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..
Angelfish
plastic tree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shiroi kumo mitai kimi no fuku hatameita
Baramaite chizu o suteta
Odoketeru boku o okottari shinai de ne
Hidoku atsui gogo shizuka ni kurutta
Takaku kimochi wa ichizu ni seisouken e
Sui-komareteku boku o kimi wa soko de waratte mitete
Sotto sora o nobotte dandan kimi ga mienaku natte
Zutto memai no you ni kuri-kaesu manatsu no mahiru no yume
Mata boku o hitori ni suru
"Ne~, boku ga soko kara wakaru?"
Sotto sora o nobotte dandan kimi ga mienaku natte
Zutto memai no you ni yume o mite okashiku natta
Hikuku hikouki ga tonde KIRAKIRA kiei ga hirameita
Boku wa sakana ni natte gunjou no sora yurari fukaku mogutte
Hikari no naka oyoide yuku
The lyrics to Plastic Tree’s song “Angelfish” paint a vivid picture of anxiety and isolation. The first two lines of the song describe a summer day with a sweet green color and the sound of cicadas, yet the next line alludes to something ominous: “shiroi kumo mitai kimi no fuku hatameita,” which means “your clothes sparkled like white clouds.” From there, the singer describes himself as foolishly tossing away his map, becoming insane in the heat of the afternoon, and eventually feeling like he’s sinking underwater as the person he’s addressing (presumably a lover) watches him from above with detachment. The final line suggests the singer is trying to swim towards a source of light.
The chorus is hauntingly beautiful with its repeated imagery of the person disappearing little by little until the singer can’t see them anymore. The line “zutto memai no you ni kuri-kaesu manatsu no mahiru no yume,” which means “I always have a dizzying midday dream during the monotonous midsummer,” is especially striking. The singer is left alone in the end, but still holds on to the memory of the person disappearing and the surreal dreams that come with it.
Overall, “Angelfish” is a melancholic yet poetic reflection on the feeling of being left behind and forgotten. It’s a reminder of how quickly people can slip away from each other, like the titular angelfish disappearing into the deep blue sea.
Line by Line Meaning
Amai midori de zeijaku ni semi wa naita
The cicadas cried in the sweet greenery
Shiroi kumo mitai kimi no fuku hatameita
Your clothes sparkled like white clouds
Baramaite chizu o suteta
I tore up and threw away the map
Odoketeru boku o okottari shinai de ne
Don't get angry with me for being so silly
Hidoku atsui gogo shizuka ni kurutta
In the hot, insane afternoon, I went crazy in silence
Takaku kimochi wa ichizu ni seisouken e
My feelings soared straight into a clear blue sky
Sui-komareteku boku o kimi wa soko de waratte mitete
You watched me sink and laughed from there
Sotto sora o nobotte dandan kimi ga mienaku natte
Quietly, as I rise higher and higher, you disappear from my sight
Zutto memai no you ni kuri-kaesu manatsu no mahiru no yume
A dizzying dream of midday in midsummer that keeps repeating forever
Mata boku o hitori ni suru
Once again, I am left alone
"Ne~, boku ga soko kara wakaru?"
"Hey, do you understand me from there?"
Zutto memai no you ni yume o mite okashiku natta
I continue to have strange, dizzying dreams
Hikuku hikouki ga tonde KIRAKIRA kiei ga hirameita
Low-flying airplanes soared and glittering sparks flew
Boku wa sakana ni natte gunjou no sora yurari fukaku mogutte
I became a fish, swaying and swimming deep in the ultramarine sky
Hikari no naka oyoide yuku
I swim into the light
Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nai
Your clothes fluttered like white clouds