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.
Agony
KOTOKO Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
届かないつぶやきだけ
夜の光に包まれて彷徨い行く
やがて見開くその瞳 運命なら
せめて そう、今だけ...
叶わないと俯(うつむ)く
夜風にただうなだれ
涙 月影 手の平に溢れてゆく
唇は闇に震えていた
出逢ったあの時に胸突いた笑顔
護りたくて
ずっと崩れそうな約束を
痛み潰すほどに抱きしめてた
側に居れるだけで
同じ時間にいられるだけで
遠い記憶
蘇る悲しみも温めて行けるのに
廻り続けている思いに
安らぎ満ちた終わりは来るの?
繰り返した問い掛けは天に舞い
明けの空の 光に変わる
全て幻 浮かんではまた消えてく
邪念かき消す指先に
絡み付いた無色の鎖
もがくほど孤独を編んでいた
断ち切られるように
踵(きびす)かえす風
冷たすぎる今も
「君がいるからだよ」と
闇に落ちた言葉 離れない
息をしてるだけで
同じ痛みを感じるだけで
ほんの少し幸せを積み上げる愛
気付いてしまった
凍えて肩寄せる瞳に
護りたいもの 見つかったから
次の夜明け
手にしてた後悔で錆びた欠片
光に変える
触れあうだけで
その幸せを思っただけで
こみ上げてく
束の間のさよならも
消えぬ絆になると
側に居られるだけで
同じ時間にいられるだけで
遠い記憶
蘇る悲しみも温めて行けるのに
刻み込まれていた証(しるし)に
導かれまた倒れる時も
見つめ合った一瞬が
千年の記憶を越え
光に変わる
The lyrics of KOTOKO's song "agony" express a sense of longing and despair, with a touch of hope. The singer appears to be wandering aimlessly through the night, engulfed in its solitude, with only their unfulfilled wishes and whispered hurts to keep them company. They're hoping for a chance to make their dreams come true, to escape the pain of their unattainable aspirations, if only for a moment. The imagery of tears, moonlight, and shadows all contribute to the melancholic tone of the song. Despite all this, the singer finds comfort in the memory of a smile that had touched them once before. That is the memory they cling to, the one that keeps them going through their struggles. They've made promises they wonder whether they'll be able to keep, but even if they falter, they'll always have the memory of that smile to fall back on.
The lyrics of "agony" evoke a bittersweet feeling of hope and despair that many people can relate to. The song is a reflection of the human experience, the highs, and lows that we all go through. It speaks to the longing within us all, the desire to chase our dreams, and the pain of falling short. The lyrics also emphasize the importance of memories, and how they can be a source of comfort and strength in difficult times. Despite the difficulties that the singer faces, they hold onto hope, and the belief that things will get better.
Line by Line Meaning
いつか見た夢
This dream that I once had
届かないつぶやきだけ
Only murmurs that don't reach anyone
夜の光に包まれて彷徨い行く
Lost and wandering, surrounded by the light of the night
やがて見開くその瞳 運命なら
If it's fate, then those eyes will eventually open
せめて そう、今だけ...
At least, just for right now...
叶わないと俯(うつむ)く
I'll bow my head, knowing that my wish won't come true
夜風にただうなだれ
I'll just droop in the night wind
涙 月影 手の平に溢れてゆく
Tears overflow onto my palm, as I'm bathed in moonlight
何が欲しいの?
What is it that I want?
唇は闇に震えていた
My lips tremble in the darkness
出逢ったあの時に胸突いた笑顔
That smile that pierced my heart when we first met
護りたくて
I wanted to protect it
ずっと崩れそうな約束を
I clung tightly to those promises that seemed fragile
痛み潰すほどに抱きしめてた
I held onto them so tightly it hurt
側に居れるだけで
Just being by your side
同じ時間にいられるだけで
Just being with you at the same time
遠い記憶
Distant memories
蘇る悲しみも温めて行けるのに
Can still be warmed, even as the sadness is resurrected
廻り続けている思いに
These thoughts that keep going around in circles
安らぎ満ちた終わりは来るの?
Will there be an end that's filled with peace?
繰り返した問い掛けは天に舞い
The repeated questions are carried away by the wind
明けの空の 光に変わる
To be transformed into the light of the dawn sky
全て幻 浮かんではまた消えてく
Everything is an illusion, appearing and disappearing again
邪念かき消す指先に
With my fingertips, I'll erase these wicked thoughts
絡み付いた無色の鎖
These colorless chains that are tangled around me
もがくほど孤独を編んでいた
The harder I struggled, the more I felt entwined in loneliness
断ち切られるように
But I want to cut them loose
踵(きびす)かえす風
The wind that makes me turn back
冷たすぎる今も
Even in this too-cold present
"君がいるからだよ"と
You're the reason
闇に落ちた言葉 離れない
Those words that fell into the darkness will never leave me
息をしてるだけで
Just by breathing
同じ痛みを感じるだけで
Just feeling the same pain
ほんの少し幸せを積み上げる愛
Love that slowly accumulates just a little bit of happiness
気付いてしまった
I realized it
凍えて肩寄せる瞳に
In those eyes where I huddle to keep warm
護りたいもの 見つかったから
Because I found something that I want to protect
次の夜明け
The next dawn
手にしてた後悔で錆びた欠片
The rusty fragments made of regrets that I once held
光に変える
I'll transform them into light
触れあうだけで
Just by touching each other
その幸せを思っただけで
Just by thinking about that happiness
こみ上げてく
It swells up inside me
束の間のさよならも
Even that short goodbye
消えぬ絆になると
Will become an unbreakable bond
刻み込まれていた証(しるし)に
A symbol that's been engraved
導かれまた倒れる時も
Even in guiding me through another fall
見つめ合った一瞬が
That moment we looked into each other's eyes
千年の記憶を越え
Transcends even the memories of a thousand years
光に変わる
It will become light
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KOTOKO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tedchupig
作詞: KOTOKO
作曲: 中沢伴行
いつか見た夢
届かないつぶやきだけ
夜の光に包まれて彷徨い行く
やがて見開く その瞳 運命なら
せめて そう、今だけ…
叶わないと俯(うつむ)く 夜風にただうなだれ
涙 月影 手の平に溢れてゆく
何が欲しいの?
唇は闇に震えていた
出逢ったあの時に胸突いた笑顔
護りたくて ずっと崩れそうな約束を
痛み潰すほどに抱きしめてた
側に居れるだけで
同じ時間にいられるだけで
遠い記憶 蘇る悲しみも温めて行けるのに
廻り続けている思いに
安らぎ満ちた終わりは来るの?
繰り返した問い掛けは天に舞い
明けの空の 光に変わる
全て幻 浮かんではまた消えてく
邪念かき消す指先に絡み付いた無色の鎖
もがくほど孤独を編んでいた
断ち切られるように踵(きびす)かえす風
冷たすぎる今も「君がいるからだよ」と
闇に落ちた言葉 離れない
息をしてるだけで
同じ痛みを感じるだけで
ほんの少し幸せを積み上げる愛
気付いてしまった
凍えて肩寄せる瞳に
護りたいもの 見つかったから
次の夜明け 手にしてた後悔で錆びた欠片
光に変える
触れあうだけでその幸せを思っただけで
こみ上げてく
束の間のさよならも 消えぬ絆になると
側に居られるだけで
同じ時間にいられるだけで
遠い記憶 蘇る悲しみも温めて行けるのに
刻み込まれていた証(しるし)に
導かれまた倒れる時も
見つめ合った一瞬が千年の記憶を越え
光に変わる
@user-nb2sk6lf8o
懐かしい...神無月の巫女
@nanamimiplus
最後の「一瞬」と「千年」の対比も美しいですし、そこに向かって階段を登るように盛り上がっていくのが最高すぎる！
@Anda1427
LEGEND SONG!!! My fav song since I was 14... now I'm about 28..
@Russsian_Simp
damn i was 14 too but im only 22 now...
@DanTJones
@@Russsian_Simp I was 15 back when this song just released, thought the anime was cool cause the mecha didnt realize it was a yuri at the time. im now 35 lol
@touhoubaka
エロゲでもアニソンでもほんと作詞能力高すぎて惚れる
聞くだけでその作品の思い出が沸きあがってくるんだよな
@tetsuhau
歌詞が神無月の巫女に合ってたんだよなぁ。曲聞くとedの一枚絵の美しさを思い出す
@Fogoat
Such a legendary track from Kotoko and Tomoyuki Nakazawa. This is the track that got me into I've Sound way back in 2004, been a big fan since then.
@hakuvevo6330
このアーティストはとても素晴らしき美しい声、素敵な人です！宝です日本の
@tedchupig
作詞: KOTOKO
作曲: 中沢伴行
いつか見た夢
届かないつぶやきだけ
夜の光に包まれて彷徨い行く
やがて見開く その瞳 運命なら
せめて そう、今だけ…
叶わないと俯(うつむ)く 夜風にただうなだれ
涙 月影 手の平に溢れてゆく
何が欲しいの?
唇は闇に震えていた
出逢ったあの時に胸突いた笑顔
護りたくて ずっと崩れそうな約束を
痛み潰すほどに抱きしめてた
側に居れるだけで
同じ時間にいられるだけで
遠い記憶 蘇る悲しみも温めて行けるのに
廻り続けている思いに
安らぎ満ちた終わりは来るの?
繰り返した問い掛けは天に舞い
明けの空の 光に変わる
全て幻 浮かんではまた消えてく
邪念かき消す指先に絡み付いた無色の鎖
もがくほど孤独を編んでいた
断ち切られるように踵(きびす)かえす風
冷たすぎる今も「君がいるからだよ」と
闇に落ちた言葉 離れない
息をしてるだけで
同じ痛みを感じるだけで
ほんの少し幸せを積み上げる愛
気付いてしまった
凍えて肩寄せる瞳に
護りたいもの 見つかったから
次の夜明け 手にしてた後悔で錆びた欠片
光に変える
触れあうだけでその幸せを思っただけで
こみ上げてく
束の間のさよならも 消えぬ絆になると
側に居られるだけで
同じ時間にいられるだけで
遠い記憶 蘇る悲しみも温めて行けるのに
刻み込まれていた証(しるし)に
導かれまた倒れる時も
見つめ合った一瞬が千年の記憶を越え
光に変わる