Learn Japanese N4 and N3 Vocabulary with "ANIMA" from "Sword Art Online"

Let's study N4 and N3 level Japanese with the song "ANIMA" from "Sword Art Online". Although some difficult kanji appear, they are all important words commonly used in daily life.

A Guide to the Japanese Anime Song "ANIMA" from "Sword Art Online"

"Sword Art Online" is a light novel series written by Reki Kawahara, with illustrations by abec. The story is set in the world's first VRMMORPG, "Sword Art Online" (SAO), where approximately 10,000 players find themselves trapped in a fully immersive virtual world.

The game's developer and genius quantum physicist, Akihiko Kayaba, reveals that players cannot log out voluntarily, the only way to escape is to clear the game by defeating the boss on the 100th floor of the floating castle "Aincrad," and if a player dies in the game, they die in real life.

"ANIMA" is the opening theme for the final chapter of the anime adaptation. It's ReoNa's representative song that passionately conveys the cry of the soul.

The Japanese Lyrics of "ANIMA" from "Sword Art Online"

魂の色は何色ですか
Tamashii no iro wa naniiro desu ka

「もういっそ折れたままで」捨てるほど逃げ出すほど強くないよほらもう一度鼓動、高鳴る何が正しいかなんてわからないけど
"Mō isso, oreta mama de" suteru hodo nigedasu hodo tsuyokunai yo hora mō ichido kodō, takanaru nani ga tadashii ka nante wakaranai kedo

形のないものばかりが大切になって行く飾らない言葉だけが強く結ばれてる
Katachi no nai mono bakari ga taisetsu ni natte iku kazaranai kotoba dake ga tsuyoku musubareteru

また躓いて転がってそれでも砕けない魂の色は何色ですかただ傷ついて強がってそれでも見つけたいよ魂のカタチ確かめてるよ
Mata tsumazuite korogatte sore demo kudakenai tamashii no iro wa naniiro desu ka tada kizutsuite tsuyogatte sore demo mitsuketai yo tamashii no katachi tashikameteru yo

深い地の底で一人扉と鍵を探すおとぎ話はほら泡の様に全部消えて葛藤、残像だけ次の頁(ページ)へ
Fukai chi no soko de hitori tobira to kagi o sagasu otogi banashi wa hora awa no yō ni zenbu kiete kattō, zanzō dake tsugi no pēji e

伸びてく枝葉が分かれてそれぞれの道を行く寂しい思い出だけが強く根を張ってる
Nobiteku edaha ga wakarete sorezore no michi o iku sabishii omoide dake ga tsuyoku ne o hatteru

まだ貫いて失ってそれでも挫けない心はどこに器はどこにただ残されて抜け落ちてそれでも伝えたいよ魂の日々を魂の意志をずっと
Mada tsuranuite ushinatte sore demo kujikenai kokoro wa doko ni utsuwa wa doko ni tada nokosarete nukeochite sore demo tsutaetai yo tamashii no hibi o tamashii no ishi o zutto

魂の色は何色ですか赤色ですか青色ですか魂の色は何色ですか透明な過去に不透明な明日に生きるあなたは何色ですか
Tamashii no iro wa naniiro desu ka akairo desu ka aoiro desu ka tamashii no iro wa naniiro desu ka tōmei na kako ni futōmei na ashita ni ikiru anata wa naniiro desu ka

また躓いて転がってそれでも砕けない魂の色は何色ですかただ傷ついて強がってそれでも見つけたいよ魂のカタチ確かめてるよずっとwoh-oh-oh
Mata tsumazuite korogatte sore demo kudakenai tamashii no iro wa naniiro desu ka tada kizutsuite tsuyogatte sore demo mitsuketai yo tamashii no katachi tashikameteru yo zutto woh-oh-oh

The English Translation of "ANIMA" from "Sword Art Online"

What the color of my soul is, I wonder

“I’d be best off losing heart like this”　Look, I’m not strong enough　To throw it all away and run for my life　Now my heart beats once again　I have yet to know　What’s the right thing to do

Something that has no shape　Grows more important to me　Only unaffected words　Make a strong tie themselves

I fell and tumbled down　Even so, I’m not breaking apart　What the color of my soul is, I wonder　I hurt and acted strong　Even so, I want to find it out　I’m looking for the shape of my soul

Down in the abyssal depth　All alone, seeking for the key　Fairy tales you know　Have thawed like a bubbleReluctance is mere afterglow　Leading to the next page

Growing branches split off　And go their own way　Only lonesome memories　Put down their roots in so deep

I tried and lost it all　Even so, I’m not giving in　Where are my heart and soul gone?

Left alone, falling off　Even so, I’ve got something to tell you　My soul, those days and volition　Forever and more

Tell me what the color of my soul is　Is it red? Or else is it blue?　What the color of my soul, I wonder　If you live both transparent past and opaque future　Tell me what the color of your soul is

I fell and tumbled down　Even so, I’m not breaking apart　What the color of my soul is, I wonder　 I hurt and acted strong　Even so, I want to find it out　I’m looking for the shape of my soul　everytime woh-oh-oh

A Step-by-Step Guide to Learning Japanese N4 and N3 Vocabulary with "ANIMA" from "Sword Art Online"

0:00~
魂の色は　何色ですか

What the color of my soul is, I wonder

vocabulary	hiragana	pronunciation	meaning	POS
魂	たましい	tamashii	spirit, soul	noun

0:17~
「もういっそ　折れたままで」　捨てるほど　逃げ出すほど　強くないよ　ほら　もう一度　鼓動、高鳴る　何が正しいかなんて　わからないけど

vocabulary	hiragana	pronunciation	meaning	POS
折れる	おれる	oreru	to break, to snap	2 verb
捨てる	すてる	suteru	to throw away	2 verb
逃げ出す	にげだす	nigedasu	to run away	1 verb
逃げる	にげる	nigeru	to escape	2 verb
鼓動	こどう	kodou	heartbeat	noun
高鳴る	たかなる	takanaru	to beat fast, to throb	1 verb
正しい	ただしい	tadashii	correct, right	i-adj

0:37~
形のないものばかりが　大切になって行く　飾らない言葉だけが　強く結ばれてる

Something that has no shape　Grows more important to me　Only unaffected words　Make a strong tie themselves

vocabulary	hiragana	pronunciation	meaning	POS
形	かたち	katachi	form, shape	noun
ばかり	ばかり	bakari	only, just	particle
飾る	かざる	kazaru	to decorate	1 verb
結ぶ	むすぶ	musubu	to tie, to bind	1 verb

0:57~
また　躓いて　転がって　それでも砕けない　魂の色は　何色ですか　ただ　傷ついて　強がって　それでも見つけたいよ　魂のカタチ　確かめてるよ

vocabulary	hiragana	pronunciation	meaning	POS
つまずく	つまずく	tsumazuku	to stumble, to trip	1 verb
転がる	ころがる	korogaru	to roll, to tumble	1 verb
砕ける	くだける	kudakeru	to be smashed, to be broken into pieces	2 verb
傷つく	きずつく	kizutsuku	to be wounded, to be hurt	1 verb
傷	きず	kizu	wound, injury	noun
強がる	つよがる	tsuyogaru	to pretend to be strong, to act tough	1 verb
見つける	みつける	mitsukeru	to find, to discover	2 verb
確かめる	たしかめる	tashikameru	to ascertain, to confirm	2 verb

1:28~
深い地の底で一人　扉と鍵を探す　おとぎ話は　ほら　泡の様に全部消えて　葛藤、残像だけ　次の　頁(ページ)へ

Down in the abyssal depth　All alone, seeking for the key　Fairy tales you know　Have thawed like a bubbleReluctance is mere afterglow　Leading to the next page

vocabulary	hiragana	pronunciation	meaning	POS
深い	ふかい	fukai	deep	i-adj
地	ち	chi	ground, earth	noun
底	そこ	soko	bottom	noun
扉	とびら	tobira	door, gate	noun
鍵	かぎ	kagi	key, lock	noun
探す	さがす	sagasu	to search, to look for	1 verb
おとぎ話	おとぎばなし	otogibanashi	fairy tale	noun
泡	あわ	awa	bubble, foam	noun
消える	きえる	kieru	to disappear, to vanish	2 verb
葛藤	かっとう	kattou	conflict, inner struggle	noun
残像	ざんぞう	zanzou	afterimage	noun

1:48~
伸びてく枝葉が分かれて　それぞれの道を行く　寂しい思い出だけが　強く根を張ってる

Growing branches split off　And go their own way　Only lonesome memories　Put down their roots in so deep

vocabulary	hiragana	pronunciation	meaning	POS
伸びる	のびる	nobiru	to stretch, to grow	2 verb
枝	えだ	eda	branch	noun
別れる	わかれる	wakareru	to part, to separate	2 verb
それぞれ	それぞれ	sorezore	each, respectively	na-adj
寂しい	さびしい	sabishii	lonely, sad	i-adj
思い出	おもいで	omoide	memory, recollection	noun
根をはる	ねをはる	ne o haru	to take root	1 verb
根	ね	ne	root	noun

2:10~
まだ　貫いて　失って　それでも挫けない　心はどこに　器はどこに　ただ　残されて　抜け落ちて　それでも伝えたいよ　魂の日々を　魂の意志を　ずっと

I tried and lost it all　Even so, I’m not giving in　Where are my heart and soul gone?　Left alone, falling off　Even so, I’ve got something to tell you　My soul, those days and volition　Forever and more

vocabulary	hiragana	pronunciation	meaning	POS
残す	のこす	nosoku	to leave (behind), to save, to reserve	1 verb
落ちる	おちる	ochiru	to fall, to drop	2 verb
伝える	つたえる	tsutaeru	to convey, to report, to transmit	2 verb
日々	ひび	hibi	every day, daily, day after day	noun
意志	いし	ishi	will, intention	noun
石	いし	ishi	stone	noun