In November 2022, a drama based on the famous song First Love by Hikaru Utada premiered on Netflix. In this article, we will talk a little about these two precious gems.
First Love by Hikaru Utada is one of the most iconic and beloved love songs of all time. The song is about young love and the bittersweet feelings that accompany it.
The song was released on the singer’s debut album in 1999, which became the best-selling album in the history of Japan with over 11 million copies, an international success that marked the singer’s career.
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Table of Contents
About the Singer Hikaru Utada
Hikaru Utada was born in New York in 1983, nicknamed Hikki by fans. Her parents were in the music industry; her father was a producer and her mother an Enka singer, so she was rooted in this world from an early age.
She works as a composer, singer, musician, songwriter, and lyricist, among others. Her songs blend English with Japanese, and she often releases versions of the songs in both languages.
Her official debut album released in 1999 was First Love, which immediately became the most successful album in Japan, certified 32× Platinum by RIAJ and recognized internationally.
The album debuted at number one on the Oricon weekly chart, with 250,000 copies sold in the first week, the second-largest debut for a solo artist that year, behind only Beyoncé.
She is also famous for creating openings for dramas like Flavor of Love, and theme songs for anime such as the Evangelion films, Fumetsu no Anata, and also themes for games like Kingdom Hearts.
The Song “First Love” by Hikaru Utada
First Love by Hikaru Utada is a timeless song of longing and nostalgia. It is a love story, but it is also more than that. It is a song that speaks of the universal experience of first love and the bittersweet memories it can evoke.
Hikaru Utada’s voice is sweet and melancholic, as if she has already gone through her own version of a time machine. Her words speak of the innocence and fragility of first love. Her lyrics are clear and sincere, capturing the confusion, joy, and pain of the experience.
The music behind the lyrics is soft and emotive. It is a calming backdrop that captures the moment of first love, a moment that can be hard to put into words. The music is also poignant and bittersweet, as if it serves as a reminder of a moment that can never be recaptured.
The beauty of the song lies in its universality. It is a song that anyone who has ever experienced first love can relate to. Whether it is a high school romance or a first love from many years ago, the feelings of joy and sadness, confusion and clarity that come with first love will never be forgotten.
The song also serves to remind us that no matter how painful or confusing first love may be, it is still an essential part of life. The lyrics tell us that, in the end, “love will keep us together” – a feeling of hope and optimism that is at the heart of this song.
About the Drama First Love
Netflix launched a new series, a Japanese drama directed by Yuri Kanchiku that takes us back to those days of first love, and we couldn’t be more excited.
Hatsukoi, which translates to “First Love,” is a 9-episode series that follows the story of Yae Noguchi and Harumichi Namiki, two students from Hokkaido who begin a relationship in high school.
The series shows the characters’ events at different periods, chasing dreams, life’s unforeseen events, romantic and sad happenings, a true emotional drama.
At first, it may be complicated for some to follow the change in the timeline, but soon everything starts to fit together and many twists occur. Even the COVID pandemic appears in the drama.
The best part is that the drama makes total reference to the lyrics of Hikaru Utada’s song, whether in the flavor of the cigarette, in the distance, in the wrong choices, not to mention the numerous references to the singer and the use of her songs Automatic, First Love, and Hatsukoi.
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Lyrics of the Song First Love + Translation + Kanji
Below we will see the lyrics of Hikaru Utada’s song First Love in Japanese, romanized, and its translation:
Also, check out a video lesson studying the song from our Japanese course:
最後のキスはタバコの flavor がした Saigo no kisu wa tabako no flavor ga shita
The last kiss tasted like cigarette
ニガくてせつない香り Nigakute setsunai kaori
A bitter and painful scent
明日の今頃には Ashita no imagoro ni wa
At this time tomorrow
あなたはどこにいるんだろう Anata wa dokoni irundarou
Where you are
誰を思ってるんだろう dare wo omotterundarou
Who you are thinking of
You are always gonna be my love
You will always be my love
いつか誰かとまた恋に落ちても Itsu ka dareka to mata koi ni ochitemo
Even if I fall in love with someone again someday
I'll remember to love
I will remember to love
You taught me how
You taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
You will always be the one
今はまだ悲しい love song Ima wa mada kanashii love song
Now it is still a sad love song
新しい歌 歌えるまで atarashii uta utaerumade
Until I can sing a new song
立ち止まる時間が tachi tomaru jikan ga
Time to stop
動き出そうとしてる ugoki dasou toshiteru
Trying to move
忘れたくないことばかり Wasuretakunai koto bakari
Only things I don’t want to forget
明日の今頃には ashita no imagoro ni wa
At this time tomorrow
私はきっと泣いている watashi wa kitto naiteiru
I will probably be crying
あなたを思ってるんだろう yeah-yeah-yeah Anata wo omotterun darou
I am thinking of you yes-yes-yes
You will always be inside my heart
You will always be inside my heart
いつもあなただけの場所があるから Itsu mo anata dake no bashou ga aru kara
Because there is always a place just for you
I hope that I have a place in your heart too
I hope to have a place in your heart too
Now and forever you are still the one
Now and forever you are still the one
今はまだ悲しい love song Ima wa mada kanashii love song
Now it is still a sad love song
新しい歌 歌えるまで oh, oh-oh Atarashii uta utaeru made
Until I can sing a new song oh, oh-oh
You are always gonna be my love
You will always be my love
いつか誰かとまた恋に落ちても Itsuka dareka to mata koi ni ochitemo
Even if I fall in love with someone again someday
I'll remember to love
I will remember to love
You taught me how
You taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
You will always be the one
まだ悲しい love song, yeah-yeah mada kanashii love song, yeah-yeah
Still a sad love song, yes-yes
Now and forever
Now and forever
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