Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Funa Funa Funassyi to the Nippon Budokan Hall!


Funassyi appearing cute and adorable 
in a very clean-looking Pear Suit #4 :b

As I write this blog post, a certain Pear Fairy who only descended to Earth in the wake of the March 11, 2011 Great Japan Earthquake to cheer up humans should have just finished headlining a concert at the iconic Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo which began at 7pm Japan time today, and will follow this up with another concert at Osaka's 16,000 capacity Osaka-Jo Hall on August 29th.  Collectively known as Nassyi Fes, these two musical events mark the first time that a yuru-chara -- anime-style mascot character -- has ever headlined a concert at these famous venues.    

A Japanese friend of mine who's lived outside of her home country for the past two decades or so reacted with shock as well as incredulity at the very idea that the super popular unofficial mascot from Funabashi called Funassyi (whose Twitter followers currently number 1.44 million) will be performing in concert at the Nippon Budokan Hall, never mind headlining it.  For, as she pointed out to me, this is the very venue where such legendary acts as the Beatles and Rolling Stones had previously graced.


For the record: I love Funassyi's theme song and first CD single, Funa Funa Funassyi (whose official music video can be viewed here); and this before I came across the English translation as well as Romaji rendition of its inspirational and upbeat lyrics (which came courtesy of fellow Nashitomo (Pear Friend) chef01ish):- 

Funa-funa-funa-funa hyaha
Funassyi
Minna genkini hyaha
Funassyi

Mageraretattemo keraretattemo matatachiagareba iinashi darenimo
Aitenisarenakuttemo jibunno michio susumunashi
Donnani yogoreteshimatattemo kimisae waraeba iinashi
Kimiga kanashindeirutokiwa suguegaonisaserunashi

Fu-fu-fu-fu funassyi
Itsudemo genkini nashijiru busha
Fu-fu-fu-fu funassyi
Hajikete tanoshiku odoruyo

Funa-funa fu funa-funa fu fu
Funa-funa fu funa-funa fu fu
Funa-funa fu funa-funa fu fu
Funa-funa-funa-funa hyaha

Minna genkini hyahha
Keiki kaihuku hyaha
Minna janpude hyaha
Iyanakoto wasurete hyaha

Funa-funa-funa-funa hyaha
Funassyi
Everyone, "hyaha" cheerfully
Funassyi

Even when I'm thrown or kicked, it'll be all right if I stand up again
Even when nobody takes notice of me, it'll be alright if I go my own way
Even when I get dirty, I'll be happy if only you [were to] smile
When you feel sad, I'll make you smile soon

Fu-fu-fu-fu funassyi
Pear juice splashes always cheerfully
Fu-fu-fu-fu funassyi
I jump and dance happily

Funa-funa fu funa-funa fu fu
Funa-funa fu funa-funa fu fu
Funa-funa fu funa-funa fu fu
Funa-funa-funa-funa hyaha

Everyone, "hyaha" cheerfully
Economic recovery hyaha
Everyone, jump and "hyaha"
Forget bad things hyaha

(Incidentally, I find that what gets written out in Romaji as "hyaha" sounds more like "yappo" to my foreign ears! ;b)

Also, believe it or not, it's really thanks to this music-loving yuru-chara that I've come to know and adore a number of songs such as Mr Big's To Be With You as well as AKB 48's Koi Suru Fortune Cookie (the latter courtesy of this kawaii music video featuring the mischievous Pear and assorted friends)! :b

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