His earliest work was a designer for SNK, working only on one game. The game was the cult historical fighter, The Last Blade.
Daisuke Ishiwatari is also noted as being a skilled composer in the metal and rock genres. His songs, found in his signature series, Guilty Gear, feature no lyrics, but intricate guitar work. The albums Guilty Gear XX in LA and Guilty Gear XX in NY include vocals for selected songs, as do three albums in Japanese by the band Lapis Lazuli.
Dice
Daisuke Ishiwatari Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One knight meditates.
Kingdom comes, it's all about hate.
You can't live for two sides.
That sure is an ideal for a king.
Please show me,
What is hidden?
Oh tell me,
I've turned blind.
What's next for me to lose?
(But) I just can't lose my pride,
All over nothing.
A world with no hope is about to come.
I just can't lose my pride,
All over nothing.
The bridge did not change a thing.
Oh, empty. Die!
Two three four five, get it back or die.
The knight sees it now.
There's no form to realize the dream.
The world is not in one piece.
Neither were the king nor the saints.
Please show me,
What's not found yet.
No, I have not forgotten who I am.
Oh tell me,
There's still time.
We have lost nothing yet.
I just can't lose my pride,
All over nothing.
Meaning of favor is about to change.
I just can't lose my pride,
All over nothing.
I will not let it happen.
Stand by my side!
Live on the other side.
Why are you smiling?
Life on the nether side.
Why are you crying?
Burn my heart! Until it's over.
Burn my heart! Your soul is out there!
I just can't lose my pride,
All over nothing.
Ideals may not be in a form.
I just can't lose my pride,
All over nothing.
Ideals may not be in a form.
Now throw the dice!
(Face thy fate)
The song "Dice" by Daisuke Ishiwatari speaks about a struggle for power and the consequences of living in a world full of hate. The lyrics start with the singer chanting numbers, which indicates a game is taking place, and then jumps to a knight meditating as the kingdom falls apart due to hate. The lyrics point out that it's impossible to live for both sides, and even if it seems like an ideal for a king, it's a flawed concept.
The singer questions what is hidden and asks to be shown the truth, even if it's uncomfortable to face. The line "forget how you wanted the world to be" suggests that the world is not what we expect it to be. The singer is aware that they've turned blind to the situation but is desperate to know what's next to lose. The lyrics "I just can't lose my pride, all over nothing" are repeated several times, indicating that the singer won't give up their dignity, even if it means losing everything.
The song's message about not losing one's pride and ideals, even in the face of loss or hopelessness, is a recurring theme throughout the Guilty Gear series, for which Ishiwatari created the music, characters, and storyline.
Line by Line Meaning
Two three four five, get back the dice
Retrieve the chance to make a move.
One knight meditates.
A warrior contemplates.
Kingdom comes, it's all about hate.
The arrival of a new era, where malice dominates.
You can't live for two sides.
One cannot be loyal to both warring factions.
That sure is an ideal for a king.
Such a goal is admirable for a ruler.
Please show me,
What is hidden?
I implore you to reveal what lies beneath the surface.
Forget how you wanted the world to be.
Disregard your preconceived notions of how things should be.
Oh tell me,
I've turned blind.
Enlighten me, for I have lost my insight.
What's next for me to lose?
What more must I sacrifice next?
(But) I just can't lose my pride,
All over nothing.
I cannot relinquish my self-respect for an insignificant cause.
A world with no hope is about to come.
An existence without optimism is imminent.
The bridge did not change a thing.
The connection between opposing parties did not bring about transformation.
Oh, empty. Die!
Oh, vacuity. Cease to exist!
Two three four five, get it back or die.
Recover the opportunity or face defeat.
The knight sees it now.
The warrior realizes the truth.
There's no form to realize the dream.
There is no defined shape for achieving the aspiration.
The world is not in one piece.
Reality is not unified.
Neither were the king nor the saints.
Even the monarch and the holy figures were flawed.
Please show me,
What's not found yet.
I beg you to disclose what has yet to be discovered.
No, I have not forgotten who I am.
No, I have not lost sight of my identity.
Oh tell me,
There's still time.
Assure me that there is still a chance.
We have lost nothing yet.
We have not sacrificed anything significant thus far.
Meaning of favor is about to change.
The significance of preferences is about to transform.
I will not let it happen.
Stand by my side!
I will prevent that from occurring. Stand with me!
Live on the other side.
Why are you smiling?
Exist on the opposite end. Why are you grinning?
Life on the nether side.
Why are you crying?
Existence in the underworld. Why are you weeping?
Burn my heart! Until it's over.
Incinerate my passion! Until its conclusion.
Burn my heart! Your soul is out there!
Engulf my fervor! Your spirit awaits!
Ideals may not be in a form.
Principles may not take a specific shape.
Now throw the dice!
Now take the gamble!
(Face thy fate)
(Confront your destiny)
Contributed by Carter K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.