A translation for the seventh track from Megumi Ogata’s album Desire -Hope- (Desire -希望-), originally released November 27, 2013.
Although it can’t strictly be said that this is a Danganronpa-related song, the nature of the lyrics, combined with the fact this particular song is composed by Masafumi Takada, certainly makes it difficult to say it’s not. (The album’s tenth track also happens to be “Setting Sail -departure-”, the ending song for Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Academy.)
“NEXT STAGE”
Lyrics: em:óu1
Composition: Masafumi Takada
Let’s receive the dawn’s wind
And walk to the morning mist
Grasping the earth coming forward, aim for an unknown guidepost
Despair is calling to you, clearly and subtly in your daily life
In a sweet, bewitching, superb voice
Quietly drawing closer, cutting you away, accompanying you
During those times of weakness that everyone has
Now, stand up so you can live
No matter how many times it takes, you can keep walking
Embrace everything, even your sadness and hatred
Reclaim the proof that you’re alive
For the sake of those people important to you
Because it doesn’t matter who they are, no one lives alone
“Hope” pushes straight on to the future
Despair’s invitation incessantly continues
Saying that it’s better to give in to lust
But on the other side of the door that everyone is aware of
The instincts they have whisper
NEXT STAGE
Being conscious of our death, we thought for the first time,death.2
“If chosen it, at that time, we were able to survive…”
Too later, latest! Because, If you die all the meanings
of having come until now will be lost.
How do you live? How do you die? Don’t throw away hope.
If you do not want to repent, you mustn’t despair.
Living? Dying? The select, opens the following door,
Coming soon, the future which you chose, flow to the next stage!
Yes, stand up so you can live
No matter how many times it takes, you can start over
Take along everything, even your sadness and hatred
Break through your own wall
For the people you’ll meet someday
Because it doesn’t matter who they are, everyone lives with someone by their side
Keep pushing straight on with “hope” in your heart
To the unexplored future that you can’t see –
Let’s receive the dawn’s wind
And walk to the morning mist
Grasping the earth coming forward, aim for an unknown guidepost
“Hope” pushes straight on to the future
Translator's notes