Plastic Tree is an alternative rock band from Chiba, Japan that was forme… Read Full Bio ↴Plastic Tree is an alternative rock band from Chiba, Japan that was formed in December 1993 by 有村竜太朗 (Arimura Ryutaro) and Hasegawa Tadashi. Since then, the line-up has changed a few times before settling on Ryutaro on vocals, Tadashi on bass, Nakayama Akira on guitar and Satou Kenken on drums. Tadashi is the leader but most decisions are made as a group.

Ryutaro and Tadashi wanted to combine two words to form the band name; something artificial and something natural. After trying a few combinations, they decided on ‘Plastic Tree’. Formerly, there were rumours floating around the web about the band’s name coming from Fake Plastic Trees but this was always disputed due to timing inconsistencies.

In the beginning, Plastic Tree were influenced greatly by The Cure. There was also a large britrock influence. Plastic Tree played a mix of indie rock, punk, and heavier grunge, characterized by Ryutaro’s generic Visual Kei voice and gloomy lyrics. They went through a period where they played more pop-rock and radio-style rock music, although they have recently returned from lighter music to their original roots.

In July 2006, Plastic Tree embarked on their first world tour that took them to Germany, France and Finland.

On the 23rd of February 2009, Sasabuchi Hiroshi left the band and was later replaced by Satou Kenken..

SANBIKA
Plastic Tree Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

MIFFY kimi USAGI no
Me kanashimi tsure
Sotte nani, miteru no?
Mousou hari togaru
Tsuki nenmaku no yoru
Ni fukai kizuato wo
Hakanai setsuna no
Hana tayasuku tsumande

Wa mata moyashite
Kuchidzuke tabun kusatta
Mitsu namida no jouki
De hora kumottekun da

MOONLIGHT
Futte kaitenmokuba GURUGURU
Mawatte namida kawaite
Kokoro dake de doko made toberu
No? kamisama, daraku shichai sou.

Sanbika irotoridori no sekai de hibiite
Kimi made todoite yo
KIRAKIRA yume no namida ni furetara
Subete yurusareteku you na

Sakkaku tayasuku
Sameru houkyaku
Shichaeba tabun shiawase
Shinkirou hana fuan
Iro kaiseki funou no boku no kanjou

TWILIGHT ga kite mahou ga samete
Mo kimi dake wa kienai de
Kari mono no tsubasa BATA tsukase
Nagara kamisama, daraku shichai sou.

Sanbika irotoridori no sekai de hibiite
Kimi made todoite yo
KIRAKIRA yume no namida ni furetara
Subete yurusareteku you de
Sanbika irotoridori no sekai de eien no
Imi wo oshiete yo
KIRAKIRA yume no namida ga afurete

Subete sukowareteku kara
Sonna ki ga shitan da.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Plastic Tree's song SANBIKA are an exploration of the complexities of human emotion and experience. The opening lines refer to both MIFFY and kimi USAGI, which are characters from children's books, perhaps suggesting a desire to return to a simpler, more innocent time. However, the mention of sadness and the question "what are you looking at?" indicate that the singer is currently experiencing feelings of melancholy and confusion. The lines "moonlight / spinning carousel, spinning / tears dry up / how far can you fly with just your heart?" add to this sense of longing and uncertainty.

The chorus offers a glimmer of hope, with the idea that in a world of many colors and sounds, the singer's voice can still be heard and their dreams can be realized. The repetition of "Sanbika" throughout the chorus also gives the song a sense of structure and stability. However, the following verse once again brings up feelings of doubt and fear, as the singer considers the possibility of happiness if they were to wake up from their illusion. The final lines, "if the glittering tears of dreams overflow / everything will be saved," indicate that the singer is beginning to see the value in holding onto their hopes and dreams.

Overall, SANBIKA is a song that explores the highs and lows of the human experience, reminding us that even in moments of doubt and sadness, there is always the potential for hope and happiness.

Line by Line Meaning

MIFFY kimi USAGI no
Miffy, are you carrying the sadness of Usagi? What are you holding onto? Are the delusions piercing you? The moon is shining, and you have deep scars. You cling to a fleeting moment, gently enveloping it. Once again, you ignite it with a kiss, perhaps tainted. The steam of tears flows, and look, you're covered in clouds.

MOONLIGHT
Moonlight shines as the world revolves around and around like a carousel. As the tears dry up, only the heart can fly anywhere. Right? Maybe God will be corrupted.

Sanbika irotoridori no sekai de hibiite Kimi made todoite yo KIRAKIRA yume no namida ni furetara Subete yurusareteku you na
In a world full of colorful music, I want it to reach you. If you touch the sparkling tears of dreams, everything will be forgiven and accepted as you are.

Sakkaku tayasuku Sameru houkyaku Shichaeba tabun shiawase Shinkirou hana fuan Iro kaiseki funou no boku no kanjou
Illusions are easily dispelled. If you wake up, you may be happy. The mirage of a flower brings anxiety. But I cannot analyze my emotions.

TWILIGHT ga kite mahou ga samete Mo kimi dake wa kienai de Kari mono no tsubasa BATA tsukase Nagara kamisama, daraku shichai sou.
As twilight falls and magic fades away, I hope only you won't disappear. Wearing temporary wings, while God may be corrupted.

Sanbika irotoridori no sekai de hibiite Kimi made todoite yo KIRAKIRA yume no namida ni furetara Subete yurusareteku you de Sanbika irotoridori no sekai de eien no Imi wo oshiete yo KIRAKIRA yume no namida ga afurete Subete sukowareteku kara Sonna ki ga shitan da.
In a world full of colorful music, I want it to resonate and reach you. If you touch the sparkling tears of dreams, everything will be forgiven and accepted as you are. Teach me the eternal meaning in a world full of vibrant music. Because I have a feeling that if you're overwhelmed with the sparkling tears, everything will be saved.

Contributed by Bentley B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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