Song Lyric Translations

Ranma 1/2 Opening Theme Song (1989)
Jajauma ni Sasenaide [Don’t Make Me a Shrew]
Arranger: Shiina Kazuo
Composer: Muramatusu Kunio
Lyricist: Mori Yukinosuke
Singer: Nishio Etsuko

Translator: Theresa Martin
Original Date: Sometime in the 1990s

Chorus 1:

YAPPAPPAA YAPPAPPAA II-SHAN-TEN
hashagu koi wa  ike no koi
YAPPAPPAA YAPPAPPAA II-SHAN-TEN
mune no tai wa  dakareTAI

Chorus 1:

Yap-pap-paa yap-pap-paa 1 shanten [Mahjong: 2 tiles from “ron”]
Romping love [‘koi’] is a carp [‘koi’] in a pond.
Yap-pap-paa yap-pap-paa 1 shanten
The sea bream [‘tai’] of my heart wants [‘-tai’] to be embraced.

Chorus 2:

wake mo wakarazu ni  Ranma Ranma de, hi ga kureru
kimi to atte kara  Ranma Ranma de
NANDAKANDA to  suttamonda no seikimatsu

Chorus 2:

Without understanding even the reason, Ranma, Ranma, it’s getting dark.
Since I got together with you, Ranma, Ranma.
quarreling about something or other, it’s the fin de si\’ecle.

naze motto shizuka ni “suki da yo” to ienai no?
hariau to watashi mo  jajauma ni natchau!

Why can’t you say “I love you” more quietly?
Whenever we rival each other, I too become a shrew!
[lit. an unruly horse, which Ranma’s name also means literally]

BERU mo narasazu ni  soyokaze no you ni
mune no WANRUUMU  sumitsuita kimi na no
meiwaku yo  dakedo
..kon’ya dake ii wa (…ashita made ii wa)

Without even ringing a bell, like a gentle breeze,
you just settled into the one-room [apartment] of my heart.
It’s an inconvenience, but..
…just for tonight, it’s OK  (…until tomorrow, it’s OK)

YAPPAPPAA YAPPAPPAA RYAN-SHAN-TEN
odoru kisu wa  umi no kisu
YAPPAPPAA YAPPAPPAA RYAN-SHAN-TEN
koi no aji wa  kakushi aji

Yap-pap-paa yap-pap-paa 2 shanten [Mahjong: 3 tiles from “ron”]
A dancing kiss [‘kisu’] is a Sillago japonica [‘kisu’] in the sea.
Yap-pap-paa ya-pap-paa 2 shanten
The horse mackerel [‘aji’] of love is the secret ingredient [‘aji’]

mitsumerareru tabi  Ranma Ranma de  me ga mawaru
koi ni narisou de  Ranma Ranma de
TANMA TANMA de  sonna mon ne to o-tomodachi

Every time you stare at me, Ranma, Ranma, I get dizzy.
It looks like it’s becoming love, Ranma, Ranma,
Time out, time out, lets’ be friends.

hakuryoku de kudokare  hoshi no machi nige deshita
yumemiteta DEETO ga  MARASON ni natchau!

Wooed with such force, I fled the city of stars
The date I’ve been dreaming of will become a marathon!

kayui MERUHEN mo  o-tome ni wa biyaku
kimi no yasashisa ni  tsutsumarete-mitai no
joudan yo  dakedo
…HAATO wa sukechau (…itsuka wa sukechau)

An itchy maerchen [German: fairy tale] is an aphrodesiac to a maiden.
I want to be wrapped up in your tenderness.
I’m joking, but…
…my heart has become transparent (…sooner or later it’ll become transparent).

Repeat Chorus 1

mitsumerareru tabi  Ranma Ranma de, me ga mawaru
koi ni narisou de  Ranma Ranma de, o-tomodachi

When you stare at me, Ranma, Ranma, I get dizzy,
It looks like it’s becoming love, Ranma, Ranma, my friend.

Repeat Chorus 2