Let's study advanced Japanese with the song "only my railgun." This legendary track, which ranked sixth in the Anime Song General Election, is from the anime "A Certain Scientific Railgun"
A Guide to the Japanese Anime Song "only my railgun" from "A Certain Scientific Railgun"
"A Certain Scientific Railgun" is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuma Kamachi (original story), illustrated by Motoi Fuyukawa, and with character design by Kiyotaka Haimura. Misaka Mikoto, one of the seven Level 5 espers in Academy City, possesses the ability to control electricity and is known as the "Railgun" due to her power.
"only my railgun" serves as the opening theme for the first season of the TV anime. This exhilarating song has become legendary among Japanese anime songs.
The Japanese Lyrics of "only my railgun" from "A Certain Scientific Railgun"
放て!心に刻んだ夢を 未来さえ置き去りにして 限界など知らない 意味無い! この能力(チカラ)が光散らす その先に遥かな想いを
hanate! kokoro ni kizanda yume wo, mirai sae okizari ni shite genkai nado shiranai, imi nai! kono chikara ga hikari chirasu, sono saki ni haruka na omoi wo
歩いてきた この道を 振り返ることしか 出来ないから…今ここで全てを壊せる
aruite kita, kono michi wo, furi kaeru koto shika dekinai nara…ima koko de subete wo kowaseru
暗闇に堕ちる街並み 人はどこまで立ち向かえるの? 加速するその痛みから 誰かをきっと守れるよ
kurayami ni ochiru machinami, hito wa doko made tachi mukaeru no? kasoku suru sono itami kara, dare ka wo kitto mamoreru yo
Looking! The blitz loop this planet to search way. Only my RAILGUN can shoot it.今すぐ 身体中を 光の速さで 駆け巡った 確かな予感 掴め!望むものなら残さず 輝ける自分らしさで 信じてるよ あの日の誓いを この瞳に光る涙 それさえも強さになるから
Looking! The blitz loop this planet to search way. Only my RAILGUN can shoot it. ima sugu karadajuu wo, hikari no hayasa de kake megutta, tashika na yokan tsukame! nozomu mono nara nokosazu, kagayakeru jibun rashisa de shinjiteru yo, ano hi no chikai wo kono hitomi ni hikaru namida, sore sae mo tsuyosa ni naru kara
立ち止まると 少しだけ 感じる切なさに 戸惑う事 無いなんて嘘はつけないよ
tachi domaru to, sukoshi dake, kanjiru setsunasa ni tomadou koto, nai nante uso wa tsukanai yo
宙(そら)に舞うコインが描く 放物線が決める運命 打ち出した答えが今日も 私の胸を駆け巡る
sora ni mau koin ga egaku, houbutsusen ga kimeru unmei uchi dashita kotae ga kyou mo, watashi no mune wo kake meguru
Sparkling! The shiny lights awake true desire. Only my RAILGUN can shoot.必ず 貫いてく 途惑うことなく 傷ついても 走り続ける 狙え!凛と煌く視線は 狂い無く闇を切り裂く 迷いなんて 吹き飛ばせばいい この心が叫ぶ限り 誰ひとり邪魔などさせない
Sparkling! The shiny lights awake true desire. Only my RAILGUN can shoot it. kanarazu tsuranuiteku, tomadou koto naku kizutsuitemo, hashiri tsudzukeru nerae! rin to kirameku shisen wa, kurui naku yami wo kiri saku mayoi nante, fuki tobaseba ii kono kokoro ga sakebu kagiri, dare hitori jama nado sasenai
儚く舞う 無数の願いは この両手に 積もってゆく 切り裂く闇に 見えてくるのは 重く深く 切ない記憶
hakanaku mau, musuu no negai wa kono ryoute ni, tsumotte yuku kiri saku yami ni, miete kuru no wa omoku fukaku, setsunai kioku
色褪せてく 現実に揺れる 絶望には 負けたくない 私が今 私であること 胸を張って 全て誇れる!
iro aseteku, genjitsu ni yureru zetsubou ni wa, maketakunai watashi ga ima, watashi de aru koto mune wo hatte, subete hokoreru!
Looking! The blitz loop this planet to search way. Only my RAILGUN can shoot it.今すぐ
身体中を 光の速さで 駆け巡った 確かな予感
Looking! The blitz loop this planet to search way. Only my RAILGUN can shoot it. ima sugu karadajuu wo, hikari no hayasa de kake megutta, tashika na yokan
放て!心に刻んだ夢を 未来さえ置き去りにして 限界など知らない 意味無い! この能力(チカラ)が光散らす その先に遥かな想いを
hanate! kokoro ni kizanda yume wo, mirai sae okizari ni shite genkai nado shiranai, imi nai! kono chikara ga hikari chirasu, sono saki ni haruka na omoi wo
The English Translation of "only my railgun" from "A Certain Scientific Railgun"
Release! The dreams engraved in my heart, leaving even the future behind. I know no limits; they are meaningless! This power scatters light, and beyond it lies distant emotions.
Walking down this road, unable to do anything but look back… Now, right here, I can destroy everything.
The cityscape falls into darkness. How far can people confront it? From the accelerating pain, I'll surely protect someone.
Looking! The blitz loop this planet to search the way. Only my RAILGUN can shoot it. Right now, Throughout my body, at the speed of light, I had a definite premonition.
Grab! If it's something I desire, I won't leave it behind. With the radiance of being myself, I believe in it. The promise of that day, Even the tears shining in these eyes become strength.
If I stop, just a bit, I feel a slight sadness. There's no way to avoid being confused.
The coin dancing in the sky draws a parabola, deciding fate. The answer I launched circulates through my heart again today.
Sparkling! The shiny lights awake true desire. Only my RAILGUN can shoot. Surely, Penetrating without hesitation, Even if I'm wounded, I'll keep running.
Aim! The piercing and sparkling gaze decisively cuts through the darkness. Just blow away any hesitation. As long as this heart shouts, no one will interfere.
The countless wishes dancing fleetingly Accumulate in these hands. In the darkness I tear apart, what becomes visible is Heavy, deep, and painful memories.
Fading, swaying in reality, I don't want to lose to despair. Being who I am now, I proudly embrace everything!
Looking! The blitz loop this planet to search the way. Only my RAILGUN can shoot it. Right now, Throughout my body, at the speed of light, I had a definite premonition.
Release! The dreams engraved in my heart, leaving even the future behind. I know no limits; they are meaningless! This power scatters light, and beyond it lies distant emotions.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Learning Japanese Advanced Vocabulary with "only my railgun" from "A Certain Scientific Railgun"
0:13~
放て!心に刻んだ夢を 未来さえ置き去りにして 限界など知らない 意味無い! この能力(チカラ)が光散らす その先に遥かな想いを
Release! The dreams engraved in my heart, leaving even the future behind. I know no limits; they are meaningless! This power scatters light, and beyond it lies distant emotions.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 放つ | はなつ | hanatsu | to release, to emit | 1 verb |
| 心 | こころ | kokoro | heart, mind | noun |
| 刻む | きざむ | kizamu | to carve, to engrave | 1 verb |
| 夢 | ゆめ | yume | dream | noun |
| 未来 | みらい | mirai | future | noun |
| さえ | さえ | sae | even | particle |
| 置き去り | おきざり | okizari | abandonment | noun |
| 限界 | げんかい | genkai | limit | noun |
| 能力 | のうりょく | nōryoku | ability | noun |
| 光 | ひかり | hikari | light | noun |
| 散らす | ちらす | chirasu | to scatter | 1 verb |
0:33~
歩いてきた この道を 振り返ることしか 出来ないから…今ここで全てを壊せる
Walking down this road, unable to do anything but look back... Now, right here, I can destroy everything.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 振り返る | ふりかえる | furikaeru | to look back | 1 verb |
| 壊す | こわす | kowasu | to break, to destroy | 1 verb |
0:46~
暗闇に堕ちる街並み 人はどこまで立ち向かえるの? 加速するその痛みから 誰かをきっと守れるよ
The cityscape falls into darkness. How far can people confront it? From the accelerating pain, I'll surely protect someone.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 暗闇 | くらやみ | kurayami | darkness | noun |
| 暗い | くらい | kurai | dark | na-adj |
| 闇 | やみ | yami | darkness | noun |
| 街並み | まちなみ | machinami | cityscape | noun |
| 立ち向かう | たちむかう | tachimukau | to confront, to stand up to | 1 verb |
| 加速 | かそく | kasoku | acceleration | noun |
| 痛み | いたみ | itami | pain | noun |
| 守る | まもる | mamoru | to protect | 1 verb |
1:01~
Looking! The blitz loop this planet to search way. Only my RAILGUN can shoot it.今すぐ 身体中を 光の速さで 駆け巡った 確かな予感 掴め!望むものなら残さず 輝ける自分らしさで 信じてるよ あの日の誓いを この瞳に光る涙 それさえも強さになるから
Looking! The blitz loop this planet to search the way. Only my RAILGUN can shoot it. Right now, Throughout my body, at the speed of light, I had a definite premonition. Grab! If it's something I desire, I won't leave it behind. With the radiance of being myself, I believe in it. The promise of that day, Even the tears shining in these eyes become strength.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 予感 | よかん | yokan | premonition | noun |
| つかむ | つかむ | tsukamu | to seize | 1 verb |
| 望む | のぞむ | nozomu | to hope, to wish | 1 verb |
| 輝く | かがやく | kagayaku | to shine, to sparkle | 1 verb |
| らしさ | らしさ | rasa | characteristic, essence | noun |
| 誓う | ちかう | chikau | to pledge, to vow | 1 verb |
| 瞳 | ひとみ | hitomi | pupil (of the eye) | noun |
| 涙 | なみだ | namida | tear | noun |
1:36~
立ち止まると 少しだけ 感じる切なさに 戸惑う事 無いなんて嘘はつけないよ
If I stop, just a bit, I feel a slight sadness. There's no way to avoid being confused.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 立ち止まる | たちどまる | tachidomaru | to stop, to stand still | 1 verb |
| 切ない | せつない | setsunai | heartbreaking | na-adj |
| 戸惑う | とまどう | tomadou | to be bewildered | 1 verb |
| 嘘 | うそ | uso | lie | noun |
1:49~
宙(そら)に舞うコインが描く 放物線が決める運命 打ち出した答えが今日も 私の胸を駆け巡る
The coin dancing in the sky draws a parabola, deciding fate. The answer I launched circulates through my heart again today.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 舞う | まう | mau | to dance, to flutter | 1 verb |
| コイン | こいん | koin | coin | noun |
| 描く | えがく | egaku | to draw, to depict | 1 verb |
| 運命 | うんめい | unmei | destiny | noun |
2:04~
Sparkling! The shiny lights awake true desire. Only my RAILGUN can shoot.必ず 貫いてく 途惑うことなく 傷ついても 走り続ける 狙え!凛と煌く視線は 狂い無く闇を切り裂く 迷いなんて 吹き飛ばせばいい この心が叫ぶ限り 誰ひとり邪魔などさせない
Sparkling! The shiny lights awake true desire. Only my RAILGUN can shoot. Surely, Penetrating without hesitation, Even if I'm wounded, I'll keep running. Aim! The piercing and sparkling gaze decisively cuts through the darkness. Just blow away any hesitation. As long as this heart shouts, no one will interfere.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 貫く | つらぬく | turanuku | to pierce through | 1 verb |
| 傷つく | きずつく | kizutsuku | to get hurt | 1 verb |
| 狙う | ねらう | nerau | to aim, to target | 1 verb |
| きらめく | きらめく | kirameku | to glitter, to sparkle | 1 verb |
| 視線 | しせん | shisen | line of sight, gaze | noun |
| 狂う | くるう | kuruu | to go mad, to get out of order | 1 verb |
| 裂く | さく | saku | to tear, to split | 1 verb |
| 吹き飛ばす | ふきとばす | fukitobasu | blow off | 1 verb |
| 叫ぶ | さけぶ | sakebu | to shout, to scream | 1 verb |
| 邪魔 | じゃま | jama | hindrance, obstacle | noun |
3:04~
儚く舞う 無数の願いは この両手に 積もってゆく 切り裂く闇に 見えてくるのは 重く深く 切ない記憶
The countless wishes dancing fleetingly Accumulate in these hands. In the darkness I tear apart, what becomes visible is Heavy, deep, and painful memories.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 無数 | むすう | musu | countless, numberless | na-adj |
| 願い | ねがい | negai | wish, desire | noun |
| 積もる | つもる | tsumoru | to pile up, to accumulate | 1 verb |
| 記憶 | きおく | kioku | memory | noun |
3:18~
色褪せてく 現実に揺れる 絶望には 負けたくない 私が今 私であること 胸を張って 全て誇れる!
Fading, swaying in reality, I don't want to lose to despair. Being who I am now, I proudly embrace everything!
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 揺れる | ゆれる | yureru | to shake, to sway | 2 verb |
| 絶望 | ぜつぼう | zetsubou | despair | noun |
| 誇り | ほこり | hokori | pride | noun |
Related Word to 絶望
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 絶望 | ぜつぼう | zetsubou | despair | noun |
| 希望 | きぼう | kibou | hope | noun |