The new Kyary Pamyu Pamyu single ゆめのはじまりんりん, Yumenohajimarinrin, “My Dreams are beginning, Ring Ring” is coming out on the 26th! The video has already been released on Youtube. Another piece penned by the formidable Yasutaka Nakata, this one is just as playful as her usual pieces without being quite as frenetic as her most high energy songs. Some people have even said somber or bittersweet, which makes sense with the subject matter!

Following the theme of Graduation, it reminds me quite a lot of last year’s Furisodation, which was about turning 20, the age of legality in Japan. Furisodation was released around Coming of Age Day, a national holiday in Japan celebrated as a major milestone for all young people who have reached that age in the past year. (KPP’s birthday is actually a little bit after the holiday, but sometimes the rules are fudged a bit.)

The end of winter/beginning of Spring is Graduation season in Japan, and schools and students all over the country are gearing up to move on to the next phase of their lives.

Amusingly in many of the comments on Youtube, people are worrying that the song signifies that she is graduating from music. I think it’s clear that this song is simply timed to the country’s Zeitgeist. In just a blink of the eye cherry blossoms will be blooming (you can already get your Sakura Frappuccino at Starbucks) and the trains will be filled with young women in traditional graduation outfits, the colorful hakama which became popular during the Meiji Era.

Kyary’s outfits in the video follow her progression through life and show the passing of time in a surprisingly powerful way. She’s first presented as a “child” walking on her knees and hands off to herself in various getups from different time periods in her 21 years of life. Her student days pass on to her costume from Pon Pon Way Way, which passes on to Fashion Monster, finally culminating in the traditional hakama for graduation. Women’s graduation hakama are generally extremely colorful, unlike the somber hakama usually worn by men. While the students at my school must wear their uniforms for the graduation ceremony, the homeroom teachers from the graduating class will usually dress in these colorful outfits (as well as visiting the hairdresser after the kimono dresser for elaborate updos to go along with their gorgeous outfits.)

Some people have theorized that the red and white stripes with hints of blue refer to her recent successes in America, but it’s also safe to say that the red and white stripes refer to the ubiquitous celebratory bunting. The school gym is always bedecked in these red and white stripes for the graduation ceremony, as red and white are the colors of celebration in Japan. We saw this in the color scheme for Furisodation, and I think it’s a safe bet that it’s an element here as well.

Graduation songs are a staple in Japan, and especially popular this time of year. It’ll be nice to have a new addition to the likes of Greeeen’s Kiseki. There’s lots of symbolism as usual, and in this interview she said that the Polar Bear represents her dad.

What do you think of Kyary’s new single? I’ll be posting a little Graduation watercolor next week in celebration of this major country-wide milestone, so keep an eye out!

NOTE: I did this translation myself, so if you reuse it anywhere, please credit/link back! Apologies for any mistakes. Amusingly when I asked my coworker to check my work she tried to correct the Japanese until I explained that it was a KPP song. “Ahhhh, that’s why it’s strange, ne?” You can check out my other lyrics at Tsukema Tsukeru as well as Pon Pon Way Way, two of my most popular posts of all time, haha.

My Translation of Dreams Beginning Ring Ring

Until now I’ve made various really good memories

Don’t forget to push the track

From now we own our future

Go buy a ticket to excitement

Goodbye teacher, my friend

Time to go, heart is pounding

Sour candy on my lips

Expectation in the unknown city

Goodbye teacher, my friend

Thank you. Courage, please.

From my room, my dreams are beginning. Ring Ring. (Editor’s note: it’s said a bit like a phone ringing, so my interpretation is that the phone in her room is ringing)

Ring Ring

Walked this road every day

Won’t be able to see you for a while, I think it’ll be lonely

Feel the anxiety and hope of tomorrow

Because saying goodbye will make my dreams come true

Goodbye teacher, my friend

Time to go, heart is pounding

Sour candy on lips

Clenching to fight back tears

Goodbye teacher, my friend

Thank you. Courage, please.

From my room, my dreams are beginning. Ring Ring.

Goodbye teacher, my friend.

Time to go, heart is pounding

Sour candy on lips

Expectation in the unknown city

Goodbye teacher, my friend

Thank you, courage please.

From my room, my dreams are beginning. Ring Ring.

Here are the lyrics in Japanese:

今までいろんなほんといい思い出たち

トラックに押し込み忘れはしないよ

これから未来は自分次第なのでしょ

ワクワクのキ切符を買いに行くよ

グッバイティーチャーマイフレンド

旅立ちの際のドキドキ

酸っぱいキャンディノンリップス

知らない都会にご期待

グッバイティーチャーマイフレンド

ありがとう勇気ください

僕だけの部屋からゆめのはじまりんりん

rin rin～

これまで毎日歩いたこの道

しばらくみられないさみしく思うよ

明日に期待と不安を感じて

さよなら必ず叶えたいから

グッバイティーチャーマイフレンド

旅立ちの際のドキドキ

酸っぱいキャンデイノンリップス

かみしめこらえる涙は

グッバイティーチャーマイフレンド

ありがとう勇気ください

僕だけの部屋からゆめのはじまりんりん

グッバイティーチャーマイフレンド

旅立ちの際のドキドキ

酸っぱいキャンディノンリップス

知らない都会にご期待

グッバイティーチャーマイフレンド

ありがとう勇気ください

僕だけの部屋からゆめのはじまりんりん

Here are the lyrics in Romaji:

Ima made ironna honto ii omoide tachi

torakku ni oshikomiwasure wa shinai yo

korekara mirai wa jibun shidai na no desho

wakuwaku no ki kippu o kai ni iku yo

gubbaitīchāmaifurendo

tabidachi no sai no dokidoki

suppai kyandinonrippusu

shira nai tokai ni go kitai

gubbaitīchāmaifurendo

arigatō yūki kudasai

boku dake no heya kara yume no hajimarin rin

rin rin ～

kore made mainichi aruita kono michi

shibaraku mirare nai samishiku omou yo

ashita ni kitai to fuan o kanjite

sayonara kanarazu kanaetai kara

gubbaitīchāmaifurendo

tabidachi no sai no dokidoki

suppai kyandeinonrippusu

kamishimekoraeru namida wa

gubbaitīchāmaifurendo

arigatō yūki kudasai

boku dake no heya kara yume no hajimarin rin

gubbaitīchāmaifurendo

tabidachi no sai no dokidoki

suppai kyandinonrippusu

shiranai tokai ni go kitai

gubbaitīchāmaifurendo

arigatō yūki kudasai

boku dake no heya kara yume no hajimarn rin