that "unofficial image song" by Ogata... It's out

[Kendrix]

See here.

Moonspeak Lyrics  SPOILER: Show

何もかも失くしたと思って　ただ佇んでた
いつの間にか季節は巡ったこと　気づかぬまま

あの日君は　確かにこの腕の中にいた
もう一度　時を戻して確かめたい

風にそよぐ制服も　白く透きとおる腕も
儚い微笑みの　向こう側で
静かにゆれた瞳　微かにひらいた唇(くち)で
あの時　何を告げたかったのだろう？
そんなことばっか　巡っちゃうような僕は…やっぱり

涙さえ枯れ果てて　乾ききった赤い大地に
いつの間にか芽吹いてた　ちいさな命(め)に慟哭してた

あの日君を　傷つけた報いを受けた意味を…もう二度と
そんな日々の糧に変えて

風を切って駆けてゆく　紅く舞う炎のように
凛々しく対(むか)う君が　眩しくて
強く見据える瞳　裏に隠した哀しみ
あの頃　何も気づけなかったのに
君の笑顔を　探しちゃうような僕じゃ…だったね

すべて変わり果てた風景の中で
もう一度営めるだろうか　人らしい気持ちを持って

僕より先に　いや多分　ずっと前から
大人になってた君を追いかけて
弱くヘタれたままで　狡く小賢しいガキじゃ
永遠に追いつけないと分かっているけど
僕は僕らしく頑張ってくよ　いつかまた交じり合う日まで　その時まで

もしも　迷う時には　思い出して行こう
もう一度　あの日に戻って繰り返す　未来(さき)へ

I plopped it into deepL and that gave me very interesting things, but I want to let an actual moonspeak speaker (or better yet, multiple) have a go at this before I start interpreting anything.



I can't wait for the amvs.

[惣流・アスカ・ラングレー]

hi! if its the song “repeat”, i’ve translated it to english!

i thought i had lost everything and just stood there
i didn’t even notice the changing of the seasons

that day you were certainly in my arms
once more, i hope time would turn back

your uniform that blows with the wind shows your pure white arms
your false smile was all showing
your quietly moving eyes, your slightly opened lips
at that moment, what did you want to say?
i’m still always thinking about it

the tears that flowed through the dry red expanse
unknowingly pull out new shoots and weeping, weak lives

never again to bear the meaning of the retribution that hurt you that day,
those days became the food of my spirit

the tearing wind galloped just like dancing red flames
amazingly you were so dazzling
tightly closed eyes hid your sorrow
i clearly didn’t notice it all at that time
it was as if it was me who was searching for your smile

in a fickle landscape
let’s try again with emotions humans should have

chasing that one step ahead of mine, it was you
who grew up long ago
even if i know, if i’m still weak and hopeless
a sly and smart child would never catch up to you
i’ll still try with my own strength till the day and moment we meet again

if you’re ever afraid, think of these and go forth
back to that day and start again, towards the future

[Kendrix]

That's a bunch! My hero!



Pretty touching actually.
The last bit reminds me both at the "I'll probably wonder all this all over again" like from EoE, and the "If I ever doubt, didn't you and I have a connection" one from the Manga.

For comparison, deepL gave me this:

SPOILER: Show

I thought I'd lost everything and just stood there
Before I knew it, the seasons had come and gone

That day you were in my arms
I wish I could go back in time and see you again

The way your uniform wafts in the wind, the way your arms are white and clear
On the other side of your fragile smile
The eyes that fluttered quietly, the lips that opened slightly
What did I want to say to you at that time?
I'm the one who's always thinking about that...

Even my tears have dried up on the dry, red earth
I was wailing over the little life that had sprouted before I knew it

I don't know what it means to have received the retribution for hurting you that day... ever again.
I'll turn it into food for such days

I'll cut the wind and run like a red dancing flame
I'm dazzled by the dignified way you look at me
The eyes that look at you strongly, the sorrow that you hide behind
I couldn't notice anything back then
I'm not the kind of person who looks for your smile...am I?

In a landscape where everything has changed
I wonder if I'll ever be able to live again with human feelings

Before me, or maybe long before me
I'm chasing after you who's grown up
I know I'll never be able to catch up with you as a weak, weak, sly, clever kid
I know I'll never catch up
I'll just keep on being me, until one day we're together again, until that day

And if I'm ever lost, I'll remember
I'll go back to that day one more time and repeat it to the future

Which comes out as more natural-sounding English, but,
I more or less assumed that the first line of the second verse must be wonky had got confused, that it might be 'you' not 'i', or maybe that bit doesn't have a subject at all & the second bridge was also sorta unclear.

I'm embarrassingly comforted by the 'until we meet again' bit.

Since Shinji's biggest weakness was always that he's pretty reactive & hence, super bad at thinking under pressure & tends to just not think at all when he gets all emotional a big part of the second half of TuaT is that he's trying NOT to do that for once, & be deliberate & measured in what he says - so the script seems to tell only half his feelings.
Besides the extra few months to mature he's probably pulling it off by channeling it all into 'I want to fix this'... well, he was already doing that in Q and still lost his head at a critical moment, so the "making a point to be deliberate" part is probably the main difference.

From what clips I've seen so far it seems that his actually feelings underneath are much clearer from his body language & of course the vocal performance, & you could easily imagine that this is what he's feeling underneath.
Rly appreciate the sentiments of "I miss Rei so much " & "I rly fucked up with Asuka " coming through here in verses 1 and 2 respectively.

[ElMariachi]

^
I've struggled to understand if Shinji is talking about Rei or Asuka, but your take that he's talking to both of them makes much more sense.

The lines

"i thought i had lost everything and just stood there
i didn’t even notice the changing of the seasons"

[...]

"the tears that flowed through the dry red expanse
unknowingly pull out new shoots and weeping, weak lives"

Means that it takes place after he found hope again.

your uniform that blows with the wind shows your pure white arms
your false smile was all showing
your quietly moving eyes, your slightly opened lips
at that moment, what did you want to say?
i’m still always thinking about it

Here he's obviously talking about Rei. His line emphasizing how he misses her means that it's still before the final battle.

I don't know what it means to have received the retribution for hurting you that day... ever again.
I'll turn it into food for such days

I'll cut the wind and run like a red dancing flame
I'm dazzled by the dignified way you look at me
The eyes that look at you strongly, the sorrow that you hide behind
I couldn't notice anything back then
I'm not the kind of person who looks for your smile...am I?

In a landscape where everything has changed
I wonder if I'll ever be able to live again with human feelings

Before me, or maybe long before me
I'm chasing after you who's grown up
I know I'll never be able to catch up with you as a weak, weak, sly, clever kid
I know I'll never catch up
I'll just keep on being me, until one day we're together again, until that day

And here he's talking about Asuka, and dear god the level of simp is off the chart, Ogata seems to be an AsuShin shipper!

[Konja7]

Here he's obviously talking about Rei. His line emphasizing how he misses her means that it's still before the final battle.

It could also be Kaworu. He also has pure white arms.

[FelipeFritschF]

once more, i hope time would turn back

This could be a nod to KSD's "I wish that I could turn back time" (translated differently), but who knows if Ogata is aware of the English lyrics. I'm still not sure if Ogata herself wrote it?

[ElMariachi]

It could also be Kaworu. He also has pure white arms.

Now that you mention it... the entire song could be about Kaworu, there's only the line about that person who grew up that would look out of place.

[FelipeFritschF]

I'm reminded of this theory about Sakura Nagashi: thread/19261/Sakura-Nagashi-Theory-Rebuild-and-A-Missing-Character/

I think the Rei verse could be referencing Quantum Rei. Only she gets a moment where she's in her school uniform but doesn't say anything. Could also fit in her bookend role.

The line about retribution seems it could be a reference to Asuka and Bardiel, too.

Ogata also has a bunch of new interviews on her upcoming autobiography. Seems she's talking a bit about about her "Image song" too.

https://kadobun.jp/trial/saisei/

[Kendrix]

Ogata seems to be an AsuShin shipper!

Hardly

Feelings re: Asuka: Well this sucked. This whole thing went very, very bad, I did you very dirty and I'm very sorry. Also you're cool & badass I guess? It'd probably why I liked you in the past/ in a parallel universe, & I still think you're cool in an aspirational way, could never work("look for your smile")

Feelings re: Rei: So nice. So tender. So mysterious.Such memorable hugs. Such nice memories, even if they're bittersweet now.
Now you were just reminescensing about your late BFF might talk about their hugs & their smile, maybe even the eyes in terms of emotional expressions but "your arms so pretty" is clear love interest speak

Sillyness aside, it's actually pretty 50:50 all things considered. (& probably more about the emotional torque of the film itself than any preferences )

The last 'verse probably reflects a more general sentiment of being left behind by everyone (classmates included, though some of the phrasing clearly recalls the isolation room scene with the 'grow up first' & calling himself a 'brat') but there's also that very last bit about "If I'm ever lost again, I'll remember..." it's probably not the bardiel incident but the hug day mentioned at the start, forming book ends of sorts. - in past interviews she's helped this up as a moment where Rebuild Shinji got a sense of accomplishment.
And now, all the coreified ppl were saved and it didn't turn out to be all for nothing after all so it's recontextualized all over again.

Though it could also be a third day, like when he actually kept it together enough to help save the world - maybe he can do it again. Though I think in the interview where she announced this one it was said that it was written before the last third was finished.

I do find it comforting that there's the suggestion of a reunion with the previously known cast there (like not even in a shippy way, like, I just don't want to think that he never had anything else to do with anyone in the established cast, I just need them all to be buds)

[bogusman]

Could be about anybody else. Could mean anything, but anyway the song is good

[Konja7]

Now that you mention it... the entire song could be about Kaworu, there's only the line about that person who grew up that would look out of place.

I was joking at first, but many aspects of the song could really fit with Kaworu (especially "the moment we meet again").

Feelings re: Rei: So nice. So tender. So mysterious.Such memorable hugs. Such nice memories, even if they're bittersweet now.
Now you were just reminescensing about your late BFF might talk about their hugs & their smile, maybe even the eyes in terms of emotional expressions but "your arms so pretty" is clear love interest speak )

Well, in Shin, it is implied that Rei wasn't Shinji's love interest in Ha (which is still pretty surprising for me).

Kaworu has "pretty arms" too

I do find it comforting that there's the suggestion of a reunion with the previously known cast there (like not even in a shippy way, like, I just don't want to think that he never had anything else to do with anyone in the established cast, I just need them all to be buds)

I think it has been mentioned that Ogata has said she expect Shinji would meet the others again (although she focus on Asuka and Yui).

However, if the song was written before the last third was finished, she wouldn't know Shinji will go in the opposite direction.

[Kendrix]

Well, in Shin, it is implied that Rei wasn't Shinji's love interest in Ha (which is still pretty surprising for me). .

What, just because Asuka is hot, too?

They didn't have that much moments (& most of it is Asuka cooking & being jelly by herself) so I rly thought that Shinji "remembered" the prime timeline at that moment, especially given the EoE beach background and the next exchange with Kaworu where he explicitly states this.

The official answer (cf here for example) was always "Both, but also neither" (because his personal hangups sorta get in the way)

[Konja7]

What, just because Asuka is hot, too?

Trust me, I was also surprised about that sudden revelation that Shinji has romantic feelings for Asuka. I don't see enough interactions between them either.

However, the confession seems to imply that Shinji has feeling for Asuka since Ha.

Also, I suspect they want to nullify the possibility of romantic feelings towards Rei, since she is Shinji's mother clone.

The official answer (cf here for example) was always "Both, but also neither" (because his personal hangups sorta get in the way)

Well, that interview seem to happened even before the Rebuild movies. And it was more about the TV series.

So, we don't know what Ogata's opinion will be in the present.

[Huagh]

Ogata retweeted this tweet when she first released the song, so take it as you will.
https://twitter.com/kaname_kawosinw/sta ... 38658?s=21

[ShikinamiBogard]

Here he's obviously talking about Rei. His line emphasizing how he misses her means that it's still before the final battle.

It could also be Kaworu. He also has pure white arms.

Bro, Sorry but this song its cleary inspired for Rei Ayanami and Asuka

[Kendrix]

Well, Kaworus big scene is pretty far towards the end, if it was written before the movie was 100% complete, he wouldn't have shown up very much yet...

[bogusman]

Trust me, I was also surprised about that sudden revelation that Shinji has romantic feelings for Asuka. I don't see enough interactions between them either.

However, the confession seems to imply that Shinji has feeling for Asuka since Ha.

Also, I suspect they want to nullify the possibility of romantic feelings towards Rei, since she is Shinji's mother clone.

Somehow i think that Shinji's confession at the beach was made to suppress the backlash from shippers due to their plan of finishing Asuka's role and of the ending epilogue with Mari, regardless of whether that ending implied as a romantic or non romantic connection.

Hardly any hints of the mutual feeling from Shinji (and from Asuka herself, except from the bento making scene. No blush, jealousy or whatever) before this movie. They haven't decided or perhaps even weighing more on their initial concept of replacing Asuka with Mari.

[C.T.1290]

Somehow i think that Shinji's confession at the beach was made to suppress the backlash from shippers due to their plan of finishing Asuka's role and of the ending epilogue with Mari, regardless of whether that ending implied as a romantic or non romantic connection.

I thought that Shinji had decided to move on from Asuka as she moved on from him. Unless, Anno had planned something different.

[bogusman]

Somehow i think that Shinji's confession at the beach was made to suppress the backlash from shippers due to their plan of finishing Asuka's role and of the ending epilogue with Mari, regardless of whether that ending implied as a romantic or non romantic connection.

I thought that Shinji had decided to move on from Asuka as she moved on from him. Unless, Anno had planned something different.

I think she did, until that beach scene though.

I doubt if Anno had any other plan. The only plan he had is to get away from this franchise.

[ElMariachi]

What, just because Asuka is hot, too?

Trust me, I was also surprised about that sudden revelation that Shinji has romantic feelings for Asuka. I don't see enough interactions between them either.

However, the confession seems to imply that Shinji has feeling for Asuka since Ha.

Also, I suspect they want to nullify the possibility of romantic feelings towards Rei, since she is Shinji's mother clone.

That's why I suspect that Shinji returning her feelings is either that there were more of their relationship that happened offscreen in Ha (because a good chunk of the screentime was centered on his relationship with Rei) and we have to take Shinji (and Khara)'s word on it; or Shinji actually didn't realized that he fell for her until he retrospected on his life (and everything that happened with her both before and after the timeskip) during his stay at Village-3 or later in the Wunder.

Ogata retweeted this tweet when she first released the song, so take it as you will.
https://twitter.com/kaname_kawosinw/sta ... 38658?s=21

Interesting, the connection with Kaworu's words in Q about practicing over and over until you're satisfied could also relate on how Asuka tells Shinji to reflect on what he did wrong to make sure it doesn't happen again.