Table of Contents

AKB48 – Birth. Lyrics Meaning: Hitting the Reset Button on Life

Why does life sometimes feel so totally pointless? AKB48’s song “Birth” jumps right into that heavy feeling. It’s all about being so fed up you just want to quit, but then finding a tiny reason to try again.

The Story Unfolding in AKB48’s “Birth”

This song isn’t just a collection of random lyrics. It tells a powerful story, almost like a short film. It takes you on a journey from absolute despair to a flicker of hope.

Feeling Totally Done with Everything

Right from the start, the singer is just over it. School seems useless, and even love feels like a chore. There’s this vibe of complete apathy, like nothing matters anymore. They’re not just sad; they’re numb to the world around them.

[su_quote]
Gakkou nanka itta tokoro de
Even if I go to school

Dou ni mo naranai yo
Nothing’s going to change
Renai datte hayaranai
Even love isn’t popular
“Suki” tte nandarou?
What is “like” anyway?
[/su_quote]

You can almost picture someone staring blankly at the wall, thinking none of this makes any difference. They don’t have dreams, they don’t want anything, and even friends feel like a burden.

Asking the Big, Scary Questions

Then things get really deep. The song shifts from simple boredom to full-on existential crisis. The narrator starts questioning the very meaning of their existence. It’s a raw and honest look at feeling lost in the universe.

[su_quote]

Nande ikiru no?
Why are we living?
Imi wakannai
I don’t get the meaning
Chotto ikkai raku ni naritai
I just want to be at ease for a bit
Kamisama gomen
Sorry, God
[/su_quote]

It’s that moment when you feel so small and pointless. The song perfectly captures the feeling that just breathing is a waste of resources. It’s a very dark place, but one that feels surprisingly real.

The Sudden Urge to “Restart”

Just when things seem their bleakest, the chorus hits like a lightning bolt. It’s a sudden, powerful idea. The narrator doesn’t decide to give up. Instead, they decide to “play dead” and be reborn. It’s not about a literal end, but a symbolic one. It’s about giving yourself permission to start over from scratch.

[su_quote]
Chotto matte
Wait a minute
Chotto matte
Wait a minute
Ikkai shinda furi shite
Let’s pretend to be dead for a moment
Soko kara mou ichido tachiagari
And from there, stand up one more time
Umarekawatte miyou
Let’s try being reborn

[/su_quote]

This is the turning point. It’s the decision to hit a mental reset button. To wipe the slate clean and try again, as a new person, on a new day. Today is your second “Birth.”

The Core Narrative of “Birth”

At its heart, “Birth” tells the story of someone drowning in apathy and meaninglessness. They feel like a burden on the world. But right at their lowest point, they get an idea: instead of ending it all, why not just start over? The song is a journey from absolute emptiness to the radical decision to give yourself a second chance at life.

The Real Message You Can Take Away

Don’t let the dark theme fool you; this song is incredibly hopeful. The message is that it’s okay to feel lost. It’s normal to question everything. The solution isn’t to find some grand, epic purpose overnight. It’s way simpler than that. The song suggests just trying to make it until tomorrow. That’s it.

[su_quote]
Ashita made
Until tomorrow
Ashita made
Until tomorrow
Shinu no wo yamete miyou
Let’s try to stop dying
Soshitara nandaka asatte mo
And then, somehow, the day after tomorrow
Omoshirosou na ki ga suru
Seems like it might be interesting
[/su_quote]

The real takeaway is that small steps are powerful. Just deciding to live one more day can create a little space for hope to grow. Maybe the day after tomorrow will be interesting. Maybe you’ll feel like starting something new. It’s about finding strength in the smallest decision to just keep going.

So, that’s my take on “Birth.” It’s a surprisingly deep and optimistic song hiding behind a really heavy theme. What do you think about it? Does this song hit differently for you? I’d love to hear your interpretation!

[su_spoiler title=”

Lyrics: "Birth" by AKB48

” open=”no” style=”fancy”]

AKB48 – Birth [Lyrics KANJI]

どうせこの世は
バグがいっぱい
矛盾だらけのシステム
学校なんか行ったところで
どうにもならないよ

恋愛だって流行らない
“好き”って何だろう?
誰かに束縛されたら
絶対に私キレるよ

別にやりたいことなんかないし
夢を見るのはかったるいし
欲しいものくらいあればよかった
“もの”って何だか空しい

友達親友恥ずかしい
“孤独”って何だろう?
誰とも知り合わなければ
返事をしなくていいんだ

なんで生きるの?
意味わかんない
ちょっと一回楽になりたい
神様ごめん

ちょっと待って
ちょっと待って
一回死んだ振りして
そこからもう一度立ち上がり
生まれ変わってみよう
やり直し
やり直し
スタートに戻ろうよ
ほらあの日に巻き戻して
さあ今日は第二のBirth

私なんかが
生きてることで
全世界に迷惑かけてる
息吸って息吐いてるだけで
資源の無駄だってば…

どこかのお偉い先生に
生きる意味を聞きたい
頑張って生きれば生きるほど
死に近づくなんて損してねえ?

ずっと人類考え続けて
未だに答え出てないじゃん
スーパーコンピューター使ってみても
何にも解明できない

命とは何か問いかけて
だいたい人生終わるんだ
いつまでたっても生命の
目的がわからない

でも私に
残る時間
何でこんなに長いのよ
誰かあげる

明日まで
明日まで
死ぬのをやめてみよう
そしたら何だか明後日も
面白そうな気がする
まだ早い
まだ早い
ここで結論出すのは…
あとちょっぴり生きてみようよ
さあ今第二のLife

ちょっと待って
ちょっと待って
一回死んだ振りして
そこからもう一度立ち上がり
生まれ変わってみよう

明日まで
明日まで
死ぬのをやめてみよう
そしたら何だか明後日も
何か始めたくなる
まだ早い
まだ早い
騙されたと思って
あとちょっぴり生きてみようよ
さあ今第二のLife

今日は第二のBirth

AKB48 – Birth [Lyrics ROMAJI]

douse kono yo wa
bagu ga ippai
mujun darake no shisutemu
gakkou nanka itta tokoro de
dou nimo naranai yo

ren’ai datte hayaranai
“suki” tte nan darou?
dareka ni sokubaku saretara
zettai ni watashi kireru yo

betsu ni yaritai koto nankanai shi
yume o miru no wa kattarui shi
hoshii mono kurai areba yokatta
“mono” tte nanda ka munashii

tomodachi shinyuu hazukashii
“kodoku” tte nan darou?
dare to mo shiriawanakereba
henji o shinakute iinda

nande ikiru no?
imi wakannai
chotto ikkai raku ni naritai
kamisama gomen

chotto matte
chotto matte
ikkai shinda furi shite
soko kara mou ichido tachiagari
umarekawatte miyou
yarinaoshi
yarinaoshi
sutaato ni modorou yo
hora ano hi ni makimodoshite
saa kyou wa daini no Bāsu

watashi nanka ga
ikiteru koto de
zensekai ni meiwaku kaketeru
iki sutte iki haiteru dake de
shigen no muda datte ba…

dokoka no oerai sensei ni
ikiru imi o kikitai
ganbatte ikireba ikiru hodo
shi ni chikazuku nante son shite nee?

zutto jinrui kangae tsudukete
imada ni kotae detenai jan
suupaa konpyuutaa tsukatte mite mo
nannimo kaimei dekinai

inochi to wa nani ka toikakete
daitai jinsei owarunda
itsu made tattemo seimei no
mokuteki ga wakaranai

demo watashi ni
nokoru jikan
nande konna ni nagai no yo
dareka ageru

ashita made
ashita made
shinu no o yamete miyou
soshitara nanda ka asatte mo
omoshiro sou na ki ga suru
mada hayai
mada hayai
koko de ketsuron dasu no wa…
ato choppiri ikite miyou yo
saa ima daini no Raifu

chotto matte
chotto matte
ikkai shinda furi shite
soko kara mou ichido tachiagari
umarekawatte miyou

ashita made
ashita made
shinu no o yamete miyou
soshitara nanda ka asatte mo
nani ka hajimetaku naru
mada hayai
mada hayai
damasareta to omotte
ato choppiri ikite miyou yo
saa ima daini no Raifu

kyou wa daini no Bāsu

AKB48 – Birth [English translation]

This world is just
Full of bugs
A system of contradictions
Going to school won’t do a thing
It won’t help at all

Even love isn’t popular
What exactly is “love”?
If someone tries to tie me down
I’ll definitely snap!

I don’t really have anything I want to do
And dreaming feels so tiresome
I wish I had at least one thing I desired
But “things” just feel so empty

Friends, best friends – it’s embarrassing
What is “loneliness”?
If I don’t get to know anyone
I don’t have to reply to them

Why do we live?
I don’t understand the meaning
I just want to feel at ease, just once
Sorry, God

Hold on a sec,
Hold on a sec,
Let’s pretend to die just once
Then, from there, let’s stand up again
And try to be reborn
A do-over
A do-over
Let’s go back to the start
Look, rewind to that day
Come on, today is our second Birth!

Someone like me,
Just by living,
Is causing trouble for the whole world
Just by breathing in and out
I’m wasting resources, you know?

I want to ask some important professor somewhere
What the meaning of life is
The harder you try to live, the more
You get closer to death – isn’t that a loss?

Humanity has been thinking about this forever
And there’s still no answer, right?
Even if you use a supercomputer
Nothing can be figured out

We keep asking “What is life?”
And usually, that’s when life ends
No matter how long we wait, the purpose
Of life remains a mystery

But for me,
The time I have left…
Why is it so long?
Someone, take it!

Until tomorrow,
Until tomorrow,
Let’s try not to die
Then, somehow, the day after tomorrow
Might feel interesting too!
It’s too soon,
It’s too soon
To draw a conclusion here…
Let’s try living just a little bit longer!
Come on, now it’s our second Life!

Hold on a sec,
Hold on a sec,
Let’s pretend to die just once
Then, from there, let’s stand up again
And try to be reborn

Until tomorrow,
Until tomorrow,
Let’s try not to die
Then, somehow, the day after tomorrow
You’ll feel like starting something new!
It’s too soon,
It’s too soon!
Let’s live just a little bit longer,
Pretending we were tricked!
Come on, now it’s our second Life!

Today is our second Birth!

[/su_spoiler]