Games - Ai No Uta

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	Games - Ai No Uta

"Ai No Uta" (Japanese: 愛のうた) was a song released in conjunction with the video game Pikmin for the Nintendo GameCube. The song was only used in commercials for the game and does not appear in the game itself, and those commercials appeared only in Japan. A small clip of the song though can be heard being sung by the Pikmin in Pikmin 2. The lyrics are, not surprisingly, in Japanese. The song is sung by the group Strawberry Flower, who also produced the theme song for the sequel to Pikmin, Pikmin 2. The title of the song translates to "Song of Love," so named because the song expounds on the emotions the Pikmin feel in relation to their involvement in the game, and also their devotion to their given task of helping the game's protagonist, Captain Olimar.

The song was featured in commercials for the Pikmin video game, in order to stimulate flagging sales. The song became immediately very popular in Japan and soon became one of the most recognizable songs in Japan at the time. Many people had memorized the song from the commercials, and soon after the sales of the actual video game rose nearly fivefold. The song itself was released as a CD Single on December 6th, 2001. It remained in the top ten for several weeks. Unexpectedly, the song actually outsold the game it has advertised, beating Pikmin's sales figures shortly after its release as a single. The song was a remarkable media phenomenon in that it sold equally well to people of all ages and tastes. Strangely, the largest purchasing demographic of the song was middle aged men, who seem to relate strongly to the song's lyrics, which stress the Pikmin's loyalty and feelings of duty, both of which are very strong in the Japanese workplace.

Japanese Lyrics (in romaji)

Hikko nukarete, anata dake ni tsuite iku
Kyou mo hakobu, tatakau, fueru, soshite taberareru

Hotta kasarete, mata atte, nagerarete
Demo watashitachi anata ni shitagai tsukushimasu

Sorosoro asonjaou kana
Sotto dekakete miyoukanante
Aa aa ano sora ni
Koi to ka, shinagara

Iron na inochi ga ikiteiru kono hoshi de
Kyou mo hakobu, tatakau, fueru, soshite taberareru

Hikko nukarete, atsumatte, tobasarete
Demo watashitachi aishitekure to wa iwanai yo

Sorosoro asonjaou kana
Motto ganbatte miyoukanante

Aa aa ano sora ni
Koi to ka, shinagara

Chikara awasete, tatakatte, taberarete
Demo watashitachi anata ni shitagai tsukushimasu

Tachi mukatte, damatte, tsuitette
Demo watashitachi aishitekure to wa iwanai yo

English Translation

Plucked from the ground, we follow only you
Today once more we’ll carry, fight, multiply, and then be consumed

Neglected, called forth again, then cast away
Still we serve and obey you

I wonder if you’ll play with us soon
I wonder if we’ll quietly go out

Oh, oh, in the sky
While loving, or something

There are so many forms of existence on this star
Today once more we’ll carry, fight, multiply, and then be consumed

Plucked from the ground, gathered together, and ignored
Yet we don’t ask that you love us

I wonder if you’ll play with us soon
I wonder if you’ll try even harder

Oh, oh, in the sky
While loving, or something

Combining our power, fighting, being consumed
Still we serve and obey you
Fighting, keeping quiet, facing whatever
Yet we don’t ask that you love us

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