Re:Re: – Asian Kung-Fu Generation lyrics (2025)

“Re:Re:” is a song by Japanese alternate-rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation (usually stylized as “ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION”), with the band’s lead singer Masafumi Gotou (後藤 正文; gotou masafumi) being the lyricist and composer; Takahiro Yamada (山田 貴洋; yamada takahiro), the band’s bassist and backing vocal, also helped with composing the music. The song was included in the album Sol-fa (ソルファ; sorufa) which was released on October 20th, 2004 under the Ki/oon Records label.
The song is being used as the opening theme for the 2016 mystery anime series “Boku Dake ga Inai Machi” (僕だけがいない街; lit. “The Town Where I Don’t Exist”), whose official English title is “ERASED”; the song was rerecorded for the series, with a single to be released in March 2016 (as of this post).

Synopsis

As we wait for someone, “Re:Re:”* by Asian Kung-Fu Generation demonstrates how time can be a burden for us all. Most especially in the case when we wait on someone who seems to have disconnected from us a while ago. We wished to tell them not to forget the bygone days, but we ourselves had forgotten to tell them just that. Yet, we keep on waiting, inflicting wounds within our soul, knowing that it can only be “you” that we wait for.

Lyrics

君を待った
kimi wo matta
Waiting for you
僕は待った
boku wa matta
I was waiting
途切れない明日も過ぎて行って
torikirenai ashita mo sugete itte
The relentless tomorrows kept passing by
立ち止まって振り返って, とめどない今日を嘆き合った
tachidomatte furikaette, tomedonai kyou wo nagekiatta
I stood in place then looked back, for I lamented the endless today

記憶だって永遠になんて 残らないものとおもい知って
kioku datte towa ni nante nokoranai mono to omoishitte
Once that I knew that memories do not remain for an eternity
僕はずっと掻きむしって 心の隅っこで泣いた
boku wa zutto kakimushitte kokoro no sumikko de naita
I was always tearing myself up as I cried in the corner of my heart

そしてどうかなくさないでよって
soshite douka nakusanaideyo tte
Then I wished that you wouldn’t forget
高架下、過ぎる日々を
kouka shita, sugiru hibi wo
The passing days where we went through the underpass
後悔してんだよって そう言い逃したあの日
koukai shitendayo tte sou iinogashita ano hi
I regretted not saying those words to you on that day

繋ぎ合った時も合った ほどけない感情持ち寄って
tsunagiatta toki mo atta hodokenai kanjou mochiyotte
There were times when we were connected, holding these unbound feelings together
それが僕のすべてだった それもたった今失くしたんだ
sore ga boku no subete datta sore mo tatta ima nakushitanda
That was everything to me at that time, but I lost all of that just now

形だって時が経って 変わりゆくものとおもい知って
katachi datte toki ga tatte kawariyuku mono to omoi shitte
Once that I knew that shapes will change as time goes by
僕はずっと掻きむしって 塞がれた今日を恨んだ
boku wa zutto kakimushitte fusagareta kyou wo uranda
I was always tearing myself up as I hated the today that bottles me up*

そしてどうかなくさないでよって
soshite douka nakusanaideyo tte
Then I wished that you wouldn’t forget
高架下、過ぎる日々を
kouka shita, sugiru hibi wo
The passing days where we went through the underpass
後悔してんだよって そう言い逃したあの日
koukai shitendayo tte sou iinogashita ano hi
I regretted not saying those words to you on that day

君を待った
kimi wo matta
Waiting for you
僕は待った
boku wa matta
I was waiting
途切れない明日も過ぎて行って
torikirenai ashita mo sugite itte
The relentless tomorrows kept passing by
僕は今日も掻きむしって 忘れない傷をつけているんだよ
boku wa kyou mo kakimushitte wasurenai kizu wo tsuketeirunda yo
Again today, I tear myself apart by inflicting unforgettable scars onto myself*

きみじゃないとさ
kimi janai to sa
It has to be you

Translation Notes

• Before we start, the title is quite the nifty one. According to Asian Kung-Fu Generation’s website, “Re:Re:” refers to “a reply to a reply.” In their own words (translated into English): “The title “Re:Re:” is about a reply to a reply, where you are replying to a message from your past self, and sending it to your future self.”
  • This brings significance to the song that is about the burden of time. When you receive a message from the past, be it from yourself or someone else, what happens to your reply? Will it reach yourself or that someone else if you send it out?
    • Link to the post in question.
• In this phrase, “Bottling me up” comes in line with “suffocating me”. The original Japanese lyrics does refer to “closing up today”, in such a way that harms the singer.
• By this part of the song, it is evident that the singer has been waiting for the “you” he keeps referring to. He’s been waiting for this person for so long, inflicting himself with pain within. As the end of the song mentions, “it has to be you“.

Glossary

Other songs by Asian Kung-Fu Generation or from “Boku Dake ga Inai Machi”

• TBA

Author’s Notes

Interesting how only a bit over a week ago, I had released a song translation where, in the author’s notes, I mentioned how its refreshing to hear anime series that reuse or pick-up songs from over a decade ago. Yet again, here is another song that takes a song from 2004 and uses it for an opening theme for one of the latest anime, “Boku Dake ga Inai Machi”. Rerecorded by the band for this 2016 anime, the meaning behind the song fit with the theme of the series, especially the tune that isn’t too overdone for a dramatic mystery series. The ending, “It was Like a Small Light” (それは小さな光のような; sore wa chiisana hikari no youni), is the same, and I’ll be covering that song when its single comes out later this month.

Talking about “BokuMachi”, it is for sure one of the most popular series this Winter 2016 season due to its solid plot and attention-attracting pilot episode. The manga series that it originates from is much more due to having more contents, but I would say that the animation puts them neck-to-neck. With the atmosphere of the show and how the music is minimal (aside from the theme songs that really ring in my ears well), it’s truly a show to recommend to anyone, even those who don’t watch anime often. The contents of the show can be touchy though, so it’s best to mention that beforehand to individuals who are not fond of such subjects.