Cool Song #1: Anpanman no March

Anpanman (アンパンマン) is a children's comic originally by Takashi Yanase. The anime begins with the song Anpanman no March (March of Anpanman).



It has inspiring lyrics written by Yanase:

そうだ！嬉しいんだ生きる喜び
SOUDA! URESHIINDA IKIRU YOROKOBI
That's right! We're happy, the joy of being alive

たとえ胸の傷が痛んでも
TATOE MUNE NO KIZU GA ITANDEMO
Even if the scar in our hearts is painful

何の為に生まれて 何をして生きるのか
NANNO TAME NI UMARETE NANI WO SHITE IKIRU NOKA
Why were we born? What are supposed to do in life?

答えられないなんて そんなのは嫌だ！
KOTAERARE NAI NANTE SONNA NO WA IYA DA!
Can't we answer that? That sucks!

今を生きることで 熱いこころ燃える
IMA WO IKIRU KOTO DE ATSUI KOKORO MOERU
By living now, our hearts burn hotly

だから君は行くんだ微笑んで。
DATAKA KIMI WA IKUNDA HOHOENDE
And that's why you're going, smiling

そうだ！嬉しいんだ生きる喜び
SOUDA! URESHIINDA IKIRU YOROKOBI
That's right! We're happy, the joy of being alive

たとえ胸の傷が痛んでも。
TATOE MUNE NO KIZU GA ITANDEMO
Even if the scar in our hearts is painful

嗚呼アンパンマン優しい君は
AH AH ANPANMAN YASASHII KIMI WA
Ah ah, kind Anpanman

行け！皆の夢守る為
IKE MINNA NO YUME MAMORU TAME
Go! To protect our dreams

何が君の幸せ 何をして喜ぶ
NANI GA KIMI NO SHIAWASE NANI WO SHITE YOROKOBU
What makes you happy? What do you enjoy doing?

解らないまま終わる そんなのは嫌だ！
WAKARANAI MAMA OWARU SONNA NO WA IYA DA!
Ending without knowing that, that sucks!

忘れないで夢を 零さないで涙
WASURENAIDE YUME WO KOBOSANAIDE NAMIDA
Don't forget your dreams, don't cry

だから君は飛ぶんだ何処までも
DAKARA KIMIWA TOBUNDA DOKOMADEMO
And that's why you fly endlessly

そうだ！恐れないでみんなの為に
SOUDA! OSORENAIDE MINNA NO TAME NI
That's right! To help us, don't fear

愛と勇気だけが友達さ
AI TO YUUKI DAKE GA TOMODACHI SA
Love and courage are our only friends

嗚呼アンパンマン優しい君は
AH AH ANPANMAN YASASHII KIMI WA
Ah ah, kind Anpanman

行け！皆の夢守る為
IKE! MINNA NO YUME MAMORU TAME
Go! To protect our dreams

時は早く過ぎる 光る星は消える
TOKI WA HAYAKU SUGIRU KIKARU HOSHI WA KIERU
Time passes quickly, shining stars eventually fade

だから君は行くんだ微笑んで
DATAKA KIMI WA IKUNDA HOHOENDE
That's why you go, smiling

そうだ！嬉しいんだ生きる喜び
SOUDA! URESHIINDA IKIRU YOROKOBI
That's right! We're happy, the joy of being alive

たとえどんな敵が相手でも
TATOE DONNA TEKI GA AITE DEMO
No matter who our enemy is

嗚呼アンパンマン優しい君は
AH AH ANPANMAN YASASHII KIMI WA
Ah ah, kind Anpanman

行け！皆の夢守る為
IKE! MINNA NO YUME MAMORU TAME
Go! To protect our dreams

What you might find interesting is that Yanase is currently 94 years old, and lived through World War II. His younger brother was a Tokkoutai (kamikaze) pilot and died during the war. Some people believe this song was written about him.