View source for A Cruel Angel's Thesis

'''A Cruel Angel's Thesis''' is the opening theme song for the series ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', composed by [[Hidetoshi Sato]] and sung by [[Yoko Takahashi]]. The lyrics are by Neko Oikawa while the arrangement is by Toshiyuki Omori. The song also has the distinction of taking first place in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Society_for_Rights_of_Authors,_Composers_and_Publishers JASRAC] Awards.<ref>http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-05-25/songs-from-evangelion-other-anime-win-jasrac-awards</ref>

This song was written with relatively limited involvement from Hideaki Anno and the production staff, being handled by producer Toshimichi Otsuki .<ref> From the animania blog report on the March 28, 2005 NHK Anime Yawa talk show (translation by animania) - Otsuki said he allowed Anno to do whatever he wanted in the anime except for the theme music. Otsuki was particular about the theme and handled the music staff by himself, going as far as to claim that no anime staff, even Anno, met the music staff (apparently contradicted by Oikawa's statements). - [https://web.archive.org/web/20070114085749/animaniajapan.livedoor.biz/archives/17687653.html Yuko Miyamura, BS AnimeYAWA]</ref> Anno originally wanted to use an excerpt from Borodin's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polovtsian_Dances Polovtsian Dances] in the opening, but the producers did not approve of this and instead decided to use a J-Pop song, which eventually resulted in the creation of this song by Neko Oikawa. 

Oikawa apparently had very little knowledge of the show, which was under production at the time with the episodes not having been colored. According to tweets and interviews, Oikawa went through a proposal of the show (possibly [[Neon Genesis Evangelion Proposal]]) and watched two unfinished episodes on fast-forward, only serving to broadly "fit" the anime after the fact <ref>“My manager got the job, we had a quick meeting lasting about 30 minutes, skim-read the proposal and watched two episodes on fast-forward. And with that I was told ‘so, yeah, just write whatever you want!’, and finished the song [lyrics] in about two hours. Sorry to burst your bubble, guys!” http://soranews24.com/2015/01/08/a-cruel-angels-thesis-took-just-two-hours-to-write-says-evangelion-lyricist-neko-oikawa</ref><ref>"It wasn't even colored. I wrote the song, and my job was done. I wrote it in about two hours."  [https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2021-02-03/lyricist-neko-oikawa-shares-how-she-was-scammed-out-of-her-evangelion-royalty-money/.169084 Anime News Network interview with Neko Oikawa]</ref> The writing process for [[Episode 01]] took as long as six months,<ref>[https://forum.evageeks.org/post/425333/NGE-Ep24-Script-First-and-Second-Drafts/#425333 2nd JUNE interview]</ref> and the opening sequence was not yet finished.<ref>[https://www.gwern.net/docs/eva/2002-takeda-notenkimemoirs Notenki Memoirs]</ref><ref>According to Hidenori Matsubara during the Animazement 2015 convention, "the song was created before they even got done with animation for the opening theme. Strangely enough, the song manage to go along with the opening animation."</ref> The original song included a male chorus, which was cut at director Hideaki Anno's request in order to "emphasize maternal affection".<ref>''Refrain of Evangelion OST Booklet, 2003.''</ref> 


{{translation}}
Oikawa states that she took inspiration for the title from the manga [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Cruel_God_Reigns A Cruel God Reigns].<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20160830224921/http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/11939169</ref> Among other statements, Oikawa said the lyrics "become a legend" were originally "become a weapon" and that she decided to make the song about the perspective of a mother when her child "leaves the nest."<ref>https://www.sankei.com/west/news/161228/wst1612280011-n1.html</ref> 

==Lyrics==

Original Japanese Lyrics: Neko Oikawa



{| border="0" 
|-
|width="350"|<big>'''『残酷な天使のテーゼ』'''</big>
|width="350"|<big>'''Zankoku na tenshi no teeze'''</big>
|width="350"|<big>'''English Translation'''</big><sup>1</sup>
|width="350"|<big>'''Sing-Along English Translation'''</big><sup>2</sup>
|-valign="top"
|
残酷な天使のように<br />
少年よ　神話になれ<br />

青い風がいま<br />
胸のドアを叩いても<br />
私だけをただ見つめて<br />
微笑んでるあなた<br />
そっとふれるもの<br />
もとめることに夢中で<br />
運命さえまだ知らない<br />
いたいけな瞳<br />

だけどいつか気付くでしょう　その背中には<br />
遥か未来　めざすための　羽根があること<br />

残酷な天使のテーゼ<br />
窓辺からやがて飛び立つ<br />
ほとばしる熱いパトスで<br />
思い出を裏切るなら<br />
この宇宙(そら)を抱いて輝く<br />
少年よ　神話になれ<br />

''Instrumental section''<br /><sup>3</sup>

ずっと眠ってる<br />
私の愛の揺りかご<br />
あなただけが　夢の使者に<br />
呼ばれる朝がくる<br />
細い首筋を<br />
月あかりが映してる<br />
世界中の時を止めて<br />
閉じこめたいけど<br />

もしもふたり逢えたことに　意味があるなら<br />
私はそう　自由を知る　ためのバイブル<br />

残酷な天使のテーゼ<br />
悲しみがそしてはじまる<br />
抱きしめた命のかたち<br />
その夢に目覚めたとき<br />
誰よりも光を放つ<br />
少年よ　神話になれ<br />

人は愛をつむぎながら　歴史をつくる<br />
女神なんてなれないまま　私は生きる <br />

残酷な天使のテーゼ<br />
窓辺からやがて飛び立つ<br />
ほとばしる熱いパトスで<br />
思い出を裏切るなら<br />
この宇宙(そら)を抱いて輝く<br />
少年よ　神話になれ<br />
|
Zankoku na tenshi no yō ni<br />
Shōnen yo, shinwa ni nare...<br />

Aoi kaze ga ima mune no doa wo tataitemo<br />
Watashi dake wo tada mitsumete<br />
Hohoenderu anata<br />
Sotto fureru mono<br />
Motomeru koto ni muchū de<br />
Unmei sae mada shiranai itaikena hitomi<br />

Dakedo itsuka kizuku deshō<br />
Sono senaka ni wa<br />
Haruka mirai mezasu tame no<br />
Hane ga aru koto...<br />

Zankoku na tenshi no teeze<br />
Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu<br />
Hotobashiru atsui patosu de<br />
Omoide wo uragiru nara<br />
Kono sora wo daite kagayaku<br />
Shōnen yo, shinwa ni nare<br />

''Instrumental section''<br /><sup>3</sup>

Zutto nemutteru watashi no ai no yurikago<br />
Anata dake ga yume no shisha ni<br />
Yobareru asa ga kuru<br />
Hosoi kubisuji wo tsukiakari ga utsushiteru<br />
Sekai'jū no toki wo tomete<br />
Tojikometai kedo...<br />

Moshi mo futari aeta koto ni imi ga aru nara<br />
Watashi wa, sō, jiyū wo shiru<br />
Tame no baiburu<br />

Zankoku na tenshi no teeze<br />
Kanashimi ga soshite hajimaru<br />
Dakishimeta inochi no katachi<br />
Sono yume ni mezameta toki<br />
Dare yori mo hikari wo hanatsu<br />
Shōnen yo, shinwa ni nare<br />

Hito wa ai wo tsumugi nagara rekishi wo tsukuru<br />
Megami nante narenai mama<br />
Watashi wa ikiru...<br />

Zankoku na tenshi no teeze<br />
Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu<br />
Hotobashiru atsui patosu de<br />
Omoide wo uragiru nara<br />
Kono sora wo daite kagayaku<br />
Shōnen yo, shinwa ni nare<br />
|
Like a cruel angel,<br>
young boy, become the legend!<br>
 
A blue wind is now<br>
knocking at the door to your heart, and yet<br>
you are merely gazing at me<br>
and smiling.<br>

Something gently touching--<br>
you're so intent on seeking it out,<br>
that you can't even see your fate yet,<br>
with such innocent eyes.<br>

But someday I think you'll find out<br>
that what's on your back<br>
are wings that are for<br>
heading for the far-off future.<br>

The cruel angel's thesis<br>
will soon take flight through the window,<br>
with surging, hot pathos,<br>
if you betray your memories.<br>
Embracing this sky [universe] and shining,<br>
young boy, become the legend!<br>

''Instrumental section''<br /><sup>3</sup>

Sleeping for a long time<br>
in the cradle of my love<br>
The morning is coming when you alone will be called<br>
by a messenger of dreams.<br>
                         
Moonlight reflects off<br>
the nape of your slender neck.<br>
Stopping time all throughout the world<br>
I want to confine them, but...<br>

So if two people being brought together by fate<br>
has any meaning,<br>
I think that it is a "bible"<br>
for learning freedom.<br>
                         
The cruel angel's thesis.<br>
The sorrow then begins.<br>
You held tight to the form of life<br>
when you woke up from that dream.<br>
You shine brighter than anyone else.<br>
Young boy, become the legend!<br>

People create history<br>
while weaving love.<br>
Even knowing I'll never be a goddess or anything like that,<br>
I live on.<br>
          
The cruel angel's thesis<br>
will soon take flight through the window,<br>
with surging, hot pathos,<br>
if you betray your memories.<br>
Embracing this sky and shining,<br>
young boy, become the legend!<br>
|
Young boy, like a cruel angel's thesis,<br />
Live up to be a legend...<br />

Even though clear blue winds<br />
Beat on the door of my heart,<br />
You just smile, looking straight at me<br />
Too involved in yearning for<br />
Something to hold on<br />
The innocent eyes still know nothing of fate yet.<br />

But someday you will notice<br />
On those shoulders of yours<br />
There are strong wings<br />
To guide you to the far future.<br />

A cruel angel's thesis<br />
Will someday fly high from the window<br />
If memories are betrayed by<br />
The overflowing, burning pathos.<br />
Young boy, shine like a legend,<br />
Holding the sky in your arms.<br />

''Instrumental section''<br /><sup>3</sup>

The cradle of love that sleeps within me<br />
There will be a morning that<br />
A servant of dreams will come for you.<br />
The moonlight shines on your thin neckline.<br />
I'd stop time in this world<br />
And lock it away for myself, but...<br />

If there is any meaning<br />
In the fate that pulled us together,<br />
Then I am, yes, the Bible<br />
That teaches you of freedom.<br />

A cruel angel's thesis<br />
And then sorrow comes forth<br />
When the shapes of the dreams you hold in your arms<br />
Come to life within you.<br />
Young boy, who shines brighter than anyone else,<br />
Rise to become a legend.<br />

People weave together love to create history<br />
And so I live on,<br />
Unable to become a goddess...<br />

A cruel angel's thesis<br />
Will someday fly high from the window<br />
If memories are betrayed by<br />
The overflowing, burning pathos.<br />
Young boy, shine like a legend,<br />
Holding the sky in your arms.<br />
|}

====Translation Notes====

<sup>1</sup>This was translated by [mailto:miyukichan64@yahoo.com Takayama Miyuki] and these are the translator's notes:
*''young boy, become the legend!'': The word "shinwa" actually means "myth" ("legend" would be "densetsu"), but I think it sounds better as "legend."
*''with surging, hot pathos'': "Atsui" (hot) can also mean "intense, passionate." "Pathos" is "the quality or power in life or art of evoking a feeling of pity or compassion; pity; suffering; sorrow."
*''Embracing this sky [universe] and shining'': "Sora" (sky) is the reading given for the kanji for "uchuu" (universe).
*''has any meaning'': The kanji used for the "a" in "aeta" is not the normal kanji used in "au" (to meet). It's the first kanji in "ouse" (encounter, tryst) and has more of a connotation of meeting by fate or being brought together by fate, not just meeting. (Interestingly, a dictionary I have gives the meaning of "au," when written with this kanji, as "to meet (with drama or pathos)")
*''for learning freedom'': The "watashi wa sou" is probably "watashi wa sou omou." And "bible" in this case isn't referring to *the* Bible. "Bible" can also mean "guide book, how-to book, a book valued for its use as a reference," like in "a handyman's bible," or "a bird-watcher's bible."

<sup>2</sup>This is the translation found on the U.S. release of Evangelion by ADV.

<sup>3</sup>The instrumental section contains chanted non-Japanese lyrics in [[Yoko Takahashi]]'s version and a few others, while other versions of the song have a purely instrumental section. The January 1996 issue of Newtype magazine transcribed Takahashi's lyrics in this section as "Fariya. Seta(or sepa) messo. Fariya. Tuse." which they speculate is from the fictional language of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Alternatively, [https://forum.evageeks.org/thread/19847/Cruel-Angels-Thesis-lyrics-in-instrumental-section-solved/ an EvaGeeks forum discussion suggests] that the lyrics may be "Faria? Será mesmo? Faria? Eu sei!" which is in the Portuguese language. Since the word "Faria" is usually used in a similar way as the English word "would", those lines could be interpreted as someone doubting something or someone else. There has never been any official information on the actual lyrics or their meaning, if any.

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Audio Releases}}
[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Theme Songs]]