Juusanya / Kiryu [R]

Kanji & Romaji: hiphopvomit
Translation: myself

Lyrics: Kurosaki Mahiro
Music: Kujou Takemasa




十三夜 [Juusanya]
Thirteenth night



[Older] sister became pregnant
It is probably father's doing
[She] commited an abortion when mother disappeared

Evening of dawn (1)

The crane and turtle slipped (2)     Can you tell who stands behind you (3)
Dim     Mixed     Revolving     Fluttering (4)     Corruption (5)     Chaos

Handcuffed and blindfolded
Counting eyes on tatami mats

"Dripping nectar is certainly, an utmost stupidity"

Cage of teases (6)     When will it come out (7)
Fragrant chrysanthemums (8) opened their flowers
Conceiving and eating     Yet becoming pregnant
Fingers crawling on a bent down body festered away

Sway     Swaay     Swaaying

Rotten lily (9)     Peeling its white color, stained itself with self consolation
Rotten man     Peeling his red color, died (10) by twisting on a rope

Festered moon

Handcuffed and blindfolded
Counting stains on the ceiling

"Ripening and rotting tongue has a texture like that of a pomegranate (11)"

Voice distorting in irregular shadow picture devours

Rising, falling and becoming stagnant


Footnotes:

1. See: discussion
2. See: discussion
3. See: discussion
4. Or to linger
5. Actually: conduct that is immoral and lacking in common sense
6. See: discussion
7. See: discussion
8. Chrysantemum (white) is a funeral flower in Japan; also its meaning in Hanakotoba (language of flowers) depends on its color: red stands for I love you, white symbolises truth and yellow is for shattered romance
9. Lily in Hanakotoba means purity and/or refined beauty
10. Actually: death by hanging
11. Pomegranate is a symbol of fertility (due to its lots of seeds) and a reference to forbidden desire and demonic temptation

Discussion:

First part: Zangetsu 
(I highly recommend reading its discussion not only for getting to know previous part of the story, but also because I covered up Kagome kagome motif there that is also present here - somewhat crucial to understand some of footnotes for Juusanya and I am too lazy to repeat myself.)

Well, second part of Mahiro's bizarre trilogy - Juusanya.

While Zangetsu has been written from the younger brother point of view, the one who speaks in Juusanya is the older brother. However, unlike his younger sibiling, older one actually believed their sister really is a victim. He also witnesses the death of their father as he is confused and unable to do anything in that situation.

The title though! Keywords: The Moon and Tsukimi - Moon viewing. There are two "moons" that Japanese consider especially pretty: juugoya (moon of the 15th night of the 8th lunar month) and juusanya (moon of the 13th night of the 9th lunar month). They both are a subject of moon viewing in Fall - a tradition that dates back to Heian period. Beholding juugoya is however more popular than juusanya. Juugoya is known as Full Moon or Harvest Moon - completion. Juusanya, on the other hand, resembles the Full Moon, but it is by no means perfectly rounded. That led juusanya to its rather depressing symbolism - it is a simile to something that looks pretty, is believed to be perfect and complete, but in reality it isn't (note, famous story written by Higuchi Ichiyou - Juusanya about notably beautiful woman married to an abusive man). Keep that information in mind. It will be needed in the last part.

Last but not least: Nochi no koyoi