"Renai Circulation" a song that translates as "Love Circulation" made its debut by Japanese idol turned CV Kana Hanazawa in the anime series Bakemonogatari. CV in Japanese basically means voice-over artist and means character voice. In English they mainly use VO for short instead of CV, when most English speakers see CV they often get confused. This small 6 second sample protected by the fair use act of 1976 here is covered by Pop Karaoke. Pop was very happy to do a spot of karaoke.
This post here is about the recent "Renai Circulation" craze that has been trending on social media. As all fads and trends it will eventually die out. So why not cover it while it is trending?
It is said that Kana Hanazawa's adorable singing immediately gained popularity among viewers of the anime. Thus leading the anime theme song to success in Japan.
Hanazawa is known in Japan for her extensive VO work in anime. She has voiced Nadeko Sengoku in Bakemonogatari, the anime in which "Renai Circulation" is featured from 2009 and is still the official voice of the character today in Japan. She also used to have a leading role in Namco's The Idolm@ster series and has also extensive video game character VO work. Leading her to eventually do VO for Square Enix and eventually land the role of Rinoa Heartilly in 2018.
On YouTube the song was covered by a VTuber by the name Namirin. Namirin was born in the United States of America but ended up moving to Tokyo. So Namirin is of Asian-American descent being born in the USA. As said many women and men are able to mask themselves now as virtual YouTubers or social media stars. So if they have an interesting speaking or singing voice they are able to become virtual stars.
Japanese Lyrics:
でも そんなんじゃ だめ
Demo sonnan ja dame
But that's no good
もう そんなんじゃ ほら
Mou sonnan ja hora
Look, it won't work
心は進化するよ
Kokoro wa shinka suru yo
Our hearts will keep on evolving
もっと もっと
Motto motto
More and more
言葉にすれば消えちゃう関係なら
Kotoba ni sureba kiechau kankei nara
If words don't ruin our relationship
言葉を消せばいいやって
Kotoba o keseba ii yatte
Then we don't need them
思ってた 恐れてた
Omotteta osoreteta
I thought so, and I was scared...
だけど あれ？ なんか違うかも...
Dakedo are? Nanka chigau kamo...
But wait, maybe that's not quite right...
せんりの道もいっぽから！
Senri no michi mo ippo kara!
A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step
石のようにかたい そんな意思で
Ishi no you ni katai sonna ishi de
So I'll go on with a resolution as firm as stone
ちりもつもればやまとなでしこ？
Chiri mo tsumoreba yamato nadeshiko?
If I bring together enough dust, will I get the 'Yamato Nadeshiko'?
「し」抜きで いや 死ぬ気で！
Shi nuki de iya shinuki de!
Without the "shi" - No, even if it kills me!
ふわふわり ふわふわる
Fuwa fuwari fuwa fuwaru
Softly, gently
あなたが名前を呼ぶ
Anata ga namae o yobu
You’re calling my name
それだけで
Sore dake de
And with just that
宙へ浮かぶ
Chuu e ukabu
I float up into space
ふわふわる ふわふわり
Fuwa fuwaru fuwa fuwari
Gently, softly
あなたが笑っている
Anata ga waratte iru
You’re laughing
それだけで
Sore dake de
And with just that
笑顔になる
Egao ni naru
A smile comes to my face
神様 ありがとう
Kamisama arigatou
Thank you God
運命のいたずらでも
Unmei no itazura demo
Even if it’s a prank of fate
めぐり逢えたことが
Meguriaeta koto ga
I’m happy
しあわせなの
Shiawase nano
That I could meet you
でも そんなんじゃ だめ
Demo sonnan ja dame
But that's no good
もう そんなんじゃ ほら
Mou sonnan ja hora
Look, it won't work
心は進化するよ
Kokoro wa shinka suru yo
Our hearts will keep on evolving
もっと もっと
Motto motto
More and more
そう そんなんじゃ やだ
Sou sonnan ja yada
Yup, I don't want it like that
ねぇ そんなんじゃ まだ
Nee sonnan ja mada
Hey, that’ll come later
私のこと 見ててね
Watashi no koto mitete ne
I just want you to look at me
ずっと ずっと
Zutto zutto
Forever and ever
私の中のあなたほど
Watashi no naka no anata hodo
Compared to your presence inside me
あなたの中の私の存在は
Anata no naka no watashi no sonzai wa
My presence inside you
まだまだ 大きくないことも わかってるけれど
Madamada ookiku nai koto mo Wakatteru keredo
Isn't as big, I know this
今この同じ 瞬間
Ima kono onaji shunkan
But at this same moment
共有してる 実感
Kyouyuu shiteru jikkan
We’re sharing these feelings
ちりもつもればやまとなでしこ！
Chiri mo tsumoreba yamato nadeshiko
If I bring together enough dust, I’ll get the Yamato Nadeshiko
略して？ ちりつもやまとなでこ！
Ryakushite chiritsumo yamato nadeko
For short? Gather dust to get the lovable Nadeko!
くらくらり くらくらる
Kura kurari kura kuraru
Giddy, dizzy
あなたを見上げたら
Anata o miagetara
When I look up at you
それだけで
Sore dake de
Just that much is
まぶしすぎて
Mabushi sugite
Too dazzling
くらくらる くらくらり
Kura kuraru kura kurari
Dizzy, giddy
あなたを想っている
Anata o omotte iru
I’m thinking about you
それだけで
Sore dake de
And with just that
とけてしまう
Tokete shimau
I melt away
神様 ありがとう
Kamisama arigatou
Thank you God
運命のいたずらでも
Unmei no itazura demo
Even if it’s a prank of fate
めぐり逢えたことが
Meguriaeta koto ga
I’m happy
しあわせなの
Shiawase nano
That I could meet you
コイスル キセツハ ヨクバリ circulation
Koisuru kisetsu wa yokubari circulation
The seasons of love are greed’s circulation
コイスル キモチハ ヨクバリ circulation
Koisuru kimochi wa yokubari circulation
These feelings of love are greed’s circulation
コイスル ヒトミハ ヨクバリ circulation
Koisuru hitomi wa yokubari circulation
These loving eyes are greed’s circulation
コイスル オトメハ ヨクバリ circulation
Koisuru otome wa yokubari circulation
This maiden in love is in greed’s circulation
ふわふわり ふわふわる
Fuwa fuwari fuwa fuwaru
Softly, gently
あなたが名前を呼ぶ
Anata ga namae o yobu
You’re calling my name
それだけで
Sore dake de
And with just that
宙へ浮かぶ
Chuu e ukabu
I float up into space
ふわふわる ふわふわり
Fuwa fuwaru fuwa fuwari
Gently, softly
あなたが笑っている
Anata ga waratte iru
You’re laughing
それだけで
Sore dake de
And with just that
笑顔になる
Egao ni naru
A smile comes to my face
神様 ありがとう
Kamisama arigatou
Thank you God
運命のいたずらでも
Unmei no itazura demo
Even if it’s a prank of fate
めぐり逢えたことが
Meguriaeta koto ga
I’m happy
しあわせなの
Shiawase nano
That I could meet you
でも そんなんじゃ だめ
Demo sonnan ja dame
But that's no good
もう そんなんじゃ ほら
Mou sonnan ja hora
Look, it won't work
心は進化するよ
Kokoro wa shinka suru yo
Our hearts will keep on evolving
もっと もっと
Motto motto
More and more
そう そんなんじゃ やだ
Sou sonnan ja yada
Yup, I don't want it like that
ねぇ そんなんじゃ まだ
Nee sonnan ja mada
Hey, that’ll come later
私のこと 見ててね
Watashi no koto mitete ne
I just want you to look at me
ずっと ずっと
Zutto zutto
Forever and ever
In 2012 a young aspiring singer by the name of Lizz Robinett was asked to sing the English theme song. At the time of recording the song she was a teenage girl. Lizz seems to currently be aligned with Burnt Toast Records.The English lyrics seem to have been rewritten so they don't actually follow the Japanese lyrics 100% but the song sounds seems to rhyme. Lizz gained 11,178,724 views on the original video upload and became a Vocaloid & VGM cover singer.
English Lyrics:
One, two
It's so hard to say it
But darling let's face it
These feelings revealing
Can not be ignored
If you're scared you'll say something you'll regret
Well love is something that's best when quiet
Avoid a fight and be polite
Just shut up!
Wait a second...
That ain't right!
I'm takin' a chance
Cuz I like you a lot
So I'll give it a shot!
Give it all that I got!
La! De! Da! De! Da!
La! De! Da! De! De!
Suddenly you call my name
And I lose my brain
And I float up to the moon
La! De! Da! De! De!
La! De! Da! De! Da!
When you laugh it makes me smile
And I love your style
So I wrote a song to this tune
Thank you stars for giving to me
The greatest gift that's still yet to be
I don't mind if fate's playing games
I'm happy all the same
It's so hard to say it
But darling let's face it
These feelings revealed
Can not be ignored
So I'll work on this letter
'Til our time gets better
Sincerely, yours truly and furthermore!
As of 2021 the song became a popular meme on TikTok. When people usually search for the song they typically search for "La De Da De Da," "La De Da De De" or "Fuwa Fuwari Fuwa Fuwaru" in the search engines. Lizz Robinett decided to re-release the song ft. L-Train and Y. Chang.
The lyrics in the official re-recording of the song by Lizz has new lyrics which include "me oh me oh my" and "my oh my oh me" which is very cute. A lot of people agree that Lizz is dedicated to the song. Which she would be because her version is notorious among English speakers.
Lizz Robinett covers the English version of the song and the original is by Kana Hanazawa. Both versions are equally good. Which is rare for anime covers by English dubbers. When Lizz was picked to cover the song, they certainly picked the right person. All the team at Star Bright Stars agree.
The song has also been covered by Raon Lee, Rainych Ran, VTuber Watame Ch. 角巻わため, Kiara and Nene, Gawr Gura, the latter from Hololive Sings, a Japanese VTuber group of Japanese women who also take on the personalities of VTubers.
The Hololive Sings girls include Minato Aqua who's original channel was terminated by YouTube. However she was able to obtain a new one titled Aqua Ch. 湊あくあ. When it comes to being terminated on YouTube it all goes down to copyright. Most songs being covered are owned by record labels, and most of the time they will strike channels, even though there is supposed to be fair use for coverage or cover songs. Usada Pekora who can be found on the YouTube channel Pekora Ch. 兎田ぺこ, the other girls who covered "Renai Circulation" include Botan, Miko, Watame, Haato, Nene and Shion. Please keep in mind that Hololive are not legit and is a managed virtual group. The girls do not do singing for fun they are being paid. The girls had to audition for the roles, and each and every one of their accounts seem to be verified by YouTube and Google.
Three weeks ago as of today which is the 10/04/2021 "Lizz" recorded a Japanese cover of the song, because people kept telling her that the "Japanese" version is better. In other words people were pitting Kana Hanazawa and Lizz Robinett together.
It is a shame that Lizz Robinett and Kana Hanazawa have not duet. Kana is according to reports very hard to get hold of. Someone in Japan who is not A list but only works for companies, so there would never be a collaboration between the two.
Of course the Japanese version is the original. But not everyone understands Japanese. Which is why most anime is dubbed into English by English actors, actresses and singers.
Lizz is cited as saying: "Tell me more, my fellow Americans, about how the version you don't actually understand is somehow superior just because you... can't... understand... the Japanese... lyrics...? You sub vs. dub folks are crazy. Who cares? Let people enjoy things!"
It would seem that people were hassling her since the song blew up on social media.
Lizz finished by stating: "Nothing y'all say can phase me anymore I've literally seen it all!! Cry harder and thanks for your views I guess." She also warns people to not re-upload her music videos, as she has the license on her channel and she can not give permission to use her vocal covers as she does not own the original songs.
We'll end the post with "Renai Circulation" by Lizz's cat an April Fools' Day joke.