I know this one’s been done before, but this has been on my list for a while for a particular reason. せっかちなかたつむり (sekkachi na katatsumuri / Impatient Snail) was the first Nogizaka song I ever heard, back before I even understood what Japanese idol groups were.
It was actually part of a double-header YouTube rip of what I would (long afterwards) learn were the two song performances from the AKB SHOW! #114 (aka Nogizaka46 SHOW! May 28th, 2016), which opened with this song and closed with Fukagawa Mai’s graduation solo.
I was really fascinated by all aspects of the performance, and I’ve since seen several times that the song is indeed notable among Nogi fans (some later becoming Nogi members) for its use of stand mics. I had started translating little bits of it, and when it disappeared from YouTube I was sad I would never really know what it was. So you can imagine my delight when all the pieces eventually came together.
Though this was the common B-side across Nogi’s 3rd single 走れ! Bicycle, it didn’t release with a music video. Instead, I believe to coincide with the release of their All-MV collection there was a contest to pick one old song to retroactively get an MV, and せっかちなかたつむり won out.
I suppose the MV fits the tone of the song, but it’s a bit strange overall. However, I do like the miniature work and the members’ costuming is quite nice. I like the studio performance a lot more, admittedly partially for the nostalgia factor. Nanase looks great, while some of the other members (cough… Nakada…) are a bit overshadowed by their hairstyles.
Since I wanted to do the SHOW! performance, I went ahead and subbed both videos for completeness. The studio version had the lyrics baked in, so I just added the translations around them, while the MV is (perhaps the only version released?) HD quality from the All-MV collection.
Nogizaka46 せっかちなかたつむり (sekkachi na katatsumuri / Impatient Snail) Translation by SaitoWinterStar Hey! Hey! Hey!...... Hey! Hey! Hey!...... Fu! 出会ったばかり deatta bakari We just met each other 何か気になってる nani ka ki ni natte ru And something's worrying me あっという間に atto iu ma ni In the blink of an eye 恋に落ちたんだよ koi ni ochita nda yo I fell in love みんなが見ているから min'na ga mite iru kara Since everyone's watching 自由に振る舞えない jiyuu ni furumaenai I can't just act freely もっと話をしたいのに… motto hanashi wo shitai no ni... But I still want to talk with you some more... そうさりげなく 視線で合図して sou sarigenaku shisen de aizu shite With a casual glance of the eye, I signal you アプローチしても APUROUCHI shite mo But if I approach you ちょっと鈍感みたい chotto donkan mitai It would seem a little bold 恋とは出会い頭 koi to wa deaigashira For love at first sight タイミングが重要 TAIMINGU ga juuyou The timing is important 普通に仲良くなると futsuu ni nakayoku naru to Normally when you're getting to know someone 友達で終わるもの tomodachi de owaru mono It ends with them as just a friend 100回会ったって hyakkai atta tte Meeting a hundred times たった一回だけでも tatta ikkai dake demo Or just this once チャンスはきっと同じだわ CHANSU wa kitto onaji da wa My chances are surely the same せっかちな(せっかちな)かたつむり(かたつむり) sekkachi na (sekkachi na) katatsumuri (katatsumuri) Impatient (Impatient) snail (snail) 今回こそは上手く行く konkai koso wa umakuyuku Things will work out this time fore sure 今まで失敗してた ima made shippai shite ta It's been all failures up to now のんびりした展開は nonbiri shita tenkai wa With my easy-going approach 損な役回りで son'na yakumawari de In that kind of position 美味しいとこ盗まれる oishii toko nusumareru Everything good gets stolen away せっかちな(せっかちな)かたつむり(かたつむり) sekkachi na (sekkachi na) katatsumuri (katatsumuri) Impatient (Impatient) snail (snail) なんだかんだ学んだよ nandakanda mananda yo I've learned a little something 少しはがっつかないと… sukoshi wa gattsukanai to... I've got to be a little greedy... すべては後の祭りだし… subete wa ato no matsuri dashi... Or it'll all be too late... 先に進みたくて saki ni susumitakute I want to be getting out ahead 焦っているかたつむり asette iru katatsumuri And be a snail in a hurry 気持ち隠して kimochi kakushite Hiding my feelings じわじわ近づくよ jiwajiwa tsudzuku yo We're getting closer, bit by bit な~んだ そこに na~nda soko ni What the... right there いたから驚いた ita kara odoroita You surprised me 私はわざとらしく watshi wa wazatorashiku I awkwardly emphasize, 「偶然だ!」強調して "guuzen da!" kyouchou shite "What a coincidence!" 話の糸口を探すんだ hanashi no itoguchi wo sagasu nda And search for something to talk about ホントはもっと HONTO wa motto The truth is そう時間を掛けて sou jikan wo kakete Seems maybe it will take more time 仲良くなれば nakayoku nareba Even if we get along 恋になるかもなのに… koi ni naru ka mo na no ni... For you to fall in love... 頭じゃわかってても atama ja wakatte temo Even if I know it in my head 身体はわかってない karada wa wakatte nai My body doesn't understand 全身の血が上って zenshin no chi ga nobotte And blushing all over 一気に興奮して ikki ni koufun shite I get excited right away 100回我慢して hyakkai gaman shite Enduring those 100 times たった一回告れば tatta ikkai kokureba For just that once when you confess そこそこ両思いになれる sokosoko ryouomoi ni nareru And it can quickly become mutual love ドジばかり(ドジばかり)かたつむり(かたつむり) DOJI bakari (DOJI bakari) katatsumuri (katatsumuri) Just a screw-up (Just a screw-up) snail (snail) ねえ どうすればいいのかな nee dou sureba ii no ka na Hey I wonder what I should do? 気持ちだけ急いだって kimochi dake isoida tte I just have the feeling I was rushing 2人はただの友達 futari wa tada no tomodachi The two of us are just friends 出会ったばかりでは deatta bakari de wa We just met by chance 迷惑だと思われる meiwaku da to omowareru So I might seem annoying ドジばかり(ドジばかり)かたつむり(かたつむり) DOJI bakari (DOJI bakari) katatsumuri (katatsumuri) Just a screw-up (Just a screw-up) snail (snail) 性格なんて変わらない seikaku nante kawaranai My personality isn't going to change 攻める守る 綱引きで semeru mamoru tsunahiki de Attacking and defending in this tug-of-war すべてが愛の盾と矛 subete ga ai no tate to hoko The shield and spear of love are everything 自分じゃどうしようもない jibun ja doushiyou mo nai I just can't help myself シュンとするかたつむり SHUN to suru katatsumuri Being a despondent snail Hey! Hey! Hey!...... Hey! Hey! Hey!...... Fu! Hey! Hey! Hey!...... Hey! Hey! Hey!......
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