First Kiss

Performed by: ICHIKO
Lyrics: ICHIKO
Composer: ?? (probably also ICHIKO)
Relation to anime: opening theme for Zero no Tsukaima

Not sure if it’s been released, but probably has been somewhere as part of Zero no Tsukaima OST.

The lyrics can be found here in full. (I used the english translation from here too. Thanks atashi.)

..

The song starts with a sort of tinkly bit on what sounds like an imitation xylophone, if xylophones were plucked. It’s actually a descending scale, from the dominant of F# major down to where she starts singing. But, you don’t need to know that.

First kiss kara hajimaru futari no koi no History
Kono unmei ni mahou kaketa Kimi ga totsuzen arawareta
The History of our love started from our First kiss
I cast magic on my destiny and you suddenly appeared

ICHIKO’s singing sounds kind of like she’s shouting, but I’m sure she’s not. It’s in tune, anyway. The first line is accompanied by quiet backing strings and the tinkly fake-xylophone from the intro, but soon a drum kit appears. As we will learn later, this drum kit is like a feature item. It only comes up in certain places. Most of the time, the beat is held by a combination of synthesized ostinatos (repeated melodies). Like the tinkly thing.
I think that this song must have been written specially for Zero no Tsukaima, because the lyrics are almost entirely based on the storyline. Interestingly, even if you don’t understand japanese you can get the impression of what the song is about from the random English words placed around, as they pretty much capture the meaning of the song.

Tsuki ga futatsu kienai sora Arienai koto da yo ne
Hajimete da yo! Konna kimochi Yake ni koko ga kokochiyoku natte yuku
There are two moons in the indelible sky; that’s impossible, right?
It’s the first time I’ve had a feeling like this! This place quickly grows comfortable

For some reason, the lyrics sound incredibly stupid in English. I take back what I said before – the WHOLE song is based on the anime. It’s focussed completely on the most important thing in it (at least, I think so) which is the relationship between Saito and Louise..
Anyway. The boppy ostinatos appear for the first time, and ICHIKO starts to sing in a short, clipped way. She is also slightly flat. I was quite shocked when I heard this for the first time, as I actually couldn’t hear her singing at all and I thought that maybe she was trying not to be heard. However, I have become used to it, and luckily she doesn’t use it for the whole song.
They must have been really uninspired for this. I mean, there’s a whole line about the fact that there are two moons in the sky. For some reason, I thought that it would be more poetic, but then, i don’t think it’s supposed to be. And if you think that it’s actually Saito talking, it makes sense. She even sings it in a sort of bewhildered, confused way. *listens to it again* Actually, I think she’s channeling Saito’s spirit.

Moshi kimi ga… Tsumazuite ochikonde mo
Boku ga gyutto! Kimi o zutto! Dakishimete ageru
Even if you…stumbled and fell
I’d tightly! And forever! Embrace you

I like the way that “mo” (the last syllable in the first line) is placed on an offbeat, because together with the rest of “Tsumazuite…mo” it makes it really difficult to find out what exactly the beat is. This effect is enhanced by the lack of a strong beat. This song is so…fun. It’s strangely catchy.
Those exclamation marks in the English translation really make me laugh. But, I think that this song is a little too overdramatic for the anime. It sounds like it’s trying to poke fun at all the serious songs out there. While it’s true that the anime wasn’t really all that serious either, it wasn’t all comedy, because Saito really was devoted to Louise, and I think the song mocks their relationship too much.

Sweet kiss mada samenai ano hi deaeta Story
Hora Kimi no mahou kakete Negai wa kitto kanau kara
A Sweet kiss; I still haven’t woken up from the Story that I met on that day
Look, because when you cast your magic, your wish will surely be fulfilled

Maybe it’s just the translation but I’m having a hard time understanding this song. I think it just sounds awkward in English. Anyway, the rhyming pattern that I so adore starts – that is, “story”, “history” and “mystery”. For some reason, I just think it’s really funny.
I have to ask though, what is with that “hora”? It’s squashed in before “Kimi” and it doesn’t seem to add anything to the meaning.
Oh, I see. It’s to fit with the length of the lyrics. All of the subsequent lyrics for this point have a squashed-in two syllable word.

First kiss kara hajimaru futari no koi no History
Kono unmei ni mahou kaketa Kimi ga totsuzen arawareta
The History of our love started from our First kiss
I cast magic on my destiny and you suddenly appeared

I find it quite interesting that they used the second half of the chorus to open the song. Actually, it’s also the only part of the chorus that is the same for every chorus. Anyway, this is exactly the same as the opening, backing as well. Except that she’s slightly more flat.

There’s a musical interlude here. It’s not very interesting, just more boppy ostinatos and the occasional feature drum kit.

Itsumo kimi wa otenkiame
Aijou? Yuujou? Ki ni shi hajimete iru
You’re always down in spirits
Is it love? Friendship? I’ve started to mind you

The clipped style is back. I wonder who this is supposed to be? Maybe it’s Louise speaking, because Saito’s was before. Although, I can’t really say either of them is “always down in spirits” – I mean, look at all the females Saito is surrounded by, he must be in heaven. And I can’t see him actually noticing that Louise is “always down in spirits” either, even if she was. Maybe it’s just a general statement speaking about the characters. Although, “I’ve started to mind you”?? I think it’s probably “I’ve started to notice you”. Yay, their relationship develops. >_>

Sonna boku ga…kutabirete soppo muite mo
Kimi wa gutto! Boku o chanto! Tsuredashite kureru
Even if such a me…got tired and faced the other way
You’d firmly! And exactly! Take me away

Oh, I see now. I think that it’s meant to be Louise, because now it’s aimed at “you” as opposed to “I” who is doing the..taking away/embracing. Actually, I only think so because the male is supposed to be the dominant one in a relationship. Except that in theirs, I can’t really be sure..
Actually I think it’s Louise, it sounds like she’s ordering Saito to firmly and exactly take her away. She probably is. >_>

Just kiss made matenai Futari no koi wa Mystery
Sono shunkan ni me o tojita Kimi dake sotto mamoru kara
Our love that can’t wait for Just a kiss is a Mystery
At the moment, I closed my eyes, because I’ll gently protect you alone

That “just” that pops up there really is a mystery. Ahem. It doesn’t really add anything to the lyrics, and also it sounds quite odd – first kiss, sweet kiss, just kiss? It just doesn’t fit.
On a brighter note, I like the way she sings “mystery”. Especially because it reuses so many words from “first kiss….futari no koi no history” yet has a completely different meaning. Sadly, I would never have guessed what those lyrics meant. Although, I’m not sure I wanted to know. Saito/Louise closed his/her eyes because they wanted to protect him/her alone?? Why?? And also, what’s with the closing the eyes?
I think that this is probably meant to be “At that moment, I closed my eyes, because you’ll gently protect me alone”. But then, that also sounds odd. Who knows..

First kiss kara hajiketa Tokimeku boku no Wonderland
Kono unmei ni michibikare Kimi ga totsuzen arawareta
My throbbing Wonderland that burst out from our First kiss
Guided by my destiny, you suddenly appeared

Okay, I was wrong about the second bit of every chorus being the same. I must be more vigilant in my observations…
Seriously, what is with these lyrics?? I wonder why she chose to write “Wonderland” there. …”my throbbing wonderland that burst out from our first kiss”. I guess that it’s meant to mean that after Louise met Saito, their lives improved drastically. Still, I wouldn’t really call it a “wonderland”. 

Another interlude. Not…very interesting. A guitar appears. Finally, a real instrument.

Mata kimi ga…tsumazuite ochikonde mo
Kimi o gyutto! Boku ga zutto! Dakishimete ageru
Even if you…stumble and fall again
I’ll forever! And tightly! Embrace you

The dramatic bridge returns.

Sweet kiss mada samenai ano hi deaeta Story
Hora Kimi no mahou kakete Negai wa kitto kanau kara
First kiss kara hajimaru futari no koi no History
Kono unmei ni mahou kaketa Kimi ga totsuzen arawareta
A Sweet kiss; I still haven’t woken up from the Story that I met on that day
Look, because when you cast your magic, your wish will surely be fulfilled
The History of our love started from our First kiss
I cast magic on my destiny and you suddenly appeared

Despite having so many choruses, there is no big finish to this song. I would suspect that it was just expanded to make up a “full” version, except for the “mystery” verse. Such a beautiful rhyming word!! It can’t have just been put in there.

The last chorus finishes and the boppy ostinatos are back, except that it’s tweaked so that the tinkly bit appears again and then the boppy ostinatos proceed to a cadence. It’s not a bad ending really, just…boppy.

*edited for English lyrics*