Nanpasen Lyrics [English Meaning] — Mika Nakashima

Mika Nakashima sings the haunting chorus, while Tokiko Kato, the poet, pens the verses. She tells a story of a shipwreck heart, and the lyrics echo through a lonely night. The artist rides a melody produced by Ryuta Nozaki, Shinjiro Ikeda and Takemasa Kosaka, and the tune drifts like a broken wing.

Nanpasen Lyrics [English Meaning] — Mika Nakashima
Released: May 1, 2025

NANPASEN

Mika Nakashima

Lyricist
Tokiko Kato
Composer
Tokiko Kato, Ryota Nozaki, Shinjiro Ikeda, Takemasa Kosaka

NANPASEN Lyrics English Translation by Mika Nakashima

The poet writes about a broken wing spreading over a stormy sea, and the image of a shipwreck vessel drifts in moonlight. She translates a line, ‘I am a nanpasen shipwreck of love,’ to show a heart lost at sea. The lyric shows a scene of lonely streets where lanterns flicker, and a lone figure walks past indifferent faces.

Takaga koi nante wasurereba iiI should just forget it, it’s only love,
Nakitai dake naitaraonce I’ve cried all the tears I want to cry,
Me no mae ni chigau ai gamaybe a different kind of love
Mietekuru kamoshirenai towill come into view before my eyes.
Sonna tsuyogari o itte miseru no waThe reason I’m putting on such a brave face
Anata o wasureru tameis just to help me forget you,
Sabishisugite kowaresou na noI’m so lonely I feel like I’m gonna break,
Watashi wa ai no nanpasenI’m a ‘nanpasen’ shipwreck of love.
Oreta tsubasa hirogeta mamaWith my broken wings still spread wide,
Anata no ue ni ochite yukitaiI want to come falling down upon you,
Umi no soko e shizunda naraand if I sink to the bottom of the sea,
Nakitai dake daite hoshiiI want you to hold me for as long as I want to cry.
Hoka no dareka o aishita no naraIf you’ve gone and loved someone else,
Oika kete wa yukenaiI can’t go chasing after you,
Mijime na koi tsuzukeru yorirather than clinging to a miserable love,
Wakare no kurushisa erabuwaI’ll choose the pain of saying goodbye.
Sonna hitokoto de furimuki mo sezuWithout even looking back at that one word,
Wakareta ano asa ni waon that morning when we parted,
Kono sabishisa shiri mo shinaiyou don’t even know this loneliness,
Watashi wa ai no nanpasenI’m a ‘nanpasen’ vessel shattered by love.
Oroka da yo to warawarete moEven if I’m laughed at for being foolish,
Anata o oika ke dakishimetaiI want to chase you down and hold you tight,
Tsumujikaze ni mi o makasetesurrendering myself to the whirlwind,
Anata o umi ni shizumetaiI want to sink you into the sea.
Anata ni aenai kono machi oThrough this town where I can’t see you,
Konya hitori aruitaI walked all alone tonight,
Daremo karemo shiranpuri deeveryone I see just looks the other way,
Mukuchi na mama toorisugirupassing by without saying a word.
Takaga koibito o nakushita dake deJust because I lost a lover,
Nanimokamo ga kieta waeverything’s completely disappeared,
Hitoribocchi daremo inaiI’m all alone, there’s nobody here,
Watashi wa ai no nanpasenI’m a ‘nanpasen’ shipwreck lost to love.

NANPASEN Music Video

NANPASEN drifts like a midnight tide, the English lyrics of ‘NANPASEN’ explore longing. Mika Nakashima sings in Japanese, the track offers a confession of love.