There are literally tens of thousands of songs out there that use the Hatsune Miku Vocaloid software for vocals, but few can inspire and touch people’s hearts like the work of Japanese 11-member music group Supercell.

On August 14, Supercell released the music video for their new single “ODDS&ENDS,” their first song to feature Hatsune Miku in over a year and the opening theme for the upcoming Playstation Vita game “Hatsune Miku Project DIVA-f.”

Check out the video below and be sure to grab a box of tissues because Supercell has once again managed to pour more emotion into this virtual singer than can be found in most pop songs today.

The lyrics, along with a translation by Descent87, are as follows:

いつだって君は嗤われ者だ
You are always someone who is laughed at
Itsudatte kimi wa warawaremono da

やることなすことツイてなくて
Having rotten luck in all that you do,
Yarukoto nasukoto tsuitenakute

挙句に雨に降られ
Being rained on in the end
Ageku ni ame ni furare

お気に入りの傘は風で飛んでって
Your favorite umbrella has been blown away by the wind,
Oki ni iri no kasa wa kaze de tondette    

そこのノラはご苦労様と　足を踏んづけてった
Having been tread upon by those around you with just a “thanks for your hard work”
Soko no nora wa gokurousama to ashi o funzuketetta

いつもどおり君は嫌われ者だ
Just like always you are a hated person
Itsumo doori kimi wa kirawaremono da

なんにもせずとも遠ざけられて
Kept at a distance without a reason
Nanimo sezu tomo toozakerarete

努力をしてみるけど
Though you always try and make your best effort
Doryoku o shitemiru kedo

その理由なんて「なんとなく？」で
With the reason being something like “Well I’m not really sure…”
Sono riyuu nante [nantonaku?] de

君は途方に暮れて悲しんでた
You were at a loss and feeling sad
Kimi wa tohou ni kurete kanashindeta

ならあたしの声を使えばいいよ
If that’s the case, you should use my voice!
Nara atashi no koe wo tsukaebaii yo

人によっては理解不能で
Though it’s not understood by some,
Hito ni yotte wa rikaifunou de

なんて耳障り　ひどい声だって言われるけど
Even though it’s called “ear-grating”, “an awful voice”
Nante mimizawari, hidoi koedatte iwareru kedo

きっと君の力になれる
It will surely become your strength
Kitto kimi no chikara ni nareru

だからあたしを歌わせてみて
So try and let me sing,
Dakara atashi wo utawasetemite

そう君の　君だけの言葉でさ
Yes, let me sing your very own words
Sou kimi no kimi dake no kotoba desa

綴って連ねて
Compose them and join them together
Tsudzutte tsuranete

あたしがその思想（コトバ）を叫ぶから
Since I’ll cry out those words and feelings
Atashi ga sono kotoba o sakebu kara   

描いて理想を
Describe your ideals,
Egaite risou wo

その思いは誰にも触れさせない
No one will be allowed to touch those feelings of yours
Sono omoi wa darenimo furesasenai

ガラクタの声はそして響く
And then the voice of rubbish (Odds & Ends) will ring out
Garakuta no koe wa soshite hibiku

ありのままを不器用に繋いで
Clumsily tying together things as they are
Arinomama wo bukiyou ni tsunaide

精一杯に　大声を上げる
Raising a big voice with all one’s might
Seiippai ni oogoe o ageru

いつからか君は人気者だ
One day you became a famous person
Itsukaraka kimi wa ninkimono da

たくさんの人にもてはやされ　あたしも鼻が高い
Praised by so many, I was proud as well
Takusan no hito ni motehayasare atashi mo hana ga takai        

でもいつからか君は変わった
Eventually something about you changed
Demo itsu karaka kimi wa kawatta

冷たくなって　だけど寂しそうだった
You become cold, and yet seemingly lonely all the same
Tsumetakunatte, dakedo sabishisou datta

「もう機械の声なんてたくさんだ　僕は僕自身なんだよ」って
Saying “Enough with this mechanical voice already, I’ll am my own person!”
Mou kikai no koe nante takusan da, boku wa boku jishin nandayo tte

ついに君は抑えきれなくなって　あたしを嫌った
In the end you were unable to keep yourself from hating me
Tsuini kimi wa osaekirenakunatte atashi o kiratta

君の後ろで誰かが言う
Behind your back, someone said,
Kimi no ushiro de dareka ga iu

虎の威を借る狐のくせに！
“Even though all this fame is not his own doing…”
Tora no i o karu kitsune no kuseni!

ねぇ君は　一人で泣いてたんだね
Hey, you were crying all alone weren’t you?
Nee, kimi wa hitori de naiteta nda ne

聴こえる？この声
Can you hear it? This voice of mine
Kikoeru? Kono koe

あたしがその誹謗（コトバ）を掻きけすから
Since I’ll drown out those hurtful words
Atashi ga sono kotoba wo kakikesu kara

わかってる本当は　君が誰より優しいってことを
I know the truth, that you really are kinder than anyone else
Wakatteru hontou wa kimi ga dare yori yasashiitte koto wo

ガラクタの声はそして歌った
And then the voice of rubbish (Odds & Ends) sang
Garakuta no koe wa soshite utatta

他の誰でもない君のために
For no one but you alone,
Hoka no daredemo nai kimi no tame ni

軋んでく　限界を超えて
Squeaking alone, crossing over boundaries
Kishindeku genkai o koete

二人はどんなにたくさんの言葉を思いついたことだろう
The two of us came up with lots of words together didn’t we?
Futari wa donnani takusan no kotoba wo omoitsuita koto darou

だけど今は何ひとつ思いつかなくて
Though we’re not able to come up with a single one right now
Dakedo ima wa nani hitotsu omoitsukanakute

だけどなにもかもわかった
And yet everything is understood
Dakedo nanimo kamo wakatta

「そうか、きっとこれは夢だ。永遠に醒めない、君と会えた、そんな夢」
“I see, surely this is a dream. That dream where I never wake up, where I was able to meet you”
[Souka, kitto kore wa yume da. Eien ni samena, kimi to aeta, sonna yume]

ガラクタは幸せそうな表情（かお）をしたまま
That piece of scrap (Odds & Ends) wears a happy expression
Garakuta wa shiawasesouna egao o shitamama            

どれだけ呼んでももう動かない
But not matter how much it is called to, it can no longer move
Doredake yondemo mou ugokanai

望んだはずの結末に君は泣き叫ぶ
You cry and shout out to the ending you had wished for
Nozonda hazu no ketsumatsu ni kimi wa nakisakebu

嘘だろ嘘だろって
“It’s a lie”, “It’s not true!”
Uso daro uso daro tte

そう泣き叫ぶ
Yes, that is what you cry and shout
Sou nakisakebu

「僕は無力だ。ガラクタ一つだって救えやしない」
“I’m useless. I wasn’t able to save even a single piece of rubbish”
[Boku wa muryouku. Garakuta hitotsu datte sukeyashinai]

想いは涙に　ぽつりぽつりとその頬を濡らす
Feelings turn to tears and wet those cheeks one by one
Omoi wa namida ni potsuripotsuri to sono hoho o nurasu

その時世界は　途端にその色を大きく変える
At that time, the world was in the midst of changing that color in a big way
Sono toki sekai wa totanni sono iro o ookiku kaeru         

悲しみ喜び　全てを一人とひとつは知った
Sadness and joy, they have all been experienced by this one person and single thing
Kanashimi yorokobi subete wo hitori to hitotsu wa shitta

言葉は歌になりこの世界を　再び駆け巡る君のために
Words become song and once again begin to run through the world for your sake
Kotoba wa uta ni nari kono sekai wo futatabi kakemeguru kimi no tameni

その声に意思を宿して
Entrust your intentions to that voice,
Sono koe ni ishi o yodoshite       

今思いが響く
Right now thoughts and feelings will resound
Ima omoi ga hibiku

The song has been flooded with praise and Japanese and international viewers alike have commented that the video left them in tears.

One Japanese viewer offers his interpretation of the final scene:

“At 4:58, Miku forms from the ‘odds & ends’ laying around the room. I think that each piece of junk represents the people, such as producers and illustrators, involved in making Vocaloid music. If even one piece of junk goes missing, Miku falls apart. They may never be able to compare to professionals, but when a group of amateurs come together they can create something big like this. It’s the same with her concerts. While an ordinary person would see that and think it’s nothing more than a digital image, it is us who make that ‘digital image’ into something real by calling out and cheering her on together. What I’m trying to say is, Miku is the embodiment of our love, sweat and tears-she’s our angel!”

Indeed, the lyrics themselves seem to be a shout out to all of the people who have found a voice for themselves in Miku. It’s easy to see why Miku is so loved by the Japanese and international net communities and we look forward to seeing what the combined efforts of her fans can create next.

UPDATE: descent87 recently got in touch with RocketNews24 to share their new and improved translation of the song. The above article has been modified to include this.

Source: YouTube
[ Read in Japanese ]