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Breaking down songs – Orange – オレンジ – 7
In today’s dissection of music, we will study one of my favorite songs: オレンジ (Orange ) – by 7 – The second ending of the anime Shigatsu wa kimi no uso (四月は君の嘘).

We placed the acoustic version of the song in the video below, as it is a bit slower to facilitate following along with the lyrics. You can listen to the original version by clicking here.

Orange 7 – Lyrics with Kanji
```
小さな肩を並べて歩いた
何でもない事で笑い合い 同じ夢を見つめていた
耳を澄ませば 今でも聞こえる
君の声 オレンジ色に染まる街の中
君がいないと本当に退屈だね
寂しいと言えば笑われてしまうけど
残されたもの 何度も確かめるよ
消えることなく輝いている

雨上がりの空のような 心が晴れるような
君の笑顔を憶えている 思い出して笑顔になる
きっと二人はあの日のまま 無邪気な子供のまま
巡る季節を駆け抜けていく それぞれの明日を見て

一人になれば不安になると
 眠りたくない夜は 話し続けていた

君はこれから何を見ていくんだろう
 私はここで何を見ていくのだろう
 沈む夕焼け オレンジに染まる街に
 そっと涙を預けてみる

何億もの光の中 生まれた一つの愛
 変わらなくても変わってしまっても 君は君だよ 心配無いよ
 いつか二人が大人になって 素敵な人に出会って
 かけがえのない家族を連れて この場所で逢えるといいな

雨上がりの空のような 心が晴れるような
君の笑顔を憶えている 思い出して笑顔になる
何億もの光の中 生まれた一つの愛
巡る季節を駆け抜けていく それぞれの明日を見て
それぞれの夢を選んで
```
Translation of the song

This translation was made by a team to adapt it to our language, but it is not a 100% literal translation.

We walked with our shoulders aligned
Laughing at things that didn’t matter while looking ahead at the same dream
If I listen closely, I can still hear:
Your voice, coloring this city orange
When you are not around, I get really bored
But when I say I feel lonely, you just laugh at me.

I keep counting the things that are left to me
That shine brightly, without disappearing

Like the sky after the rain, like a heart being cleared
I remember your smile, it floats in my mind, and makes me smile
Surely, just like that day, like innocent children,
We will run through the seasons, seeing each of our various tomorrows
Whenever I was alone and started to feel restless
On nights when I didn’t want to sleep, we kept talking.

I wonder what you will see from here
And what you will see here
I will try to trust my tears
To this city, where the sun stains everything orange
This love was born amidst millions of rays of light
Even if you never change, even if you change, you are you, so I don’t worry
One day we will become adults and meet wonderful people
And then, I hope we can bring our irreplaceable families to meet here again

Like the sky after the rain, like a heart being cleared
I remember your smile, it floats in my mind, and makes me smile
This love was born amidst millions of rays of light
We will run through the seasons, seeing each of our various tomorrows
Choosing between each of our many dreams

Dissecting the song
```
小さな肩を並べて歩いた
```
We walked with our shoulders aligned
- 小さな (ちさな) = Small
- 肩 (かた) = Shoulder
- 並べて (ならべて) = Side by side, aligned
- 歩いた = Walk (in the past) 歩く (あるく) = to walk
```
何でもない事で笑い合い 同じ夢を見つめていた
```
Laughing at things that didn’t matter while looking ahead at the same dream
- 何でもない = Nothing, it’s nothing
- 事 (こと) = Thing
- 笑い (わらい) = laughing, to laugh + 合い (あい) = Together, meeting
- 同じ (おなじ) = same
- 夢 (ゆめ) = Dream
- 見つめて (みつめて) = Staring + ( いた stared – in the past)
```
耳を澄ませば 今でも聞こえる
```
If I listen closely, I can still hear:
- 耳 (みみ) = Ear, hearing
- 澄ませば (すませば) = To finish, to end
- 今でも (いまでも) = Even now
- 聞こえる (きこえる) = To hear, hear
```
君の声 オレンジ色に染まる街の中
```
Your voice, coloring this city orange
- 君の声 = Your voice 君 (きみ) = You / 声 (こえ) = Voice
- オレンジ = Orange, orange 色 (いろ) = Color
- 染まる (そまる) = To dye, to color
- 街の中 = In the city, in the middle, in the center of the city
- 街 (まち) = City / 中 (なか) = Middle, center
```
君がいないと本当に退屈だね
```
When you are not around, I get really bored
- 本当 (ほんとう) = Truth, really
- いない = Not here 君がいない (You are not here)
- 退屈だね (たいくつだね) = To be bored 退屈 = Boredom, boring
```
寂しいと言えば笑われてしまうけど
```
But when I say I feel lonely, you just laugh at me.
- 寂しい (さびしい) = Lonely, alone
- 言えば (いえば) = To say, speaking
- 笑われてしまう = To be laughed at
- けど = But
```
残されたもの 何度も確かめるよ
```
I keep counting the things that are left to me
- 残された (のこされた) = What was left, the remainder
- もの = Thing
- 何度も (なんども) = Many times
- 確かめる (たしかめる) = To verify, to count
```
消えることなく輝いている
```
That shine brightly, without disappearing
- 消える (きえる) = To disappear
- ことなく = Without (Without disappearing)
- 輝いている (かがやいている) = To shine brightly, sparkling 輝 = Shine
```
雨上がりの空のような 心が晴れるような
```
Like the sky after the rain, like a heart being cleared
- 雨上がり (あめあがり) = After the rain 雨 = Rain 上がり = To rise
- 空 (そら) = Sky
- ような = Like
- 心 = Heart
- 晴れる (はれる) = Sunny, clear, clean
```
君の笑顔を憶えている 思い出して笑顔になる
```
I remember your smile, it floats in my mind, and makes me smile
- 笑顔 (えがお) = Smile, to smile
- 憶えている (おぼえてる) = I remember, to remember, to memorize
- 思い出して (おもいだして) = Memory
  - 思い = To think
  - 出して = Out (hence the idea of floating in the mind.)
- なる = To become
```
きっと二人はあの日のまま 無邪気な子供のまま
```
Surely, just like that day, like innocent children
- きっと = Certainly
- 二人 (ふたり) = Two people, us
- あの日(あのひ) = That day
- のまま = to leave, to remain, like
- 無邪気 (むじゃきな) = innocent (without the な innocence)
- 子供 (こども) = Child
```
巡る季節を駆け抜けていく それぞれの明日を見て
```
We will run through the seasons, seeing each of our various tomorrows
- 巡る (めぐる) = to go around, to surround, about, through
- 季節 (きせつ) = Seasons, Seasons (weather)
- 駆け抜けていく = We run through
  - 駆ける (かける) = To run
  - 抜ける (ねくる) = To escape, to let go
  - いく = To come
- それぞれの = Each one, individual
- 明日(あした) = tomorrow
- 見て = To see
```
一人になれば不安になると
```
Whenever I was alone and started to feel restless
- 一人 (ひとり) = One person, alone
- になれば = To familiarize, to get used to
- 不安 (ふあん) = Anxiety
```
眠りたくない夜は 話し続けていた
```
On nights when I didn’t want to sleep, we kept talking.
- 眠りたくない (ねむりたくない) = I don’t want to sleep 眠る (to sleep)
- 夜 (よる) = Night
- 話し (はなし) = To talk, to speak, story
- 続けていた (つづけていた) = We continued つづける = To continue
```
君はこれから何を見ていくんだろう
```
I wonder what you will see from here
- これから = From now on
- 見ていくんだろう = Let’s take a look, I wonder what to look at
```
私はここで何を見ていくのだろう
```
And what will you see here
- 私 (わたし) = I
- ここで = Here
```
沈む夕焼け オレンジに染まる街にそっと涙を預けてみる
```
I will try to trust my tears to this city, where the sun stains everything orange
- 沈む (しずむ) = To sink, to put oneself
- 夕焼け (ゆうやけ) = Sunset
- そっと = gently, calmly, secretly
```
何億もの光の中 生まれた一つの愛
```
This love was born amidst millions of rays of light
- 何億もの (なんおくもの) = Hundreds of millions of things
- 光の中 (ひかりのなか) = In the middle of the light
- 生まれた (うまれた) = Was born
- 一つの愛 (ひとつのあい) = One love
```
変わらなくても変わってしまっても 君は君だよ 心配無いよ
```
Even if you never change, even if you change, you are you, so I don’t worry.
- 変わらなくても = Even if it doesn’t change
  - 変わる (かわる) = Change
  - ても = Even
- 変わってしまっても = Even if it changes
- 心配無いよ (しんぱいないよ) = Not to worry (negative of 心配 = to worry)
```
いつか二人が大人になって 素敵な人に出会って
```
One day we will become adults and meet wonderful people
- いつか = Someday
- 大人 (おとな) = Adult
  - 大人になって = To become an adult
- 素敵な (すてきな) = Pleasant, wonderful
- 出会って (であって) = To meet
- 人に出会って = To meet people
```
かけがえのない家族を連れて この場所で逢えるといいな
```
And then, I hope we can bring our irreplaceable families to meet here again
- かけがえのない = Irreplaceable, does not change
  - かけがえ (掛け替え) = That changes, constant change, replaceable
- 家族 (かぞく) = Family
- 連れて (つれて) = To bring to
- この場所 (このばしょ) = In this place, this location
  - 場所 = Place この= This
- 逢える (あえる) = To meet again
- といいな = I hope
Repeating Chorus:
- 雨上がりの空のような心が晴れるような
- 君の笑顔を憶えている思い出して笑顔になる
- 何億もの光の中生まれた一つの愛
- 巡る季節を駆け抜けていくそれぞれの明日を見て
```
それぞれの夢を選んで
```
Choosing between each of our many dreams
- 選んで (えらんで) = To choose, to elect, to select
January 28, 2016
Yaki Manju – Discover the sweet filled with beans and its Recipe
Yaki Manju is a traditional Japanese sweet, easily found on trays in the market. Yaki Manju literally means Grilled Manju, it is a bun filled with sweet azuki bean paste, on which floral designs are usually made before baking.

Manju originated in China and is derived from a type of mochi. It was originally known as Mantou, but in Japan, it became known as Manju. It is believed that this sweet was brought in 1341 by a Japanese person living in China, who began to make and sell this sweet under the name Nara Manju. Thus, Manju has over 600 years of history in Japanese cuisine and is considered one of the most popular sweets in Japan.

Remember that there are various types of manju, with different fillings. There are water (Mizu Manju), green tea (Matcha Manju), fried on a stick, and even with orange cream.

The Yaki Manju is quite popular in the province of Gunma, the video below shows some curiosities about Yaki Manju and its influence.

Yaki Manju Recipe

Now let’s go to a recipe! If you are interested in making your own Yaki Manju, see that it is not so difficult.

Ingredients
- Dough
- 1/2 cup(s) (tea) of sugar
- 2 unit(s) of egg
- 100 g of melted margarine
- 1 teaspoon(s) of baking powder
- 2 cup(s) (tea) of wheat flour
- Filling
- 1 cup(s) (tea) of washed and drained azuki beans
- 1 cup(s) (tea) of sugar
- to taste salt
- For greasing
- 1 unit(s) of egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon(s) of corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) of soy sauce
How to make the Dough
1. In a bowl, mix the sugar, eggs, and margarine;
2. Sift the wheat flour and baking powder;
3. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and egg mixture;
4. Mix well (the dough should be soft but firm enough to form small portions in your hand without sticking);
5. Shape small portions of dough in the palm of your hand, forming a small log;
6. Fill with 1 small ball of bean paste;
7. Shape another small log of dough and place it on top of the other dough covering the filling;
8. Press the edges to seal the bun well;
9. Trim the excess with a round cutter (this way the buns will be of uniform size);
10. Place the buns on a greased and floured baking sheet, leaving about 2 cm of space between them;
11. Then, brush the surface of the buns with a mixture made with the yolk, corn syrup, and soy sauce;
12. Bake in a medium oven (200ºC), preheated, for 25 minutes or until the surface is slightly golden;
Filling
1. Cook the beans in a pressure cooker with 4 cups (tea) of water for about 30 minutes after the pressure starts;
2. Release the pressure, drain, and pass the beans through a sieve, mashing well until you get a paste;
3. In a saucepan, combine the bean puree, sugar, and a pinch of salt;
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sweet detaches from the bottom of the pan;
5. Pour onto a plate and let cool;
6. Using a teaspoon, roll into small balls and set aside;
7. Tips: – If the dough is too soft, add a little more wheat flour;
8. The more flour added, the less delicate the dough becomes;
9. – This recipe can be frozen: wrap the cooled preparation in plastic wrap or a hermetically sealing bag, label, and place in the freezer;
Recipe taken from the blog “Panela Velha” and Cibercook
September 28, 2015
Missing Japan? – See what we miss
Many Brazilians or foreigners have lived in Japan but had to return to Brazil or their country of origin for various reasons. And this can lead to a great longing for some things that are only possible in Japan.

In this article, we will address what those who go from Japan to Brazil miss the most about Japan. Things that usually only exist in that country where they spent a large part of their lives.

Longing for Places in Japan

Cities and Neighborhoods – There are thousands of places we can miss, such as: Tokyo, Kyoto, Akihabara, Osaka, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Hokkaido, and Okinawa.

Ofuro – Almost all apartments and houses in Japan have a bathtub; is there anything better than that?

Climate – Sometimes a person gets quite used to the cold and snow of Japan, and returning to the hot and dry climate of Brazil can make them miss the cold and snow;

Japanese bathrooms are extravagant, modern, and smart in almost every place, including public ones;

Service and first-class reception in all service sectors in the country, regardless of location and audience;

Train Stations – Speed and comfort, and access to the entire country with train lines;
- Standardized sidewalks and pothole-free asphalt on the streets;
- Wet towels in restaurants and cafes to clean hands;
- Paying for some materials bought at the front door when sent by mail.
Longing for Japanese Food

Hanbaiki – The vending machines that sell everything, even located in deserted places, are greatly missed;

Food – There are countless different varieties of foods, sweets, and snacks. It’s impossible not to miss something;

Convenience Stores – Who wouldn’t miss the efficient 24-hour convenience stores where you could buy everything;

Onigiri – Simple, tasty, and cheap food;

Longing for Life in Japan

Safety – One of the main factors for those returning to Brazil is the lack of safety; that peace of going out without any worries on the street is gone. Walking at any hour, with money and cell phones in your pocket without the danger of being robbed or shot;

Decent salary – Despite the high cost of living, who doesn’t miss earning 7,000 Reais instead of 900. The minimum wage in Japan varies between 200,000 to 400,000 yen. In addition to being able to buy electronics at a low cost;

Silence – Who doesn’t miss that peace, where you can sleep during the day without hearing noises from sounds, cars, etc.;

Education – You will miss it a lot! a lot! a lot!

Japanese Language – Sometimes you get used to words: gomen, yoroshiku, daijoubu, Otsukaresama, arigatou, hai, and end up accidentally speaking them or missing them;

Removing shoes – Possibly those who spent many years in Japan miss this;

Having more job opportunities.

There are thousands of things I could mention. I couldn’t describe even 10% of the possible longings for Japan. Leave your comment on what you missed the most or think you will miss the most when leaving Japan.
May 30, 2015
Animes to watch before you die
In this article, I will mention great animes, sometimes even unknown ones, that captivated me from start to finish, with a great story and plot. They are not the best nor my favorites, but they are essential to watch if you are looking for something different and fun.

There are countless animes that I am unsure about which to mention in this article; I will mention the best ones that I like, so this is MY list, and I will include more unknown and ignored animes, which few have had the chance or motivation to watch; I won’t include animes that everyone knows because everyone already knows them.

Steins;Gate

One of the most intelligent works I have ever seen, a fiction that involves time travel, a lot of comedy, terrible suspense, and captivating characters. The story takes place in 2010 in Akihabara and tells the story of a group of friends who transformed their microwave into a device that can send text messages to the past. The character Okabe Rintarou goes through various troubles when he has to face an organization called SERN, while at the same time saving the future of humanity and his friends.

I won’t give details of the story to avoid spoilers, but watch until Episode 13, even if it seems boring. The anime may seem confusing at first, but I guarantee that when you finish the 25 episodes, it will make it to your list of favorite animes.

Code Geass

Another quite famous work, with a lot of action and suspense, and a terribly addictive unfolding. I finished the 50 episodes of the anime in 2 days, and it automatically entered my list of favorites.

Despite criticism regarding the animation style and having a bit of mecha, those who haven’t watched don’t know the great work they are missing out on.

The anime tells the story of a super intelligent young man named Lelouch, who is unhappy with the state of the world, where Japan is dominated by an empire called Britannia. He ends up getting involved in an accident and gains the power to command anything to whoever he wants. This power has its rules, so he starts a strategic war against the kingdom of Britannia. Thus begins one of the most spectacular plots on the planet.

Detective Conan

The success of this anime is very low in the West. However, in Japan, it is immensely popular among the entire population, ranking ahead of One Piece in the weekly ranking.

Although it may seem old, clichéd, and childish, this is one of the coolest detective works I have ever found, and I watched all over 700 episodes and the 20 movies that exist with my family.

The anime is a type of CSI, where the main character is Edogawa Conan, a child who was actually a teenager (Kudo Shinichi) who was forced to take a drug that turned him into a child, so he created another identity and is gradually fighting against the responsible black organization and solving numerous cases throughout Japan using his Uncle Mouri-san.

Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai

Based on a series of books and consisting of 2 seasons, this anime brings a somewhat strange theme.

It tells the story of Kyousuke Kousaka, a normal young man who does not have a good relationship with his younger sister. Until one day he discovers that his sister is an otaku addicted to eroge (erotic games), thus the relationship between the two grows, and he gets involved in various friendships, and a lot happens…

Despite the “eroge” theme, the anime does not have ecchi. It is more of a comedy, quite emotional.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

One of the best works I have ever watched. Ignore the graphics or the clichéd story, because this breaks all existing clichés. Despite the art and unrealistic fights, this story captivates and becomes emotional, making any grown man cry.

The anime consists of 25 episodes and tells the story of Simon, a young boy who lived underground. His friend Kamina, with a desire to leave the underground, helps him to discover the outside world, and they end up getting involved in an adventure with giant robots. A common and simple story. NOT! It is truly highly recommended to watch this anime before you die, no matter if you didn’t like the graphics or story.

Uchuu Kyoudai

Another quite famous anime in Japan and ignored in the West. I think Brazilians only care about action and violence and do not enjoy a good drama.

This anime tells a very different story, about Mutta, an adult man who lost his job and decides to take a test to become an astronaut. It seems like a simple story, but while watching, you will laugh and be moved by the plot and the story.

Clannad

A great story of comedy, romance, and life lessons that also steals many tears. Based on a visual novel, the anime focuses on the main girl, Nagisa.

Composed of 2 seasons, the story begins when Tomoya accidentally meets Nagisa Furukawa. A soft-spoken girl one year older than him, who is repeating the school year due to being very ill the previous year. Her goal is to join the theater club, which she cannot enter due to her illness. They discover that the theater club has been closed after the remaining members graduated. Since Tomoya has a lot of free time, he decides to help Nagisa revive the theater club. During this time, Tomoya befriends several other girls and begins to get to know them more deeply, helping them with their individual problems. Thus, the story develops and many things happen.

Toaru Kagaku No Railgun

An anime that seems simple but is quite emotional. Composed of 2 seasons. It is a spin-off of Toaru Majutsu no Index.

The story of Railgun revolves around a school city, where 80% of its inhabitants are students. The city also has cutting-edge technology, more advanced than the rest of the world. The students study psychic powers! The anime will focus on the student Misaka Mikoto, who has level 5 powers, the highest in the entire school.

Kiseijuu

Recently released, based on an old manga, it tells the story of an ordinary young man named Izumi Shinichi, who one day encounters a parasite invading his body, trying to take over his brain; fortunately, he manages to dominate only his hand, so the two have to coexist and fight against other human-eating parasites that disguise themselves among them.

The anime manages to captivate you from start to finish and brings a very different theme. Its genre is seinen (anime for adults).

Nana

A shoujo anime, quite mature. It tells a realistic life story and a great friendship between 2 girls with the same name. Both getting involved in romances and problems. Below is the synopsis:

Komatsu Nana moves to Tokyo, following her boyfriend Shouji to gain the life she has always dreamed of. On a train to Tokyo, she meets Nana Osaki, the vocalist for the punk rock band “Blast,” who is also moving to Tokyo to achieve her dreams of becoming a professional.

Honorable Mentions

There are many other animes that could be on the list. Unfortunately, I will only write about these, but I will leave a list without description of other animes that you should watch before you die. This way you can research each of them if you are interested. Who knows, in the future we can make another article on this theme.
- Zero no Tsukaima
- Toradora
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Bakuman
- Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
- Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu
- Seto no Hanayome
- Kokoro Connect
- I”s Pure
- Golden Time
May 15, 2015
Online Japanese Dictionary of Figures
Online Picture Japanese Dictionary

Looking for a picture dictionary to learn Japanese, English, or any other language? In this article, we will recommend a great website and tool to learn a language using an online picture dictionary.

I found a quite interesting website that has not only the Japanese dictionary but also dictionaries for several other languages. The image below shows a bit of how it works:

Picture dictionary Site

The dicts site also offers flashcards, example sentences, and many other materials for you to study and learn languages.

We also recommend reading:
Online Picture Dictionary

The standard site is in English, but since it is a picture site, it does not require translation, and you will be learning both Japanese and English. This is useful, as thousands of Japanese words are derived from other languages, mainly English.

The site is this: https://www.dicts.info/

The site is divided into categories and helps learn an extensive and complex vocabulary. We hope you make good use of this great site.

Picture Japanese Dictionary

You can also turn to other apps and software with picture dictionaries. There are hundreds of them, including apps focused on teaching and increasing Japanese vocabulary.

Just search for the keywords in your app store:
- Picture Japanese
- Picture Dictionary
December 15, 2014