Let's study Japanese through "Dekoboko," the opening theme of "A Couple of Cuckoos." Is it currently one of the most popular romantic comedy anime?
A Guide to the Japanese Anime Song "Dekoboko" from "A Couple of Cuckoos"
"A Couple of Cuckoos" is a Japanese manga series by Miki Yoshikawa. Nagi Umino, attending the prestigious private school Megurokawa Academy, learns the shocking truth of being a "switched at birth" child after 16 years. On his way to meet his biological parents, he coincidentally encounters Erica Amano, who is on her way to meet her fiancé. She forcefully asks Nagi to pretend to be her boyfriend. It turns out that Nagi was the one who was switched at birth with Erica, and he learns that he was supposed to be Erica's fiancé.
"Dekoboko" was used as the opening theme for the first season of the anime. Is it currently the most popular romantic comedy anime?
The Japanese Lyrics of "Dekoboko" from "A Couple of Cuckoos"
だって目の前にあるものが全てだし 疑うこともしなかった 地球は丸い 丸くて青い 世界はいつだって未知数だ
Datte me no mae ni aru mono ga subete da shi Utagau koto mo shinakatta Chikyuu wa marui marukute aoi Sekai wa itsu datte michisuu da
自分にないものを あなたが持っているんだ 混ぜたら危険でしょうか
Jibun ni nai mono o anata ga motteiru nda Mazetara kiken deshou ka
運命を少しかじっただけなのにもう忙しい 知らなかったそんな顔もするんだね もっと見たいな 不思議なものでふたりはいつだってないものねだり 真逆過ぎて似てるね 凸凹に重なる
Unmei o sukoshi kajitta dake nanoni mou isogashii Shiranakatta sonna kao mo suru nda ne Motto mitai na fushigi na mono de Futari wa itsu datte nai mono nedari Magyaku sugite niteru ne Dekoboko ni kasanaru
取って付けたような 脆いピースなんていらないの 望むのはがっちりとハマるパズルゲーム あなたに会えば うるさく鳴る鼓動が 不可能を可能にする
Totte tsuketa you na moroi piisu nante iranai no Nozomu no wa gacchiri to hamaru pazuru geemu Anata ni aeba urusaku naru kodou ga Fukanou o kanou ni suru
自分を決めつけて あなたを躊躇ってたんだ 広がる世界に涙した
Jibun o kimetsukete anata o tamerattetanda Hirogaru sekai ni namida shita
今以上に有り得ない展開が待ち伏せしてる 怖がらないで迎えたい 凸凹でいいんだ
Ima ijou ni arienai tenkai ga machibuseteiru Kowagaranaide mukaetai Dekoboko de ii nda
それは単純でいて明快なこと 誰にでもある足りないこと 知らないことは知りたいこと 手を取り合うように ハマってしまったんだ
Sore wa tanjun de ite meikai na koto Dare ni demo aru tarinai koto Shiranai koto wa shiritai koto Te o tori au you ni hamatte shimattanda
運命を少しかじっただけなのにもう忙しい 知らなかったそんな顔もするんだね ずっと見せてね 不思議なものでふたりはいつだってないものねだり 真逆過ぎて似てるね 凸凹なふたりは 凸凹に重なる
Unmei o sukoshi kajitta dake nanoni mou isogashii Shiranakatta sonna kao mo suru nda ne Zutto misete ne fushigi na mono de Futari wa itsu datte nai mono nedari Magyaku sugite niteru ne Dekoboko na futari wa Dekoboko ni kasanaru
The English Translation of "Dekoboko" from "A Couple of Cuckoos"
Here is the English translation of the lyrics:
Because everything in front of me is everything, and I never doubted it. The Earth is round, round and blue, and the world is always an unknown.
You have something I don't. Is it dangerous if we mix them?
I've only nibbled on fate a bit, but now it's busy. I didn't know you could make that face. I want to see more. With mysterious things, we're always wanting something we don't have. We're so different, yet so similar, overlapping in bumps and dents.
I don't need fragile pieces that seem forced. I wish for a puzzle game that fits perfectly. When I meet you, my heartbeat rings loudly, making the impossible possible.
I prejudged myself and hesitated with you, shedding tears for the expanding world.
Unthinkable developments beyond now are lying in wait. I want to welcome them without fear. It's okay to have bumps and dents.
It's a simple and clear thing, something everyone lacks. Wanting to know things we don't know, like holding hands. We got stuck together.
I've only nibbled on fate a bit, but now it's busy. I didn't know you could make that face. Show it to me forever. With mysterious things, we're always wanting something we don't have. We're so different, yet so similar, the uneven couple overlapping in bumps and dents.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Learning N4 and N3 Japanese Vocabulary with "Dekoboko" from "A Couple of Cuckoos"
0:04~
だって目の前にあるものが全てだし 疑うこともしなかった 地球は丸い 丸くて青い 世界はいつだって未知数だ
Because everything in front of me is everything, and I never doubted it. The Earth is round, round and blue, and the world is always an unknown.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 疑う | うたがう | utagau | to doubt, to suspect | 1 verb |
| 地球 | ちきゅう | chikyuu | earth, globe | noun |
| 丸 | まる | maru | circle, round | noun |
| 世界 | せかい | sekai | world | noun |
Related Word to 丸い
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 丸 | まる | maru | circle, round | noun |
| 四角 | しかく | shikaku | square | noun |
| 三角 | さんかく | sankaku | triangle | noun |
0:26~
自分にないものを あなたが持っているんだ 混ぜたら危険でしょうか
You have something I don't. Is it dangerous if we mix them?
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 自分 | じぶん | jibun | oneself | noun |
| 混ぜる | まぜる | mazeru | to mix | 2 verb |
| 危険 | きけん | kiken | danger | noun |
Related Word to 危険
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 危険 | きけん | kiken | danger | noun |
| 危ない | あぶない | abunai | dangerous | i-adj |
0:36~
運命を少しかじっただけなのにもう忙しい 知らなかったそんな顔もするんだね もっと見たいな 不思議なものでふたりはいつだってないものねだり 真逆過ぎて似てるね 凸凹に重なる
I've only nibbled on fate a bit, but now it's busy. I didn't know you could make that face. I want to see more. With mysterious things, we're always wanting something we don't have. We're so different, yet so similar, overlapping in bumps and dents.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 運命 | うんめい | unmei | destiny, fate | noun |
| かじる | かじる | kajiru | to bite, to chew | 1 verb |
| 忙しい | いそがしい | isogashii | busy | i-adj |
| 不思議 | ふしぎ | fushigi | mysterious, strange | na-adj |
| 無い物ねだり | ないものねだり | naimono-nedari | wanting what one doesn't have | idiom |
| 逆 | ぎゃく | gyaku | opposite, reverse | noun |
| 似る | にる | niru | to resemble | 2 verb |
| 凸凹 | でこぼこ | dekoboko | unevenness, roughness | noun |
| 重なる | かさなる | kasanaru | to overlap, to be piled up | 1 verb |
Related Word to 凸凹
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 凸凹 | でこぼこ | dekoboko | unevenness, roughness | noun |
| 凹凸 | おうとつ | outotsu | unevenness, irregularities | noun |
1:18~
取って付けたような 脆いピースなんていらないの 望むのはがっちりとハマるパズルゲーム あなたに会えば うるさく鳴る鼓動が 不可能を可能にする
I don't need fragile pieces that seem forced. I wish for a puzzle game that fits perfectly. When I meet you, my heartbeat rings loudly, making the impossible possible.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| もろい | もろい | moroi | fragile, delicate | i-adj |
| ピース | ぴーす | pi-su | peace, peace sign | noun |
| 望む | のぞむ | nozomu | to hope, to wish | 1 verb |
| パズル | ぱずる | pazuru | puzzle | noun |
| ゲーム | げーむ | ge-mu | game | noun |
| うるさい | うるさい | urusai | noisy, loud | i-adj |
| 不可能 | ふかのう | fukanou | impossible | na-adj |
| 可能 | かのう | kanou | possible | na-adj |
1:40~
自分を決めつけて あなたを躊躇ってたんだ 広がる世界に涙した
I prejudged myself and hesitated with you, shedding tears for the expanding world.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ためらう | ためらう | tamerau | to hesitate | 1 verb |
| 涙 | なみだ | namida | tear | noun |
1:50~
今以上に有り得ない展開が待ち伏せしてる 怖がらないで迎えたい 凸凹でいいんだ
Unthinkable developments beyond now are lying in wait. I want to welcome them without fear. It's okay to have bumps and dents.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 以上 | いじょう | ijou | more than, above | noun |
| 展開 | てんかい | tenkai | development, expansion | noun |
| 怖い | こわい | kowai | scary, frightening | i-adj |
| 迎える | むかえる | mukaeru | to welcome, to greet | 2 verb |
Related Word to 以上
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 以上 | いじょう | ijou | more than, above | noun |
| 以下 | いか | ika | less than, below | noun |
| 未満 | みまん | miman | less than | noun |
2:19~
それは単純でいて明快なこと 誰にでもある足りないこと 知らないことは知りたいこと 手を取り合うように ハマってしまったんだ
It's a simple and clear thing, something everyone lacks. Wanting to know things we don't know, like holding hands. We got stuck together.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 単純 | たんじゅん | tanjun | simple | na-adj |
| 誰 | だれ | dare | who | pronoun |
| 足りる | たりる | tariru | to be sufficient, to be enough | 2 verb |
| はまる | はまる | hamaru | to be addicted, to fit | 1 verb |
Related Word to 単純
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 単純 | たんじゅん | tanjun | simple | na-adj |
| 複雑 | ふくざつ | fukuzatsu | complex | na-adj |