She also composes and writes lyrics (for herself as well as other singers in I've Sound) for numerous other song collections. She frequently works with the producers I've Sound, and has contributed songs to numerous anime and video games including Onegai Teacher, Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu, Onegai Twins, Ren'ai CHU!, Maria-sama ga Miteru, Hayate the Combat Butler, Colorful Kiss, Kannazuki no Miko, Starship Operators, Shakugan no Shana, and BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger.
In 1999, she became a professional singer. Her first successful audition was with I've Sound, a team of producers using the talents of various female vocalists for their productions—best recognized for their many dating sim and eroge game soundtracks. Since then, she has performed opening and ending themes for a few anime and has gained significant recognition from her two I've Sound-related album releases. Her second album, Garasu no Kaze, released in June 2005 has been praised within multiple online communities. On October 13, 2005, she released her fourth maxi single, which featured a song from her Garasu no Kaze album, "421: A Will" and its B-side song called "Shuusou" (秋爽, The Refreshing Autumn Breeze), which is featured in her third album, Uzu-Maki.
Although not listed on her official Geneon website, KOTOKO has actually released four albums. Her very first album was called, Sora o Tobetara, which was released in 2000. Many of the tracks on this album were later re-recorded for her first I've Sound album, Hane (羽 -hane-, Feather), and was attributed as her first album. Her first I've Sound CD appearance was on the CD "Dear Feeling" (only released at "Comic Market 59".) with previous singer Aki. She then appeared on I've Girls Compilation Album Vol.3 "Disintegration", a series of albums with various songs from the I've Sound singers.
KOTOKO's first official performance in North America was her highly successful American concert debut at Anime Expo 2005, followed soon after by the KOTOKO Lax Tour. Now that her self-composed hybrid of pop and techno beats—sometimes pop—have crossed the Pacific, KOTOKO's lyrics have elevated her presence among thousands of North American J-pop/anime fans.
In 2009 she did the theme song for the Mamoru Oshii live-action movie Assault Girls. The song 蒼-iconoclast has also been featured as the opening theme song to the console version of the widely popular game Blazblue:Calamity Trigger.
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Personality: Quiet, likes making new friends, optimist, caring, emotional, perfectionist, romantic.
Interests: Movies, shopping (online), photography, flowers, darts, softball, dancing, collecting cute things.
I want to go to: Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Morocco, Greece, Egypt, Tuvalu, Bolivia, Nepal, New Zealand, India, Thailand, Australia.
Favorite food: Cherries, and particularly fond of strawberries, actually likes all fruit except melon, noodles, curry soup, avocado, cheese, milk, pudding, mint, cooked rice, chocolate, cookies, coffee.
Favorite things: Music, poetry, movies, the sky, the sea.
Favorite animals: Rabbits, turtles, sheeps, insects.
Dislikes: The dark, narrow spaces, a bad liar, rain, people without dreams.
Dreams: Go to Los Angeles, plant a lemon tree and build a house in the hills with a view on the sea.
琥珀
KOTOKO Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
君の背に頬こすりつけ 未来の話をした
本当はね、分かってたんだ…叶わないって
だから僕はきまって最後には
吹き出すくらい可笑しな顔をしてさ
また明日って手を振った
あの日くれたノートは今も白紙のまま
遠く遠く琥珀色の夢の中
必ず君は凛と立っていて欲しい
赤く錆びた自転車
いつの間に時は過ぎたの？
流行りの服も変わり 行方も解らぬまま
伝えたい言葉だけが
コートの裏で疼いてる
深く深く琥珀色の海のような
強い眼差し今も持っていて欲しい
同じ場所で
同じように会えたなら
遠く遠く旅立った意味教えて
あの日の君より眩しく笑ってみせて
深く深く琥珀色の海のような
強い眼差し今も持っていて欲しい
遠く遠く琥珀色の夢の中
必ず君は凛と立っていて欲しい
遠く遠く旅立った意味教えて
あの日の君より眩しく笑ってみせて……
In KOTOKO's song 琥珀, the singer reminisces about their past with someone they cared deeply about. They remember walking down a long path together, discussing their future dreams and aspirations. However, deep down they knew that those dreams would never come true, and the singer feels frustrated and regretful about that.
The second verse picks up with the singer on a rusty bike, wondering how much time has passed since they last saw the person they care about. The singer has so much they want to say to them, but they feel blocked and restrained. They hope that the person they care about still has the same strong and passionate gaze as before, the kind of look that resembles the depths of a deep amber sea.
The chorus brings the themes of longing and distance back to the forefront, with the singer wishing they could meet that person again in the same place they once knew. They want this person to shine even brighter than before, and to teach them what it truly means to have embarked on a journey.
Line by Line Meaning
長く伸びたあぜ道
Walking along the long, winding path with you, talking about the future
君の背に頬こすりつけ 未来の話をした
Resting my cheek against your back while we talk about our future
本当はね、分かってたんだ…叶わないって
Honestly, I knew deep down that our dreams wouldn't come true
だから僕はきまって最後には
That's why, without fail, I always end up...
吹き出すくらい可笑しな顔をしてさ
...making a funny face and bursting out laughing
また明日って手を振った
Waving goodbye, saying 'See you tomorrow'
悔しくて…
It's so frustrating...
あの日くれたノートは今も白紙のまま
The notebook you gave me on that day is still blank, empty of all our hopes and dreams
遠く遠く琥珀色の夢の中
In a distant, golden dream world
必ず君は凛と立っていて欲しい
I always want you to stand strong with dignity
赤く錆びた自転車
Seeing the rusty old bike
いつの間に時は過ぎたの？
Has time really passed so quickly?
流行りの服も変わり 行方も解らぬまま
Fashion has changed, and we've lost track of where we're going
伝えたい言葉だけが
All I have are these words I want to say
コートの裏で疼いてる
They're burning inside me, hidden beneath my coat
深く深く琥珀色の海のような
In a deep, deep amber sea
強い眼差し今も持っていて欲しい
I always want you to have that strong gaze
同じ場所で
If only we could be
同じように会えたなら
In the same place, meeting again
遠く遠く旅立った意味教えて
If only you could teach me what it means to have gone on a journey
あの日の君より眩しく笑ってみせて
So you can laugh even brighter than you did on that day
遠く遠く琥珀色の夢の中
In a distant, golden dream world
必ず君は凛と立っていて欲しい
I always want you to stand strong with dignity
遠く遠く旅立った意味教えて
If only you could teach me what it means to have gone on a journey
あの日の君より眩しく笑ってみせて……
So you can laugh even brighter than you did on that day...
Contributed by Sadie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Geassu
This looks like my video that I take down before hmmm well it's ok to spread KOTOKO over the world, she deserve it! This is one of my favorite songs!
Farish Imran
the song is so beautiful T.T I cried
brod.Esther
?
Fatal Code
exaggeration
Doomsday
i like the music