#ikusa

my hunter, kar, in the new ceremonial armor.

Happy 10th Anniversary to this boy right here! :0

I decided to celebrate with yet another picture of my Ninjago LEGO Universe AU. After the Ninja team join the Nexus Force at Crux and manage to turn the tables against the Four Oni Horsemen, Ikusa decides to attack the unprotected Ninjago City after they prove to be a real threat to them and the Maelstrom Horde.

TWF Chapter Index

Volume 1

Volume 2:

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13 (1|2|3|4|5|6&7|8|9|10|11|12&13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25| 26|27|28|End)

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Here I am with the first part of this month’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”! Today’s subject is a song by the Japanese folk rock act known as Wagakki Band, entitled Ikusa (War) and released as lead-track of the same name single on 25th February 2015 and afterwards even in their second album Yasouemaki. Famous for being used as theme for the anime Sengoku Musou, this song encloses the real musical essence of this band, featuring a strong rock rhythm, with traditional elements inside the melody, where the main theme is simple and efficient, as for each their song.

THE MUSIC

The song is introduced by a really powerful guitar, where the rhythm goes on strong and relevant, with folk elements completing the whole thing; Yuko’s voice is great and intense, with her vibrant tones (a strong feature of this singer), which fits inside a fast and enjoyable rock melody. The refrain makes the song catchier, with the vocals which overcome themselves and the sound becoming more and more energetic, with dynamic elements which enrich this awesome song by Wagakki Band.

Lyrics (Romaji)

Kataku chikatta orenai omoi nara Koko ni aru darou? Shin'nen aru nara surechigai mo mata Hitsuzen darou ka kotae wa izuko da.

Iza, maichire Sakura daite Inochi no aru kagiri maire.

Aa, mou daremo inai Fuwari kaze ga naida.

Hanatte, hanatte ikusa e Inotte, inotte mirai de Waratte, waratteru you ni Douka chikai no naka de chirasete kure Sono kokoro makoto ni musou.

Makenai koto o tsuyoku egaita hi Tooi hi no koto Omoi ga aru nara surechigai mo mata Hitsuzen darou ka? Saa kono te de tore!

Iza, maichire Sakura daite Inochi no aru kagiri odore.

Aa, seijaku no naka de Fuwari kaze ga naida Fuwari kaze ga naida.

Areta, areta sekai de Togata, togata omoi ga Douka, douka kimi made Todoke, todoke yo.

Hanatte, hanatte ikusa e Inotte, inotte mirai de Waratte, waratteru you ni Douka, chikai no naka de chirasete kure Sono kokoro makoto ni musou.

Lyrics (Translation)

Will be this the place where the feeling makes trembling the tense oaths?

The faith is here For us that again crossing the paths I wonder if this is inevitable I don't know the answer. (I)

Now, it's time to rush to our purposes, floating like blooming cherry blossoms Go ahead for the time we draw the life.

Ah, none stays here Softly, the wind calms. (II)

Release, release ourselves to the war Pray, pray for the future As if we are openly laughing Please, free us in the middle of our oaths. That's a peerless heart. (III)

I've never lost a confrontation Since that strongly disposed day That distant day.

If you predicted it Meeting each other like this I wonder if this is inevitable Come, I'll beat you! (IV)

Now, it's time to rush to our purposes, floating like blooming cherry blossoms Go ahead for the time we draw the life.

Ah, in the middle of this silence Softly, the wind calms Softly, the wind calms. (V)

Wild, wild world let our desires be accomplished and to pierce through this turbolent war For reaching better days.

Release, release ourselves to the war Pray, pray for the future As if we are openly laughing Let us nobly die in the fulfillment of our oaths That's a peerless heart. (VI)

THE WORDS

Written by the bassist Asa, this song has a quite simple theme, which was not so easy to take out from the single words of the Japanese text. In fact one of the most important elements coming from most Wagakki Band’s songs is the layout of the lyrics, where the lines are incredibly short, even for a text written in Japanese, and there are some omitted words, making the translation quite hard to develop (I personally tried to use an approach where each line has a sense, so if it could appear intricate at some point, I am really sorry). Talking about the meaning of this song, it comes right from its title, ikusa, whose meaning in Japanese is war, campaign, or more specifically, fight. This powerful image is here linked to human life, described as a continuous challenge, which must be dealt until the end, even if it is painful and hard, as a sort of oath which each one of us makes to himself. And now... let’s analyze the song!

I) The text starts with the protagonist, who is questioning himself if this is the place, where the determination (the feeling, as the expression “omoi nara” has a lot of meanings, among them the two I mentioned) makes trembling the tense oaths made by the people (Kataku chikatta orenai omoi nara/Koko ni aru darou?); the feeling is the faith, which is still alive and actively engages people, making them crossing their own paths (Shin'nen aru nara surechigai mo mata). And the protagonist wonders if this is inevitable and at the end he realizes that the answer will be never known, because nothing is granted during life (Hitsuzen darou ka kotae wa izuko da).

II) And then there’s a moment, where everyone must rush towards their purposes, floating like cherry blossoms, one of the most recurring symbols of Wagakki Band’s songs, (Iza, maichire/Sakura daite) and the run must continue for all the lifetime, for drawing it completely (Inochi no aru kagiri maire). Therefore none stays at the starting point (Aa, mou daremo inai) and the wind, softly, calms itself, giving a sense of peace to whoever perceives it (Fuwari kaze ga naida).

III) Each one of us completely release himself for this war which is the life (Hanatte, hanatte ikusa e), praying for the future (Inotte, inotte mirai de), like if there is a open laughing (Waratte, waratteru you ni, note that these three lines are introduced by a repetition of the main verb, corresponding to a figure of speech known as hendiadys, for reinforcing the meaning of the word linked), requesting to die nobly in the fulfillment of their oath (Douka chikai no naka de chirasete kure); finally the protagonist defines his heart and the ones of the people who are fighting the war as peerless (Sono kokoro makoto ni musou).

IV) And he never lose a single confrontation of this war (Makenai koto), since that strongly disposed day, the day when he came into the world (o tsuyoku egaita hi), which is defintely distant (Tooi hi no koto) and he tells to his opponent if he had predicted that their meeting would happen in that way (Omoi ga aru nara surechigai mo mata), asking if it would be inevitable; finally he invites him to the fight (Saa kono te de tore!).

V) After the repetition of the first part of the second sequence, the peace around them is stronger, as the wind calms in the middle of the silence, meaning that the war, the life, has ended (Aa, seijaku no naka de/Fuwari kaze ga naida/Fuwari kaze ga naida).

VI) In the final sequence the protagonist talks to the world, defining it wild (Areta, areta sekai de), asking that his desires can be accomplished (Togata, togata omoi ga), letting them pierce in this turbolent war (Douka, douka kimi made), for reaching finally better days (Todoke, todoke yo), which is the final goal of this war; then the text is concluded with the repetition of the third sequence, as an emphasis of the core theme.

Human life is a war, which unfortunately brings pain but whoever lives it completely will be covered with glory even after his own end. With this simple and intuitive image, Wagakki Band unleash their energy and determination in an energetic and catchy rock theme, with a message which invites to life and courage.

That’s all folks! See you tomorrow with the next part of this month’s themed week in “Let’s Listen to”!

Thanks for the reading!

occasionally people come up to the boys to tell them how lucky they are to have such a cute female leader, but little do they know that ms team leader wields the biggest weapons in the team

callaghan (team leader) - great sword, switch axe, charge blade

ikusa - insect glaive

carver - hammer, heavy bowgun, light bowgun

C O N F U S I O N 

a little bit of context: ikusa always thought rohgan is his age because rohgan seemed inexperienced in monster hunting so he ~has~ to be young ... but the truth is, rohgan is just very insecure with his hunter skills because back when he mained the longsword he got into a traumatic accident lmao

kulve taroth layered armor + guild palace layered weapons are the best things to ever happen in this game 

my monster bashers