One of the very first Japanese words I learned was afuredasu, or “overflow.” This wasn’t because it showed up in a textbook or a teacher taught it to me, but because afuredasu seems to show up in roughly a third of every Japanese pop song ever produced.

It’s not the only phrase that’s a regular in J-pop lyrics though, as shown by this flow-chart that can turn anyone into a Japanese lyricist.

First, here’s the chart in its entirety, which was originally posted to Twitter by user Jet Ryo.

Even if you can’t read Japanese, you can see right off the bat that Jet’s done a thorough job, even making sure to include the sort of barely sensible English, the like of which no self-respecting Japanese hit is ever without. The Japanese lyrics are just as impassioned, so let’s break down the options. For each junction in the chart, you’ll need to choose one phrase.

Section 1

I wish I could tell you

A. thank you
B. I still miss you
C. I love you

just like you were

A. behind my closed eyes
B. in my memories
C. on that summer’s day

And I softly

A. close my eyes
B. stretch out my hand
C. look up at the sky

Section 2

You went away and left me

A. to chase after your dream
B. because you said our love was no more
C. to search for something

Now I hold the

A. courage
B. warmth
C. pasta

and

A. overflowing memories
B. endless tears
C. heart that’s set to burst

that you gave me deep inside, as I walk through the

A. cherry-blossom carpeted
B. tear-stained
C. changing

season, all alone.

Section 3

Always

A. Still love you
B. Always miss you
C. you’re my sunshine

Because

A. I’m standing here
B. I’m falling love again
C. You don’t know My heart

Section 4

A. WoW WoW
B. Huh —
C. La La La La

these overflowing feelings

A. rush to where the light shines
B. are the treasures God gave me
C. ultra soul! Yeah!

OK, now that we’ve seen how the system works, let’s try it out, using a random number generator to make our selections for us.

“Declaration of a Heart (PS: Ai shiteru)” – The Pocket Rockets

I wish I could tell you I still miss you
Just like you were on that summer’s day
And I softly close my eyes

You went away and left me
Because you said our love was no more
Now I hold the courage and overflowing memories that you gave me deep inside
As I walk through the tear-stained season, all alone.

Always Always miss you
Because You don’t know My heart

La La La La
These overflowing feelings
Ultra soul! Yeah!

We’ll let you know when tickets for our first concert go on sale.

By the way, we realize songs sometimes lose a little something in translation, so here’s the Japanese version of the flow chart. Have fun!

A. Mabuta no ura no
B. Kioku no naka no
C. Ano natsu no hi no

kimi ni

A. arigatou
B. ima mo aitai
C. ai shiteiru

to tsutaetakute boku ha sotto

A. me wo tojiru
B. te wo nobasu
C. sora wo miageru

A. Kimi dake no yume oikakete
B. Koi no owari wo tsugete
C. Nani ka wo sagashite

kimi ha satte itta ne. Kimi ga kureta

A. yuuki
B. nukumori
C. pasuta

to

A. afuredasu kioku
B. tomaranai namida
C. harisakesou na kokoro

mune ni daite

A. sakura mai ochiru
B. namida iro no
C. meguri yuku

kisetsu wo hitori ayumu yo.

Itsudemo

A. Still love you
B. Always miss you
C. you’re my sunshine

Because

A. I’m standing here
B. I’m falling love again
C. You don’t know my Heart

A. WoW WoW
B. Huh —
C. La La La La

Afuredasu omoi ha

A. hikari no sasu hou he
B. Kamisama ga kureta takaramono
C. urutora sou! Hai!

Source: Nikita Sokuho, Twitter