激しい" (hageshii, intense) becomes "激しくて". "偽りない" (itsuwari nai) is an adjective phrase meaning "without falsehood" or "genuine/true," where 「ない」 functions as an adjective. This structure shows how to link multiple descriptive adjectives.

• 巡り会えるなら

  ➔ Conditional with Potential Form (If Can Meet/Reunite) (～会えるなら)

  ➔ "会える" (aeru) is the potential form of 会う (au, to meet), meaning "can meet." When combined with "巡り" (meguri, to go around/reunite, often used with 会う), "巡り会える" means "can reunite" or "can meet again." "～なら" (nara) is a conditional conjunction, meaning "if" or "in that case." So, "if [I] can reunite/meet again."