1. 焔はいつか消える

Romaji: Homura wa itsuka kieru

Cultural Nuance: This blazing passion will surely vanish one day. It is an inescapable truth of the universe.

🗣 Japanese Insight: "Homura" (焔) is an elegant and poetic word for a roaring fire or intense inner emotion. In the context of Dororo, the physical body parts Hyakkimaru reclaims and the power that men fight for are all subject to the Buddhist law of impermanence (Shogyo Mujo)—they will all "vanish one day." Yet, behind this nihilism lies a desperate "thirst" to burn as brightly as possible in this very moment.

2. やぁ 千代も八千代 変わりもせずに

Romaji: Yaa chiyo mo yachiyo / kawari mo sezu ni

Cultural Nuance: Even after a thousand, or eight thousand years—unfathomable lengths of time—human beings haven't changed a bit, repeating the same mistakes over and over.

🗣 Japanese Insight: "Chiyo ni Yachiyo ni" (千代に八千代に) is a traditional Japanese expression meaning "forever" or "for eternity." It is famously part of Japan’s national anthem, Kimi ga Yo, where it is used to wish for eternal peace and prosperity. However, Avu-chan ties this to "without changing," sarcastically depicting the "Karma" (Gou) of humans who continue to repeat cycles of conflict and greed. From the Muromachi era of Dororo to the modern day, the essence of humanity remains chillingly unchanged.

3. ひとのなり いとをかし 全部燃やせ八百屋お七

Romaji: Hito no nari ito okashi / zenbu moyase yaoya oshichi

Cultural Nuance: Human behavior is so comical, interesting, and beautiful. Just burn it all down, just like that young girl who went mad with love.

🗣 Japanese Insight: This line is a brilliant collision of classical literature and Edo-period history:

1. Ito Okashi (いとをかし): An archaic term from Heian-period literature (like The Pillow Book) meaning "very charming," "interesting," or "beautiful in a refined way."

2. Yaoya Oshichi (八百屋お七): A real historical figure from the Edo period. After falling in love with a temple page during a fire, she committed arson just to see him again, leading to her execution by fire. Her tragic story became a staple of Japanese traditional arts like Kabuki and Bunraku. By calling human passion "Ito Okashi" while referencing the "madness" of Oshichi, the song affirms a life that explodes with passion beyond the bounds of reason.

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4. 燃えるさまはお見事 火遊びはしない ぬるいまね出来ない

Romaji: Moeru sama wa omigoto / hiasobi wa shinai / nurui mane dekinai

Cultural Nuance: The way it burns is truly magnificent. I won't live a half-hearted life. I cannot settle for lukewarm compromises now.

🗣 Japanese Insight: "Omigoto" (お見事) is a term used to wholeheartedly praise someone's skill or achievement. Here, the word "Nurui" (ぬるい) is key. While it literally means "lukewarm" (temperature), it is used critically to mean "half-hearted," "lacking strictness," or "not thorough." Like Hyakkimaru, who literally stakes his life against demons to reclaim his body, this phrase etches the resolve of one living life at the extreme edge.

5. しけたカルマトラウマ 燃やし尽くすマグマドラマ

Romaji: Shiketa karuma torauma / moyashitsukusu maguma dorama

Cultural Nuance: Dull "retribution" and "scars of the past"—burn them all away with the fierce energy (magma) welling up from the depths of the soul.

🗣 Japanese Insight: This is a fusion of modern slang and Buddhist terminology. "Shiketa" (しけた) has three meanings: (1) food becoming damp/soggy, (2) a stagnant economy or a "lame/dull" situation, and (3) a gloomy expression. Here, it is used in the sense of (2) "lame or low-value." By dismissing "Karma" and "Trauma" as "lame" weights holding one back, the song expresses a process of destruction and rebirth—using inner "magma" to burn away the past.

6. 死は過去のひとつ隣 やがて総てひとつとなり

Romaji: Shi wa kako no hitotsu tonari / yagete subete hitotsu to nari

Cultural Nuance: Death is not in the far-off future. It exists right next to the past—meaning it is always right next to this very moment. Eventually, life and death, self and other, will all melt into one.

🗣 Japanese Insight: "Hitotsu tonari" (ひとつ隣) literally means "right next to" or "the very next spot." It suggests that death is always right beside us, highlighting the ambiguity of the boundary between life and death. The song also plays on a double meaning between "Right next to" (一つ隣) and "Becoming one" (一つと成り - Hitotsu to nari). This reflects Hyakkimaru's journey of assembling his body while acknowledging the Buddhist concept of "Emptiness" (Ku), where all things eventually return to a single state of non-existence.

7. 僕らはいつか消える ゆるやかに若さを溶かして

Romaji: Bokura wa itsuka kieru / yuruyaka ni wakasa o tokashite

Cultural Nuance: We will all surely vanish one day, slowly using up the dazzling energy of youth until it’s all gone.

🗣 Japanese Insight: Shifting from the image of a roaring "FIRE," this line depicts a "quiet end" like a melting candle. Youth is the state where life burns most intensely, but it is also a process of "melting away." It captures the bittersweet reality of Dororo and Hyakkimaru growing older and losing parts of their innocence during their harsh journey.

🎤 Emotional Summary: The Prayer to Reclaim Oneself

"FIRE" by Ziyoou-vachi is not just an anime song; it is a prayer for living through an absurd destiny to "reclaim oneself."

Carrying the weight of human karma—unchanged for thousands of years—and driven by a passion as mad as Yaoya Oshichi, we continue to run "right next to death." Avu-chan’s scream awakens the "blue flame" within us, teaching us that only after burning everything away can our true selves finally emerge.