1. 抱きしめて Any version of myself

Romaji: Dakishimete / Any version of myself

Cultural Nuance: My past self, my immature self, and my current self. I, and no one else, affirm and embrace every "version of myself" that continues to change.

🗣 Japanese Insight: The word "Dakishimete" (抱きしめて) refers not just to a physical hug, but to a deep spiritual acceptance—cherishing and embracing everything, including one's flaws and weaknesses.

It is a powerful declaration of self-love, affirming that all the struggles and changes IS:SUE has experienced since their debut were not mistakes. By linking the English "Any version of myself" with the Japanese "Dakishimete," the song blends global sensibilities with Japanese emotional depth, creating a modern anthem of empowerment.

2. 月夜咲くリンドウ 響く悲しみは Mellow

Romaji: Tsukiyosaku rindo / hibiku kanashimi wa merou

Cultural Nuance: Like a gentian blooming quietly under the moonlight, the sorrow echoing within me has now been sublimated into something rich and "Mellow."

🗣 Japanese Insight: The "Rindo" (リンドウ - Gentian) is a plant that blooms with purple flowers in autumn. Its "language of flowers" includes meanings like "I love you in your sorrow," "justice," and "sincerity." 

Standing tall and blooming alone in the wild rather than in clusters, it mirrors the stoic attitude of the IS:SUE members, who stay true to their beliefs without being swayed by their surroundings.

"Mellow" refers to being softened by age or being rich and pleasant. Instead of letting sorrow end as mere "pain," they "mature" it into an essential experience that fuels the beauty of their expression. This is a highly poetic line where YUUKI’s delicate creativity shines.

3. 輝き増す Zero to hunnid

Romaji: Kagayaki masu / Zero to hunnid

Cultural Nuance: From "Zero"—having nothing—to the peak of "100" (hunnid). That brilliance accelerates and continues to increase without stopping.

🗣 Japanese Insight: The expression "Kagayaki masu" (輝き増す - brilliance increases) symbolizes their relentless ambition to never be satisfied with the current state and to intensify their light even further.

"Zero to hunnid" is hip-hop slang (Zero to a Hundred), meaning to rise from obscurity to stardom instantly or to accelerate rapidly in a short time. Having won an intense competition through an audition and starting from a blank slate, the members are now ready to emit an overwhelming light at maximum output. Their sense of speed and unwavering confidence are concentrated in this short phrase.

4. 三日月のように未完成でも It's me

Romaji: Mikazuki no you ni / mikansei demo / It's me

Cultural Nuance: Even if I am incomplete and imperfect, like a waning crescent moon rather than a full moon, that is the authentic me.

🗣 Japanese Insight: The "Mikazuki" (三日月 - crescent moon) is a symbol of hope that will eventually become full, but it also carries the inherent imperfection of currently "lacking" parts. Since ancient times, Japan has had a rich aesthetic of finding beauty in the "incomplete"—not just in full blossoms or full moons, but in falling petals or the crescent moon—seeing the beauty in the process of change.

Instead of being ashamed of being "Mikansei" (未完成 - incomplete), they boldly state, "It's me." This is a vital phrase for fans, symbolizing IS:SUE’s concept of showing the process of growth and change as art, rather than playing the role of a pre-packaged, "perfect" idol.

5. 夜を駆けて未来染めて

Romaji: Yoru o kakete / mirai somete

Cultural Nuance: Breaking through the night dominated by darkness, I will vividly dye the blank future with my own colors and my own will.

🗣 Japanese Insight: The combination of the word "Kakete" (駆けて - to dash/run), which has a sense of dynamism, and "Somete" (染めて - to dye/color), a creative act, tells the story of their proactive way of life.

While the night is often a symbol of anxiety or stagnation, for them, it is the "stage" upon which they shine. Instead of following a script prepared by others, they use their own journey (trajectory) to change the canvas of the future into their own colors. The image of the "independent and strong woman," consistent since their debut, is vividly depicted through this beautiful Japanese.

6. Next mode 予測不能(描いてゆく軌道)

Romaji: Next mode / yosoku funou (egaite yuku kidou)

Cultural Nuance: No one can predict the next mode (stage). The path we take will become a new trajectory that no one has ever seen before.

🗣 Japanese Insight: The four-character compound "Yosoku funou" (予測不能) refers to a state where future situations, results, or actions cannot be estimated or calculated in advance, making the outlook unclear. Usually used to describe a source of anxiety, the song flips this into a positive, exciting nuance meaning "unprecedented surprises" or "infinite possibilities."

A "Kidou" (軌道 - trajectory/orbit) is the path a celestial body takes. As a group with a "Moon" concept, they draw their own path, and that path becomes a unique route. This line expresses IS:SUE's "ISSHU" (unique) charm—unbound by existing idol frameworks—on a cosmic scale.

7. 選んだ全てが I'm making myself

Romaji: Eranda subete ga / I'm making myself

Cultural Nuance: Every decision I have made has built the person I am today. My life is formed by my own choices.

🗣 Japanese Insight: The word "Eranda" (選んだ - chose) carries a strong sense of agency. It conveys their pride in choosing their own path with their own will, no matter how steep it may be, rather than leaving their fate to others.

The phrase "I'm making myself" expresses the process of self-formation in the present progressive tense. Past struggles and current challenges are all indispensable materials for creating the masterpiece that is "Me." This message, repeated in the chorus, acts as a powerful encouragement for listeners to "take the steering wheel of your own life."

🎤 Emotional Summary

IS:SUE’s "Phase" is an anthem celebrating the "Aesthetics of Change"—loving one’s incomplete self and continuing to evolve toward the next stage.

Taking pride in being "incomplete" like a crescent moon, maturing sorrow into something "Mellow," and dyeing the future with their own hands—the words penned by YUUKI resonate deeply with the group’s journey, carrying a weight of "truth" that transcends mere lyrics. When the music of "Phase" echoes, we become witnesses to the "unpredictable trajectory" they draw and gain the courage to begin a new phase in our own lives.