The Asterisk War – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 西沢幸奏

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic journey with Shiena Nishizawa's electrifying song, "The Asterisk War." As the dynamic opening to the second season of the popular anime, this track offers a fantastic way to immerse yourself in Japanese. Its clear, powerful vocals and theme of courage and unyielding determination make the lyrics memorable and engaging, allowing you to learn key vocabulary and phrases in an exciting, high-energy context. Discover how the words echo the battles and triumphs of the anime, and let its infectious energy propel your language learning forward.

[English]

The sun of the battlefield sways high

Casting shadows that dwell in emotions

Without knowing, it turns into pain

As if to understand

Dreams born from sadness

The world and you will forgive me

Yes, it repeats behind my eyelids

To the voice calling from this sky

Resonating, I just rushed through, a dazzling impulse in my chest

With bursting feelings, my star will shine forever

Everything I held that day, live strongly, now within me

Reviving time, in this place, our unyielding wish

With this one voice, carve it strongly, this is the asterisk war

...

Affection intersects and fades

No need for sympathy, isn’t it pathetic?

From failures, I create my undeniable self

You sing a song of hope

That melts the thorns blocking the path

Yes, capturing the time when smiles will come

With our two eyes

Shouting, the heartbeat rings, a desire to share

Now I understand, my star will shine forever

今わかったんだ my star will shine forever

Walk strongly on the endless road, and revive

The warmth and the promises to protect, in that wish, irreplaceable hope

Never forget, draw it strongly, this is the asterisk war

...

This is the asterisk war

...

Resonating, in this hand, an impulse that becomes conviction

Overcoming tears, my star will shine forever

Break the answer fate has given strongly, for the dream now

Reviving time, in this place, our unyielding wish

With this one voice, carve it strongly, this is the asterisk war

...

[Japanese]

戦場の太陽は高く揺れて

感情に棲み着く陰を落とす

知らないまま 痛みに変わること

悟るように

悲しみから生まれた夢も

世界と君が許してくれる

そう 瞼の裏で繰り返す

この空が呼ぶ声に

響いて ただ駆け抜けた 胸に眩い衝動

弾けた想いに my star will shine forever

あの日抱えた全て 強く生きて行け 僕の中で今

蘇る 時間 この場所で 僕ら絶対譲れない願いを

ただ一つこの声で 強く刻んで行け this is the asterisk war

愛情が交差して 淡くなっていく

同情はいらない 情けないだろう？

失敗から 間違いない自分を

作り出して

君が歌う希望の歌が

道を塞ぐ棘を溶かした

そう いつか来る笑顔の時を

二人の瞳で捉えて

叫んで 鳴らすのは鼓動 分かち合いたい衝動

今わかったんだ my star will shine forever

終わりのない道を 強く歩いていけ そして蘇る

ぬくもりと 守るべき約束を その願いに かけがえのない希望を

絶対に忘れないで 強く描いて行け this is the asterisk war

This is the asterisk war

響いて この手の中で 確信になる衝動

涙乗り越えて my star will shine forever

運命が出した答えを 強く壊して行け 夢のために今

蘇る 時間 この場所で 僕ら絶対譲れない願いを

ただ一つこの声で 強く刻んで行け this is the asterisk war

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
戦場 /せんじょう/ B2	noun - battlefield
太陽 /たいよう/ A2	noun - sun
感情 /かんじょう/ B1	noun - emotion
痛み /いたみ/ B1	noun - pain
悲しみ /かなしみ/ B1	noun - sadness
夢 /ゆめ/ A2	noun - dream
声 /こえ/ A2	noun - voice
希望 /きぼう/ B1	noun - hope
約束 /やくそく/ B2	noun - promise
運命 /うんめい/ B2	noun - destiny
時間 /じかん/ A1	noun - time
道 /みち/ A2	noun - road
衝動 /しょうどう/ B2	noun - impulse
生きる /いきる/ A2	verb - to live
描く /えがく/ B1	verb - to draw, to depict
叫ぶ /さけぶ/ B1	verb - to shout

Key Grammar Structures

• 響いて ただ駆け抜けた 胸に眩い衝動

  ➔ Vi incorporates the completeness aspect using the te-form "響いて" to connect actions or states.

  ➔ The te-form "響いて" is used to connect the action of "響く" (to resonate) with subsequent ideas, emphasizing the ongoing or connected nature of the sensation.

• 絶対譲れない願い

  ➔ The phrase uses the negative potential form "譲れない" to express inability to yield or give up on a wish.

  ➔ The term "譲れない" is an adjective derived from the potential form of "譲る" (to yield), with the negative suffix "ない" to mean "cannot yield" or "unwilling to give up."

• この空が呼ぶ声に

  ➔ Uses the noun + に to mark the target or direction of the calling voice, embedded within a relative clause.

  ➔ The particle "に" indicates the indirect object or the target towards which the verb "呼ぶ" (to call) is directed, functioning within a relative clause describing the voice.

• この場所で 僕ら絶対譲れない願いを

  ➔ Uses the complex object structure with を to mark the wish that cannot be given up, emphasizing its importance.

  ➔ The particle "を" marks the direct object, which is the "願い" (wish) that is described as absolutely non-negotiable and cannot be given up.

• この声で 強く刻んで行け

  ➔ Uses the instrumental particle "で" to indicate the means or method—here, the voice—used to carve or inscribe.

  ➔ The particle "で" indicates the means by which action is performed, here emphasizing that the "voice" is the instrument that allows the inscription or marking to happen.

• この願いに かけがえのない希望を

  ➔ Uses the particle "に" to mark the target or recipient of the wish, combined with the phrase "かけがえのない" to emphasize the irreplaceable nature of the hope.

  ➔ The particle "に" indicates the direction or target of the wish, and "かけがえのない" is a phrase meaning irreplaceable, emphasizing the preciousness of the hope.

• この空が呼ぶ声に

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis using the particle "に" to specify the target of the calling voice, creating a poetic or lyrical effect.

  ➔ The particle "に" marks the target of the call, and repeating the phrase enhances the emotional or poetic intensity of the lyrics.