NGT48 – Kirai na no kamo shirenai. Lyrics Meaning: From ‘I Might Hate You’ to ‘Maybe I Love You’

Why are we sometimes so drawn to the one person who seems to completely ignore us? NGT48’s song “Kirai na no kamo shirenai” dives right into that confusing feeling. It’s a story about a massive misunderstanding and a heart that doesn’t know what it wants.

    The Story Behind NGT48’s “Kirai na no kamo shirenai”

    This whole song plays out like a scene from a high school anime. It follows a guy who is totally convinced a girl in his class can’t stand him. It’s a classic case of getting stuck in your own head.

    He’s Convinced She Hates Him

    From the get-go, our main character has already decided the story for himself. He thinks this girl despises him. He’s got his “evidence” and everything. She’s always distant, and he feels like she’s ignored him tons of times. So, he just decides to accept it and keep his distance too.

    Boku no koto nante kirai nan datte
    “You must hate me”
    Zutto omotteita
    That’s what I always thought
    Datte itsudemo soyososhikute
    Because you’re always so cold to me
    Nandomo mushi saretashi…
    And you’ve ignored me so many times…

    He even comes up with a wild theory that they must have had some drama in a past life. I mean, talk about being dramatic! It’s his only explanation for why they have such bad chemistry for seemingly no reason.

    One Afternoon Changes Everything

    The big turning point happens one day after school. For some reason, it’s just the two of them left in the classroom. As the sun sets, the whole vibe of the room feels different. It’s quiet, it’s awkward. He knows he should say something.

    He builds up all his courage to finally speak, but guess what? She beats him to it. She’s the one who starts the conversation.

    A Total Misunderstanding

    This is where his whole world flips upside down. They start talking, and he can’t even remember what it was about, but he knows one thing: it was the most fun he’s had. He’s totally lost in the conversation as the lights in the school start turning on.

    Donna kaiwa ka oboetenai keredo
    I don’t remember what we talked about, but
    Saikou ni tanoshikatta no wa naze da?
    Why was it the most fun I’ve ever had?
    Ima made doushite
    Until now, why did I
    Nigate da to omotta no ka?
    Think I couldn’t get along with you?

    Suddenly, he realizes he was completely wrong. This person he thought hated him is actually easy to talk to. All those feelings of annoyance he had start turning into something else… something a lot like affection. He starts to wonder, “Maybe she likes me?”

    So, What’s the Real Story Here?

    The core narrative of “Kirai na no kamo shirenai” is about how our own perceptions can trick us. It’s the story of a boy who misinterprets a girl’s shyness or distance as hatred. A single, honest conversation is all it takes to shatter his reality and reveal that the feelings he thought were one thing were actually the complete opposite. It’s a journey from assumed rejection to the sudden, shocking possibility of love.

    The Message: Don’t Assume You Know

    If there’s one thing to take away from this song, it’s to stop writing stories in your head about other people. The guy was so sure she disliked him that he never even tried to find out the truth. He was creating distance because he assumed she was. The real lesson here is about communication. Just talking to someone can change everything you thought you knew. That “hate” you’re sensing might just be shyness, or maybe, just maybe, they’re crushing on you too and have no idea how to show it.

    What’s Your Take?

    This song feels so relatable, doesn’t it? It’s that classic push-and-pull of teen romance. I’d love to know what you think. Do you see it as a story about a misunderstanding, or is there something deeper going on? Let me know your interpretation!

    Lyrics: "Kirai na no kamo shirenai" by NGT48


    NGT48 – Kirai na no kamo shirenai [Lyrics KANJI]


    僕のことなんて嫌いなんだって
    ずっと思っていた
    だっていつでもよそよそしくて
    何度も無視されたし・・・
    それならそれでしょうがないさと
    割り切ったみたいに
    君とはちょっと 距離置きながら
    どうにかやり過ごして来た

    きっと僕らの前世で何かしら
    揉め事があったんだって思う
    理由もないのに
    相性が悪いなんて・・・

    だけど何でこんなに
    君が気になるんだろう
    卒業までの残りの日々
    急に切なくなった
    もしかしたら本当は
    君を好きだったかもしれない
    複雑な想いはもう
    どうだって構わない
    I miss you…

    ある日 放課後に 君と僕だけが
    なぜか残っていた
    夕陽の色のこの教室が
    今日は違って見えた
    このままずっと黙ってるのも
    不自然な気がして・・・
    勇気を出して 話そうとしたら
    君が話しかけて来た

    どんな会話か 覚えてないけれど
    最高に楽しかったのはなぜだ?
    今までどうして
    苦手だと思ったのか?

    だってずっと前から
    仲がよかったみたいに
    校舎に灯り 点き始めても
    話に夢中だった
    勘違いをしてたのか
    僕を嫌いなのかもなんて
    単純な性格なんだ
    愛しさが募ってく
    You like me?

    星が綺麗な校庭
    並んで歩きながら
    知らないうちに惹き寄せられてた
    僕らの運命よ

    だけど何でこんなに
    君が気になるんだろう
    卒業までの残りの日々
    急に切なくなった
    もしかしたら本当は
    君を好きだったかもしれない
    複雑な想いはもう
    どうだって構わない
    I miss you…

    NGT48 – Kirai na no kamo shirenai [Lyrics ROMAJI]


    Boku no koto nante kirai nanda tte
    Zutto omotte ita
    Datte itsudemo yosoyososhikute
    Nando mo mushi sareta shi…
    Sore nara sore de shō ga nai sa to
    Warikitta mitai ni
    Kimi to wa chotto kyori okinagara
    Dōnika yarisugoshite kita

    Kitto bokura no zense de nanikashira
    Momogoto ga atta n’da tte omou
    Riyū mo nai noni
    Aishō ga warui nante…

    Dakedo nande konna ni
    Kimi ga ki ni naru n’darō
    Sotsugyō made no nokori no hibi
    Kyū ni setsunaku natta
    Moshikashitara hontō wa
    Kimi o suki datta ka mo shirenai
    Fukuzatsu na omoi wa mō
    Dō datte kamawanai
    I miss you…

    Aru hi hōkago ni kimi to boku dake ga
    Naze ka nokotte ita
    Yūhi no iro no kono kyōshitsu ga
    Kyō wa chigatte mieta
    Kono mama zutto damatteru no mo
    Fushizen na ki ga shite…
    Yūki o dashite hanasō to shitara
    Kimi ga hanashikakete kita

    Donna kaiwa ka oboetenai keredo
    Saikō ni tanoshikatta no wa naze da?
    Ima made dōshite
    Nigate da to omotta no ka?

    Datte zutto mae kara
    Naka ga yokatta mitai ni
    Kōsha ni akari tsuki hajimete mo
    Hanashi ni muchū datta
    Kanchigai o shiteta no ka
    Boku o kirai na no kamo nante
    Tanjun na seikaku nanda
    Itoshisa ga tsunotteku
    You like me?

    Hoshi ga kirei na kōtei
    Narande arukinagara
    Shiranai uchi ni hikiyoserarete ‘ta
    Bokura no unmei yo

    Dakedo nande konna ni
    Kimi ga ki ni naru n’darō
    Sotsugyō made no nokori no hibi
    Kyū ni setsunaku natta
    Moshikashitara hontō wa
    Kimi o suki datta ka mo shirenai
    Fukuzatsu na omoi wa mō
    Dō datte kamawanai
    I miss you…

    NGT48 – Kirai na no kamo shirenai [English translation]


    I always thought you probably disliked me.
    I really did.
    Because you were always so distant,
    and you ignored me so many times…
    So, I thought, “Well, if that’s how it is, it can’t be helped,”
    and just tried to accept it.
    I’ve been keeping a bit of distance from you,
    just trying to get by.

    I truly believe there must have been some kind of trouble
    between us in a past life.
    To have such bad compatibility
    without any real reason…

    But why on earth
    am I so curious about you now?
    With the remaining days until graduation,
    I suddenly feel so wistful.
    Maybe, just maybe, I actually
    liked you all along.
    These complicated feelings now…
    I don’t care about them anymore.
    I miss you…

    One day after school, only you and I
    were somehow still there.
    This classroom, bathed in the sunset’s colors,
    looked different today.
    It felt unnatural
    to just keep silent like that.
    Just as I gathered my courage to speak,
    you started talking to me.

    I don’t remember what we talked about,
    but why was it so incredibly fun?
    Why did I ever think
    I was bad at dealing with you?

    Because it was as if we’d been close
    for a long, long time.
    Even as the lights started to come on in the school building,
    we were completely engrossed in our conversation.
    Was I mistaken all this time?
    Thinking you might dislike me…
    I’m just a simple person, aren’t I?
    My affection for you just keeps growing.
    You like me?

    In the beautiful, star-filled schoolyard,
    as we walked side by side,
    I was drawn to you without even realizing it.
    This must be our destiny.

    But why on earth
    am I so curious about you now?
    With the remaining days until graduation,
    I suddenly feel so wistful.
    Maybe, just maybe, I actually
    liked you all along.
    These complicated feelings now…
    I don’t care about them anymore.
    I miss you…

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